Iran’s Energy Lifeline Faces New Risk After Israeli Strikes
Why it matters:
Israel’s drone attacks on South Pars Phase 14 and the Fajr Jam gas complex could knock out up to 10% of Iran’s gas processing capacity. Phase 14 alone handles around 20 million cubic meters daily. The hits expose glaring vulnerabilities in Iran’s energy network — and raise alarms about what might come next.
Zoom out:
Attention is shifting to Kharg Island, the country’s main oil export terminal. Just 35 kilometers off Iran’s southern coast, it channels over 90% of national crude exports.
By the numbers:
- Capacity: 5 million barrels per day
- Storage: 40 tanks holding more than 20 million barrels
- Infrastructure: 2 docks serving 9 tankers at once
Between the lines:
No other Iranian facility can match its scale. While it survived heavy bombardment during the Iran-Iraq War, evolving threats — drones, missiles, cyberattacks — make its defenses more questionable today.
Catch up quick:
After the 1979 Revolution, U.S. military planners eyed Kharg in potential naval blockade scenarios. Saddam’s forces targeted it throughout the 1980s. The terminal stayed operational, but only just.
Attempts at a Plan B?
Iran has invested in Jask Port on the Gulf of Oman, aiming to sidestep the Strait of Hormuz. But the project lags behind its promise:
- Planned capacity: 2 million barrels/day
- Current pipeline: 300,000 barrels/day
- Export volumes: under 200,000 barrels/day
- Storage: effectively empty (Vortexa data)
- Transport cost from oil fields: $5+ per barrel
Strategic chokepoint:
Roughly 96% of Iranian oil and 80% of its cargo trade flow through the Strait of Hormuz. A strike on Kharg could escalate into a wider maritime crisis in this volatile corridor.
Between the lines:
While regional rivals like Saudi Arabia and the UAE have built pipelines to the Red Sea and Fujairah to bypass Hormuz, Iran remains dependent on a fragile chain — with Kharg as both artery and Achilles’ heel.