Name: The Islands Behind Iran’s Grip on the Strait of Hormuz
Uploaded: 2026-04-05T16:00:00Z
Duration: 2 min 55 s
Description: Iran’s fortifications on small islands near the Strait of Hormuz boost its power to control the key waterway. WSJ’s Shelby Holliday explains the challenges of reopening shipping there by force.

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Iran’s fortifications on small islands near the Strait of Hormuz boost its power to control the key waterway. WSJ’s Shelby Holliday explains the challenges of reopening shipping there by force. Illustration: Ksenia Shaikhutdinova

https://m.wsj.net/video/20260402/dc348019-2730-42ff-b365-99bad4003c3f/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Iran’s fortifications on small islands near the Strait of Hormuz boost its power to control the key waterway. WSJ’s Shelby Holliday explains the challenges of reopening shipping there by force.

The Islands Behind Iran’s Grip on the Strait of Hormuz

Iran has militarized a number of islands off its southern coast by building airstrips, missile tunnels, drone sites, and hiding spots for attack boats and mine laying capabilities. Some of the islands sit in and around the strategic Strait of Hormuz, while others are critical to Iran's oil industry and economy. These islands have helped Iran project power throughout the Gulf, and now they've become targets in the war. Here's why they matter. First, the small island of Kharg 20 miles off Iran's coast is Tehran's most strategic economic asset. With its major oil storage facilities and ports, it is the launch point for 90% of the country's oil exports. In mid-March, the US bombed military targets on the island, but so far it hasn't touched its oil facilities. The island is key to Iran's economy since Tehran gets a significant share of its revenue from oil with shipments flowing to places like China. If the US were to attack oil facilities at Kharg, analysts say it could do major damage, not just to the regime, but also to the global economy. The US could instead try to seize the island to use as a bargaining chip to get Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and agree to other US demands. Military strategists caution that such a move could carry a great deal of risk, since US troops holding the island could potentially turn into sitting ducks. Then there are contested islands in the Strait of Hormuz. Abu Musa, Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb. The islands have been controlled by Iran since 1971, but they're also claimed by the United Arab Emirates. Over the last half a century, Iran has turned the islands into strongholds in the Strait with airstrips that can support planes, drones, and helicopters. It has also built a network of bunkers and naval facilities, and the islands host a mix of air defenses and coastal artillery according to an analysis by the military think tank Janes. These assets allow Iran to continuously monitor the Strait and the islands serve as launch points for attacks. Other islands in the Strait also have military significance for Iran. Qeshm Island is the largest piece of land that sits at the mouth of the Strait. It hosts Iranian naval vessels and missiles in underground tunnels. Nearby is Larak Island, which has recently served as a toll booth of sorts for ships trying to pass through the Strait safely. President Trump has previously promised not to put American boots on the ground in Iran, but in recent days, a few thousand Marines, sailors and soldiers have been ordered to deploy to the Middle East and up to 10,000 additional ground troops could be sent to the region. That's raising questions about whether the US will try to raid or capture some of these strategic islands or decide against an extended military operation, effectively leaving the critical waterway under Tehran's control.

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