Trump Shares AI Videos Depicting Missile Attack on Iran’s Kharg Island

By Staff, Agencies

US President Donald Trump has shared AI-generated videos depicting missile strikes on Iran’s strategically important Kharg Island oil hub, as tensions between Washington and Tehran escalate following a new exchange of attacks.

The latest confrontation marks the first direct exchange of strikes between US and Iranian forces since late July. On Sunday, US Central Command said American forces had attacked two Iranian launchers on Larak Island near the Strait of Hormuz. Washington said the launchers were preparing to fire rockets carrying sea mines into the waterway, a crucial global energy route through which roughly one-fifth of the world's crude oil trade passes.

Iranian authorities said the US strikes martyred several soldiers and civilians. Iran subsequently launched a retaliatory strike early Monday, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards [IRG] stating that missiles and drones caused significant damage to US military facilities at King Hussein and Al-Azraq air bases in Jordan.

The escalation immediately affected oil markets. In early Asian trading, West Texas Intermediate futures rose 2.47% to $85.46 a barrel, while Brent crude gained 2.71% to $90.49.

Rather than making an immediate statement about the attacks, Trump posted two short AI-generated videos on Truth Social showing missiles hitting oil facilities on an island and triggering massive explosions. One accompanying caption declared: “Kharg Island being blown to smithereens!!!”

Kharg Island, located about 25 kilometers off Iran's Gulf coast, is the country's main crude export terminal and handles an estimated 90% of Iranian oil exports. The heavily secured island also contains significant oil storage infrastructure and is considered vital to Iran's energy revenues.

US forces have previously struck military targets on Kharg Island since the conflict began in late February, but have avoided deliberately targeting its energy infrastructure. Trump has also previously considered the possibility of a ground operation to take control of the island, either using US troops or other forces, although no such operation took place.

Iran has repeatedly warned that any attack on Kharg Island's energy facilities or attempt to seize the island could trigger retaliation against oil and gas infrastructure belonging to US allies across the Gulf.