Trump claims US has launched 'one of the most powerful bombing raids' ever on Kharg Island

The US president said the strikes "totally obliterated every MILITARY target in Iran’s crown jewel, Kharg Island", in a post on Truth Social.

The island, around 16 miles off the mainland in the northern Persian Gulf, handles 90 per cent of the Islamic regime's fuel exports.

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But "for reasons of decency", the attack did not "wipe out the oil infrastructure on the island", he added.

He called on Iran to lay down its weapons and "save what’s left of their country, which isn’t much".

Until now, Kharg Island, which is around 5 miles long by 2.5 miles wide, had not been touched by the US-Israeli attacks on Iran in the past two weeks.

While there are few residents, it is a key crude oil passage for Iran with large tankers carrying oil to the island before it then goes through the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz.

From there, it is normally transported to China, the largest consumer of Iranian oil.

The strikes come hours after President Trump deployed thousands of extra troops and more warships to the US war effort in the Middle East.

This means that several warships, including the Japan-based USS Tripoli and 5,000 troops - 2,500 Marines and 2,500 sailors - will now join other servicemen in the fight, three officials told the Wall Street Journal.

The plans have not been confirmed but the unit, which can carry out amphibious raids, would join the substantial armada already operating off the coast of Iran, which has so far struggled to protect commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran has put the key shipping route in a stranglehold since the war began, causing global oil and gas prices to soar to record levels.

US forces have been looking for a way to respond and had been weighing up seizing Kharg Island over the past few days.

But if access to the island is cut off, it would seriously cripple the economy of the Islamic Republic.

Shortly before posting about the latest US strikes, Mr Trump spoke to reporters as he was boarding Air Force One.

He said the war with Iran would carry on "as long as necessary" and would end "once they've been decimated".

The president had previously claimed the war would end if Iran would offer their "unconditional surrender".

Asked what that meant, he said: "It means, very simply, that we are in a position of dominance that nobody's ever seen before.

"Whether or not they're able to say the words."