Graham Urges US Seizure of Iran's Kharg Island, Likens to Iwo Jima

Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina drew sharp criticism from fellow Republicans and Democrats on Sunday after advocating for a U.S. military operation to seize Iran's Kharg Island during an interview on Fox News Sunday. The longtime advocate for aggressive action against Iran compared the potential assault to the World War II Battle of Iwo Jima, suggesting American forces could succeed despite heavy historical losses.

Graham urged President Donald Trump to target the island, a critical hub for about 90 percent of Iran's oil and gas exports located roughly 16 miles off the Iranian coast in the northern Persian Gulf. "We've got two Marine Expeditionary Units sailing to this island," Graham said. "We did Iwo Jima. We can do this. The Marines, my money is always on the Marines." He described the ongoing U.S. military efforts as "an amazing military operation" and added, "God bless the fallen," while expressing trust in the Department of Defense. Graham argued that capturing or blockading the island would weaken the Iranian regime economically, allowing it to "die on the vine" and enabling broader regional peace initiatives, such as normalizing relations between Saudi Arabia...