Qeshm Island
Qeshm Island is a strategic Iranian territory in the Strait of Hormuz, serving as a critical hub for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) naval operations and coastal defense systems. In mid-2026, it became a primary target of sustained U.S. military strikes aimed at degrading Iran's ability to threaten international shipping lanes.
Qeshm Island is the largest island in the Persian Gulf, situated at the narrowest point of the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Due to its geography, the island is central to Iran's 'anti-access/area denial' (A2/AD) strategy, housing significant military infrastructure including coastal missile batteries, radar installations, and naval facilities used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The island facilitates Iranian control over international shipping lanes, through which a substantial portion of the world's oil supply passes. In mid-2026, Qeshm Island emerged as a focal point of direct kinetic confrontation between the United States and Iran. Following the collapse of previous diplomatic frameworks and renewed Iranian provocations against commercial vessels, the U.S. military launched a series of massive, targeted strikes against IRGC positions on the island. These operations, part of a broader CENTCOM campaign, aimed to neutralize assets threatening freedom of navigation. By mid-July 2026, the scope of the American campaign expanded beyond purely military targets to include dual-use infrastructure. On July 14, reports indicated that U.S. forces struck power plants and desalination facilities on the island, leading to a total blackout and significant disruption of local services. On July 24, 2026, further explosions were reported on the island alongside strikes in the nearby port city of Jask, as the U.S. continued its multi-week effort to degrade Iranian maritime capabilities. The island remains a high-priority target due to its role as a launchpad for IRGC fast-attack craft and anti-ship missiles. Recent reports also suggest that Iranian authorities have begun evacuations of the island due to the intensity of the ongoing campaign.