US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz attends a UN Security Council meeting after the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran at the UN Headquarters in New York City on February 28, 2026.
Heather Khalifa | reuters
US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said on Sunday that President Donald Trump is attacking oil infrastructure on Kharg Island, a key Iranian oil export hub.
“President Trump is not going to take any options off the table,” Waltz said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
Kharag Island is in the global spotlight as it is considered one of Iran’s most sensitive economic targets. The terminal handles approximately 90% of the country’s crude oil exports and has a loading capacity of approximately 7 million barrels per day.
Trump said on Friday that he directed US Central Command for the first time to bomb military targets on Kharg Island but leave oil infrastructure intact. Trump had threatened further attacks on Iran’s oil export hub, even as he repeatedly urged allies to deploy warships to help the US secure the Strait of Hormuz.
“At this point he deliberately attacked only military infrastructure,” Waltz said on CNN. “And I would certainly think that if he wanted to dismantle his energy infrastructure he would maintain that optionality.”
Separately, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on social media that his country is “ready to form a committee with countries in the region to investigate the attacked targets” on Kharg island.
“Our strikes target only US bases and interests in the region,” he wrote.
In a Telegram post on Sunday, Araghchi said: “We have not yet targeted any civilian or residential areas in the countries in the region,” adding, “Capturing Kharg island would be an even bigger mistake than attacking it.”
IRGC vows to eliminate ‘child-killer’ Netanyahu
Tehran on Sunday promised to oust Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the US-Israeli war over Iran threatens oil supplies to the Gulf.
“The IRGC has vowed to pursue and kill ‘child-killer’ Netanyahu if he is still alive,” Iran’s IRNA news agency said in a post on Twitter, referring to the country’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Rumors spread over the weekend that the Israeli leader had died, leading his office to issue a statement calling the reports “bogus”.
Israel in turn targeted key members of Iran’s leadership over the weekend.
Israel Defense Forces said they have “eliminated” two senior Iranian intelligence officers from the “Khatam al-Anbiya” emergency command.
Late Saturday, the IDF said in a post on Twitter that it had attacked the Iranian space agency’s primary research center and an air defense system production factory.
Iran continued to retaliate against targets around the region. Israeli emergency services reported a “recent missile barrage” fired at central Israel, but said there were no known injuries.
Israeli security forces examine damage to cars after a rocket attack in the Holon district of Tel Aviv on March 15, 2026. (Photo by Jack Guez/AFP via Getty Images) /
Jack Guez | AFP | getty images
Trump’s call for aid met with caution
Many countries reacted cautiously after Trump repeatedly asked other countries to send warships to the Gulf to help the US secure the Strait of Hormuz.
“It is expected that China, France, Japan, South Korea, Britain and others affected by this artificial barrier will send ships to the region,” the president wrote in a Truth Social post on Saturday. Later in the day, Trump demanded in a separate post that countries that depend on the strait for their energy supplies assist US and Israeli military operations in the region.
South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Sunday that it “takes note” of the president’s comments and that it would “closely coordinate and carefully review” the situation. The Korea International Trade Association said it gets about 70% of its crude oil and 20% of its liquefied natural gas from the Middle East.
Britain responded that it was ‘deeply considering’ how to help secure the strait. Asked whether Britain was considering sending minesweepers or mine-hunting drones to strategic waterways to help return shipping to normal, UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband told Sky News: “We are talking to our partners.”
Miliband told the BBC that “any options are being considered that could help reopen the strait.” “We do not want a nuclear-armed Iran, but ending this conflict is the best and surest way to reopen the strait,” he said.
In Japan, there is speculation that Trump will ask the US ally to send warships when Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi meets him at the White House on Thursday.
Oil prices may continue to rise
The war has effectively cut off energy supplies passing through the narrow Strait of Hormuz. About 20% of the world’s oil and gas typically passes through the sea corridor.
On Friday, Brent crude oil futures closed above $100 a barrel for the second consecutive day, and the global oil benchmark has risen more than 40% since the start of the war in Iran.
Oil prices may have risen on Monday as the Iran war entered a third week, but the Trump administration continued to play down price increases as a short-term issue.
“I think this conflict will certainly end in the next few weeks — it may be even sooner than that,” U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday. “But the conflict will subside in the next few weeks and we will see a surge in supply and a drop in prices after that.”
Wright caused confusion and a stir in the markets on Tuesday after falsely claiming in a post on Twitter that the US Navy had successfully escorted an oil tanker through the strait.
Brent and US crude futures have already risen sharply, impacting global markets. Both contracts have surged more than 40% so far this month to their highest levels since 2022, when shipping through the Strait of Hormuz nearly halted following US-Israeli attacks on Iran.
Oil-loading operations at the UAE’s Fujairah port resumed on Sunday, after being disrupted a day earlier due to a fire caused by debris fallen from an intercepted drone, according to media reports.
A spokesperson for Abu Dhabi’s state oil company, ADNOC, which operates in Fujairah, directed CNBC to the Fujairah media office, which did not immediately respond to emailed requests for comment.
Meanwhile, the International Energy Agency said Sunday that emergency reserves of oil “will soon begin flowing into global markets.”
The IEA also updated last week’s announcement of 400 million barrels to about 412 million. It said member countries in Asia planned to release stocks “immediately”, and reserves from Europe and the US would be released “from the end of March”.
Major sports competitions canceled
The impact of the war has not only severely disrupted air travel, but is now also affecting major sporting events in the Gulf region due to security concerns.
Formula 1 said on Saturday it had canceled the upcoming grand prix races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia in April.
“Although options were considered, no replacement will be made in April,” Formula 1 said in a post on X.
The “Finalísima” match between Spain and Argentina, scheduled for March 27 in Qatar, has been cancelled, UEFA said in a statement on Sunday.
“It is a matter of great disappointment for UEFA and the organizers that circumstances and timing did not allow teams to have the opportunity to compete for this prestigious award in Qatar,” UEFA said in a statement.
The contest between Spain and Argentina was scheduled to be held at the Lusail Stadium in Doha, where football fans will have the opportunity to see Lionel Messi go head-to-head with Lamine Yamal.
— Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report
