Explosions near Iran’s Kharg Island hours after Trump warns of Pickaxe Mountain, calls war ‘small potatoes’ | World News - Hindustan Times

**Explosions near Iran’s Kharg Island Hours After Trump Warns of “Pickaxe Mountain,” Calls War “Small Potatoes”**

*By INDGovernment.com Staff*

*September 5 2026 – Gulf of Oman*

A series of loud explosions were reported early on Saturday near Kharg Island, Iran’s strategic oil‑export hub in the Persian Gulf. Iranian state media and the news agency Tasnim confirmed that an Iranian oil tanker, the *Mobarakeh*, was struck by missiles while navigating the waters off the island, sustaining damage to its hull and prompting an immediate evacuation of crew members. The Iranian navy dispatched patrol vessels to the scene, and initial assessments indicated no fatalities, though the vessel’s cargo of crude oil was compromised. Satellite imagery captured plume‑like disturbances in the water, and local fishermen reported hearing multiple detonations over a span of thirty minutes.

The incidents occurred just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking at a press briefing in Washington, warned of a new operational concept the United States has dubbed “Pickaxe Mountain.” Trump downplayed the escalating tension, describing the broader conflict with Iran as “small potatoes” compared to other global security challenges. The president’s remarks, which were not accompanied by an official statement from the Pentagon, suggested that the United States was prepared to intensify pressure on Tehran if it continued to target American interests in the region. The timing of the explosions has raised questions about whether they are a direct response to the President’s warning or part of an ongoing pattern of maritime confrontations that have plagued the Gulf for months.

Iranian officials condemned what they called a “reckless and unlawful” attack on Iranian sovereign territory. Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian urged the United Nations and regional partners to convene an emergency meeting to address the escalation, emphasizing that Iran will defend its maritime routes and oil infrastructure. Meanwhile, the European Union called for restraint from all parties and offered to mediate a dialogue to prevent further incidents from spiraling into a larger conflict. Analysts note that the Kharg Island attacks, if confirmed as U.S. strikes, could trigger a cycle of retaliation that would jeopardise global oil markets and heighten instability in an already volatile region.