US military officials revealed that the war could continue for several more weeks, while Iran stated that Hargh Island is a red line.

PANews reported on March 14th that, according to Jinshi, US military officials revealed the war could continue for several more weeks. Furthermore, Iran has warned Gulf states that the attack on Hargh Island is a red line, potentially triggering a wave of attacks on the energy infrastructure of Iran's Arab neighbors. This is why Friday's US attack on Hargh Island, while potentially impacting Iran's oil export capacity, could also escalate the conflict further. Gulf states have recently attempted to lobby Washington against attacks on Hargh Island and energy facilities within Iran. In response, Washington has told Gulf diplomats that it will avoid attacking Iranian energy facilities and will pressure Israel to refrain from such actions. Hargh Island, approximately 8 square miles in size, houses an airport, oil terminals, and a port, serving as Iran's main export terminal. Its waters are deep enough to accommodate supertankers carrying approximately 2 million barrels of oil (accounting for the majority of Iran's oil exports). Trump previously stated that the US "destroyed every military target on Hargh Island, the jewel in Iran's crown," but did not target the island's oil infrastructure.