Trump Claims Destruction of Iran's Kharg Island via AI Generated Video

President Donald Trump posted on social media that Iran's energy hub of Kharg Island was being blown to smithereens, accompanying the claim with a video clip that was later confirmed to be synthetically generated by AI. There was no other evidence that the island, which previously handled 90 percent of Iran's oil exports, was under attack. Neither the White House, the US Defense Department, nor Iranian media provided immediate confirmation of an attack on Kharg.

The post followed the first known US military strikes in several weeks. A US official stated that forces attacked two Iranian launchers on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were observed preparing to launch rockets with sea mines. US Central Command described the action as limited and precise, citing an imminent threat. In retaliation, Iran launched ballistic missiles at two US bases in Jordan. Jordanian state television reported that eight missiles were intercepted, while Iranian state media claimed the US attack killed and wounded several soldiers and citizens.

Simultaneously, the Trump administration is intensifying economic pressure on Tehran. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Reuters that new secondary sanctions, focusing initially on banks, would likely be announced weekly. This follows sanctions imposed on Friday against UAE branches of Egypt's Banque Misr over alleged financial links to Iran. Shipping data showed a decline in commodity vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend, with some vessels disabling identification systems to avoid attacks.