The Next Phase Iran US War: Battles for Iran’s Southern Coast, Kharg Island

Image shosw projected Map does not claim to be Actual

As Sepah the IRGC and Artesh the Iranian Armed Forces establish a joint strategy to counter what is expected to be a possible ground operation by the US Central Command to neutralise and gain control of select areas of Iran’s Southern coastline including possibly Kharg Island, the war in Iran could be moving to the next phase.

United States and Iran exchanged missile and drone fire in the past week or so, the objective of U.S. Centcom appears to be clear – to gain dominance over the Southern Iran coastline by neutralising missile and drone launch strikes. In case fire assaults fail to achieve the aim, possibility of limited special forces or ground attacks cannot be ruled out.

A Reuters report based on sources in the US government claimed that the ongoing Central Command operations were to ‘shape’ the next phase by providing President Donald Trump the option of seizing control of some of the key launch sites or their periphery, thus negating Iran’s control of the Northern passage through the Straits of Hormuz.

This comes after U.S. reimposed a naval blockade on all Iranian southern ports along the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.  U.S. military opened fire on the Curacao-flagged oil tanker Belma sailing toward Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export terminal in the Persian Gulf. After the ship “ignored multiple warnings,” a U.S. aircraft disabled the merchant vessel by firing a missile into the ship’s smokestack.

But without military control of the Southern Belt including the island territories, the Straits of Hormuz will not be secure. A critical hot spot is Iran's Kharg Island, hub for 90% of Iran's oil exports.

Meanwhile, American strikes targeted a barracks for Iran’s 388th Mechanized Infantry Brigade, which operates tanks and armored vehicles, in Sistan and Baluchestan province. Iranian media has confirmed that seven personnel of Iran’s Army Ground Force were killed after the US military launched a missile attack on the Army base in Bampur.

Iran retaliated with missile and drone attacks on Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait in the latest phase of Operation Nasr 2 (Victory 2).

Iranian media claimed that Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) pounded the US Fifth Fleet’s command and control center in Bahrain launcing fifth wave of Operation Nasr 2 (Victory 2) hitting “the NSI Management Center, the Command and Control Center.” Attacks were also claimed in Kuwait on a satellite communications center, missile and air defense radar systems, a Patriot air defense complex, logistics facilities and HIMARS missile launchers in a retaliatory strike

 IRGC Aerospace Force claimed that hangars housing US F-15, F-16 and F-35 fighter jets and eliminated several MQ-9 strategic drones at the US’ Al-Azraq Air Base in Jordan during a new wave of Operation Nasr-2. However, losses have been reported to be minimal.

Artesh and Sepah Unified Command

After the latest phase of strikes by both sides, the IRGC locally known as Sepah announced synergy with the Artesh or Iranian armed forces. The two forces claim to have adopted a joint mission that, “sends a message to the enemy that there are no internal or structural divisions on the battlefield and that the entire national capacity is concentrated on a single point”.

A consultative meeting was held that saw declaration of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army’s firm support and backing for the IRGC a strategy of joint programs and synergy was formulated. Unity was to be based on a threefold axis of “Islam, the Revolution, and the Country.” Protection of the Revolution is the charge of the IRGC while that of the country Iranian Armed Forces as per Iranian Constitution with Islam now being a joint unifying force.

Sign of Some Hope

In a sign of hope, Iran in a goodwill gesture released an American citizen wrongly detained in since 2024. As per an AP report, human rights lawyer Jared Genser has identified the detainee as his client Dena Karari, a U.S.-Iranian citizen who runs a nonprofit and was charged with espionage.