The Pentagon had no choice but to admit that the United States had lost six aerial refueling planes after Reuters published a report (Wall Street Journal) confirming that five American aerial refueling planes were seriously damaged at the “Prince Sultan“ air base in Saudi Arabia, in addition to another aerial refueling plane that crashed in western Iraq three days ago.
It is important to note that these are not ordinary planes; they are the ones that refuel fighter jets in the air. This means that they are the reason American planes or fighter jets can fly for long hours and continue to bomb all sorts of targets in the region. Simply put, hitting these planes is tantamount to hitting the logistical backbone of the US air force in the region.
In response, America targeted the Iranian island of Kharg. Despite the small size of this island, it actually has a significant impact on the global economy in general and the Chinese economy in particular, since 90% of Iran's oil exports come from Kharg Island. This means that disrupting the activities of this island would bring Iran's economy to a standstill and perhaps leave it unable to breathe. The island, where US forces destroyed military targets, is a vital hub for Iranian oil exports, and markets are currently watching for signs of impact from airstrikes that damaged the complex network of pipelines, ports and storage tanks in Kharg.
The striking thing that the United States is aware of is that the vast majority of Iranian oil in recent years has gone to China. This means that the strike on Kharg Island not only means a threat to the Iranian economy or putting pressure on the Iranian government, but in fact represents pressure on a large part of the energy that powers the Chinese economy.
Iran continued its response to Kharg Island by announcing its complete control over the Strait of Hormuz by 100%, which means that it will paralyze world trade, since it is known that the Strait of Hormuz is not an ordinary passage, but is an energy and food artery in the world, especially for the Arabian Gulf, and about 20% of the world's oil trade passes through this strait, in addition to food and medicine supplies.
Even more dangerous is Iran's announcement that ships wishing to pass through the Strait of Hormuz can be allowed if they pay transit fees in Chinese yuan, not dollars. This could shake up the entire global financial system, because the power of the dollar lies in the relationship between the dollar and oil. Therefore, all countries in the world hold dollars, and this is what makes the dollar the strongest currency in the world economy. And so far, all the wars we have witnessed have been mainly due to maintaining the power of the dollar and ensuring that it continues to be the strongest currency in the world economy.
If ships start to be traded in Chinese yuan, or if oil is sold in other currencies, especially Chinese yuan, then we find ourselves facing not just a military war, but a fierce war between the United States of America and China. Therefore, considering the overall picture in all its dimensions, we find that what is happening now is not just a conflict between America and Iran, but a part or link in the chain of the great conflict between two of the superpowers in the world economy.
Thus, it can become clear that this war hides other goals between the United States of America, which wants to maintain the dominance of the dollar, and China, which wants to build a new global financial system around its currency, the yuan, after selling US government bonds.
Therefore, many observers recalled statements by Donald Trump made about 38 years ago, as press archives revealed a vision adopted by the American president regarding Iranian strategic sites since the 1980s. In particular, towards the island of Kharg, the main artery for the export of Iranian oil. Thus, it becomes clear that while Kharg Island is of great strategic importance to Iran, it also represents a valuable strategic American target (for Trump) in the war that has been going on for two weeks.
President Trump continued his threats to attack the oil infrastructure on Kharg Island if Iran continues to disrupt shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, while the US media began to claim that the US decision to attack Iran was a “serious mistake”, indicating that regaining control of the Strait of Hormuz will not be achieved without the deployment of ground troops - an option that the US administration does not seem willing to pursue at the moment.