Explosions were heard on Iran's Kharg Island on Tuesday, following multiple attacks by the United States and Israel, according to Iran's semi-official Mehr news agency.
Located in the Persian Gulf, Kharg Island is about 25 km off the coast of Iran and less than 700 km northwest of the Strait of Hormuz.
The island has served as Iran's main oil export terminal since the 1960s, when its facilities were built with the involvement of U.S. oil companies. Iran has since expanded and upgraded its infrastructure over the decades. Today, crude shipped from Kharg forms the backbone of the Iranian government's revenue.
Although it covers only about 20 square km, it handles about 1.5 million barrels of crude oil every day, with 90 percent of Iran's oil passing through a terminal on the island, making it an "economic lifeline" for the country.
On March 13, U.S. forces "executed a large-scale precision strike" on Kharg Island, destroying naval mine storage facilities, missile storage bunkers, and multiple other military sites. U.S. President Trump has also said he has considered taking full control of the island.
U.S., Israel attack Iran's Kharg Island: media
A delegation of the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) party, led by its chairwoman Cheng Li-wun, arrived in Shanghai at noon on Tuesday for a mainland visit that will run through Sunday.
The delegation is scheduled to visit Jiangsu Province, Shanghai and Beijing, marking the first time in a decade that a KMT chairperson has led a delegation to the Chinese mainland.
The visit is regarded as an important part of the exchanges and dialogue between the KMT and the Communist Party of China (CPC) under the new circumstances.
Strengthening exchanges and dialogue between the two parties, according to a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, will have a significant and positive impact on maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and promoting the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations.
Cheng was elected KMT chairwoman in October last year. Since taking office, she has repeatedly expressed her willingness to visit the mainland.
After accepting the invitation to visit the mainland, Cheng told a press conference in Taipei that the visit is in line with the mainstream public opinion in Taiwan.
Cheng arrives in Shanghai, kicking off KMT delegation's mainland visit
