On March 13, 2026, U.S. forces bombed over 90 military targets on Iran's Kharg Island, the heart of Iran's oil export infrastructure, but deliberately spared the oil terminals to avoid sparking a global energy crisis. The same day, a KC-135 tanker crashed in Iraq, killing six Ohio Air National Guard members, bringing the U.S. death toll to 13.

Meanwhile, the Strait of Hormuz shipping collapsed to single digits per day as oil prices climbed above $100.

Sources for this episode are available at: https://nbn.fm/war-desk/episode/ep81

About War Desk

War Desk is an investigative podcast using AI-assisted analysis of military intelligence, diplomatic signals, and conflict data to assess global war risk, with sources and references published on our website for verification.

Subscribe to NBN's Newsletter

Get new investigations, new shows, and the raw intelligence you won't find anywhere else straight to your inbox.

Sign up at nbn.fm/newsletter.