India, March 21 -- White House on Friday said that it could "take out" Iran's Kharg Island whenever it wanted. The comments came after a report that President Donald Trump's administration was considering plans to occupy or blockade the oil hub.

As per an Axios report, Trump was mulling an operation against Kharg to pressure the Islamic Republic to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the crucial oil shipping lane that Tehran has largely blocked.

"The United States Military can take out Kharg Island at any time if the President gives the order," White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly wrote in a statement to AFP when asked about the Axios report.

The statement comes at a time when US is reportedly deploying additional Marines t...