PANews reported on March 14 that according to Jin Shi, defense analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and former Marine Corps Colonel Mark Cancian believes that with the deployment of a Marine Corps expeditionary force to the Middle East, Trump now has the option to try to seize Kharg Island, Iran's main oil export hub. "This is the first batch of ground combat forces to go to the area," Cancian said. The United States may have the ability to occupy the island and then declare the operation over. However, Kancian believes that such operations can be logistically challenging, as Harg Island is located at the tip of the northern Persian Gulf. Iran has an arsenal of coastal cruise missiles, drones and armed speedboats that pose a threat to the U.S. military.