[Anchor]
President Donald Trump issued an ultimatum to Iran: reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours or the U.S. will strike Iranian energy infrastructure.
Iran responded that, if attacked, it would destroy all of its own energy infrastructure in retaliation.
That exchange has raised growing concerns that the confrontation with Iran could become a prolonged conflict.
Reporter Kim Sun-hong.
[Reporter]
Tensions have escalated to a new peak in the fourth week of the confrontation since U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran began on the 28th of last month.
On the 21st local time, President Trump warned that if Iran did not lift its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours, the U.S. would “raze” Iran’s power plants.
With Iran effectively closing the Strait and global oil prices climbing sharply, Trump issued what amounts to a final warning — threatening strikes on Iran’s national infrastructure.
The Iranian military operations command immediately replied that if Iran’s energy facilities were attacked, it would target U.S. and Israeli energy, IT and desalination facilities across the Middle East.
An Iranian military spokesman added that Tehran would go beyond an eye-for-an-eye approach: if one facility is hit, Iran would retaliate against multiple targets.
Earlier, on the 18th, Iran struck an LNG facility in Qatar in response to an Israeli bombing of an Iranian gas field.
Despite the escalating violence, questions persist about what concrete war aims the Trump administration is pursuing.
Trump has intensified his rhetoric, saying there will be no ceasefire.
“I don’t want a ceasefire,” Trump said on the 20th local time. “When we’re literally obliterating the other side, there’s no reason for a ceasefire.”
He has also hinted at a phased de-escalation, but then reiterated the demand that Iran lift the Hormuz blockade or face strikes on its energy infrastructure.
Analysts warn that Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen could join the fighting. If the U.S. launches additional strikes against Iran, experts say the result could be a global energy shock and a long, intractable conflict with no clear exit.
This is Kim Sun-hong for Yonhap News TV.
[Video editing: Sim Ji-mi, Song A-hae]
[Graphics: Lee Ye-ji, Jo Se-hee]
[News Review]
#Trump #UnitedStates #Israel #Oil #Iran #Nuclear #Energy #Hormuz #Blockade
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Kim Sun-hong (redsun@yna.co.kr)
