[Anchor]
Military tensions between the United States and Iran are escalating around the Strait of Hormuz. While the U.S. is urging allies to provide military support, Iran has warned that it will expand its control zone to the outskirts of the strait.
For our first news today, September 7, Washington correspondent Lee Hanseok has the report.
[Reporter]
U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright emphasized that while the U.S. military's operation to support crude oil transport in the strait is currently an essential "new normal" for ensuring safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, other nations must also join in by contributing military assets.
[Chris Wright / U.S. Secretary of Energy: I think other countries will join in this effort moving forward, because global trade is a vital matter.]
Military operations are also intensifying.
The U.S. Central Command announced that it has initiated a maritime blockade against Iran by deploying F-35 stealth fighters and other assets, having rerouted 92 commercial vessels and neutralized 3 so far.
As the U.S. strongly pressures overseas allies to join military efforts, friendly nations, including South Korea, are finding their calculations increasingly complicated.
Amidst this, a White House official noted that South Korea is one of the major importers of Middle Eastern crude oil, pressing that the U.S. is still waiting for South Korea to commit resources.
In response to the U.S. reinforcement of its blockade, Iran is taking a hardline stance.
Mohsen Rezaei, secretary-general of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, warned that within days, a maritime control zone would be declared around the Strait of Hormuz, and sanctions would be imposed on entering vessels.
He also claimed that special anti-ship missiles had been test-fired targeting U.S. warships.
Additionally, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned that the era of proportional response is over, stating that the strikes on U.S. bases were just the beginning and that even more horrific retaliation would follow.
With civilian casualties resulting from Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon on top of this, military tensions across the entire Middle East are soaring to their peak amid the fierce standoff between the U.S. and Iran.
(Video reporting: Park Eun-ha, Video editing: Lee Seung-yeol)
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