"Nuclear Facility to Be Struck Soon; U.S. Will Handle Red Sea Blockade"

[Anchor]

President Trump has warned that he will soon strike the so-called "Pickaxe Mountain," where Iran's underground nuclear facilities are reportedly located. He also stated that if Houthi rebels blockade the Red Sea, the United States will handle it.

Reporting from Washington, this is correspondent Jeon Byeong-nam.

[Reporter]

U.S. President Donald Trump said that while Iran is desperate to meet with the U.S., he has no interest until they are prepared for meaningful negotiations.

[Donald Trump / U.S. President: They (Iran) are hurting very badly, so they are desperate to meet and end this situation. But until they are ready for a meaningful meeting, we are not even interested.]

These remarks were made before his meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun early this morning (July 22, KST). It is interpreted as a message pressuring Iran to present satisfactory concessions regarding the Strait of Hormuz and nuclear issues.

Trump also stated that the maritime blockade against Iran is fully operational and that military operations are not over, signaling additional strikes on suspected underground nuclear facility sites.

[Donald Trump / U.S. President: We will strike those (nuclear) facilities. Anywhere Iran even thinks about nuclear weapons, we will strike very hard.]

He also warned that if Houthi rebels blockade the Red Sea, the U.S. would "handle" it.

Previously, Houthi rebels announced a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia, raising concerns over a potential surge in international oil prices.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth emphasized the possibility of Iran becoming a nuclear power and even cited the case of North Korea.

[Pete Hegseth / U.S. Secretary of Defense: For 47 years, they (Iran) have been building up conventional capabilities just like North Korea did. Remember, that is how North Korea built their (nuclear) bomb.]

Meanwhile, The Washington Post reported that "concerns are growing that the U.S. defense budget is being depleted due to the prolonged war with Iran," adding that "some key budget items are expected to be exhausted within weeks."

Although the White House has requested additional budget support, the process is deadlocked in Congress, increasing the fiscal burden.

Under these circumstances, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Cain appeared at a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing to request prompt budget support.

(Video reporting: Park Eun-ha | Video editing: Jung Yong-hwa | Design: Shim Su-hyeon)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.