"Looks Likely to Drag Into Next Year"... Inside the Iran War and Mounting Pressure on Allies

[Anchor]

Half a year has passed since the war between the US and Iran began, but an exit strategy is still nowhere in sight. With projections even emerging that the conflict will drag into next year, the burden on the United States appears to be growing.

As discussions surrounding South Korea deploying troops become more concrete, Washington correspondent Jeon Byeong-nam reports on the current situation of the Iran war.

[Reporter]

On the 2nd local time, the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, which had been deployed to the Iran war, arrived at the port of Laem Chabang in Thailand after completing a record-breaking 286-day deployment.

The hull was heavily rusted and covered in algae, with rust streaks also running down parts of the flight deck.

One US media outlet reported that it "looked like it had been to hell."

Despite this heavy wear and tear on military assets, the Iran war remains at a standstill.

Beginning with airstrikes on mine launchers on the 30th of last month local time, the US has attacked over 100 military targets within Iran and destroyed Iranian oil tankers.

In response, Iran has attacked US military bases in Jordan, Iraq, and elsewhere using ballistic missiles and drones.

US Vice President JD Vance held a press conference at the White House, stating that these events were triggered by Iran's attacks on merchant vessels, and making it clear that the US will not hold talks with Iran under these conditions.

[JD Vance / US Vice President : The United States is not talking to Iran, and we will not talk to them unless they stop attacking commercial vessels.]

When asked whether the Iran war could be ended before the November midterm elections, he failed to provide a clear answer.

Inside the US, forecasts continue to mount that the war will stretch beyond the end of the year.

Reports have already surfaced that "Defense Secretary Hegseth is moving toward extending the deployment of the 50,000 US troops stationed in the Middle East," and that "resignation is spreading within the Republican Party that it will be difficult to end the Iran war before the November midterms."

The duration initially guaranteed by President Trump at the start of the war was a maximum of six weeks.

[Donald Trump / US President (March 9) : (The war) will end very quickly. Look, everything is gone, including the Iranian leadership.]

However, even now, six months later, an exit has not been found, and assessments are being raised that it is difficult for the US to sustain the war alone, with missile stockpiles also dwindling to dangerous levels.

Consequently, analysts suggest that pressure demanding troop deployments from allies such as South Korea is intensifying further.

(Photo courtesy of Park Eun-ha, Video Editing by Kim Ho-jin, Design by Lee Ga-jin)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.