[투나잇이슈] 이스라엘, 이란 가스전 폭격…이란, '즉각 보복' / 연합뉴스TV (YonhapnewsTV)

[Guests: Kim Yeol-soo, Head of Security Strategy at the Korea Institute for Military Studies; Kim Deok-il, Research Fellow at the Center for Middle East and Islam at Korea University] Israel launched a surprise airstrike on Iran's largest gas field. In response, Iran warned that it would "bring uncontrollable consequences that will sweep the world" and immediately launched a retaliatory attack on Qatar's gas fields. We will discuss this in detail with Kim Yeol-soo, Head of Security Strategy at the Korea Institute for Military Studies, and Kim Deok-il, Research Fellow at the Center for Middle East and Islam at Korea University. [Question 1] Israel directly attacked the South Pars gas field, a key energy facility located in southern Iran. This is the first time Israel has attacked an Iranian energy production facility since the war began. What is the significance of this? [Question 2] President Trump claimed on social media that "the United States was unaware" of Israel's attack on Iran's largest gas field. Although foreign media reported on the theory that the U.S. had prior knowledge of the situation, what is the reason for the U.S. distancing itself from Israel by claiming it was unrelated to the U.S.? [Question 3] Iran, having been attacked on its key energy facilities, immediately launched retaliatory attacks against energy facilities in third Gulf states. With the war standing at a critical juncture for escalation, what is the significance of U.S. President Trump issuing a message to Iran proposing mutual "restraint on escalation" regarding energy infrastructure? [Question 4] As Iran attacked Gulf energy facilities and threatened further retaliation following Israel's strike on key Iranian energy facilities, Saudi Arabia mentioned military action against Iran. I am curious about the level of Saudi Arabia's military capability. [Question 4-1] If Saudi Arabia, the "leading Sunni power," were to fully join the war, there is a possibility that it could escalate into an armed conflict between it and Iran, the "leading Shia power." In this case, the situation in the Middle East would likely spiral out of control. [Question 5] U.S. President Trump stated that after the war with Iran, the security of the Strait of Hormuz should be handled by countries dependent on energy transport. The Strait of Hormuz is a passage for crude oil imports for Asian and European countries. It appears this statement is an attempt to increase pressure after he requested cooperation, such as the dispatch of warships, but faced continued opposition. [Question 6] U.S. President Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi will hold a summit in Washington, D.C., on the 20th (Korean time). Depending on what countermeasures Japan presents in response to the U.S. request for assistance, it seems likely that the U.S. will set a standard for other allies, including South Korea. [Question 7] As the war enters its third week, foreign media reports indicate that the U.S. is considering deploying an additional contingent of thousands of troops to the Middle East. In particular, it is known that plans to deploy ground forces off the coast of Iran are also being discussed. However, if ground troops are actually deployed, wouldn't that place a significant political burden on President Trump? [Question 8] It is estimated that the U.S. spent $11 billion in the first week of the war alone. The U.S. Department of Defense has requested an additional budget of $200 billion (approximately 300 trillion won) from the White House to respond to a potential Middle East war. Political debate surrounding the massive scale of this budget seems inevitable. It appears that this additional budget proposal will serve as a test case to gauge domestic public opinion regarding the war. [Question 9] Meanwhile, unidentified drones were spotted over an Army base in Washington, D.C., where U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth reside. It is reported that there were multiple drones, not just one, and a meeting was even held at the White House to discuss countermeasures. The U.S. military is reportedly intensifying its monitoring due to concerns that Iran might attempt retaliation or intelligence gathering against U.S. officials. What is the true nature of drones? ▣ Subscribe to Yonhap News TV's documentary channel 'Docu-Digging'    / @docu-digging   ▣ Subscribe to Yonhap News TV's YouTube channel    / @yonhapnewstv23   ▣ The beginning of Korean news, Yonhap News TV http://www.yonhapnewstv.co.kr/