South Korea Pursues Energy Security as U.N. Cautions U.S. on Infrastructure Strikes

As the 8 p.m. ET deadline set by President Trump for potential strikes approaches, South Korea has launched an emergency diplomatic initiative to stabilize its energy sector. President Lee Jae Myung dispatched a special envoy to Kazakhstan, Oman, and Saudi Arabia on April 7 to negotiate increased fuel supplies. The move aims to diversify South Korea's energy sources beyond the direct conflict zone in the Persian Gulf, where missile impacts on Saudi energy facilities were reported earlier today. In a rare direct rebuke, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres cautioned the United States that attacking non-military targets, such as Iran's power plants and bridges, is prohibited under international law. The warning follows statements from the Trump administration suggesting that infrastructure could be targeted if demands are not met. The U.N. emphasized that such actions could constitute war crimes, despite the White House's dismissal of these concerns. The humanitarian toll of the broadening conflict continues to mount across the region. Since the start of hostilities, documented fatalities include 13 U.S. service members, over 1,900 people in Iran, and more than 1,400 in Lebanon. Displacement has reached critical levels, with approximately 1 million people forced to flee their homes in Lebanon as proxy conflicts intensify in the West Bank and Gulf states.