Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

CNN International: U.S. Official: Israel Strikes Iran, Target Not Nuclear; Strike On Iran Comes As G7 Foreign Ministers Meet; Palestine Condemns U.S. Veto Of Biden For Full U.N. Membership. Aired 4:30-5a ET

Aired April 19, 2024 - 04:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:31:04]

MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: Returning to our top story, a U.S. official tells CNN that Israel has carried out military strikes on Iran in an apparent retaliation for Iranian missile attack on Saturday.

Flights have resumed in Iran after reports of explosions were reported in the Isfahan region, the city of Isfahan is believed to be home to Iran's illicit nuclear weapons program, as well as the country's biggest nuclear research facility which operates three small Chinese supplied research reactors.

Iranian media say the nuclear facilities in the region are secure, while the U.S. official says those facilities weren't the target is still no comment from Israel's military.

Nick Paton Walsh, our chief international security correspondent, is with us.

We're probably not going to hear much from the Israelis, are we?

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: I would imagine probably not. You might do from a higher level for them to bear to establish internally that it was them that this was the retaliation that some hardliners have been demanding or there's a long history of Israel's doing things like that and nothing the rest of the world essentially draw its own conclusions.

You might argue, it's pretty obvious that these explosions from them, they've had long history of covert activity, assassinations blast over the past decade or so. It's only now that there's been this expectation of overt direct confrontation that the focus has changed. So now I think you might possibly here some kind of indirect confirmation or even a large public statement. But I think the general tone now is everybody is trying to move on to the more pressing concerns rather than try and get into a direct war.

FOSTER: Everyone wants to know whether this is it or it's the beginning of an escalation, what do you think? WALSH: Yeah, look, I mean, the universe is inherently unpredictable,

but I think judging by how limited this has been, how telegraphed this has been, how its given the Iranians, the great wonderful benefit of being an autocracy is you can create your own truth and so they're able to say nothing happened or the drones at targets have been shot down, and essentially sweep this under the target -- the carpet as something which has been an Israeli failure, potentially, and the Israelis, for their part, get to say, we've managed to do the retaliation. Therefore, eye for an eye, you cannot hit our soil without us hitting yours back.

So I think both sides could potentially claim a sort of perverse win out of this. And the broader picture, Max, here is, I don't think any particular party right now wants to see a wider conflagration. We haven't mentioned the United States yet. They're the he party in all of this who are backing the Israelis. Most of the way increasing this content from Biden.

I think it's very clear they don't need a wider Middle East war as the election season picks up, their side. The Israelis, well, until I think they've dealt with whatever they considered to be the remaining issues for them and Rafah and Gaza, I can't imagine them starting now is a good time to open a whole new front. Remember, if they get into a direct confrontation with Iran, it's unlikely to be as much slinging missiles over Syria and Iraq is more likely to be Hezbollah to their north, but become a key player in all of this.

So think probably Israel, be keen to deal with its pressing concern that was now in Gaza before it opens some sort of front to its north. Remember, people have been worried about Hezbollah, Israel confrontation for a decade now. Both sides have been ready for it. If it happens, it will be catastrophic to both parties.

There are many Lebanese deeply concerned about that and many Israelis to and so I think even if know who we want to be sure that he could properly manage that if indeed it did flare up. And of course, finally and all of this, Iran does it run really need a larger conflagration now? I think there are some hard line generals who need assuaging.

But I think it's pretty clear. Iran is fairly weak place as an apogee of its regional power, I think is behind it. It's got proxies, yes, in Syria, Iraq, notably Hezbollah, to Israel's north in Lebanon. But more widely, I don't really get the feeling that Iran is looking for some kind of -- economically, it's still struggling. They've got a whole load of internal issues to do with dissent that they may not have entirely cleared up at the moment.

[04:35:03]

And so we may be seeing this chapter possibly coming to a close, but it's the inherent unpredictability of all of this. Remember, there's been reporting to suggest that indeed when the consulate in Syria was hit by the Israelis, that they'd underestimated the Iranian response to that. They hadn't realized the red line they were essentially crossings. There's capacity for everyone to miscalculate here. But this does look like tonight has been calculated and that may have had the outcome people have hope for.

FOSTER: If Syria wasn't the clear red line, might we look back on this these two strikes really want on his Israel and that one going the other way as significant, because a line was crossed there. There were direct attacks on each other and evening if it doesn't kick off now, it does play into the longer-term tension between the two countries.

WALSH: I mean, the taboo is being broken, right? The whole notion of we're not going to do this is gone. They've done it although arguably the assassinations you've seen that have clearly been Israel over the past multiple years -- yes, there's a fig leaf there, but its still want to country usually attacking another.

I think really you see large conflagrations when both parties want it, they're always off ramps. There's particularly in the Middle East, long practice channels to try and calm things down. I think it's a stage here -- yes, we were certainly a new chapter in that particular confrontation between Israel and around, but one important thing to keep an eye on Max is flaring tension to Israel's north with Hezbollah that has been rumbling now for months.

It seems to get worse periodically and then calm down but has been particularly bad in recent days. And so while I think its possible to look at the messaging, look at the limitations of what both sides have done here. Remember there's a lot of reporting suggests that the Iranians indeed tipped off. Many people in the region by what was going to happen before they launched that drone and missile strike to try and less than potentially the casualties or its impact or enable more interception.

There's much capacity here for miscalculation, hot tempers, and remember, we do have pretty hard line people in charge in most areas here. So, yeah, a lot that could go wrong.

But looking at how tonight as play it out does seem that Israel is calibrated this, and Iran has accepted that& is now potentially going to pretend nothing happened and move on.

FOSTER: Okay. Nick, thank you so much.

Well, we're going to bring in the Malcolm Davis now, a senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.

Thank you so much for joining us.

Is that your interpretation as well that for now at least these two countries are moving on?

MALCOLM DAVIS, SENIOR ANALYST, AUSTRALIAN STRATEGIC POLICY INSTITUTE: I think that's certainly correct. I think that Israel's strike today on Iran was very limited. It deliberately avoided one of the most provocative targets for Tehran, which was Natanz, in Isfahan. It instead struck at military bases are around Isfahan. I think the Iranians have responded in a way that suggests that they don't want to escalate things. They're basically saying the attack never really happened or if it did happen, it was completely unsuccessful.

So I think were both sides, they're creating an off-ramp which allows them to step back from the precipice. They're probably looking over that precipice and thing thinking, we really don't want to go into a massive war at this point. So, I think both sides will step back.

FOSTER: In terms of how this worked internationally, is it a vindication of the diplomatic pressure that actually can be brought on Israel if they were planning something bigger? Certainly, Americans and Europeans are those key allies, do seem to been successful in limiting the scope of this Israeli strike.

DAVIS: Well, I certainly think if the Americans had come forward and said to Netanyahu that we'll fully support whatever you do, you would have probably seen a very different sort of operation today than what we did see. You would have seen a much larger strike that would have been generated an Iranian counter response that would have led to this for tat escalation cycle that we're all concerned about.

But instead, what the Biden administration said was were not going to support you. That's circumscribed Israel's military options to a degree because very, very little in the way of tanker or intelligence support, to support the operation. But it also really undermine the political foundation for Israel to be able to carry out a large strike.

So I do think that diplomatic pressure from Washington probably did constrain Netanyahu's thinking on how they would actually retaliate.

FOSTER: In terms of what happens. Now, we still just discussing their with Nick, the symbolism of this might be that it did mark a turning point in the sense that these were direct strikes between Israel and Iran that we haven't had before. It wasn't going by proxies or it wasn't going on outside those two countries.

Does that increase the fundamental tension between the two countries and change the game going forward?

[04:40:03]

DAVIS: Absolutely. I mean, I think a precedent has been set on both sides now both sides have struck at each others territory is directly from their own territory and so do think that that means that its not unthinkable now that this sort of thing could happen again in the future, either by Iran launching attacks on Israel or vice versa. And I think the real gray zone here, the uncertainty is if what happens, for example, if Iran uses its proxy forces in Iraq or Syria against Israel all escalates the conflict along Israel's northern border with Lebanon, Syria, Hezbollah, does Israel then respond directly against Iran as it's done today? And that generates a counter response.

So I do think to a degree the strikes by Iran against Israel and Israel against Iran have changed the dynamics of the Middle East. And I think it does bear caution that, you know, we could be in for a more unpredictable and dangerous future in the region.

FOSTER: Has scaling down that Iranian attack allowed Israel to scale up the attack on Rafah?

DAVIS: That's too early to tell. I mean, obviously well see what happens to Rafah. It's very clear to me that the efforts towards a ceasefire and the release of the hostages, maybe the hostages are no longer with us. They may have been killed or they're dead.

But if the hostages are still alive, I don't see the hostages being released and I don't see a ceasefire happening anytime soon. So I do think a Rafah assault is likely and I think that's the Israelis will go in there very quickly, very decisively.

But at the same time, the Israelis must be conscious of the fact that if they start causing yet fervor, civilian casualties in that area. And it's only going to pit the rest of the world against them. And undermine their diplomatic credibility and their support.

FOSTER: Malcolm Davis, appreciate your insight today. Thank you.

Just ahead, G7 foreign ministers of wrapping up three days of meetings in Italy. What they're saying. But the exchange of attacks between Israel and Iran.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:46:46]

FOSTER: The latest on our breaking news. A U.S. official confirms Israel has carried out a military strike inside Iran. Authorities there say three drones were successfully shot down. A state media reported explosions near Isfahan. Iranian state media say the situation in the city is normal and the nuclear facility is completely secure.

Iranian airspace is now reopen after flights to and from major cities were suspended, the attack follows Iran's unprecedented missile and drone strike on Israel less than a week ago. Now, just a few hours before we started hearing reports of explosions in Iran, that country's top diplomat warned of a decisive response to any Israeli military actions.

Iran's foreign minister delivered that message to members of the United Nations Security Council and in an exclusive interview with CNN's Erin Burnett.

The diplomat describes Saturday's drone and missile strikes on Israel as defensive countermeasures. But he says Iran is capable of much more.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HOSSEIN AMIR-ABDOLLAHIAN, IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: our response to the Israeli regime was limited. And stayed within a minimum of frameworks, whereas we could have given a much harsher response to the Israeli regime.

Following that, we announced that this response is within the framework of legitimate defense according to international laws. We will not continue. However, in case the Israeli regime embarks on adventurism again and takes action against the interests of Iran, the next response from us will be immediate and at a maximum level. It will be decisive.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: G7 foreign ministers are meeting again today to discuss the back and forth between Israel and Iran. Already, the U.S. and U.K. are slapping new sanctions on Iran, the U.S. targeting Iran's drone program, the UK hitting Iranian military leaders and institutions.

Here's the EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSEP BORRELL, EU FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF: We have to ask Israel for restraint answer to the Iranians attack. We cannot escalate. You cannot go step by step, answering every time higher, to a regional war. I don't want to exaggerate (ph), but we are on the hedge of a war, a regional war in the Middle East, which will be sending shockwaves to the rest of the world, and in particular to Europe.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: The strikes on Iran, no doubt, are main topic of discussion as G7 foreign ministers meet for a third day, in Capri, in Italy.

CNN's Barbie Nadeau, following developments for us from Rome.

Barbie, so, you know, as Europe gets into the morning, were expecting reaction from around the world to this, and presumably they're all going to want to do the same thing effectively as Iran and Israel and play this one down.

BARBIE NADEAU, CNN REPORTER: Yeah, no, de-escalation has been the word of this summit, this three-day summit by the G7 foreign ministers.

[04:50:04]

And you know, one of the things that they we've been talking about, especially yesterday, well see what they come out today. They're going to have a press conference about an hours time is sanctions. Of course, the geopolitics always come into play when sanctions when you're applying sanctions, especially in Europe, because Europe has a different relationship with Iran than say the United States does.

Let's listen to what Antonio Tajani, Italy's foreign minister, said about how Italy and the rest of Europe were going to face sanctions against Iran.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ANTONIO TAJANI, ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: This is not the place to formally decide what to do, because every country has its own rules for imposing sanctions. The idea is to send a strong signal to Iran so that what happened is not repeated. A political message which is then turned into concrete action, but here we've only taken a political decision.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NADEAU: And, you know, everybody is kind of stepping around what, what the language is going to look like. But at the end of the day, if not everyone carries out sanctions, the sanctions probably don't work very effectively, Max.

FOSTER: In terms of the rest of the summit, you know, this does play into concerns about the Middle East, doesn't it? And how in future countries like the G7 can actually play into that. Have we learned that actually the U.S., Europe, and log language coming out from the G7 did have an impact on Israel because they could have carried out a much bigger attack?

NADEAU: Yeah. You know, I mean, yesterday there was a lot of talk about urging restraint from Israel and they're probably looking at this as a success at that, you know, that those words of caution were heeded. But it still doesn't take away the fact that the area is really a tinderbox.

And if you listen to what the U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres said as well. The words are a stark warning. Let's listen to what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTONIO GUTERRES, UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY-GENERAL: The Middle East is on the precipice recent days, I've seen a perilous escalation in words and deeds. When miscalculation, when miscommunication, when mistake could lead to the unthinkable, a full-scale regional conflict that would be devastating for all involved and for the rest of the world, the moment of maximum peril must be a time for maximum restraint.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NADEAU: And, you know, maximum peril, those are pretty, pretty strong words. And these leaders, these for these foreign ministers have spent three days talking about a lot of things, you know, obviously, Ukraine fell into the conversation and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. But the end of the day, these foreign ministers have to go back and try to care carry out the diplomacy that they want to take forward.

All of this, this particular G7 meeting, of course, lays the groundwork for the big meeting that's when the leaders of these G7 nations, including President Biden, will come to southern Italy in the middle of June to discuss where things are going to go from there. But there's a lot that could happen between now and then, of course, Max.

FOSTER: Okay. Barbie in Rome, thank you so much for that report.

Now, reports of the explosions in Iran and oil prices surging nearly 4 percent with U.S. oil prices is climbing above $85 a barrel prices then recovered a bit as you can see. But now, Brent Crude and the World Benchmark outline there for you, they are about 0.2 percent.

Meanwhile, the news drove U.S. stock futures lower with the Dow futures sinking 480 points earlier. But there's some improvement there as well. But Dow futures are currently down, but only about 0.4 percent. And you can see there the texture as similar as are the S&P 500.

Flights resuming of the two major airports in Tehran, officials had suspended flights following the Israeli airstrike that included flights to Iran, Isfahan, and Shiraz due to reports of explosions, the number of flights bound for Iran were diverted or canceled. Officials that also put a no fly zone in the west of the country, the airspace was also closed Iraq, its now being reopened as well.

So you're seeing a general recovery across the board, focusing there on chance ball and financials. Israel will be on the agenda of us, of the U.S. House on Saturday. That's when they're set to vote on a number of bills on foreign aid, including for Israel, but also Ukraine and U.S. allies in the Pacific.

A source told CNN that if the by, if the bill, bill is approved in the House, the Senate will try to pass them by the middle of next week. So, very big moment for U.S. politics.

The Palestinian presidency has condemned the United States for vetoing Palestine's bid for full membership of the United Nations. Meanwhile, the statement from the presidency described the veto as unfair, immoral, and unjustified.

[04:55:03]

It also called out the U.S. for its contradictory policy which claims to support a two-state solution while on the other hand, you using its veto against Palestine. Meanwhile, Israel's foreign minister is praising the U.S. for vetoing what he calls a shameful proposal to recognize a Palestinian state more than six months after the horrific October 7 attack against Israel.

Well, we're going to continue covering the story in the fallout and the calming down really, were seeing about the strike from Israel towards Iran. It did though, cross a line so there is lots to learn from this.

I'm Max Foster in London. "CNN THIS MORNING" will pick up that story after this break.