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Third Vessel Struck by Projectile Near Strait of Hormuz; Iran Launches Its Most Intense Operation Since War Started; Interview with Rep. Mark Alford (R-MO): Russia is Giving Iran Specific Advice on Drone Tactics; At Least Two People Killed as Storms Tear Through Central U.S. Aired 8-8:30a ET

Aired March 11, 2026 - 08:00   ET

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

[08:00:00]

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to talk about gunshots at Rihanna's home, the singer and her family. They were there at the time of the shooting. No one was hurt, luckily. Ivana Ortiz is charged with 14 counts, including attempted murder and assault with a firearm. She could get the rest of her rest of her life in prison if found guilty on all counts.

A fire at a U-Haul parking lot in Seattle after an apparent attempt to steer gas. You can see the fire part there. These thieves, according to lot manager, drilled holes in the trucks tank.

They've tried to siphon it out, but some spilled and then the fire sparked and there you have it. The manager blames high gas prices for the theft, saying that every night lately he has issues with people stealing gas.

A brand new hour of CNN NEWS CENTRAL starts now.

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: This morning, new escalations in the war with Iran. At least three ships hit overnight near the Strait of Hormuz and oil prices rising again. Iran ramping up what it calls its most intense and heaviest operation since the war started.

Here at home, deadly tornadoes tearing through the central U.S. That same storm system putting tens of millions of people in potential danger where that storm is headed.

And a man fixing his car gets pinned underneath it. How he was saved at his auto shop.

I'm Sara Sidner with Kate Bolduan and John Berman. This is CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Just into CNN, new images near the Strait of Hormuz off Iran, where new attacks are now sending oil prices on another wild ride today. This is a Thai flagged ship, one of at least three vessels that have been struck today in that critical waterway. Thailand's Ministry of Transport says 20 crew members have been rescued. Three, though, remain unaccounted for. Going to show you a map of the approximate locations of these attacks

on ships today in the Strait. A reminder of some 20 million barrels of fuel a day moved through this critical shipping route, and it is clearly effectively remains shut down because of this very real threat.

Let's get right to Paula Hancocks live in Abu Dhabi for the latest on this. What are you hearing here?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kate, we just heard from the U.K. Maritime Agency, and they say that as of now they believe it about 13 vessels have been impacted since this war started. Now you mentioned that Thai flagged ship. We have some more information on that as well from authorities.

They said that there was an explosion at the stern and then a fire broke out in the engine room. Now this is believed to be where those three missing sailors were on duty at the time. So 20 rescued by the Omani Navy.

We know that the captain told the crew to evacuate. They got in lifeboats and were then saved, but three still missing at this point. So it is a great concern that Iran appears to be ratcheting up these attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and in these very critical waters.

Now, one of the vessels we understand was a cargo vessel, so we're not just talking about the restrictions of oil getting to where it needs to here. There's a lot more that there are concerns of. Now, a quick look at what else has been happening since Iran has said that it's going to have its most intense and heaviest operation.

We do appear to be seeing a fairly consistent retaliation across the Gulf nations. Here in the UAE, we have been hearing a number of different waves of interceptions. Dubai Airport, there were two drones that hit nearby.

We understand that four people have been injured there. Authorities saying in the vicinity of Dubai Airport that fell. Flights have started to take off again now, though.

We also know that in Bahrain, in Kuwait, in Saudi Arabia, they have also seen interceptions and alerts over the past 12, 24 hours. And Iran has also expanded, if you like, its target list. We are hearing from Iranian officials through state media that they say now offices and assets of major American tech companies with operations in the region would be considered a legitimate target. Now, clearly, there are many in this Gulf region.

We also had an interesting quote I want to bring to you from the Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson saying that from day one, they had warned that this could be the potential fallout of any military action in Iran. He said quote, "This is the biggest I told you so in the history of I told you so's in the world."

[08:05:00] Clearly, there is frustration and anger among leaders in this region -- Kate.

BOLDUAN: Very clearly. Paula Hancocks, thank you so much, Paula, for bringing us all of those new headlines. I really appreciate it -- John.

BERMAN: Yes, it's a more images of that Thai vessel on fire in the Strait of Hormuz. You can see the smoke rising from it. And again, it's just one of three ships that had been hit over the last 12 to 24 hours.

That one's right there, but also two other vessels apparently hit by projectiles overnight. You can get a sense of what this is doing to the area. I just want to point out all these ships.

This is the most narrow part of the straight, but you can see all these ships backed up here all these ships backed up here. And if you push in, right, if you push in you can see it's this and most narrow point this checkpoint in the straight, which is 20 miles wide, but the shipping lane itself is just two miles wide very little shipping cargo very little oil going through that right now. That's what's creating this situation that Paula Hancocks was just talking about.

The Qataris are very upset about one other development overnight. Inside Iraq, a U.S. installation, a diplomatic support center, was hit apparently by a drone.

Let's get to CNN's Oren Liebermann right now who is in Tel Aviv for the latest on this. In this sense of maybe now of Iranian resolve, what the Iranians are capable of and what they plan to do going forward, even in the face of these continued relentless attacks from the U.S. and the Israelis.

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: That's an excellent point, John, and even in the face of these unrelenting assaults on Iran on its leadership on its military capabilities, on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps by the U.S. and Israel Iran has been able to fire back. It's asymmetric warfare. They can't match the U.S. or Israel military strength.

What they can do is cause panic, fear and disruption as well as casualties and injuries and you see that in what you pointed out right there. A suspected Iranian drone hit a U.S. diplomatic facility in Baghdad. That according to two U.S. sources familiar with the matter.

So you see their ability to continue to carry out these attacks with what are frankly fairly cheap, but effective weapons to do what Iran is trying to do here. First to show its resolve and second to strike back.

And in fact just a moment before you came to me, we got an all-clear from Israel's home front command from the last Iranian incoming ballistic missile, that siren went off about 15-20 minutes ago. Then we got the alerts here in the area to head into the shelter and we were clear to come out just a few moments ago. So even as the U.S. and Israel have tried to target Iran's ballistic

missile array, Iran has been able to keep up firing and that as they see it is their resolve and their determination to continue what they see as their resistance to the U.S. and Israeli assault that began 12 days ago now. And this is how it looks like this will continue. And frankly this applies to the Strait of Hormuz as well.

They don't have to do that much damage or lay that many mines in the Strait of Hormuz to cause a worldwide impact. And that's because once a few ships are damaged there, it's simply becomes too costly and too risky, especially from insurance perspective to have a worldwide impact from such a small effect there. And that is what we're seeing Iran carry out not only in the Strait of Hormuz or in Israel, but across the region itself.

Meanwhile Israel continues to carry out strikes in Iran and in the capital of Tehran as they go after the Iranian regime. Iran's Red Crescent says residential buildings were hit in rounds of strikes. So we continue seeing this U.S. and Israeli attempt to further weaken the regime, John, as Iran continues to fight back.

BERMAN: Yes, all these new developments occurring over just the last few hours. Oren Liebermann in Tel Aviv, great reporting. Thank you very much -- Sara.

SIDNER: OK, breaking overnight 90 million people in the path of dangerous storms that have turned deadly spawning huge tornadoes. We have your forecasts.

Also we are minutes away from new key inflation report, the latest snapshot of the economy is before the war with Iran.

Plus Tillie Norwood, you know that AI created actress. Well, she's back with a new song which asks you to believe AI is not the enemy. Those stories more.

[08:10:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: All right, just in, we have a CNN exclusive from our Nick Paton Walsh. Let me read you his reporting here quote, "Russia is helping Iran with advanced drone tactics from its war on Ukraine to hit U.S. and Gulf nation targets in the Middle East.

That's according to a Western intelligence official. This is a shift from the general assistance we're targeting to specific tactical advice," Nick reports. This is a new level of support.

With us now is Congressman Mark Alford a Republican from Missouri. Congressman, always great to see you.

Nick's reporting there that Russia is helping Iran with advanced drone tactics. It comes at a time when the Trump administration is considering reportedly easing oil sanctions on Russia. How do you feel about easing oil sanctions if the Russians are helping the Iranians kill U.S. service members?

[08:15:00]

REP. MARK ALFORD (R-MO): Well, John, first off, thanks for having me on. This is disturbing. Look, Russia supplied information to Iran during the initial strike.

Last week, the administration certainly didn't like that. We didn't like that as well. I think maybe Russia is trying to play both sides of this at this point.

Yes, they are going to help in some of the release of the strategic petroleum reserve. We need that to keep oil prices down. But this is a disturbing development. I'm sure the Secretary of War and the administration will be looking into this to see what action, if any, we should take.

BERMAN: You said you said we need this quote. That means you would support sanctions relief even if the Russians are helping with specific drone tactics to attack U.S. installations.

ALFORD: No, I'm not for releasing sanctions on these nations that are out of bounds, basically. When I'm talking about strategic oil reserves, and I know that the G7 nations are lining up to help out in that matter, releasing some 400 million barrels, that's going to help offset some of the losses we're seeing through the Straits of Hormuz right now.

BERMAN: Interesting. Yes, that is being considered actually as soon as 10 o'clock Eastern time this morning on the subject of the Strait of Hormuz. We're just getting word that three Thai sailors are missing.

There was a Thai ship that was hit in the strait by a projectile, one of three that was hit. We have some images of this Thai vessel on fire. What does this tell you about what the Iranians are still capable of in the strait and what might happen going forward?

ALFORD: Well, look, the Straits of Hormuz is a very dangerous place. It's very narrow. I think about 85 percent of the oil production out of Iran goes through the Straits of Hormuz.

And so we've got to protect that. I think you saw the kinetic action from the Department of War and this administration to take out boats overnight that were laying mines in the Straits of Hormuz. This is a paramount target for, I think, Iran to try to slow oil reserves from getting out, although it's going to hinder their economy somewhat if they're not able to get the money for that oil that's leaving.

So they're in a difficult situation. I think this administration is doing the right thing by taking out -- one of the objectives all along of one of the four objectives has been to destroy the Iranian Navy.

And this includes taking out these mining ships that are making it difficult for shipping to continue through the strait.

BERMAN: What about escorting these tankers through the strait? We've been told that's been considered. But as far as we know, it's not happened yet.

Why wait at this point?

ALFORD: Well, I think it's got to be made safe. You've got to make sure that the mines aren't there, that the danger is not in place. Once that does happen, once we have better intelligence to make sure that the Straits of Hormuz is safe, then I think those escorts will start taking place.

BERMAN: Listen, Mark Alford, congressman from Missouri. We appreciate you being with us this morning. We know you're down in Florida at these Republican congressional meetings.

It's a busy, busy time for the country and for you. Thank you, Kate.

BOLDUAN: Parts of the United States cleaning up this morning after deadly and truly devastating storms. Some areas seeing just giant hail shattering car windows and really devastating tornado aftermath.

Plus, a traffic stop leading an officer to a teenager who had been missing for weeks.

[08:20:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BOLDUAN: So this morning, we've now confirmed that two people are dead after these violent storms tore through central portions of the United States overnight. Officials confirmed that the two were killed and several others were injured after a tornado struck in northwest Indiana. The storms unleashed baseball-sized hail, and even bigger in some places, and also brought about tornadoes reaching from Texas to the Great Lakes.

It was a huge storm system, including we're showing here. This one, it was captured on the ground near Chicago's O'Hare Airport. At least 10 tornadoes were reported across three states.

Homes leveled, some people trapped inside, widespread damage, and power outages. The storm threat remains as now. It's moving east.

Let's get to Derek Van Dam. Derek, what are you watching for now today?

DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: So sad to see lives transformed in a matter of seconds. I want to show you this video coming out of Kankakee, Illinois. This is the long-track tornado that produced significant damage, but also sizable hailstones.

We'll talk about that. But notice the hail actually bouncing off of the hood of this vehicle. There's the tornado in the background. That's lethal in itself, but you can imagine, with large softball- sized hailstones dropping from the sky, that that will do some considerable damage as well.

In fact, the state record in Illinois was challenged yesterday. It was previously at 4.75-inch hailstones back in June of 2015. It is preliminarily broken, and this is the resulting damage from the hailstones that fell from the sky of likely six inches or more.

That needs to be confirmed by the National Weather Service, but regardless, we're talking about state records toppling in terms of hailstones falling from the sky from Chicago southward. Here's the long-track tornado that skimmed through central Illinois into northwestern Indiana. This is part of the larger set of storms, and here's our severe weather threat for the day today, Kate.

[08:25:00]

Another chance of tornadoes some areas here across the Ohio Valley. Keep an eye to the sky.

BOLDUAN: Absolutely. All right, Derek, and that threat continues today as this now moves east. I really appreciate it -- John.

BERMAN: All right, we do have new images of a ship on fire in the Strait of Hormuz. One of three hit overnight. This is a new stage in the battle for one of the world's key shipping lanes. What Iran might do next.

And we are standing by for a key report on inflation. It's interesting. These numbers will be from before the war with Iran. They won't even reflect the increase in gas prices. You can see market futures right now very flat.

We'll bring you those new inflation numbers as soon as they come in.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: All right, the breaking news this morning. You're looking at new images from near or inside the Strait of Hormuz. That's that key waterway between Iran and U.S. Gulf allies. There were new attacks there overnight.

A Thai flagship is one of a least three vessel that had been hit. Thailand's Ministry of Transport says 20 crew members have been rescued.

[08:30:00[