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Iran's Gulf Neighbors Report New Wave of Attacks; Sources: U.S. Likely Hit Iranian School Due to Outdates Intel; Oil Prices Jump as Iran Ramps Up Attacks on Energy Supplies; Iran's New Supreme Leader Delivers First Message. Aired 9-9:30a ET

Aired March 12, 2026 - 09:00   ET

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

[09:00:00]

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Rising oil prices that hit $100 a barrel overnight, tankers on fire in the Persian Gulf, the growing impact of the war on Iran. The FBI joins the search for a missing retired Air Force general who once held some of the most sensitive positions in the U.S. military. And an 18-year-old car wash employee allegedly fends off an attack from man armed with an axe.

I'm John Berman with Kate Bolduan and Sara Sidner, this is CNN News Central.

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: The breaking news this morning, oil prices spiking once again after Iran claimed responsibility for strikes on two tankers off the coast of Iraq. In all, at least six ships have been struck in the area in just the last couple of days. The International Energy Agency calling what's happening in the region the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market. Oil prices are back down in the 90s right now, they topped $100 a barrel overnight. And that's despite the Trump administration and the International Energy Agency pledging to tap their strategic fuel stock supplies.

The images from U.S. allies in the region, fuel depots in Bahrain and Oman in flames. The Strait of Hormuz where about 20 percent of the world's oil passes effectively shut down. Iran has warned that oil prices could skyrocket to $200 a barrel this morning.

Our Kate Bolduan pressing Energy Secretary Chris Wright about that. Here's what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRIST WRIGHT, ENERGY SECRETARY: We're going through short-term energy disruption for just huge long-term gain. You're seeing Iran's behavior.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Could that hit --

WRIGHT: They're attacking (INAUDIBLE) country in the region.

BOLDUAN: -- mean $200 a barrel? WRIGHT: I would say unlikely, but we are focused on the military operation and solving a problem.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: All right. We have live team coverage across the Middle East and here at home. Let's start quickly with Nick Paton Walsh who is in Jordan where sirens have just been going off. We can hear them in the background.

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's correct, Sara. Sometimes when we also hear that our colleagues in Israel are receiving early alert warnings, we get the sirens here in Jordan. Occasionally, there seems to be misdirected missiles potentially coming from the north of Israel from Hezbollah, but also potentially this is the path some might take from Iran as well. Yesterday, we saw intercepts above us, a sign really about how this conflict is so regional in its nature.

In Iran, many are still waiting at this point to hear what state media has said will be the imminent message from their new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, the one man that President Trump said he did not want to see in charge. This message, it seems, will come in seven chapters. It will obviously address the war, what people should be doing in it. The ultimate question people, I think, maybe want to hear the answer to is, is it a video message? Is it a sign, a proof of life and health of Iran's new supreme leader after his father was killed in the opening moments of this conflict?

Now, separately, we're seeing another Israeli wave of strikes declared against Iran, and of course, as you were saying, the Strait of Hormuz there, where six ships has been attacked. It's clear at this point the U.S. is not ready necessarily to escort through that area, and a clear moment in which Iran is able to use an entirely predictable choke point on the world's energy supplies to create what the IEA has called the largest disruption in global history.

Will oil reach $200 a barrel? Unlikely, said Secretary Wright speaking to us earlier on, but ultimately, it's this lack of certainty which appears to have markets not just on edge, and I think there's also a moment here, too, where so much of this was foreseeable and could potentially have been planned for.

Separately, we have concerns now about the other chapter in this war between Israel and Hezbollah, to their north, where it appears, after seeing an extraordinary barrage of rockets, 100, said the IDF, from Hezbollah in the south down towards Israel yesterday, that we're now seeing after Israel hit the southern suburbs of Beirut, Dahiya, with at least 10 heavy strikes last night, the possibility we could be seeing a new phase in that war as well. Fuel depots hit in Bahrain, concerns about targets, drones getting through to target ships all across the Strait of Hormuz.

A morning, really, where we are seeing regionally this war far from the win, potentially, President Trump believes he has at hand, and increasingly seeing the unintended consequences of a decision 12 days ago spiralling out. Sara.

SIDNER: Yes. Thank you so much for your reporting there. Please get to safety if you need to. Let's go now to Alayna Treene at the White House. With the latest reaction there, we know that there has been this -- sources to us telling us, the preliminary report on that bombing of a girls' school, that there -- it's the United States at fault here. Lots to learn from the White House at this point. Alayna.

[09:05:00]

ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's right. And we saw, you know, the president trying to message on a lot of this yesterday, and at one point, you know, making clear what I've been told from my, in my conversations with Trump administration officials and White House advisers, but also some of the President's allies on the outside. We saw him trying to parse the message I know that he's been advised to tell, which is to make clear what the objectives are in this war, but also that they are planning to end it quickly and decisively. And the president said that yesterday when speaking with reporters. I want you to listen to how he put it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're going through short term energy disruption for just --

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: I think we're in very good shape. The main thing is we have to win this. They win it quickly, but win it. And there are many people -- I'm just watching some of the news. Most people say it's already been won. It's just a question of when. When do we stop?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TRENEE: And that's exactly what I was told that many of the people who are in the presidency or have been saying that they want him to communicate, as well as many of the other top officials that we've heard message on this in recent days, that they believe that the military is so far been completely successful in its goals.

But I do think it's that lack of definitive clarity when it comes to the actual timeline that this White House is very much worried about, Sara. And really, I'm also told that they've been kind of telling a lot of the White House a lot of the top people out there, people like the defense secretary, other cabinet members who are messaging on this, that they want them to make clear that this is not 2003.

Actually, one administration official told me this. They put it this way. They said people have long memories referring to the United States getting involved in Iraq and Afghanistan. They said, getting entrenched in a long-term conflict is a real problem, but there isn't as much heartburn over a several week bombing campaign. So, that's really where we've seen the president try to message on this.

It all comes as well, as I'm told, that he's been shown polling. His top advisers have shown him polling that shows that many Americans, if not most Americans, are very much concerned about the U.S. involvement in Iran and concerned about this war. And so, that's partly why, as well, you've heard them really try to drive home that this is not going to be an endless war.

The problem, though, and this is why we've heard a lot about this mixed messaging, is that they also do not want to give a clear definitive timeline of when this is going to end. They do not want to box themselves in, Sara, I'm told, to a specific, you know, exit strategy here. And so, that's also left a lot of people, including many Republicans who have elections in November, wary about what this actually means for them politically. Sara.

SIDNER: Yes. So, concerns will definitely grow as gas prices get higher and higher. There is no doubt about that. Alayna Treene, thank you so much. Do appreciate it. And to our Nick Paton Walsh and crew there in Jordan. Kate.

BOLDUAN: Joining us right now is CNN Global Affairs analyst Brett McGurk for more on this. Brett served in senior national security posts under the last four presidents, including President Trump. Brett, I want to ask you about some of what the secretary of energy told us earlier. But first, just add up everything we've kind of seen in the last 24 hours, the asymmetric warfare and attacks that Iran is now focusing more on. What's your assessment of what direction this war is headed now after seeing these strikes on fuel depots, oil refineries, infrastructure throughout the region?

BRETT MCGURK, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST, FORMER MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA COORDINATOR, NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL AND SENIOR FELLOW, HARVARD'S BELFER CENTER: Yes, Kate. So, signal to noise, I think the signal here is the military campaign, which CENTCOM is implementing at the beginning of this. It was said to be a four-to-six-week campaign from the White House. That's about right. And CENTCOM every day inside Iran is basically take -- methodically taking apart Iran's what they call -- what the CENTCOM will call power projection capacity. That's their missiles. It's a production sites. It's all the component parts to be able to produce the missiles and drones. And of course, the nuclear and the command and control.

They have a target set. They're going through it methodically. That has some weeks to go if it's able to go to fruition. Iran is trying to demonstrate they still have power projection, mainly as you covered with Secretary Wright in the Strait of Hormuz. So, that is really the crux now. I think we're actually getting after Iran's military industrial base inside the country. And every day that goes by, it gets more difficult for Iran. But so long as they control the Strait of Hormuz, you have not degraded their power projection because that is their asymmetrical power projection.

I noticed the secretary with you, Kate, said we will get the Strait of Hormuz open. And we really have to do that. And I have some experience with this in the Red Sea. We did build a coalition that still exists. It's called --

BOLDUAN: So, on that, Brett, let me play that. I actually asked him about that, about what happened in the Red Sea, actually, in the Biden administration, pulling together many nations, because the secretary did acknowledge success here hinges on reopening safe passage through the Strait.

[09:10:00]

And what is the plan to do that now becomes the entire focus. Let me play this because it gets to exactly what you're talking about here.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: The Biden administration, when faced with threats to shipping in a different regard, they formed a naval coalition with many countries to help protect shipping in the Red Sea when an Iranian proxy fired at ships. Why aren't you doing the same here when success hinges on reopening the Strait of Hormuz?

WRIGHT: Well, we will and are doing the same thing. But right now, all of our military assets are focused on degrading, destroying Iran's ability to threaten its neighbors, to threaten our troops.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: What do you make of it, Brett?

MCGURK: Well, building a coalition is hard. Every country has their own legal requirements, political constraints. You have to go capital to capital. And what's good about that existing coalition, the Red Sea, is it has Denmark and the U.K. and countries that actually have very good naval missile-destroying capabilities. This will take some time, but even showing we're putting it together, I think, would help.

You know, Kate, the diplomacy of this is really key, and if you don't build a coalition going in, there's still a lot of work to do here. I mean, the administration is doing some good things on the diplomatic front. At the U.N. yesterday, the U.N. Security Council had a unanimous vote. Russia and China abstained. With 130 countries co- sponsoring a resolution condemning these Iranian attacks in the Gulf, that initiative was led by Bahrain, a small Gulf country on the front lines of this. Bahrain is a part of that Red Sea coalition.

So, you could put the pieces together here. I want to be clear, it will take time, and you probably have to do some condition-setting militarily. This is hard, hard work. Iran has drones. They can fire from 2,000 kilometers away, missiles. It is difficult. But to show that more countries are coming into this is an international problem. It can be internationalized with U.S. leadership. I think that has to be an answer, because if this ends with Iran being able to shut down that artery, you have not degraded their power projection, which is the whole point of the campaign. That's basically where we are, Kate.

BOLDUAN: Absolutely. And the way you synthesize it and break it down into trying to, in its simplest terms, is extremely important. We're just also getting word, Brett, that we are expecting Iran's new supreme leader to release his first message soon. We don't know what form that will come in, but something is coming. How important is this first message? What should everyone be listening for? MCGURK: I'll be watching this very closely. It's interesting that he was named a few days ago. There's been no statement -- written statement otherwise, so not the kind of rollout you would want as the new supreme leader of the country. Is this a written statement? Is there a video of him? Is there a photo? Because he has just been completely silent and absent. So, you know, we'll see.

Mojtaba Khamenei is -- was not on the top of the list, Kate, of who would succeed his father. A leading candidate was Ebrahim Raisi, a former president who was killed in a helicopter crash in 2024. So, the Revolutionary Guards are behind this new young supreme leader. I think he's kind of a figurehead. And whatever he says, I'm sure, is the Revolutionary Guards channeling through him. And I suspect it will be a very defiant message as typical of that hardline elements of the regime.

But honestly, we don't know exactly what's happening inside. The Iranians are demonstrating they are reconsolidating power, reconsolidating their cohesiveness, but it's really hard to tell. But we -- I think this message will be important if it comes out. And, you know, we'll analyze it carefully here on CNN.

BOLDUAN: Absolutely will. And you'll be a critical part of it, Brett. Thank you so much. I really appreciate it. Thanks. John.

BERMAN: All right. The FBI joins the search for a retired U.S. Air Force general and former UFO expert who has been missing for nearly two weeks.

A group of runners went 3,000 feet underground to set a new world record for the world's deepest marathon. It does beg the question, why?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK

[09:15:00]

BERMAN: All right. Just moments ago, and this is important, we heard what is said to be the first statement from the new supreme leader inside Iran, Mojtaba Khamenei. He is the son, of course, of the slain Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the very first days of the war on Iran. I say it is said to be the first statement because as you will see here, it is being read out loud by a news presenter. I don't believe we see him and there have been questions about his health and well-being. So, let's play what we just heard said to be the statement from the new supreme leader inside Iran.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): Mojtaba Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, in their first public speech, addressing the great nation of Iran and the brave fighters of Iran, the fatalities, those who were injured, and also, addressed the leaders of some neighboring countries.

[09:20:00] The Islamic leader said that it was -- it has been very difficult to be the successor of Khamenei and Khomeini, and mentioned that in order to bring peace in the country and bring unity among people, we should have an effective presence in the field, and also have a presence on the Quds Day.

Khamenei also thanked the brave fighters of the country who stopped by their crashing forces, and also encouraged the people to stay united, and they -- he emphasized and also mentioned about how closing the Hormuz Strait should be used and reopen it if the war is stopped.

Also, he addressed those people who lost members of the family, and they had expressed his condolences and empathy to those families who bear damages to their private properties, and also said that we will take revenge of the martyrs and atrocities happened to your children.

In other parts of this message, Khamenei said that the relations of the Islamic Republic with the 15 neighboring countries will be warm and close, and also in relation to establishing the military and economical centers in those countries, he mentioned that these bases should end in their countries. As we had given clear warning, we also believe that we emphasize on friendship between us and the neighboring countries, but we have to continue removing these bases from the neighboring countries.

The message of the Islamic Republic leader is as follows.

Reciting verses in Arabic.

BERMAN: All right. You have been listening to a statement that is said to be from the new supreme leader of Iran, Mojtaba Khamenei. This is his first message purportedly since being appointed supreme leader.

And I do think the most important thing to point out, first of all, is we did not see him or hear his voice there. This was a message, a printed message that was read by a news presenter. There have been questions about his health, statements that he was hurt in some of the initial rounds of attacks there, so we did not see him.

But what was read was also interesting. He, again, if it was him, thanked the martyrs and the fighters inside Iran who have been involved in this war, but he also talked about the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and said it would not be opened until the conflict is over. So, there is a threat there directly said to be from the supreme leader about the Strait of Hormuz, now making that sort of the central aspect of this conflict. It will remain closed, he said, until the conflict is over.

He also talked about the foreign bases in the nations of his allies. Iran has tried to maintain cordial relations with the Gulf states over the many years, but he made clear, I think, that he was going to continue to attack what he called the targets, the U.S. bases in those countries as well.

[09:25:00] Again, notable here, we did not see him. Notable, he talked directly about the Strait of Hormuz, that with oil prices now above $94 a barrel. We're going to analyze much more of what he said. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BOLDUAN: Let's get back to our breaking news just now, what's believed to be the first message from Iran's new supreme leader being read out on Iranian state TV. Mojtaba Khamenei was -- has not been seen in public in the days since his appointment, the days since his father's death.

Let's get over to Nick Paton Walsh in Jordan. Nick was listening along with us to hearing this for the first time. Nick, what sticks out to you?

[09:30:00]