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U.S. Strikes Kharg Island; Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) is Interviewed about Iran; Israel Launches Strikes on Iran; Oil Prices Spike. Aired 8:30-9a ET

Aired April 07, 2026 - 08:30   ET

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

[08:30:00]

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN ANCHOR AND ABU DHABI MANAGING EDITOR: A lot more money out of that oil since this conflict began as it has access to that Strait of Hormuz. There has been a threat for some time against this island. As you rightly point out, at the moment, we understand, it is not the oil facilities but just the radars and military sort of infrastructure around that oil facility there that has been struck. But were that to be the next target, I think, you know, we've been to a whole different era, as it were, in this conflict. So, we will have to wait and see what happens at this point. But I can tell you from this perspective, here in the UAE and in the gulf region, this will be very closely watched as we move through these next hours.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: You're going to have a long, what, 11 hours and 30 minutes, Becky, as this deadline approaches.

ANDERSON: Correct.

BERMAN: Thank you so much for that update.

We're going to have more on this breaking news. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, let's continue talking about this breaking news we have coming in.

President Trump with a new threat amid new strikes in Iran. Here's what we have learned, that U.S. -- the United States military has hit new targets, military targets, on Iran's Kharg Island.

[08:35:07]

This is according to a White House and U.S. official now say. And also, this is what we have now learned and the entire Middle East now needs to contend with as this deadline is ticking down that President Trump has set for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz or else.

Now the president just sent out a new message this morning saying, "a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don't want that to happen, but it probably will." That is -- that is the now new, very dire message from the president of the United States to Iran as this deadline ticks down.

Let's get reaction to where things stand right now from Paula Hancocks, who's in Abu Dhabi.

Clearly, a lot of people are still digesting what we just learned from President Trump -- heard from President Trump in this message. But in general, what are you hearing from the region and from Iran to this looming deadline?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kate, we haven't had response at this point to the most recent post from Iran, but we certainly had some response to the threats that the U.S. president was giving on Monday about the power plants, the bridges will be impacted.

We heard from one senior Iranian security official saying that Iran, as far as they're concerned, believes that they have dealt a strategic victory, saying that they believe the U.S. president has lost control of this war.

We also heard from the Revolutionary Guard saying that they believe Trump's threats are baseless and delusional. So, a real rejection from these threats. And in any war, you do have this parallel propaganda battle, of course. But as we are hearing this escalation by the U.S. president, by the Trump administration, Iranian officials are matching it and they are right there with them.

In fact, we also heard from an Iranian deputy minister that he had called for the youth in Iran to actually form a human chain around power plants to try and protect them. So, we are hearing as well from the president, Masoud Pezeshkian, who is considered to be one of the more reasonable members of this regime, saying that there's more than 14 million people within the country that are willing to die to protect the Islamic regime.

So, we are not hearing any backing down when it comes to Iranian officials, at least not in rhetoric. And people here in the gulf region, I'm in Abu Dhabi, in the UAE, they are on tenterhooks. They are concerned that this deadline, even though we have seen them being pushed in the past, may actually be the deadline that sticks, because they know that if there are these attacks against the energy infrastructure, the civilian infrastructure in Iran, that will be reciprocated to U.S. interests, and that will be these countries here in the gulf that will have to bear the brunt.

We've already seen a number of pieces of energy infrastructure being impacted in Qatar. We know at one of their LNG facilities, for example, it will take five years to get back and create solutions to fix the damage. We know here in the UAE there have been oil fields, there have been gas fields, fuel tanks at airports are being targeted. So, there is a recognition that any retaliation from Iran will go towards Israel, but it will also be these countries here that will be impacted.

So, there is definitely a feeling of limbo, a feeling of wait and see and hoping that it doesn't get to that. But also a feeling of helplessness. These leaders in this region know that they can't convince the U.S. president to pull back. They did try and convince him not to start this war in the first place but were unable to. So, there is definitely concern that this deadline is fast approaching.

BOLDUAN: Paula Hancocks, and Abu Dhabi, thank you so much.

I want to take us now to Jim Sciutto in Israel. He's got some new reporting coming in.

Jim, what are you learning?

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kate, a U.S. official has told me, and a White House official told my colleague, that, yes, the U.S. has carried out military strikes on Kharg Island, specifically military targets on Kharg Island, not the oil facilities, which at times President Trump has threatened to strike there. We should remind viewers that Kharg Island is where Iran exports some 90 percent of its oil. So, key to its oil industry. But, of course, with an effect on international oil markets as well.

So, these strikes have not struck the oil facilities at this point, just military targets on Kharg Island, which the U.S. struck before in the middle of March. Again, military targets there.

[08:40:02]

But we should note that the strikes today, not limited to Kharg Island. Israeli forces have struck a number of pieces of infrastructure around Iran, including some roads, some bridges. It appears a railway line as well. Is this the beginning of something broader? As you know, President Trump has set a later, an evening deadline, U.S. time, which would bring us into the early morning hours here, for carrying out strikes on civilian infrastructure across Iran. Are these meant to be warnings? Are these meant to be the beginning of something bigger? We don't know. But from the U.S. perspective, at least as it relates to Kharg, these are military targets, though we are seeing evidence of other strikes on civilian infrastructure around the country already.

BOLDUAN: Jim Sciutto, in Israel, thank you for that update. A lot going on this morning.

John.

BERMAN: All right, with us now, Congressman Mike Lawler, a Republican from New York. He is on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Congressman, thank you for being with us.

As you know, the president just posted, quote, "a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don't want that to happen, but it probably will."

As a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, if there is no deal by 8:00 tonight, do you support making a whole civilization die?

REP. MIKE LAWLER, (R-NY): No, I don't support making a whole civilization die. But certainly the end of this terrorist regime that has been in effect for 47 years, I do support what the administration has done over these past five weeks to decimate their capabilities.

When you look at how we got here, the administration gave the ayatollah 60 days to negotiate over Iran's nuclear program last summer. They refused. And ultimately the administration took decisive action against three nuclear facilities. Here again, they gave the ayatollah and the regime the opportunity to negotiate, to turn over their 60 percent enriched uranium, to stop mass producing their ballistic missiles, to stop financing terrorism around the globe. They chose not to do that. And so, finally, we had a president that followed through on the promise to ensure that Iran never got a nuclear weapon.

Many of my Democratic colleagues have said for years that Iran could not get a nuclear weapon, but seemingly they weren't willing to actually do anything to ensure that that was the case.

BERMAN: Congressman --

LAWLER: The president is trying to get this remaining regime to negotiate --

BERMAN: OK.

LAWLER: Towards an end of this conflict. If they are willing to do that --

BERMAN: I have a series -- I have a series of follow-up questions, Congressman, if I can.

LAWLER: Then, unfortunately, the next step -- the next step is to take action against their oil and civilian infrastructure.

BERMAN: OK, we're going to take this out in parts very quickly. You said turning over the uranium. Has Iran, to your knowledge, turned over the 60 percent enriched uranium?

LAWLER: No, not to -- not to this moment.

BERMAN: OK. OK, second of all --

LAWLER: And that is part of what is being negotiated.

BERMAN: Is it? OK. Because right now the president -- the president has said out loud that it's buried underneath the ground and that he has satellites monitoring it. It doesn't sound like turning over the uranium is a war aim --

LAWLER: Correct, it is -- it is --

BERMAN: Is a war aim anymore.

Secondly, you said the bombing of bridges and power plants. This is what Republican Senator Ron Johnson said about that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. RON JOHNSON (R-WI): I am hoping and praying that President Trump is -- this really is bluster. I do not want to see us start blowing up civilian infrastructure.

I do not want to see that. We are not at war with the Iranian people. We are trying to liberate them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: When you're talking about ending a whole civilization, does that include civilian infrastructure?

LAWLER: Again, I don't -- I don't disagree with what Ron Johnson said there. And I think if you look at the president's statement, he doesn't want to do that. He doesn't want to be in a position to have to take that action. But, obviously, you are dealing with a regime that has not negotiated in good faith for decades. And inclusive of these last few weeks.

And so, ultimately, when they are talking about having children surround a power plant, the Iranian regime, on state TV is calling for children to go surround power plants, this is the depraved indifference you're talking about with this regime. And so, ultimately, if you have to take necessary action to curtail their capabilities, obviously their oil trade is a big component of that. Ninety percent -- you talk about 90 percent being delivered through Kharg Island. Ninety percent of Iran's oil is purchased by who? China. China is the biggest purchaser of Iranian petroleum. That is what has financed their entire illicit activity over these past many decades.

[08:45:02]

So, the president is putting on the table, taking action against their energy facilities, against their infrastructure, because that will cripple the regime.

BERMAN: OK.

LAWLER: Is it something we want to do? No, of course not.

BERMAN: So, Congressman --

LAWLER: But we want this regime to finally negotiate in good faith.

BERMAN: OK. The new threat from the president is that a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. You say the president doesn't want to do it. Does being reluctant to end a civilization make it OK?

LAWLER: Again, I don't think we're talking about ending a civilization. The issue at hand is their energy and --

BERMAN: So, you don't believe -- you don't believe -- are you saying you don't believe --

LAWLER: It is their energy -- John --

BERMAN: Congressman, do you say you don't believe the presidents threat? Do you say you don't believe the president's threat?

LAWLER: It is their energy infrastructure -- it is their energy infrastructure and their civilian infrastructure, including roads and bridges. That will cripple the Iranian regime and certainly their economy. That is not something we want to do because, as Ron Johnson said rightly, we are not at war with the Iranian people. We want them to be free from this oppression and tyranny that they have lived under for 47 years. But if the president has to take necessary action to strike their energy and infrastructure, that is going to cripple the regime. That is what he is talking about.

BERMAN: You don't believe his threat? You don't take him at his word that he will end a whole civilization?

LAWLER: He is talking about the energy and civilian infrastructure. That's what he's talking about, John.

BERMAN: Is he? Is that -- is -- have you had a conversation with him about that? He says, I -- never to be brought back again. He just means the bridges and the infrastructure?

LAWLER: Again, John, we're talking about taking decisive action against Iran's energy and civilian infrastructure. That is what the president is talking about. He's not talking about obliterating innocent people.

BERMAN: OK. Do you think Congress should have a vote if the United States is going to make a whole civilization die?

LAWLER: Again, John, you're -- you are parsing here. The fact is, we're talking about energy and civilian infrastructure. If you look at the role Congress has had, Congress has had a vote and Congress rejected the push by Democrats, many of whom have previously said that this regime needed to go, many of whom have said this regime could not possess a nuclear weapon. Congress rejected the unilateral and immediate withdrawal.

So, Congress has already taken action. The president is within his legal authority to conduct this war. He has taken action to obliterate Iran's ballistic missiles program, their naval fleet. The issue remaining really, you know, is with regard to the Strait of Hormuz and the enriched uranium that is hardened, as you pointed out.

So, the question is, is the regime, the remaining remnants of this regime, willing to negotiate in good faith or not? That is what is at stake over the next 11 plus hours.

BERMAN: Congressman Mike Lawler from New York, I wasn't parsing, I was quoting, but I appreciate you being with us. Thank you very much for your time this morning.

Going to go to Matthew Chance now who is in Doha in the region right now. Matthew, what's the latest on what you're hearing?

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I was just listening very closely there, John, to Representative Lawler talking about how the United States may have to target the energy infrastructure of Iran. And, of course, it's got the military capability to do that. But, I mean, it's not just about the energy infrastructure of Iran.

I've just come back from a briefing at the Qatari foreign ministry. I'm speaking to you from the Qatari capital, Doha, right now. And they are genuinely anxious that the situation could escalate, you know, much, much more beyond the borders of Iran. Iran has, of course, threatened to strike back hard against energy infrastructure installations across the region. The Qatari foreign ministry spokesman said this, "we are at the -- we are close to the point where the situation in the region could spiral out of control." Despite repeated consistent warnings, the Qataris said they've made -- given the United States about the potential disaster economically of an escalation along the lines that President Trump has threatened. They seem to be being ignored.

And so, we're looking at, obviously, billions of dollars a day already to the Qataris and other gulf states, energy rich, of course, have suffered since the start of this Iran War. But it could get a lot worse for the regional economies and, of course, for the global economy if President Trump takes that step and escalates and carries out his threat to strike Iranian energy infrastructure and civilian infrastructure after that 8 p.m. Eastern Time deadline, John.

[08:50:14]

BERMAN: The threats are certainly getting more incendiary, sort of by the minute, but we have seen so many of these deadlines come and go and be extended and then revised. So, we just don't know at this point.

Matthew Chance, in Doha, thank you so much for sharing your reporting.

We're going to have much more on this breaking news after a quick break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking news, investors around the world are paying very close attention to oil prices after U.S. officials confirm that the U.S. military struck military targets on Iran's Kharg Island, from where almost all of the country's oil is exported. Trump saying in a new Truth Social post, also separate from this, that a whole civilization will die tonight. He says he doesn't want to do it, but he might have to.

CNN's Matt Egan joins us now.

Where are prices now after we've seen these two things, we're hearing that Kharg Island is being hit, but not the oil infrastructure, the military infrastructure, and we're hearing from the president as well about really, I mean, I don't know any other way to say it, an outrageous thing to say that he's going to wipe out a whole civilization.

[08:55:19]

MATT EGAN, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: Yes. Look, Sara, this is just a pivotal day for the war and obviously the energy crisis that we're living through right now. And investors wasted no time. As soon as those reports came out about explosions on Kharg Island, we saw oil prices move significantly higher. And now word that, yes, the U.S. military has struck military sites on this critical island, that has lifted prices. So, WTI, U.S. oil futures, up almost three percent on the day, trading at around $115, at one point above $116 a barrel.

Just to give you some context, when we started this year, oil was trading at just about $57 a barrel. That means that we've already doubled in price.

SIDNER: More than doubled.

EGAN: And it's only April. I mean this is just a stunning move in a short amount of time, all because of the war. And I've got to tell you, these gains that we're seeing right now on the screen, they would be much bigger if the U.S. military strikes today were not on military sites, but on the critical energy facilities that's located on Kharg Island, including oil storage, export terminals and natural gas facilities, all of them on this crucial island. And I think that's what investors are waiting for.

Next is, is where do we go from here, right? Is this going to be a further escalation where some of those critical above ground energy facilities are struck, or could there be some sort of an agreement, some sort of a ceasefire that's reached that avoids this getting worse before it gets better? So, it's just a pivotal day. And I got to say, we're all going to feel the outcome of this, right? Whether it's the cost of gasoline or diesel or jet fuel, how this ends is just the consequences for the economy and the cost of living are massive.

SIDNER: Yes, it gives you a real idea just hearing that there is -- and now we have confirmed that there have been strikes on Kharg Island has sent oil shooting through the roof again, going higher and higher.

Matt Egan, I know you'll be watching this very closely. It changes almost by the minute now.

EGAN: Yes.

SIDNER: We do appreciate your reporting on this.

EGAN: Thank you, Sara.

SIDNER: More on all of this. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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