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Middle East Tensions; A Second Debate; Quad Alliance Leaders Meet. Aired 3-3:30a ET

Aired September 22, 2024 - 03:00   ET

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

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ANNA COREN, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to all our viewers watching around the world. I'm Anna Coren live from Hong Kong.

Ahead on CNN Newsroom, the Middle East is on edge after Hezbollah carries out some of its deepest rocket strikes on Israel since the beginning of the war with Hamas. Well, now, Israel is hitting back with hundreds of strikes into Lebanon.

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris accepts CNN's invitation for a second presidential debate with former President Donald Trump, but Trump says he's not interested. And leaders of the U.S., Australia, India, and Japan meet to discuss security in the Indo-Pacific region, but comments made by President Joe Biden on a hot mic could make things a bit awkward going forward.

We begin in the Middle East, where the barrage of fire between Israel and Hezbollah seems to only go from bad to worse. Israel says it's conducting strikes against the group in Lebanon as we speak. Well, that's after Hezbollah launched more than 100 projectiles into Israel overnight, according to the IDF.

The statement says some of them were shot down, but there was at least one direct hit, and falling debris caused fires and left at least four people injured. It all happened after this.

On Saturday, Israel conducted some of its most intense strikes in Lebanon since the war in Gaza broke out. The IDF says it hit about 180 targets, including Hezbollah rocket launchers ready to fire on Israel. U.S. officials are warning the possibility of even more escalation is real, and they're urging Americans to leave Lebanon as soon as they can.

Elliott Gotkine is keeping an eye on developments in the region. He joins us now from London. Elliott, what is the latest?

ALLIOTT GOTKINE, JOURNALIST: And as you say, this fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, which has been going on for some 11 months now since October the 8th, we've been describing it as simmering fighting, if you like. It now does finally seem to be boiling over.

As you say, some of the most intensive strikes by Israel on Hezbollah positions in the past 11 months, Israel saying that it targeted almost 400 rocket launchers. And as a result of targeting that it prevented those rocket launches, which were aimed towards Israel from carrying out even more harsh strikes than were carried out by Hezbollah. Because according to the IDF, Hezbollah firing more than 100 projectiles towards Israel, penetrating deeper into Israel, perhaps, than at any point in the past 11 months.

Now, most of those projectiles were taken out by Israel's various aerial defense systems, but some of them did get through. And as you say, we saw direct hits in Nazareth and Northern Israel and also Kiryat Bialik, which is close to Haifa, the biggest city in Northern Israel.

Hezbollah are also saying that it was targeting the Ramat David Airbase in the northern part of Israel, where Defense Minister Yoav Gallant just last Monday said that the center of gravity of Israel's fighting was shifting from Gaza towards the northern arena, Hezbollah also saying that it was targeting Raphael, one of Israel's arms manufacturers, and also the company behind Iron Dome and the David Sling aerial defense systems.

The upshot of all of this is that Israel's home front command has issued new directives to the extent that communities, people living in Haifa and north of Haifa We'll find that their schools are closed, the beaches are closed today, and there are also restrictions on gathering. We've also heard in the last few minutes that the Rambam Hospital, the main hospital in Haifa, is going to begin evacuating its patients to its underground wards.

Now, we've seen this escalating action happening to the extent that now one resident in Kiryat Bialik telling CNN that it's beginning to feel a bit like 2006 all over again. This, of course, was the last time that Israel and Hezbollah fought an all-out war over a 34-day period.

Now, Reichman University in Israel says that actually this time round would be far, far worse because back then Hezbollah fired something like 4,000 projectiles at Israel over a 34-day period.

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This time round, it has the capacity to fire potentially 2,500 to 3, 000 projectiles towards Israel on a daily basis for several weeks. And we know that back in June, Benny Gantz, who was then a part of Israel's war cabinet, said that were all-out war to break out, that Israel would send Lebanon back to the dark ages. Anna?

COREN: Elliott Gotkine in London, thank you for keeping across the story for us.

Well, let's bring in Benjamin Radd in Los Angeles. He's a political scientist and senior fellow at UCLA Burkle Center for International Relations. Benjamin, thank you.

Hezbollah clearly under siege after the wave of attacks during the week of exploding pages and walkie-talkies, now it's senior leadership is being targeted in these strikes. Tell us your read of the situation as it stands right now.

BENJAMIN RADD, POLITICAL SCIENTIST, UCLA: Yes, thank you for having me on. It appears that Israel has put a significant dent in not only Hezbollah's deterrent capability, but it's also its ability to go on the offensive. The attack on its communications infrastructure on the pagers, walkie-talkies, cell phones, and such makes it difficult for commanders in the field to mobilize fighters and others to receive communications from headquarters to coordinate their attacks.

And we've seen now the sort of state of disarray or paralysis that Hezbollah fighters are in, which is why the responses, although significant with the rocket fire in the north going further into Israel than before, have nevertheless been relatively tepid compared to what we've seen in the past or what would have been expected after a Israeli offensive such as the ones we've seen in the last few days.

COREN: Yes. These Israeli attacks obviously designed to hobble Hezbollah. Will that work in the long-term?

RADD: The issue is not Israel's ability to carry out tactical strikes and operations of the kind that it's been doing now. The question remains what long-term strategic ends do these serve. Now, at the end of the day, Israel needs to find some sort of peace with its neighbors as its neighbors need to do with it.

And do these attacks do these operations bring Israel any closer? Does it bring Lebanon? Does it bring the people of Gaza and the West Bank any closer? It doesn't seem like the answer to that is yes, and especially if there's an attempt or desire to establish diplomatic ties and a peace with the Saudis, which has been floated over and over.

None of the operations and none of the fighting that we've seen on the northern frontier or in Gaza seem to bring us any closer to that reality.

COREN: Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has vowed to retaliate. He's called the attacks this week an act of war. But is Hezbollah in a position to respond, to counterattack?

RADD: Minimal. I mean, we've seen the rocket attacks now, but if there's any other further coordination or attempt to do so, Israel has demonstrated that it can infiltrate Hezbollah's supply chain. It could identify where its senior military commanders are. There was one who was killed in a missile strike yesterday, who is a very high ranking commander and also had ties to the U.S. Marine barracks bombing in 1983.

So, again, what Israel has showing is that even as well as attempt or desire to retaliate and to take offensive action can be challenged either by Israel disrupting its internal processes or going after its senior commander.

So, really, there has to be another way Hezbollah has to find to be able to fight this conflict, and there doesn't seem to be one visible at the moment. And then furthermore, there's a question of the Lebanese people who do not want to be dragged into another conflict with Israel after the one that was fought in 2006 that, that devastated the southern part of the country and left many Lebanese unhappy with Hezbollah's role in instigating and escalating the conflict into what it became.

COREN: Benjamin, let's talk about the role that Hezbollah plays in Lebanese society. I mean, what does it represent for the people?

RADD: So, Lebanon is a fractured society. It has different confessional groups, different sectarian groups. You have Sunni Muslims, Shia Muslims, you have Maronite Catholics, you have Druze. And there's a very fragile, delicate piece where all of these have some sort of a power -- these groups have a power sharing agreement in the government structure.

Now, of course, the balance of power depends upon peace if there's any disruption or instability, especially if it's at the hands of one of these groups, then it really incurs the ire of all the others. And that's the delicate position Hezbollah finds itself in. Is it a militia representing the Shia Lebanese population at the behest of Iran, or is it part of the broader Lebanese fabric, which it doesn't seem to indicate that it is if its actions and missions are being conducted at the behest of the Iranian government and its leadership.

So, that's, again, the position that Hezbollah finds itself in.

COREN: Let's talk a little bit more about that, because, obviously, Hezbollah is part of Iran's axis of resistance. Tell us the importance of its role, you know, in a very volatile region.

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Obviously, Hezbollah is part of Iran's axis of resistance. Tell us the importance of its role, you know, in, in a very volatile region.

RADD: Yes. I mean, the Iranian -- excuse me, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which is basically Iran's militia that it operates within the country, its leadership has maintained that Hezbollah in Lebanon operates as an extension of Iran's IRGC. And it is how Iran projects its power in the region. It's how Iran maintains its balance of power against Israel.

Now, of course, this has all been compromised since the Hamas attacks of last October, where Iran has faced challenges in maintaining that balance itself. Nevertheless, it relies on Hezbollah to conduct operations. It supplies Hezbollah with weapons, with financing, with training, logistical support, all the things it needs to be the most powerful armed group in Lebanon. And to that end, it serves the needs of the Iranian government, despite Hezbollah claiming that it's really operating autonomously. We know that it is not.

COREN: Benjamin Radd, we certainly appreciate your analysis. Thank you so much for joining us from Los Angeles.

RADD: Thank you. COREN: Video broadcast live on Al Jazeera early today shows Israeli soldiers entering its office in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank and ordering it to shut down for 45 days. The network's bureau chief read the military order live on air. The staff was then told to leave the office immediately.

Al Jazeera's bureau in Ramallah has been operating there for decades and became even more essential after Israel closed the network's Jerusalem office in May. That move was slammed by the U.N. and rights groups, which blame Netanyahu for restricting press freedoms.

CNN has reached out to Al Jazeera and Israel's military for comment.

Ukraine said Saturday that it hit two ammunition depots in drone attacks inside Russia. Officials said one of the targeted facilities was a major storage base and a key part of Russia's logistics system. Meantime, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will visit the U.S. starting today. He's hoping to get the help he needs to reverse Russia's advances, including long range weapons and permission to use them inside Russian territory.

In the coming hours, he'll tour a Pennsylvania factory that makes ammunition used in Ukraine. He will then attend the U.N. General Assembly this week and meet at the White House with U.S. President Joe Biden.

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris is challenging Donald Trump to another showdown. The Democratic presidential nominee has accepted CNN's invitation to debate Donald Trump again on October 23rd, but the Republican nominee is not interested. Trump dismissed his rival's challenge while campaigning in the battleground state of North Carolina, and he says it's because of timing.

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DONALD TRUMP (R), FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT, 2024 PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: A lot of people say, oh do it, it's great entertainment. I've already done two.

The problem with another debate is that it's just too late. Voting has already started.

She's done one debate. I've done two. It's too late to do another. I'd love to in many ways, but it's too late. The voting is cast. The voters are out there immediately.

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COREN: Trump's rally in North Carolina came as the candidate he endorsed to be the state's governor battles scandal. Trump did not mention Mark Robinson's name at the event, and the lieutenant governor was notably absent.

Robinson was seen making a public appearance elsewhere in the Tar Heel state. He has refused to exit the governor's race after CNN reported he had made a number of inflammatory comments on a pornographic website, including supporting the return of slavery.

Developing now, a mass shooting in a popular entertainment area in Birmingham, Alabama. Police say at least four people were killed and dozens more were injured Saturday night. Two men and a woman were pronounced dead at the scene. Another died at hospital. Well, police believe there were multiple shooters who fired on a group of people. They're also investigating whether there were multiple shootings.

The University of Alabama Hospital says it is treating 11 people. Police do not have a suspect in custody. Several law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, are assisting in the investigation.

President Joe Biden held a Quad Alliance Summit Saturday and was overheard on a hot mic talking about China. Those details after the break.

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COREN: Comments by U.S. President Joe Biden caught on a live microphone could make the next round of talks with China a bit more awkward. It came when he was hosting a summit of the Quad Alliance in his hometown Saturday. Mr. Biden invited the leaders of Australia, India and Japan to Wilmington, Delaware, to discuss pressing international security issues for the Indo-Pacific region as he looks to firm up his diplomatic legacy.

CNN's Hanako Montgomery joins us now live from Tokyo with more. And, Hanako, what has been the fallout of President Biden's comments?

HANAKO MONTGOMERY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Anna. I mean, in terms of this hot mic moment, right, it really speaks to just how even though the White House has said that this quad summit is not really directed at any one country, that China was featured very prominently during these meetings held over the weekend. During this hot mic moment, you can hear the U.S. president, Joe Biden, saying that he believes Chinese President Xi Jinping is looking to buy himself some diplomatic space. He says, quote, we believe Xi Jinping is looking to focus on domestic economic challenges and minimize the turbulence in China diplomatic relationships. And he's also looking to buy himself some diplomatic space, in my view, to aggressively pursue China's interest.

Now, the White House has refused to comment any further about these comments, Anna, but if you take a look at the joint statement released on Saturday, you can tell that all four countries in the quad are gravely concerned about the country's actions in the South China Sea. They also condemn in the joint statement North Korea's ballistic missile launches, Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. But, again, no other country is featured as prominently as China.

Now, looking back at past quad summits, we can tell by now that a common and reoccurring theme is how these four countries can improve their maritime security alliance in the face of growingly assertive China. But what's interesting and new about this specific summit is how these four countries announced that they would for the very first time conduct a joint Coast Guard exercise.

Here's what Biden had to say about that exercise.

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JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDENT: We're announcing a series of initiatives to deliver real positive impact for the Indo-Pacific. That includes providing new maritime technologies to our regional partners so they know what's happening in their waters, launching cooperation between Coast Guard for the first time.

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MONTGOMERY: Now, they also announced agreements in the health care climate and the cyber security technology space. But in addition to these alliances and these agreements, Anna, what's important to note about this specific summit and the last summit to be held between these four specific leaders is how they really look to emphasize and reestablish the quad as a very important cornerstone in foreign policy, even though some of these leaders look to end their terms very soon. The Japanese prime minister, Fumio Kishida, will be leaving office this week, will be getting a new prime minister.

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And as we know, the U.S. president, Joe Biden, won't be running for re election.

So, again, with this summit, Anna, you can tell these four leaders, and especially, and specifically Biden, are making one last diplomatic push to counter an increasingly aggressive China even though they're looking to hand off to a new administration. Anna?

COREN: Hanako Montgomery, we appreciate the reporting. Thank you.

Extra security and underwater surveillance are in place around the super yacht that sank off Sicily's coast last month. Sources say the boat may contain sensitive intelligence data that foreign governments might want to get their hands on.

CNN's Barbie Nadeau has the details.

BARBIE LATZA NADEAU, CNN REPORTER: Divers working off the coast of Sicily to recover the wreckage of a luxury super yacht that went down in bad weather on August 19th are concerned about keeping the yacht's cargo safe. British tech titan Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter and five others died when the yacht sank quickly after a storm hit. 15 people, including Lynch's wife and the ship's captain, survived.

Italian prosecutors are investigating the captain and two other crew members on multiple counts of manslaughter and negligence. An official involved in the salvage operation says the vessel is believed to contain watertight safes, containing super encrypted hard drives that hold highly classified information. Survivors or prosecutors at Lynch always kept these drives in a secure compartment of the yacht when he used it. The data may be tied to intelligence work he did for western intelligence services that could now be in the sights of foreign governments. Four sources told CNN.

Lynch, who was cleared in June in a U.S.-based criminal fraud trial, was hosting friends and associates to celebrate his acquittal when the vessel went down. His co-defendant died the same day after being hit by a car in the U.K. A source close to the investigation told CNN that security has been beefed up both above and below the water to protect the wreckage until it can be raised sometime in the coming weeks.

Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN, Rome.

COREN: So, how do you get over an ex-partner when memories of your relationship keep coming back to haunt you? Ahead, we'll take you to a factory in China that's in the business of breakups.

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COREN: Welcome back. Well, like couples everywhere, newlyweds in China go all out with photos reflecting their love for each other. However, as the nation's divorce rate skyrockets, all that imagery can become awkward, painful reminders of happiness lost.

As Marc Stewart explains, one Chinese company is helping divorced couples shred literally unwanted memories.

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MARC STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is a factory complex about 60 miles outside of Beijing. It's fueled in part by the business of breakups.

Divorced couples send their mementos to Leo Way and his team pain to destroy the evidence of their marriage.

For Chinese families, photos like these are a big part of their home on full display for friends and family to see.

But these photos are pretty much indestructible, made out of hard acrylic boards.

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The team spray paints faces to ensure privacy before being placed inside the crusher. It's a better solution compared to just throwing things in the trash. Divorce is still seen as shameful in China.

This entire process is recorded on video.

Customers want proof the deed has been done.

It's happening as China's divorce rate is skyrocketing and as authorities try to avert a demographic crisis by promoting marriage and parenthood. But the slumping economy leaves many young couples feeling stressed out about work, life, and relationships.

Where did you even get the idea to have a business like this? LIU WEI, CO-FOUNDER, BEIJING ZHONGTIANJIE COMPANY: This was actually an accidental idea, but it quickly became an obvious business. During my daily contact with some customers, they all had the same thought, because they were troubled by the issue, but there was no way they could destroy them. I had the same thoughts. I saw their dilemma.

STEWART: A lot of these photos have captions talking about happiness and dreams. These were couples that were once in love.

Does this ever make you sad, watching this process happen, knowing once happy couples are no longer together?

WEI: I think of myself as a doctor. I see my job as being a witness to the disappearances of all kinds of relationships, love or not, marriage or not. It's all normal and a divorce might not necessarily be a bad thing. It could be a good thing.

STEWART (voice over): The cost of this varies up to around 30 depending on what needs to be destroyed. Yet for some people in China, it's a small price to pay for a fresh start.

Marc Stewart, CNN, Longfeng, China.

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COREN: You got to do what you got to do.

Well, it was a mariachi marathon in downtown Mexico City.

More than 20 bands and singers took the stage to the Presidential Palace from 2:00 P.M. Saturday until midnight. Wearing sombreros and embroidered outfits and playing violins, trumpets and guitarrons, they performed some of the most renowned mariachi songs. Fans sang along and celebrated the Mexican genre, which is on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

Well, thank you so much for your company. I'm Anna Coren in Hong Kong. Inside Africa is next. Then Kim Brunhuber will be up in 30 minutes time with more of CNN Newsroom. Stay tuned.

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