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Rocket Intercepted Near Tel Aviv; Hezbollah Says Missile Targeted Mossad Headquarters; Biden Calls For Peace In Final U.N. Address As President; Harris Loses Senator Manchin's Support Over Vow to Gut Filibuster; Hezbollah Fired a Missile Targeting Mossad Headquarters, Missile Intercepted in Tel Aviv; U.S. Adds Qatar to Visa Waiver Program for Tourism, Business; Thousands Flee South Lebanon for Shelter in Beirut; Jordan Chiles' Lawyers Say Documentary Footage Proves Decision to Strip Her Bronze Medal Rests on Error; Study Shows That Octopuses Punch Fish Who Don't Cooperate in Hunt. Aired 2-2:45a ET

Aired September 25, 2024 - 02:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:00:36]

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world and to everyone streaming us on CNN Max. I'm Rosemary Church. Just ahead on CNN NEWSROOM.

Israel intercepts a missile near Tel Aviv in the latest exchange between Hezbollah militants in Lebanon and the IDF. Ukraine's president tells the U.N. Security Council Russia can only be forced into peace as he prepares to lay out his victory plan to the U.S. president.

And people along the U.S. Gulf Coast brace for Tropical Storm Helene with forecasters predicting it will be a major hurricane when it makes landfall later this week.

ANNOUNCER: Live from Atlanta. This is CNN NEWSROOM with Rosemary Church.

CHURCH: Good to have you with us. And we are following a developing story out of Tel Aviv, where the Israeli military says it has intercepted a single surface to air missile after air raid sirens sounded in the city.

There are no reports of damage or casualties. We also have dramatic new video showing the moment of an Israeli air strike on a town along the Lebanese coast.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah confirms one of its senior commanders has been killed in an air strike on a southern suburb of Beirut. Lebanon's health ministry reports at least six people were killed and 15 injured in that attack. Cross border fighting has increased dramatically over the past few days. Lebanese officials put the death toll at well over 500. The Israeli military says more than 200 rockets were fired from Lebanon into Israel and the Golan Heights on Tuesday.

Most were intercepted or fell in open areas. The Israeli prime minister visited an intelligence base on Tuesday before meeting with his cabinet and security officials.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL (through translator): I say to the people of Lebanon, our war is not with you. Our war is with Hezbollah. Nasrallah is leading you to the brink of abyss. I told you yesterday to evacuate the houses where he put a missile in the living room and a rocket in the garage. He who has a missile in his living room and a rocket in his garage will not have a home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Let's bring in CNN's 's International Diplomatic Editor Nic Robertson, who joins us live this hour from Tel Aviv. So Nic, what more can you tell us about the missile that Israel intercepted after sirens went off there?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes. Surface to surface missile is how the IDF is describing what was fired at them this morning. Hezbollah say that they fired a ballistic missile at what they say was the Mossad headquarters in central Israel. This does appear to be an escalation by Hezbollah of their tactics. It is believed to be the first ballistic missile that's been fired into central Israel from our location here.

You can see the interceptor, the David's Sling. This is a higher altitude, faster, more capable interceptor than the Iron Dome that people are used to seeing in the skies over Israel, take off into the sky and intercept with that ballistic missile. This surface-to-surface missile as it was on its way into central Israel. That happened about two and a half hours ago. The sirens here in Tel Aviv went off.

The sirens up the coast in Netanya also went off. That was the first time the sirens have gone off in Netanya since October the 7th. This is a very, very unusual situation for Tel Aviv to wake up in the morning to incoming missiles from Lebanon. So, that's why I say it does appear at this stage to be an escalation in Hezbollah's tactics because over the past couple of days since the spike -- in the massive spike in hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.

[02:05:02]

Hezbollah has only been firing its missiles either just over the border into Israel and Israel's northern border or about 30 miles south of the border at military targets there. But by firing it at Central Israel, as Hezbollah claims to have launched it at Mossad headquarters, this does seem to represent a step change in what's happening here.

CHURCH: And of course, Nic, you talk about this escalation, the big fear is of the possibility of all-out war. But what has Israel achieved so far with these two days of air strikes in Lebanon and how likely is a ground incursion in the days ahead by Israel?

ROBERTSON: Well, the IDF says it struck 1500 different targets over the past two days inside of Lebanon. Hezbollah targets, they say, infrastructure, command and control. They have also targeted a number of Hezbollah commanders. Some of them -- some of those commanders Hezbollah has admitted, for example, Ibrahim -- Qassem last night they've accepted that he was in fact killed in a directed Israeli precision strike on Beirut that killed six people, wounded 15 others, that he and two of his officers were killed.

What has Israel actually achieved? Well, the defense minister framed it to troops at the border yesterday as destroying some of the command and control, undermining Hezbollah's morale. He said that their morale was low at this point. But it doesn't and it hasn't changed Hezbollah's intent to fire rockets at Israel. The ballistic missile is the late this morning -- is the latest example of that.

But yesterday, 250 missiles -- the day before 215 missiles. So, while the IDF is able to target some of Hezbollah's weapons system storage facilities, it has not taken away Hezbollah's intent to use what they have. It's a sort of a use it or lose it scenario, if you will, that we seem to be seeing at the moment.

CHURCH: Our thanks to Nic Robertson joining us live from Tel Aviv. Appreciate it. Well, day two of the U.N. General Assembly will begin in the coming hours with more discussions on climate change and other international security matters. The Israeli strikes in Lebanon are at the top of the agenda. Iran's President is calling for swift action on the matter. He's also criticizing the U.S. for their decision to pull out of a landmark nuclear deal proposed in 2015.

Here's more now from the Iranian President.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MASOUD PEZESHKIAN, PRESIDENT OF IRAN: Naturally blind Israeli state terrorism over the past few days in Lebanon, followed by a massive aggression with thousands of victims cannot go unanswered. The responsibility for all consequences will be borne by those governments who have thwarted all global efforts to end this horrific catastrophe and have the audacity to call themselves champions of human rights.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: CNN's Kayla Tausche recaps the events of day one of the assembly for us, including us, President Joe Biden's final address to the group.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Today is the fourth time I've had the great honor of speaking to this assembly as President of the United States. It will be my last.

KAYLA TAUSCHE, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): After five decades in foreign policy, a final farewell on the world's biggest stage, drawing on conflicts of the past to outline optimism for the future.

BIDEN: Things can get better. We should never forget that. I know many look at the world today and see difficulties and react with despair, but I do not. Will we stand behind the principles that unite us? We stand firm against aggression. We -- will we end the conflicts that are raging today?

TAUSCHE (voice-over): A new war is raging in the Middle East since Biden's last United Nations address, 18 days before Hamas launched an assault on Israel that sent the region spiraling into a wider fight with Hezbollah. Biden calling for a ceasefire deal, two-state solution and detente in the region.

BIDEN: Full scale war is not in anyone's interest. Even a situation has escalated, a diplomatic solution is still possible.

TAUSCHE (voice-over): In discussions at the U.N., Biden and his top aides working to stabilize that and other conflicts around the world. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy calling for a new peace summit before another winter at war.

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: They are preparing to target our nuclear power plants, three of them. We have this information. If Russia is ready to go that far, it means nothing you value matters to Moscow.

[02:10:00]

TAUSCHE (voice-over): Outgoing NATO Chief Jens Stoltenberg says the West will keep arming Ukraine to convince Putin he can't win.

JENS STOLTENBERG, NATIO SECRETARY GENERAL: He realizes that he will not get what he wants on the battlefield, the total control of Ukraine, then he may be willing to accept the solution which is acceptable for Ukraine.

TAUSCHE (voice-over): That outcome no guarantee but Biden crediting Vice President Harris for standing up to Russia and offering this parting shot to autocrats.

BIDEN: I decided after 50 years of public service, it's time for new generation of leadership to take my nation forward. My fellow leaders, let us never forget, some things are more important than staying in power. We are here to serve the people, not the other way around.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TAUSCHE: As President Biden works to burnish his legacy, four leaders are now jockeying for their own meetings with Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, either of whom could be representing the U.S. here at the General Assembly next year. So far, the only meeting that has materialized is one between Zelenskyy and Harris that's set for the White House on Thursday. Kayla Tausche, CNN at the United Nations.

CHURCH: CNN Political and National Security Analyst David Sanger joins me now. He's also the author of New Cold Wars, China's Rise, Russia's Invasion and America's Struggle to Defend the West. Great to have you with us.

DAVID SANGER, CNN POLITICAL AND NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Great to be with you, Rosemary.

CHURCH: So, Ukraine's President Zelenskyy is set to address the U.N. General Assembly in the coming hours as his country struggles to defend itself against unrelenting attacks from Russia. On Tuesday, he addressed the U.N. Security Council, pitching his country's plan for victory and saying Russia can only be forced into peace as the sole aggressor in this war and the sole violator of the U.N. Charter.

So, what is your reaction to what he had to say on Tuesday and what do you expect he will say today at the General Assembly?

SANGER: So, I think the fascinating comparison here is President Zelenskyy's speech and President Biden's earlier in the day. So, President Biden celebrated organizing the world to come to Ukraine's defense. But then he warned that the battle isn't over, and that if we flag now, it will give Vladimir Putin not only parts of Ukraine but a pathway to take some nearby NATO neighbors, if he chooses to or just to keep going with non-NATO members.

Then you heard from President Zelensky, and it was a little more specific, as you quoted him saying, he basically made the case, you're going to have to force Putin into talks. And he basically argued that was the reason he had taken territory inside Russia. So, this will all come to a head on Thursday when President Zelenskyy comes to Washington and again, presses President Biden to let him use those long-range American weapons inside Russian territory.

And this is the one last red line that Biden has been very hesitant to cross, for fear that it would be the beginning of the unwinding of a direct confrontation between Russia and the United States.

CHURCH: And do you agree that that is a possibility if it comes to that? And how do you think President Zelenskyy will be received overall in Washington, D.C. once he gets there?

SANGER: So, President Zelensky has made the point time and again that the U.S. has had this fear before, before the U.S. gave HIMARS artillery, before it gave F-16s, before it gave tanks, before it gave the ATACMS, the longer-range missiles that come out of the portable system. So, in each of those cases, Mr. Zelenskyy has argued President Biden's red line for Putin never materialized.

Putin didn't react as strongly as the U.S. had projected and he's arguing Putin will again, not react that strongly. But the fact the matter is somewhere out there is a red line that will activate Vladimir Putin. We just don't know where it is. CHURCH: And I did want to ask you, because Donald Trump said on Tuesday that if he gets elected as president again, he will negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine and get the U.S. completely out of it. He also said that every time Zelenskyy comes to the U.S., he walks away with $100 billion, calling Zelensky the greatest salesman on Earth, and he didn't mean that as a compliment.

[02:15:08]

So, what is your reaction to what Trump had to say about Ukraine and its president?

SANGER: Well, first of all, it's the first time I ever heard that greatest salesman on Earth is not a compliment from Donald Trump. I would think he would consider that to be the highest compliment. But the fact of the matter is, it's not true. The money comes from Congress. Congress did an allocation after a big fight earlier this year. You're not likely to see more money issue. You may see some beginning to be dispersed, but it's from the same amount that Congress has already approved.

It's a little hard to know how this is going to play out. President Zelenskyy is coming with this plan for victory. He has not made it public yet. We've seen pieces of it. Some who have seen more detailed parts say it is neither a plan nor a full victory, but it is a rationale for taking that Russian land.

CHURCH: David Sanger, always a pleasure to have you on and get your analysis and perspective on this issue. Appreciate it

SANGER: Great to be with you.

CHURCH: Crews in Ukraine are searching for survivors in the rubble after a Russian aerial attack on Kharkiv. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russian bombs targeted an apartment building, a bakery and a stadium with one high rise taking a direct hit. The bombings killed at least three people and wounded dozens more. Kyiv is pushing allies to allow it to make deep strikes into Russia and says the most effective way to reduce these kinds of attacks is by targeting the planes and airfields hosting them.

Tropical Storm Helene is rapidly growing in strength as residents in Florida scramble to get out of its way. The latest forecast, just ahead.

Plus, Kamala Harris, is promising to kill the Senate's filibuster rule if she's in a position to sign an abortion rights bill into law, but a prominent senator is not on board. We'll explain.

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CHURCH: In the coming hours, tropical Storm Helene is expected to become a hurricane. It is barreling toward the U.S., state of Florida. Evacuations are underway. Helene could hit as the strongest storm to make landfall in the U.S. in over a year. CNN Meteorologist Chad Myers has the latest. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes. Helene still a tropical storm and is going to become a hurricane and then make a swipe at Cancun. Temperatures are in the upper 80s when it comes to the water temperatures. So this could rapidly intensify. And it's forecast to do so all the way up to 120 miles per hour at landfall. We're still going to have to see if this is going to be on the left side of the right side of the cone, because that makes a significant difference here, with the amount of damage that could possibly occur along the west coast of Florida for sure.

[02:20:11]

And if we start to push some of that surge into Tampa, we could start to see that coastal salt water flooding there. Your hurricane warnings are in effect there, from Anclote River all the way over to about Mexico beach and this is the area that's going to see most of the surge. 10 to 15 feet of salt water surge pushing back into the rivers, into the estuaries and into the marshes here by the time overnight, Wednesday night and into early Thursday, that's when the first tropical storm force winds will hit the U.S.

But then by later on in the evening, we will start to see those hurricane force winds as well. Probably 110 plus, certainly forecasts for 120. But that 110 plus goes all the way almost to Tallahassee. I can't imagine what that town will look like with all of those beautiful trees getting pushed around by 100-mile per hour wind. Also, the threat of a tornado or two, that always happens with a land falling hurricane.

We have a front across parts of the southeast. All of that moisture is going to bump into the front and make significant rainfall. So yes, we have flood watches in effect. And this area in purple, that's 10 inches of rainfall or more over the next few days. And look how wide of an area that is from Asheville almost over towards Charlotte and toward Atlanta, so much rainfall in the hills.

Southern Appalachian Hills could see significant flash flooding, fresh water flooding, not the salt water, simply because of all the heavy, heavy rainfall that's going to be coming down for days on end. Be careful out there.

CHURCH: U.S. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump rolled out a series of economic proposals during a speech Tuesday in Savannah, Georgia. Trump announced he would work with Georgia's governor to deepen the Port of Savannah. He also proposed higher tariffs and tax cuts to encourage companies to manufacture products in the United States. The former president made a lot of promises that he says would bring about a "new American industrialism."

DONALD TRUMP (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Here is the deal that I will be offering to every major company and manufacturer on Earth. I will give you the lowest taxes, the lowest energy costs. The lowest regulatory burden and free access to the best and biggest market on the planet, but only if you make your product here in America. This new American industrialism will create millions and millions of jobs, massively raise wages for American workers and make the United States into a manufacturing powerhouse like it used to be many years ago. We will be able to build ships again. We will be able to build airplanes at a much higher level again. We will become the world leader in robotics and every other field, the U.S. auto industry which has been decimated over many, many decades will once again be the envy of the planet.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: But economists have warned that raising tariffs will lead to higher prices for American consumers.

Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris is repeating her vow that if she becomes president, she would get rid of the filibuster delay tactic in the Senate in order to pass a bill codifying abortion rights. And that stance has cost her a potential endorsement from a key moderate senator. CNN's Priscilla Alvarez has the story.

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Vice President Kamala Harris reiterating her call to eliminate the filibuster to restore Roe v. Wade. A position that she also held in 2022 again in her argument to support reproductive rights and voting rights. Now, of course, reproductive rights has been a galvanizing issue for Democrats, one that the Vice President has talked about extensively on the campaign trail and on Tuesday, doubling down on that message.

And a radio station in Wisconsin, a crucial state for her, come November. Now that statement did also lose her the endorsement of Senator Joe Manchin, who had this to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOE MANCHIN (I-WV): Shame on her.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So I know that you've been considering endorsing her. Does this change your view?

MANCHIN: Oh, no. That is not going to happen.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're not going to endorse her.

MANCHIN: I'm not endorsing her. Never. I think that's basically something that can destroy our country and my country is more important to me than any one person or any one person's ideology.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALVAREZ: Now, defenders of the tool say that it forces consensus in the upper chamber. So, some division over her statement, but certainly the bottom line from the Vice President is that she will support the end of a filibuster to again sign legislation, codifying Roe v. Wade.

Priscilla Alvarez, CNN, Washington.

[02:25:09]

CHURCH: Joining me now is Jessica Levinson. A law professor at Loyola Law School and host of The Passing Judgment podcast. Appreciate you joining us.

JESSICA LEVINSON, LAW PROFESSOR, LOYOLA LAW SCHOOL: Good to be here.

CHURCH: So, a new CNN national poll shows a presidential race virtually tied with just six weeks to go to the election. 48 percent of likely voters support Kamala Harris, 47 percent support Donald Trump. That is within the margin of error, of course, and represents the tightest race in modern history. But national polls, of course, shed very little light on the outcome of elections like this. It's the swing states that will decide this.

What shifts are you seeing in those critical states? And what do you make of those latest poll numbers?

LEVINSON: Well, I think that what you said is the most important thing to think about when we think about national poll numbers, which is they really don't make much difference. And I actually just came from giving a speech to my old high school about 500 girls, and I explained the Electoral College and how we really shouldn't focus on these national polls at all, because it is, Rosemary, exactly as you said.

There are 50 different contacts, and that's how we determine who the winner of the presidential elections. Each state votes, except for two states. The winner of that state gets all of the electoral votes. So, we're focused on about nine to 12 different states, and it's those polls and its demographic shifts that we look at in those particular polls that we need to focus on.

CHURCH: Right. Indeed. And what do they tell you?

LEVINSON: So, I think what they tell us is that when it comes to youth vote, when it comes to women, when it comes to many minority voters, Kamala Harris is gaining ground, and you can see that number from September -- or, excuse me, from the summer after President Biden stepped out where Kamala Harris's numbers just kind of start to go up and up and up. But there is some softening with respect to her support for non-college educated white men for instance.

And there are places where, I think, when she's looking at that so called blue wall, those Midwest states that are key where her campaign will have some anxiety.

CHURCH: And of course, this latest CNN poll does show that the economy ranks as the most important issue for likely voters. At 41 percent despite the U.S. economy bouncing back from the pandemic faster than any other nation across the globe. 50 percent of likely voters say they trust Trump to handle the economy while only 39 percent trust Harris. Why has the Biden administration failed to get the message across to voters that the U.S. is actually in good shape, with inflation down from 9 percent to 2.5 percent interest rates coming down?

I mean, it's actually better than most other nations. Europe looks with envy at the United States, doesn't it?

LEVINSON: That is absolutely true. I think two things are going on. One, absolutely this is a failure of the Biden administration in the sense that they have a real success story to tell, and they haven't been able to tell that in a compelling way. Having said that, yes, our economy, and many aspects our economy are not only strong, but getting stronger, and I think that is helping Kamala Harris' polling numbers.

But when it comes to certain products that we all purchase on a daily or weekly basis, a lot of people, very rationally, feel like we're paying more than we used to. That is inflation. Inflation has come back down, but it's very difficult to explain to people. But look at other aspects of the economy, when the thing that is hitting their pocketbook, the most directly, which is at the market, at the gas station, things cost more.

It's hard to convince them that the Biden-Harris administration has actually done good things for the economy, except, again, if they could, they have a great story to tell when it comes to a lot of these big pieces of legislation that have helped bolstered our economy.

CHURCH: And support for Harris, as you mentioned, has skyrocketed since she entered the race, but not enough to attract support from former Democrat, now independent, leading Senate moderate Joe Manchin who says he won't be endorsing Harris because of her plan to get rid of the filibuster in order to codify abortion rights. How significant is this? And particularly with CNN polling showing Harris has a double-digit lead over Trump among women, a factor he won't accept?

LEVINSON: Well, I think that Joe Manchin, frankly, does not have huge coattails, and so obviously, Kamala Harris wants to win every state. She doesn't want to lose any Democrat/independent support.

[02:30:00]

But let's be honest, I don't think Joe Manchin sways elections. I think he knows that. And I think the fact that we are talking about him is probably a win in the sense that he went for him, in the sense that he said, well, maybe I'll run, maybe I'll throw my hat. And when president Joe Biden said, I'm not running anymore, I think when all the wins turn towards Harris, he realized that was untenable, but there is not a lot of support either in the party or otherwise. And I don't think his failure to endorse is going to become outcome determinative here.

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWSROOM": Jessica Levinson, always a pleasure to get your analysis on these issues. Appreciate it.

LEVINSON: Thank you.

CHURCH: Sirens ring out across Tel Aviv as Hezbollah fires a rocket fired from the frontlines. The Group says it was intended for Israel's intelligence agency, details just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. In a rare attack far from the frontlines, Hezbollah says it targeted the headquarters of Israel's intelligence service headquarters, Mossad, with a ballistic missile. Israel says the missile was intercepted near Tel Aviv as it approached from Lebanon, there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. The attack comes as Israel and Hezbollah continue to trade fire across the border.

Well, the U.S. and Qatar are making it easier for their citizens to travel between countries. The Biden Administration is adding Qatar to the visa waiver program, which will allow nationals of either country to apply for tourism or business travel for up to 90 days without a visa. U.S. officials say it will allow the government access to advanced passenger records, biometric checks, and terrorist databases. The program is a security partnership for trusted U.S. allies who meet standards on counterterrorism efforts. The visa waiver is expected to begin in December, though officials say it could get up and running sooner than that.

All right. We do want to go to Paula Hancocks, joining us live from Abu Dhabi. Good to see you, Paula. So, what is the latest on that missile from Lebanon that Israel intercepted after those sirens went off in Tel Aviv?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Rosemary, what we are hearing from the Israeli side is that they did intercept, what they called, a surface-to-surface missile fired from southern Lebanon, fired from Hezbollah this morning. Now, there was an air raid siren in Tel Aviv, also an air raid siren Netanya, just further north.

[02:35:00]

That's the first time that there has been a siren there since October 7th. Now, we understand that it was the David's Sling missile defense system which took this missile down, if that is the case, that's different to the usual Iron Dome. It is a higher-altitude missile defense system that they managed to take this missile out with. Now, Hezbollah claims that it was a ballistic missile. They say that it was the 'Qader 1' missile. They say that they were targeting the Mossad headquarters near Tel Aviv.

Mossad, obviously, the -- one of the intelligence agencies which has been very heavily involved we understand with, for example, last week's pager and walkie-talkie explosions across Lebanon, also the targeted assassinations of a number of Hezbollah commanders -- one just yesterday according to both the Israeli military and also Hezbollah. So, this is the situation at this point. It does appear to be a step up, certainly from what we have seen from Hezbollah over the past few days. We have seen them really targeting military facilities in the north. We have seen them targeting just across the border. And this is certainly a very rare event to see them targeting so deep into Israel. Rosemary?

CHURCH: And Paula, what impact have Israel's airstrikes on southern Lebanon had on Hezbollah so far, and how likely is a ground incursion in the days ahead and how possible is an all-out war, which is what everyone is worried about?

HANCOCKS: Well, when it comes to the ground invasion itself, the Israeli military unsurprisingly is keeping -- at least publicly, keeping its options open, saying that it is possible but not being drawn either way. We did see the Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant speaking to troops close to the border where he said that Hezbollah today is different from the organization we knew a week ago. Also pointing out that they do have additional strikes planned as well, something we also heard from the chief of staff saying the next phase is ready in this particular part of the conflict.

Now, Gallant told troops that Hezbollah has suffered a blow, saying a sequence of blow to the command and control, its fighters, and the means to fight, saying that they have been able to severely blow the capabilities of the Group, but also pointing out to the troops that Hezbollah is still determined to target the Israeli military. It is still determined to try and destroy parts of the Israeli military, so that is something that they need to continue to fight against. Now, we've certainly seen that there is an exodus from the southern Lebanon towns, some of the villagers heading to Beirut as civilians are desperately trying to get out of the way of these significant strikes that we are seeing in the southern part of Lebanon and also in the Beqaa Valley and in southern Beirut.

But we've spoken to some of those, they've spoken to our teams on the ground in Beirut that have made that journey. One said, it took 14 hours just to get from southern Lebanon to Beirut, a trip that usually takes far less than two hours, because of the sheer number of people that are desperately trying to get out of the way of danger. Rosemary?

CHURCH: All right. Thanks to Paula Hancocks joining us from Abu Dhabi. And we'll be right back.

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[02:40:57]

CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. The legal team of American gymnast, Jordan Chiles, has submitted a new application in Switzerland's federal supreme court over the decision that lost her an Olympic bronze medal. Chiles was stripped of her first individual Olympic medal after the Romanian gymnastics team challenged the decision to revise Chiles' final score in the floor exercise. The court of arbitration for sport upheld the challenge, so Chiles' bronze went to Romania's Ana Barbosu. However, Chiles' lawyer says new video evidence from a documentary crew that was filming the floor finals proves that the court's prior decision rests on factual error.

Octopuses might have eight arms, but that doesn't mean they don't sometimes need a helping hand. Researchers have found that not only do they hunt with other fish, but they enforce punishments on those not cooperating.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EDUARDO SAMPAIO. POSTDOC RESEARCHER, MAX PLANCK INSTITUTE OF ANIMAL BEHAVIOR (voice-over): A new study found that typically solitary octopuses can actually work together with other fish to hunt. Researchers in Germany found that different species of fish share different leadership responsibilities within hunting groups, and that octopuses typically decide whether and when the group should attack its prey. Octopuses were even observed using their tentacles to punch uncooperative fish as punishment to get them to leave the group. This footage helps researchers better understand why different groups of species stick together.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: And thank you so much for joining us. I'm Rosemary Church. "World Sport" is up next. Then, I'll be back in 15 minutes time with more of "CNN Newsroom." Do stick around.

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[02:45:00]

(WORLD SPORT)