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Israel Intercepts Ballistic Missile Fired By Houthis; Hostage Families Speak Out As Israel Resumes Fighting; Ukrainian POW's Reunite With Families After Long Captivity; South Carolina Man Charged Over Attack on Tesla Station; FBI Investigates Attack on Tesla Cars as Possible Terrorism; The Canadian Pacific Train Roars Back to Life After a 14-year Restoration Process; Star Wars Droids Visit California Conference. Aired 2-2:45a ET
Aired March 20, 2025 - 02:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world, and everyone streaming us on CNN Max. I'm Rosemary Church.
Just ahead, Israel resumes ground operations in Gaza, as Israelis protest the collapse of the ceasefire with Hamas.
President Trump discusses ceasefire terms with Ukraine's president, as Russia and Ukraine swap POWs.
And tens of thousands defy a ban on protests in Istanbul, after the main political rival of Turkey's president is detained.
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ANNOUNCER: Live from Atlanta. This is CNN NEWSROOM WITH ROSEMARY CHURCH.
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CHURCH: Thanks for joining us. and we begin in Gaza, where it's been another deadly night of Israeli air strikes. Hospital officials say at least 21 Palestinians were killed. That's in addition to 70 killed on Wednesday, and more than 400 on Tuesday.
Footage released by the IDF, claims to show new ground operations, or what they are calling targeted ground activities, a day after Israel shattered a two-month-old ceasefire with Hamas.
The militant group is calling this a new and dangerous breach, but says it's still committed to a ceasefire.
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(END VIDEO CLIP) CHURCH: Meantime, police clash with protesters denouncing the Israeli government's actions.
Sirens going off around Israel in the past few hours after the IDF reports it intercepted a missile launched by Houthi rebels in Yemen. The Iran-backed group claimed responsibility and said it was fired in response to Israel's renewed bombardment of Gaza. It is the second missile attack to target Israel since Tuesday.
The group says they will continue assaults on American and Israeli interests, until the hostilities in Gaza end.
CNN international diplomatic editor Nic Robertson is following developments from Jerusalem. He joins us now. Good to see you, Nic.
So, what is the latest on Israel's ground offensive and air strikes in Gaza, and what more are you learning about this threat from the Houthis as well?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes. Well, the Houthis have essentially react and gone on the offensive again, since the IDF restarted their offensive in Gaza with that big air campaign, now, backed by this limited and targeted ground operation in the center and the south of Gaza. That's how the IDF is describing it.
The Israel's defense minister, Israel Katz, described it as the Palestinians in Gaza facing complete destruction and ruin if they didn't essentially themselves route Hamas. He said that this phase of the operation with the ground operation would be much worse than there had been previously.
So, this is very strong language coming from Israeli officials, and we understand from Hamas health officials, or Gazan health officials, if you will, that they say 21 people were killed in strikes overnight, last night, during Wednesday, 70 people killed, 50 of them, we understand in the north of Gaza.
And the north of Gaza does seem to be the focus of the IDF's military operations there. They dropped flyers in the -- in the northern part of Gaza, warning people there to evacuate their homes and go to safe areas.
A lot of people, once again, are leaving their homes. The Houthi strike in connection with all of that and these sirens that went off this morning, 4:00 a.m. local time, three hours ago, not just here in Jerusalem, but all the way across the country to Tel Aviv, the whole of the center of Israel's alarm system, air alert alarm system lit up with warnings. And that was the first time it had done that since that ceasefire, January 19th.
And the Houthis say that they were targeting Ben Gurion International Airport. Passengers there could be seen with the sirens blaring in the back. Background, running for cover there.
[02:05:01] Medical services in Israel say they've been checking for casualties. Police are checking for debris, none reported. No serious -- certainly, no serious casualties, and the IDF is saying that this missile was intercepted outside of Israeli airspace. But the tensions with the Houthis clearly growing again.
CHURCH: All right, thanks to Nic Robertson joining us live there from Jerusalem.
Well for the families of the hostages still held in Gaza, the renewed fighting is only heightening fears over the fate of their loved ones.
Eitan Horn, seen on the right, remains in Hamas captivity. While his brother, Iair, next to him, was released last month. Their sister-in- law, Dalia Cusnir Horn, joins us now from Israel.
And we do appreciate you talking with us at this very difficult time, clearly for you and your family. So, what has been your reaction to Israel, resuming air strikes and ground operations in Gaza, and what do you worry this could mean for your brother-in-law and other hostages still being held in Gaza?
DALIA CUSNIR HORN, SISTER-IN-LAW OF RELEASED HOSTAGE IAIR HORN: Hi, good morning.
So, exactly as you mentioned, we are terrified. We are very sad by the fact that the government of Israel, together with Hamas and the United States, and Qatar, and everyone who's involved could not make it to the second phase of the deal as was promised. And we know that the Army, the air strikes and the bombings and everything, we know that it's very dangerous for the hostages.
We know that more than 41 hostages were abducted alive and unfortunately, were either executed by their Hamas terrorists, captors, because they felt the armies to close or were even killed by the Israeli bombings.
So, we understand that everyone should go back to negotiation table and that we don't have time.
CHURCH: And protesters have been out on the streets clashing with Israeli police and denouncing Prime Minister Netanyahu's military action in Gaza. Why do you think Netanyahu ended the two-month ceasefire so abruptly when the next phase of the ceasefire agreement was within reach, wasn't it?
HORN: So, I will be very honest, and I'll say that I don't know. According to the Israeli government, Hamas is not accepting the terms. So, when they signed the general, let's say the wide deal, that should be phase one, two, and three, all the details for phase one were there, and part of the details of phase two were there.
And according to what they say, Hamas is just not accepting and they are ending the ceasefire, because Israel is giving them cease fire, and all the humanitarian aid is going inside. Now, let's admit who's taking the humanitarian aid? Hamas. So, Hamas is giving the food and all the supplies for their people that the poor Gazatie (PH) people, civilian, innocent, are not getting any. So, according to that, Israelis, is that to war, to negotiate under fire.
Now, if I may, talk as a hostage family member and not as someone who speaks strategy. And this is not a theoretical issue. You know, my brother -in-law is right now there in a tunnel listening to the bombing. So, this is a very hard place to stand in.
CHURCH: Yes, absolutely. Terrifying for the hostages and, of course, terrifying for family members in Israel, waiting to hear what is happening there.
So, what do you want to see happen next? And what is your message to your prime minister?
HORN: My message to my prime minister is that I know he has the power, and I know he knows how to do a hostage deal. He has done one on November 23rd and in January. I was lucky to get one of my two brothers in law. Iair, and Iair is here with us. And Iair is asking the prime minister to go for the second phase, even though it's hard, and even though we know that we're negotiating with Hamas terrorist, which are the worst people we can think of. Right?
But we need to do that because we need to save lives. We know that 24 out of that 59 hostages are now, as we speak, alive. We don't want them to end their life because of an air strike or because the terrorists will decide to execute them.
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So, just sign the deal, take another brave -- very brave decision, and do that. That's the most Jewish thing to do right now.
And I wish that President Trump and he's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and all the team would be with us in this pressure, because we know that President Trump has made the first part of the deal possible. It is -- thanks to him that I have my brother-in-law, Iair. And actually, Iair visited him two weeks ago. So, please help us finish this nightmare and bring everyone home.
CHURCH: And Dalia, what would you like us all to know about your brother-in-law, Eitan?
HORN: Thank you for asking that. I want you to know that Eitan is the funniest person ever. He likes to dance and sing. He is a person that is always there for everyone. He is that guy that you always come to ask for an advice or just get a hug.
Eitan is a non-formal educator. He's been working with teens, especially teens at risk, saying that there are no teens at risk. There are teens that no one knows how to engage and talk to them.
He just want to make this place a better world. So, we should all connect around the world and bring Eitan and all the rest home, because this is a humanitarian crisis. We, the democratic world, cannot allow people to be abducted and held hostage.
This is not something that should happen. It started here in Israel. It can go all around the world. So, let's bring this joy back to our lives.
CHURCH: Dalia Cusnir Horn, thank you so much for talking with us, and we do hope that your brother-in-law, and of course, all of the other hostages will return to their loved ones soon. Thank you for talking with us.
HORN: Thank you. Thank you so much.
CHURCH: Major questions remain about a proposal for Russia and Ukraine to pause attacks on each other's energy facilities.
Ukraine's president spoke by phone with U.S. President Donald Trump, Wednesday, and agreed to the pause. But it's still not clear if it also covers attacks on civilian infrastructure.
The White House says those details will be worked out by technical teams in Saudi Arabia in the coming days. The White House says President Trump agreed to help Ukraine find additional air defense systems, particularly in Europe. Earlier, Wednesday, Mr. Zelenskyy said, Ukraine will not give up land for peace.
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VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE (through translator): As for the territories, this will probably be one of the most sensitive and difficult issues in the upcoming negotiations.
The first step is still an unconditional ceasefire, even if there are some paths that still need to be taken to get there. For us, the red line is the recognition of the Ukrainian, temporarily occupied territories as Russian. We will not go for it.
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CHURCH: Meanwhile, Ukraine and Russia have carried out what the Ukrainian president calls one of the largest prisoner exchanges since Moscow's invasion began. CNN's Clarissa Ward was there as Ukrainian soldiers were reunited with their loved ones.
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CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We're waiting now here with family members of the 175 Ukrainian prisoners of war who have just crossed over the border back into Ukraine. Some of them, after three years in captivity in Russia, the images that we've been seeing of that moment as they sprint through the border crossing, grabbing the Ukrainian flag, and now, on their way back to be reunited with loved ones.
Who is the cake for?
WARD (voice-over): I'm waiting for my husband, who has been in captivity for almost three years, and yesterday was his birthday, Alyona (PH) tells us. It's like splashes of fireworks and emotions. My heart is beating out of my chest.
WARD: If you take a look now, the bus doors just opening, and people rushing forward. Desperately hoping to get a glimpse of their loved ones.
People calling out the names of loved ones as they try to find their family members amid the 175 Ukrainian prisoners of war who are getting off of these buses. Some of them seem to have some injuries, others look like they are in good shape. They're clearly dazed.
You can see Alyona (PH) has found her husband, Andri (PH). She gave him a huge, huge hug, and presented him with that birthday cake that she's waited for three years to give him.
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It's just incredible to see how much emotion there is in this crowd. Everywhere you walk, people are hugging, they are crying, they are laughing. And just the sense of relief, some of these men held for three years.
This man is talking to, I think, his wife for the first time. You could see just how emotional, the incredible toll of what these men have been through.
Can I ask you guys, how does it feel to be back home in Ukraine?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Amazing.
WARD: Amazing?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Beautiful, magnificent, great, super.
WARD: How long have you been dreaming about this moment?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Three year.
WARD: Can I ask, you look thin. How were the conditions in the prison where you were held?
WARD (voice-over): Look, if I tell the truth, it will affect the guys who are still there, Yevhen (PH) tells us. But I would say, in the 21st century, people should be treated better than us.
WARD: We don't know exactly how many Ukrainian prisoners of war there are in Russia. The estimates are around 8,000 or even more.
I asked President Zelenskyy a question at a virtual press conference yesterday. I said, what could President Putin say or do that would give you more optimism about this peace process? And he said, to return all the prisoners of war.
WARD (voice-over): Clarissa Ward, CNN, Chernihiv, Ukraine.
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CHURCH: Tens of thousands defy Turkish authorities to protest against the detention of Istanbul's mayor days before he was expected to be nominated to challenge Turkey's long ruling president.
Back with that and more in just a moment.
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CHURCH: Tens of thousands of people in Istanbul defied a new ban on public demonstrations, Wednesday, to protest against the government's detention of the city's mayor. Ekrem Imamoglu is a key political rival to Turkey's long ruling President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Imamoglu was detained on Wednesday, as part of corruption and terrorism investigations. Detention orders were also issued for around 100 others connected to the mayor. Opposition leaders and the wife of Istanbul's detained mayor condemned the arrests as politically motivated.
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OZGUR OZEL, LEADER, REPUBLICAN PEOPLE'S PARTY (through translator): What has been happening since yesterday has a name. Let's give it that name. What has been happening since yesterday is a coup attempt.
DILEK IMAMOGLU, WIFE OF DETAINED ISTANBUL MAYOR EKREM IMAMOGLU (through translator): If we accept it, democracy dies. The day our government determines its rivals is the day that our democracy dies.
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CHURCH: The detention of Istanbul's mayor has sent shock waves through Turkish politics as the Erdogan government cracks down on the opposition ahead of a key primary vote. CNN's Paula Hancocks has our report.
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PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): A key rival of Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been detained. Just moments before he was taken from his home, Istanbul's Mayor Ekram Imamoglu, posted this video message.
Hundreds of police officers have been sent to the door of my house, he said, the house of the 16 million people of Istanbul. We are up against huge bullying, but I will not back down, he says. I love you all. I entrust myself to the people. I will be standing tall.
His detention comes just days before he was expected to be chosen as Turkey's main opposition party's presidential candidate.
Authorities said he was detained as part of corruption and terrorism investigations, along with detention orders issued for around 100 other people connected to the mayor, according to Turkish media.
The day will come, the tables will turn. Protesters chanting outside Istanbul's police headquarters as critics denounce the detentions as political. Part of an ongoing government crackdown on the opposition, following Erdogan's major defeat in local and mayoral elections last year.
The head of Imamoglu's Republican People's Party called the detention a coup attempt against our next president.
Imamoglu's wife called the accusations against him laughable, blaming false information on social media. Such a thing is of course impossible, she said. It cannot be. It is a huge slander. Everything will come out in the open.
Turkey's next presidential election is not scheduled until 2028, but some analysts say Erdogan could call for early elections to allow him to bypass term limits.
Imamoglu's detention comes one day after Istanbul University announced it had annulled his degree over irregularities. Without a university degree, he is disqualified from running for president.
We will, of course, take this illegitimate decision to court, he said, speaking alongside his family on Tuesday.
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Demonstrations have been banned across Istanbul until March 23rd to maintain public order and many social media sites restricted, but some supporters still took to the streets to protest the mayor's detention.
Imamoglu has been a vocal critic of President Erdogan, who has ruled Turkey for more than two decades.
Paula Hancocks, CNN, Abu Dhabi.
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CHURCH: Argentina's plans to get its finances in order, sparking more anti-government protests. Demonstrators gathered outside Congress, Buenos Aires on Wednesday, to voice their opposition to President Javier Milei's pension policies.
More than 100 people were arrested and nearly 50 injured in protest last week. Inside Congress, the lower House approved a plan to begin new talks with the International Monetary Fund. Years of overspending have left Argentina with a slew of financial problems, and that's taking a toll on everyday life.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I earn 250,000 pesos and have children that are minors. I am alone and cannot pay the bills. I can't pay the bills. And there are days when I eat and days when I do not eat. (END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: 250,000 Argentine pesos is about 235 U.S. dollars. President Milei has lowered inflation since his election in 2023 but his spending cuts have increased the poverty rate.
Still to come, authorities have arrested a man in connection with one of the many attacks on Tesla vehicles and charging stations in the past few weeks. We'll explain on the other side of the break. Stay with us.
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CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. The Justice Department has charged a South Carolina man for an arson attack on a Tesla charging station earlier this month. The arrest comes amid a wave of attacks on Tesla in the U.S. and Canada, as the company's CEO, Elon Musk, takes on an outsized role in the Trump administration. CNN's Josh Campbell has that report.
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JOSH CAMPBELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): New Tesla safety concerns after another violent act of vandalism against the company.
DORI KOREN, ASSISTANT SHERIFF, LAS VEGAS METROPOLITAN POLICE DEPARTMENT: This was a targeted attack against a Tesla facility.
CAMPBELL (voice-over): The most recent happening Tuesday in Las Vegas. Police say a person dressed in black shot and set fire to several Tesla vehicles at a repair facility. The word 'resist' was spray painted on the building. The FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force is now conducting an investigation in order to identify the suspect and a motive.
SPENCER EVANS, SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE, FBI LAS VEGAS: Violent acts like this are unacceptable regardless of where they occur. And specifically to those who might think that something like this is justifiable or potentially even admirable, we want to let you know it's a federal crime. We will come after you, we will find you and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.
CAMPBELL (voice-over): Attorney General Pam Bondi saying in a statement that the recent attacks on Tesla property are "domestic terrorism" and said the government will continue investigations that impose severe consequences on those involved. The Las Vegas incident comes after several other vandalism incidents in the recent months involving Tesla vehicles, facilities, and charging stations.
Justice Department officials announced just days ago that 24-year-old Daniel Clarke-Pounder has been arrested in connection with a Molotov cocktail attack on a Tesla charging station in South Carolina. CNN has reached out to his attorney for comment. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sell your car, don't buy Tesla.
CAMPBELL (voice-over): Protests in several U.S. cities against Musk and his growing influence in the Trump administration erupted over the weekend, many calling for an end to the Department of Government Efficiency or DOGE, which is cutting tens of thousands of federal jobs.
MARK NAY, PROTESTING TESLA: Elon Musk is destroying our government. Nobody elected him. The Senate never confirmed him.
CAMPBELL (voice-over): Along with working for President Trump, Musk has aligned himself in far-right wing political movements, policies and administrations across the globe, most notably supporting Germany's far-right party, the Alternative for Germany, or AfD. The tech billionaire saying on Fox, he's shocked Tesla is being targeted.
ELON MUSK, SENIOR ADVISOR TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF TESLA: Tesla a peaceful company. We've never done anything harmful. I've never done anything harmful. There's some kind of mental illness thing going on here because this doesn't make any sense.
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CHURCH: Disney is showing off some of its newest Star Wars attractions. Coming up, a group of tech enthusiasts got to hang out with the characters.
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CHURCH: Well, some people took a trip down memory lane as a train from World War II returned to service in England. The "Canadian Pacific", a 1940 steam train, roared back to life Wednesday. Its passengers included volunteers who spent the past 14 years restoring it and relatives of those who built it. The train was originally used to transport troops and wartime supplies. Now, it'll take tourists between towns southwest of London.
Well, a couple of personalities from the Star Wars franchise made an appearance in California Wednesday. Not the ones you might expect, but these guys. Disney showcased two BDX droids at the Annual Software Developer Conference sponsored by tech company, Nvidia.
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Some humans were delighted as the droids walked, danced, and squeaked out emotions.
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MORITZ BAECHER, DISNEY ROBOTICS RESEARCHER: Well, the technology is so good that you don't see the technology any longer, and so that's exactly the goal of the Walt Disney company (ph). (END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: The robots appeared in the Star Wars TV show, " The Mandalorian" and two of the franchises video games.
I want to thank you so much for joining us. I'm Rosemary Church. "World Sport" is coming up next. Then I will be back in about 15 minutes with more "CNN Newsroom." Do stick around.
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