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CNN's Breaking News Coverage on the U.S. Strikes in Iran. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired June 23, 2025 - 03:00   ET

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

[03:00:00]

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UNKNOWN (voice-over): This is CNN Breaking News

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from the U.S. and around the world. Wherever you are watching you are more than welcome.

I'm Becky Anderson live from our Middle East Programming Headquarters here in Abu Dhabi where the time is 11 a.m. It is 10:30 in Tehran and it is 10 a.m. in Tel Aviv. It's Monday the 23rd of June, here's what we know this hour.

The Pentagon trying to learn the extent of the damage to Iran's nuclear program after the weekend U.S. strikes. U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff saying it is way too early to determine if Iran still has nuclear capabilities. President Donald Trump writing on Truth Social Sunday that, quote, "monumental damage was done to all nuclear sites in Iran as shown by satellite images."

Let's take a look at those satellite images.

A CNN analysis found that the attack on Fordow left behind at least six large craters. They are likely from the U.S. bunker buster bombs which are designed to go very deep underground before detonating. And there is a dramatic difference in the images before and after from Isfahan, Iran's largest nuclear complex that was hit by more than a dozen Tomahawk cruise missiles.

And this morning, the Iranian army's commander-in-chief says there will be a strong response to the strikes in a video clip published by state media.

Meantime, sirens heard in Tel Aviv today after Iran launched a new wave of missiles. And Israel says it launched a wave of strikes against military targets as it describes them in western Iran and the capital, Tehran, overnight. It's also targeting airports and missile launch and storage sites.

CNN's Paula Hancocks here with me in Abu Dhabi. First, let's get you to Brian Todd in Washington. And what are officials there, Brian, saying about how long the assessment on damage brought on this nuclear infrastructure will take?

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Becky, they're saying it will take a little bit of time to assess the real damage from these strikes. And that coming from our Katie Bolilla citing U.S. officials saying it's too early to tell whether the strikes did significant damage to Iran's nuclear facilities or not.

But you do get a message this morning of utmost confidence coming from the White House on the success of these strikes, that message coming from President Trump himself, who posted on Truth Social on Sunday evening.

This quote, "monumental damage was done to all nuclear sites in Iran as shown by satellite images. Obliteration is an accurate term," the President said.

"The white structure shown is deeply embedded into the rock," he wrote, "with even its roof well below ground level and completely shielded from flame. The biggest damage took place far below ground level." And then he wrote bullseye with exclamation points.

Now, that white structure that the president is mentioning is reflecting satellite images that CNN has been running of the Fordow nuclear enrichment facility. We have some of those satellite images, Becky pointed them out earlier, some before and after images. That's the before, there's the after image.

The President referring to that white structure on the right-hand side of that satellite image and talking about the damage to that and to the Fordow nuclear facility overall, saying it was monumental damage.

But again, our Katie Bolilla is reporting that U.S. officials say it is too early to have a completely accurate assessment, a completely clear picture of the damage done to those three nuclear enrichment sites that the U.S. hit on Saturday, those being Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.

Also on Sunday, the President reflecting on the idea of regime change in Iran. He posted on Truth Social this message, quote, "It's not politically correct to use the term regime change. But if the current Iranian regime is unable to make Iran great again, why wouldn't there be a regime change?" And then he posted the phrase MIGA for Make Iran Great Again.

Now, Trump, we have to say, did not specifically say that the U.S. would enact regime change in Iran. And two of his top aides flat out said on Sunday that the U.S. would not be doing that and that that was not the goal of these airstrikes on Saturday.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth telling reporters, quote, "this mission was not and has not been about regime change." And Vice President J.D. Vance telling NBC News, quote, "we don't want regime change."

Meanwhile, there's new reporting on Sunday evening from our Kaitlan Collins about some misdirection by President Trump regarding these airstrikes on Saturday and the messaging that he projected before that.

[03:05:08]

Becky, Kaitlan Collins reporting on Sunday that President Trump did instruct his aides on Thursday to tell the media that he would make a decision on whether to act within two weeks. And this was, according to Kaitlan's reporting, this was a way to obscure the president's true thinking and his own timeline on this matter. This is according to sources familiar with what happened.

Speaking to our Kaitlan Collins, those sources say that Trump's thinking was that giving out a two week timeline would throw the Iranians off and would conceal his real plans. But according to people who were around him, they believe that he had largely made up his mind days before these airstrikes were first announced that he was going to do this.

But he did put out that timeline of two weeks on Thursday. Then the bombs started flying on Saturday. According to Kaitlan Collins, he had already made up his mind, according to sources close to. Becky.

ANDERSON: That's fascinating. There's been much discussion about that sort of 48 hour period of time before we saw these strikes, of course, over the weekend.

Good to have you, Paula.

Hardliners in Iran are calling for revenge. The chief of the army vowing of a strong response just in the past hour or so. Iran's foreign minister saying Sunday his country has a variety of options, it's clear they consider one of those the closing of the Strait of Hormuz.

Why and how would that work?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, Iran has real geographical leverage when it comes to global shipping, when it comes to the Strait of Hormuz. This is a relatively small and narrow waterway. That's one of the world's most important when it comes to the shipping of crude oil, of gas, the belief at this point is something like 20 percent, a fifth of all crude oil passes through this area.

Now, Iran controls that from the north. You've got a man controlling it from the south. At its most narrow point, it's about 20 nautical miles, so it can become a real choke point.

So if Iran wanted to, and it's certainly vocally saying that it could, it could threaten to close the Strait of Hormuz, which could cause economic damage across the world. The ramifications will be significant.

We've seen the oil price has been rising significantly in recent days with the thought that this might happen. It's worth pointing out, though, it would also damage Iran because, of course, they want their crude oil to get to places, most notably to China. We know more than 80 percent of the oil and the crude oil and gas

going through the Strait of Hormuz is going to Asian markets. So it would damage Iran as well. But it's certainly a significant economic weapon that they have.

ANDERSON: Fascinating, Paula Hancocks in the house. To both of you, thank you.

Well crowds of Iranians gathered Sunday in Tehran to voice their anger over the U.S. strikes on the country's nuclear sites. CNN's Fred Pleitgen reports from in Iran's capital city.

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FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: There still is a lot of public anger unloading here on the streets of Tehran. Thousands of people have come here to Revolution Square, first and foremost to criticize U.S. President Trump and to vow revenge for the strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities.

One of the interesting things that we're seeing on the ground out here is that it's not only conservatives and hardliners who are here, but also people who say they're actually quite critical of the Iranian government.

PLEITGEN (voice-over): Even if missiles rain down on my head, I will stay here, she says, and I will sacrifice my life and my blood for my country.

This member of parliament says a lot of those standing here chanting slogans against the United States may have been critics of the policies of the Islamic Republic. But today, all of us are standing in one line behind the Supreme Leader.

PLEITGEN: People now chanting death to America here at Revolution Square, and you can really feel how angry a lot of them are towards President Trump. Of course, the Iranian government has said that it reserves the right to retaliate for those strikes on the nuclear facilities, saying that it is their right to have nuclear enrichment, it is their right to have a nuclear program, and it's not something that they're going to allow the Trump administration to take away from them.

And that is certainly also that we're seeing here on the streets of Tehran.

Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Tehran.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Right. Fred Pleitgen there in Iran.

Well, the big question after the U.S. strikes there, just how much damage have they done to Iran's nuclear sites?

[03:10:04] We heard from the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency earlier, and he explained why it is so hard to determine the extent of the damage, for example, at Iran's Fordow facility. Have a listen.

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RAFAEL GROSSI, DIRECTOR GENERAL, INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY: There are clear indications of impacts, but as for the assessment of the degree of damage underground, on this we cannot pronounce ourselves. It can be important, it can be significant, but no one, neither us, nobody else could be able to tell you how much it has been damaged.

Different is the case, for example, in Natanz, where we know very clearly that the above ground facility has been completely destroyed, and even the centrifuge holes have suffered a lot because of the combined effect of lack of external power supply, which was also caused by the attacks and subsequent direct attacks. Or Isfahan, which has been sustaining damage and attacks for several days, including last night.

So, overall, all in all, we can say that there is a very significant damage already there, which we can confirm, as for Fordow, because of the morphological characteristics of the site and the plant. Yes, we can say it has been, of course, it has been said by the United States and Iran has confirmed, there has been a direct kinetic impact internally, we cannot judge. But, of course, one cannot exclude that there is significant damage there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, that is the IAEA chief.

Let's get more now from Daria Dolzikova. She's a Senior Research Fellow for Proliferation and Nuclear Policy at the Royal United Services Institute, and she joins me now live from London.

So, let's talk about Fordow, hit with those bunker busters that drive hundreds of feet or dive hundreds of feet below the surface. The IAEA there saying they're not seeing any increased radiation, but no one can yet know what the damage underground may be.

What is the nuclear danger underground at this site? Let's start with that.

DARIA DOLZIKOVA, SR. RESEARCH FELLOW FOR PROLIFERATION AND NUCLEAR POLICY, ROYAL UNITED SERVICES INSTITUTE: Sure, so, I guess the easiest way to think about it is, so Fordow is, as you said, it's an enrichment, uranium enrichment facility, and facilities at the front end of the nuclear fuel cycle, so that includes uranium mines, conversion facilities, enrichment facilities, so basically anything before the irradiation of fuel inside of the reactor, so the front end of the fuel cycle.

The biggest concern there is not primarily radiological, and the concern primarily is chemical, essentially. So uranium, including in the uranium hexafluoride compound, is very weakly radioactive. It is still radioactive, but it's very weakly radioactive, it emits alpha particles, which are blocked by skin quite effectively, so it would mostly be an inhalation or ingestion concern, so there are options for effective risk mitigation for that.

However, when uranium hexafluoride mixes with water vapor, it produces some pretty toxic chemicals, hence why I say that the concern is primarily chemical. But again, there are mitigation measures and protection measures that can be taken on site to minimize exposure risks, particularly for a facility that's underground. Of course, the dispersal risk is lower precisely because it is underground, so it's less likely to go into the environment, the atmosphere.

ANDERSON: The U.S. is clearly trying to assess the extent of the damage that's being brought there. How long is that going to take?

DOLZIKOVA: Gosh, that's a good question. I don't know what capabilities they have to analyze what's going on underground in a deep Iranian facility or what capabilities the Israelis might have to assess that.

From what we can see publicly, obviously we're working off of satellite images, we're working off of information that Iran is providing and whatever information intelligence agencies can collect, so that's really what we're having to work off of, and the IAEA has said that they can't confirm what's happening underground.

So again, I'm not sure how long it'll take for the Americans and the Israelis, depending on their capabilities, to figure out what's actually happening inside.

ANDERSON: Okay, that's Fordow. Isfahan is the research facility that's been targeted. Rafael Grossi talked about uranium conversion and enriched uranium storage there.

Just talk to us about what you understand to have happened there and the risks of those kinds of targets.

[03:15:05]

DOLZIKOVA: Yes, Isfahan is a complex, it's a research center, so it hosts a number of different facilities, including facilities for the production of uranium hexafluoride, which is, again, that gas that goes inside of centrifuges to enrich them. It hosted a number of other facilities, including facilities for the production of fuel for research reactors for the conversion of uranium hexafluoride into uranium metal, so it hosts a number of different sites.

But again, these are largely the front end of the fuel cycle, so the fuel that would have been produced hasn't been irradiated yet. So again, my understanding is that the risks there would be primarily chemical, not so much radiological.

ANDERSON: So I want to now talk about Bushehr, which is, of course, the site of the operational civilian nuclear power station. Iranian state-affiliated media says that the port city of Bushehr was struck by Israel.

No suggestions that the nuclear site was actually targeted, and it is certainly not one of the three sites hit by the United States. This is an area that sits right on the west coast, sort of facing on what is on that side of the Gulf, known as the Persian Gulf, on the west coast. This faces sort of the Gulf states and Iraq, of course.

How would a strike on Bushehr be different than strikes on Fordow or Isfahan, for example? Can you just explain? I know that many people in the Gulf have real concerns, for example, about a strike there that could result in radiation or environmental contamination, for example.

DOLZIKOVA: Yes, so Bushehr has been a concern for Gulf states even before these strikes. Iran experiences earthquakes fairly frequently, so I have heard concerns from people in the Gulf around the safety of Bushehr, again, going back to before the strikes. But yes, so the nuclear facility, once fuel is inside of a nuclear reactor and it starts being irradiated, it starts to produce fission products, which, if released into the atmosphere, can be extremely, extremely harmful to human health, to the environment.

So if Bushehr was, for whatever reason, either directly targeted or there's always the risk that if auxiliary infrastructure, so water supply, electricity supply to the facility, if that was somehow damaged, we could end up in a situation where the safety of the facility is at risk.

Now, Bushehr, as you pointed out, is a nuclear power plant. It poses no direct proliferation threat, so I don't see what justification there would be to target what is inherently a peaceful energy production facility.

ANDERSON: Yes. Daria, you and I have spoken a number of times over the past eight or nine days, it's always good to have you, your analysis really helps to better inform what we are doing. Thank you.

And we are going to just get you another story that we are following, folks. Ukrainian officials say Russia launched a massive new wave of deadly air attacks on Ukraine overnight, killing at least six people. Ukraine's air force says that Russia launched 352 drones at the country, as well as 11 ballistic missiles and five cruise missiles.

A few that escaped air defenses struck residential areas, hospitals and sports infrastructure, according to officials. One of the sites hit was this apartment building in Kyiv, emergency workers trying to rescue people there who were buried under the rubble.

All right. Well, let's wait to discover just what sort of damage assessment there is on Iran's nuclear facilities. The question turns to what the U.S. strikes mean for Iran's resolves, more on that is just ahead.

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[03:20:00]

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ANDERSON: We want to get a closer look at how the United States carried out its airstrikes on Iran over the weekend in what it has dubbed Operation Midnight Hammer.

Well, U.S. officials say the strike package involved the two stealth bombers carrying two crew members each launched from the U.S. overnight on Friday. Now, these seven planes launched a total of 14 of the so-called bunker buster bombs onto the Fordow and Natanz facilities. And a U.S. submarine also launched more than two dozen Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles on the Isfahan nuclear site.

It happened during what President Trump said was a two-week window that he had offered Iran last week to return to the negotiating table. But several sources familiar with the plans tell CNN that timeline was meant to conceal his attack plans and throw off the Iranians. That's what sources are telling CNN.

Well, Mr. Trump says it is accurate to say Iran's nuclear sites have been obliterated. Military experts say it is, frankly, too early to tell how much damage was done. And as CNN's Matthew Chance explains, it may not change Iran's willingness to develop a nuclear weapon.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CHIEF GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the distance, a plume of black smoke billows into the sky. The Iranian driver says it's above the Fordow nuclear site. This, a first video from the aftermath of the U.S. attack.

Where latest satellite images show six large craters pointing to the use of powerful bunker-busting bombs.

[03:25:02]

Same at Natanz, where two similar craters can be seen directly above parts of the underground uranium enrichment facility. While at Isfahan, Iran's biggest nuclear site, at least 18 destroyed or partially destroyed buildings are visible.

Western military sources say it's still too early for a full assessment. Just minutes after the strikes, President Trump declared them a triumph.

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: Tonight, I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success. Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated.

CHANCE (voice-over): Even if that's true, it may not end the Iranian nuclear threat. Hardliners in Iran have long called for a nuclear weapon as a deterrent. Those voices have now been bolstered.

Iranian officials are already hinting at pulling out of a key nuclear treaty, the NPT. Designed to prevent the global spread of nuclear weapons. ABBAS ARAGHCHI, IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: The NPT is not able to

protect us. So why a country like Iran or other countries who are interested to have a peaceful nuclear energy should rely on NPT?

CHANCE (voice-over): One concern is the whereabouts of the nuclear material already enriched. Some of it to 60 percent purity, close to weapons grade. Iranian state media says its nuclear sites and potentially the uranium inside were evacuated before the U.S. struck.

So for now, Iran's enrichment facilities are smoldering and battered. But its capacity to go nuclear, if it chooses, may still be intact.

Matthew Chance, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Well, joining me now is Ali Fathollah-Nejad, who is the founder and director of the Center for Middle East and Global Order. Thank you, sir. It's good to have you.

First, your reaction to these U.S. strikes on three Iranian facilities. How big a shift have we seen in this conflict over the weekend to your mind?

ALI FATHOLLAH-NEJAD, FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR MIDDLE EAST AND GLOBAL ORDER: I think a lot will depend on the final damage assessment that we are still awaiting. I mean, if early indications prove to be credible, the United States may have crippled Iran's ability to build nuclear weapons. But on the other hand, the Iranians, it seems, have relocated the 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium to different sites.

So if those early indications prove to be true, and I'm not sure if they will, then both sides can claim victory. I mean, Trump has claimed victory and the Iranian side can also claim victory. And this may offer an offering for both sides.

ANDERSON: And you're right to point out we can't stand up what is just reporting on the movement of that HEU, as it's called. But you make a good point. Let's hear from the U.S. State Department, followed by the Iranian foreign ministry.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARCO RUBIO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: This is not a war against Iran. This is very simple. You know, 67 days ago, the President of the United States sent the Iranians a letter and it said you're not going to have nuclear weapons, you're not going to have a militarized nuclear program.

Let's negotiate. I want to do this diplomatically, I want to do this peacefully.

PLEITGEN: Is this the end of diplomacy between the U.S. and Iran?

ESMAIL BAGHAEI, SPOKESPERSON, IRAN'S FOREIGN MINISTRY: Diplomacy never ends. That's the rule, that's the principle for Iranians. We have never left the negotiating table.

But now, I think what we are witnessing is a betrayal of diplomacy by the Trump administration.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: So, the U.S. Secretary of State wants Iran back at the table. The Iranian foreign minister's spokesperson says they never left. How likely is a return to a real, meaningful negotiation at this point?

FATHOLLAH-NEJAD: Well, this is what I suggested earlier by the term off-ramp. I mean, a diplomatic settlement is still possible. And it will very much depend on Tehran's willingness probably to accept zero enrichment.

So, I don't think there is much, you know, a lot of maneuvering there and a lot of room for other options there. I think given the escalation in the war, with the war between Israel and Iran, given Israeli interests, given also the U.S. position, and the latter phase of the diplomatic process that we've seen over the last few weeks unfolding.

I think the demand for zero enrichment is going to be still key. So, this is something that could provide an off-ramp for the Iranian side to stop Israeli military attacks against it.

[03:30:01]

ANDERSON: It's really interesting. Sources are telling me that on Saturday, which was just before these U.S. strikes, the sort of received wisdom from those trying to mediate between the U.S. and Iran at present suggested that they were very close to getting the Iranians back around the table. And then, of course, these U.S. strikes happened, and the rest is history at this point.

A special advisor to the UAE President here, Anwar Gargash, told me late last week, quote, "The longer a war takes, the more dangerous it becomes. The region cannot live with a war that will just go on and on, and the sort of blow-by-blow actions that we are seeing every day."

And he reflects concern around this region, which you will have heard, when he says this war flies in the face of the regional order the Gulf countries want to build, which is focused on prosperity, not on perpetual conflict. And your thoughts to that degree?

FATHOLLAH-NEJAD: I think the problem in the region has been that there are different paradigms. The Islamic Republic has a different paradigm. This paradigm is very much centered on political ideology, on political economic interests that are connected to the ruling elite in Iran that is monopolizing economic and political power.

So this is, you know, quite, and there is the, you know, the different pillars of regime, you know, security, that is the hijab laws, the anti-Israel and anti-American ideology, whereas the GCC countries have a wholly different paradigm, which is centered on geoeconomics. But this is where they both collide, because you have geopolitical realities in a region, where at least the Arab side is looking for geoeconomic benefits.

So it is highly volatile, this region. And it's probably, and it's true, I mean, if the war extends, this is going to be hugely destabilizing for the Gulf as well.

ANDERSON: We watch and wait. We haven't heard from the Supreme Leader of late. We have heard from other Iranian officials vowing a strong response, Ali, to this involvement by the U.S. in this conflict.

Again, Iran mulling its options. We will report on the result of that as and when we get it. Ali Fathollah-Nejad, thank you for joining us.

I want to get to Tel Aviv, where CNN International Diplomatic Editor Nic Robertson joins us now live from a bomb shelter in Tel Aviv. Nic, just explain where you are and what's going on.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, the sirens sounded for the north of Israel about 10 minutes or so ago. And different to recent, it was very much the extreme north of the country.

A few minutes later the sirens sounded across the center of Israel. That's why we're in a shelter right now. It's unclear what's happening.

What happened last night when the sirens went off in the center of Israel, there was only one incoming missile that was counted. Far different to the volleys of 20 or 30 missiles over the recent days, and up in the hundreds over a week ago when this round of conflict began.

So at the moment people are taking shelter in the center of the country, really waiting to see what happens. And I think across the whole country there is that sense now of trying to figure out what Iran does. Israel using the night, again, not launching the biggest rounds of strikes by aircraft that we've seen by far.

Previous nights it recently had been up to 50 aircraft on a sortie. The IDF saying that there were 20 aircraft in the sortie last night targeting airfields, missile launch sites, and storage facilities of weapons in the west and in the east of the country. That's according to the IDF last night.

So there's an appearance, if you take the past sort of 12, 18 hours or so, that both sides have lowered the volume of fire that they're exchanging between each other. But at the moment, this morning, as we wait in the shelter, it's really anyone's guess precisely what will happen next, Becky.

ANDERSON: Nic, what are Israeli authorities telling you about what their intentions are next and what the ultimate goals are here? We keep hearing different assessments of what those goals might be. ROBERTSON: Yes, the fact that President Donald Trump put on social media that regime change is something, let's put it out there again, that it's something he's talking about.

[03:35:05]

You know, officials here don't frame what they're doing as regime change. They do say that if regime change happens as a result, for example, that's something that would be viewed as a positive.

A former Mossad intelligence official I was talking to just a few days ago on this subject said, you know, because I asked the question, I said, look, if there's regime change, what happens? Is there chaos? Who replaces the current Supreme Leader?

And the answer came back to me from this individual who's no longer in the intelligence services in Israel, retired from that duty, said, you know, it doesn't matter. The perception would be that it would be somebody more moderate than the current leadership. But I think for many people that's a great uncertainty.

But as far as the policy of this government stated going forwards, it really seems to be focused on degrading the nuclear capability. And in particular, from what we saw last night, degrading the Iranian military capability and the military missile threat to Israel. I think the one thing that I noticed from our reporting overnight last night was that the IDF reported that they struck sites in Kermanshah, which I believe is in the west of Iran, and is a town that in the past has been among those that has had the sort of biggest anti-regime demonstrations over the years in the past.

But again, the IDF was saying there they were hitting military targets. And this was no, they're giving no hint that they're trying to stir up popular unrest. Of course, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, you know, has mentioned that many days ago now.

ANDERSON: Nic's in a bomb shelter there in Tel Aviv. Israeli sirens are blaring in Tel Aviv, in Jerusalem, in Izduk, the West Bank. And that is after the sirens wailed in northern Israel.

As Nic rightly and transparently points out, it is not clear what is going on above ground there. He is in a bomb shelter at present, and he will get out at some point and assess what has actually happened. For the time being, Nic, thank you very much indeed.

Israel and Iran continue to trade blows over the weekend. Still ahead, CNN visits a residential building in Tel Aviv that now lies in ruin following an Iranian ballistic missile strike. More on that is coming up.

I'm Becky Anderson, you're watching CNN.

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[03:40:00]

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ANDERSON: Welcome back. I'm Becky Anderson, live from our Middle East programming headquarters here in Abu Dhabi, where the time is 20 to midday or 11:40 a.m.

Israel says it launched a new set of attacks against Iran overnight, targeting missile launch sites, airfields and airports, where it destroyed 15 fighter jets and helicopters, according to authorities. That came after Iran launched its own strike.

(VIDEO PLAYING)

Well sirens could be heard in Tel Aviv early this morning. Israel says Iran launched a missile that was intercepted by the country's air defenses.

And just a short time ago, officials warning residents in northern and in central Israel again to take shelter after missiles were detected incoming from Iran. On Sunday, an Iranian ballistic missile devastated a residential community in Tel Aviv.

As Jeremy Diamond visited the scene of that attack and has the latest on the aftermath there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: A few hours after those U.S. strikes in Iran, a barrage of Iranian ballistic missiles came raining down on Israel. And this right here is the destruction that was wrought by just one of those ballistic missiles here in Tel Aviv.

DIAMOND (voice-over): More than 20 people were injured in this strike, which sheared off the side of this residential building, laying bare the lives of those who once lived here. As cleanup crews push piles of debris, survivors return to grab what they can, many still shaken by what they have just survived and all they have lost.

JEREMY ZETLAND, LOST HOME IN MISSILE ATTACK: Maybe I do need to take some of these things.

DIAMOND (voice-over): Half a block away from where the missile struck, Jeremy Zetland has spent the day picking through the debris of his childhood home.

ZETLAND: We used to put the D.J. up there and we used to have parties here, our friends.

DIAMOND (voice-over): Moving from one destroyed room to the next, Jeremy has been trying to separate the things that matter from those that don't.

ZETLAND: It's just things. It's nothing. This is not important, but it's just to --

DIAMOND (voice-over): And in that moment, he is reminded of what is. ZETLAND: It's who you are, the people, so that's what's important. This is not important, but it's just a symbol of how we're holding ourselves to be strong. It's hard.

DIAMOND (voice-over): Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Tel Aviv.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Well, still ahead, a look at what protesters in the U.S. are saying about the strikes on Iran. That is coming up.

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[03:45:00]

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(VIDEO PLAYING)

ANDERSON: Protests have been organized across the U.S. following President Donald Trump's strikes on Iran over the weekend. Demonstrators from New York to L.A. hitting the streets, urging the White House to stay out of the conflict in the Middle East. And protesters also out calling about the growing concerns over a possible global war.

Well, in the wake of the U.S. airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities over the weekend, America's European allies, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, have been urging Iran to engage in negotiations. All three reiterated their firm stance against Iran acquiring a nuclear weapon.

Speaking with his Israeli and Iranian counterparts Sunday, Britain's foreign secretary stressed the need for the two countries to de- escalate. And French President Emmanuel Macron also weighing in, voicing his desire to see a diplomatic resolution to the conflict.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EMMANUEL MACRON, FRENCH PRESIDENT (through translator): We call on everyone that there be no escalation. I am convinced that no strictly military response will produce the effect that we seek.

Restarting diplomatic and technical talks is the only way to achieve the objective we are all seeking, that Iran may not acquire nuclear weapons, but also that there be no uncontrollable escalation in the region.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: There really does seem to be a bit of a disconnect between Europe and the U.S. at this point. Earlier -- well certainly France and the U.S. -- earlier Japan's chief cabinet secretary struck a similar tone.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) YOSHIMASA HAYASHI, JAPANESE CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY (through translator): Japan still strongly hopes that the path to dialogue will be resumed through efforts to resolve the Iranian nuclear issue through talks between the U.S. and Iran.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well oil prices have been rising in response to these strikes over the weekend. Of course it was the weekend.

We are looking at U.S. oil futures at the moment. They are up almost one and a half percent, trading over $74 on the barrel. Global benchmark Brent seeing a similar spike, now just under $78 a barrel.

Off its highs, but still these rises reflecting concern that Iran may, for example, use the option of closing the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for these strikes. That would be potentially very disruptive to a considerable chunk of global oil and gas, which of course uses that waterway. Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, the UAE, Saudi, for example. The exports from those countries would be significantly impacted in that result of this rise in prices.

Although I have to say there are some in the markets who are surprised that prices haven't actually gone higher, given the risk profile of a U.S. strike on Iran in support of Israel is a pretty high risk profile. And that indeed is what we've seen, of course, over the weekend.

[03:50:04]

Still ahead, what the Department of Homeland Security is saying about the threat to the environment in America after the U.S. attacks in Iran.

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ANDERSON: Well this hour, air raid sirens activated across northern and central Israel. And now Israeli emergency officials say crews have been dispatched to reported impact sites following what is then this latest barrage of missiles fired from Iran. The IDF warning residents to stay in shelters, telling them the explosions they are hearing are from interceptions or fallen projectiles.

Well U.S. Homeland Security warning of potential cyber threats and lone wolf attacks. Meantime, in the wake of the weekend U.S. airstrikes in Iran in a bulletin released on Sunday, the department said pro-Iranian hacktivists and others affiliated with the Iranian government could target U.S. networks. U.S. officials believe the conflict could also motivate violent extremists to attack targets perceived to be Jewish or pro-Israel and others linked to the U.S. government or military.

[03:55:02]

Well, CNN's Chief Law Enforcement and Intelligence Analyst John Miller notes that the biggest threats to U.S. assets right now might not come from inside Iran, but rather from Iran's many operatives and affiliates throughout the Middle East.

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JOHN MILLER, CNN CHIEF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND INTELLIGENCE ANALYST: The good news is that the command and control, the top ranking people in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, the top people in Hezbollah, have suffered greatly in the past number of months and in the past number of days. So from a command and control standpoint, they're really damaged.

One thing we have to consider, though, is one of the things, the elements of Iranian intelligence operations that has not been affected by these recent attacks are the pieces that are placed overseas. So you have Iranian operatives throughout Eastern Europe, throughout Western Europe, and throughout the United States.

How do we know this? We know this because in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, in the New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, we took down a number of cases involving either Hezbollah operatives acting on behalf of Iran or straight up Iranian operatives working for the Ministry of Intelligence of Iran, carrying out, gathering information on targets -- infrastructure targets, tourist locations, government locations, or even planning assassinations of Iranian dissidents in New York, one case you're very familiar with, or government officials who were involved in the assassination of General Qasem Soleimani.

So it's not a loose network. It's something that's been operating here and abroad for a while, and that's one of the things you'd have to look out along with (inaudible).

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ANDERSON: All right, some analysis for you there from John.

Thank you for joining us for this hour. I'm Becky Anderson at our Middle East programming headquarters here in Abu Dhabi. Our breaking news coverage continues after this short break, stay with us.

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