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Israel Launching New Strikes In Iran And Lebanon; Lebanon: At Least 74 Killed By Israeli Strikes Since Monday; IDF Says It Struck Hezbollah Command Centers In Beirut; Aired 4-4:30a ET

Aired March 05, 2026 - 04:00   ET

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

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[04:00:37]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is CNN Breaking News.

ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers in the United States and all around the world. America Hill in New York.

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Becky Anderson live from our Middle East programming headquarters here in Abu Dhabi. And we are following breaking news on the war with Iran.

Israel launching new strikes today on military infrastructure in Tehran. This is the 11th wave of attacks since the war began on Saturday. U.S. based rights group says more than 1100 civilians have now been killed in Iran. Hezbollah in Lebanon also in Israel's crosshairs. The Israeli military says it struck command centers and intelligence targets overnight and into today. And top U.S. military leaders say they will start striking progressively deeper into Iranian territory.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that the operation is in its very early stages. We'll see it uncovering the war with Iran from around the globe starting this hour. Paula Hancocks is standing by in Dubai.

I want to begin with the Jerusalem bureau chief, Oren Lieberman in Tel Aviv. And Oren, from your vantage point, what are you seeing and hearing?

OREN LIEBERMAN, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF: So let me take you through three different areas from Israel's perspective. First, we'll talk about Iran, then Lebanon, and then here in Iran and frankly in Lebanon from this perspective, we see Israel working its way down a growing list of targets and expanding what it's striking from the Iranian regiment when we talk about Iran, to its intelligence apparatus and more.

Of course, from the very beginning, ballistic missiles, arrays and launchers have been on Israel's target list as it sees those as a threat that could and has struck here in Israel. In fact, just about 30 or 45 minutes ago we got alerts of more incoming fire from Iran and headed to the shelter. So that threat from Iran continues, but Israel carrying out another wave of strikes. As you pointed out, Becky, it is the 11th wave of strikes in Iran and

that not likely to end anytime soon as Israel expands its air superiority. And that basically means that the Israeli air force can do whatever it feels it wants and needs. More punishing strikes in and across Tehran and other parts of the country with Israel's air force even putting out video now of fighter jets making their way towards Iran to carry out more strikes.

Meanwhile in Lebanon, Israel yesterday issued an evacuation order not just for specific villages or specific areas but for all of southern Lebanon south of the Litany River. This as Israel has seized more posts along the Israel Lebanon border indicating that in addition to the call up of tens of thousands of reservists if the order is given, Israel looks like it could and may carry out a ground incursion or invasion. Again, Israel hasn't said that's happening, but the military has made clear that all options are on the table as it carries out more and more strikes targeting Hezbollah in Beirut and more specifically in Dahya, a suburb of southern Beirut that's considered a Hezbollah stronghold.

A different story. Here you are feeling a sense of a return to some sort of normalcy. Israel's home front command has eased some of the restrictions. Gatherings are allowed of up to 50 people. Workplaces. People here can return to their workplaces. Education here is still not allowed. That is still restricted. But there are we are beginning to see incoming flights at the moment just one an hour into Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion International Airport from all sorts of different locations. But if that goes well, the Israel Airport Authority says even that will increase and more flights will be allowed to return.

So you see that attempt to try to ease the restrictions here, and we'll see how that goes throughout the day. Again, there was an alert less than an hour ago of incoming fire from Iran, so that could change very quickly. Becky.

ANDERSON: So, Oren, I want to listen to how General Kane, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs in the U.S. laid out the military objectives on Iran at the Pentagon yesterday. Have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GEN. DAN CAINE, U.S. JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF CHAIRMAN: The operation was again launched with clear military objectives designed to dismantle Iran's ability to project power outside of its borders, both today and in the future. First, we are targeting and eliminating Iran's ballistic missile systems to prevent them from threatening the U.S. forces, partners and interests in the region. Second, we are destroying the Iranian navy, degrading its capacity capability. Third, we're ensuring Iran cannot rapidly rebuild or reconstitute its combat capability or combat power.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[04:05:28]

ANDERSON: Given what we heard about those military objectives from Caine and indeed Pete Hegseth yesterday, Oren, what can we expect next from Israel and the U.S. on Iran?

LIEBERMAN: Well, first I should point out that although he says they were clearly stated, it took them three or four days to actually state what the military objectives were as we got differing statements about what the goals were and how this all started. So that's important to start with.

But given the list he has now laid out from the Pentagon and the coordination we're seeing between the U.S. and Israel, this can very much be expected to continue. The U.S. and Israel, it doesn't seem like right now are looking for any sort off ramp, especially as they have the militaries, that is have the freedom to do basically whatever they want in Iran.

We saw them target what they say are or take out what they say are at this point about 20 ships from the Iranian navy, including an Iranian warship that was off the coast of Sri Lank international waters that was sunk by a U.S. submarine and a torpedo there for the first time in decades. So, they are going after a broadening list of targets there and they will keep working their way down that target list. At the same time, Iran has clearly shown that it has the ability to respond, maybe not all the way into Israel regularly, but there are alerts here and Iran has shown that it has short range ballistic missiles and the drones that are wreaking havoc across the Gulf. So, this war, at least from today, looks like it will keep moving forward here.

ANDERSON: Good to have you. Thank you very much indeed. And we will be back to you as we move through the hours to come, of course.

Well, as the U.S. threatens to throttle up on its coordinated attacks on Iran, Western governments are ramping up help for their stranded citizens in the Middle East. CNN's Paula Hancocks joining me now from Dubai with more on what is this slow-moving travel situation? Paula?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Becky, it's slow moving, but it is starting to move a little faster at this point. We know that hundreds of passengers have managed to leave this area here, Dubai, to get back to their home country countries.

This started Monday night with just a handful of flights. It is starting to pick up speed. But still nothing like it usually is. We had a manual count of the amount of flights that appeared to be leaving in a 12-hour period. It was over 130, but usually you've got up to 700 flights leaving daily. Tens of thousands of passengers going through Dubai, the world's busiest international airport.

So, what we have seen is a flight, for example, landed in Dublin, Ireland last night and the airport said that was the first flight they had seen from Dubai in almost five days. We saw Bulgaria, Australia as well. Flights getting through. So slowly people are managing to get themselves onto flights, but it is a very slow process. And of course, for Americans having been told that they should leave the Middle East, it is even more difficult. We did speak to one couple about that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) HANCOCKS (voiceover): Watching the news to find out about a conflict

they're in the middle of. Kathy, from Michigan moved to Dubai just two weeks ago to join her husband. Now her government has told her to leave.

HANCOCKS: How did you feel when you saw that directive that you should depart now from the Middle East?

CATHY, AMERICAN CITIZEN LIVING IN DUBAI: I felt, well, I better get looking on flights. But I knew that the airport was closed, so I thought, how am I meant to depart?

HANCOCKS (voiceover): Michael is a school principal in Dubai. Schooling in the UAE is virtual all week. He has managed to secure them a flight to his home country, Australia in a few days to reunite with their children.

HANCOCKS: Your children are older, 18 and 21. They know, they understand what's going on. What have they been saying to you?

CATHY: They have been keeping in contact daily and wondering, you know, when are we coming out? And they're planning to meet me at the airport and so they're waiting.

HANCOCKS: They're worried?

CATHY: Yes, they're worried.

HANCOCKS (voiceover): Dubai airport is prioritizing passengers whose flights were cancelled over the past five days. Even then, it's a lottery to find out if they are assigned to one of the very few flights actually taking off. Many are in a cycle of booking, hoping them being cancelled.

[04:10:03]

There are some in Dubai, though, who appear to be taking the turmoil in stride, sunning by the pool in between alerts and interceptions.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HANCOCKS: So, it does also seem to be a bit of luck involved in this, Becky. You may have a confirmed ticket. You may be told to go to the airport. That's no guarantee that flight is taking.

ANDERSON: Paula Hancocks is in Dubai with the latest on travel. Thank you.

We are following another developing story from the Indian Ocean where the U.S. says one of its submarines sank an Iranian warship. Video released by the Pentagon shows a massive explosion on that ship along with still images of it sinking. Hospital officials say at least 87 people were killed in that strike. More than two dozen others were rescued by the Sri Lankan Navy.

Here's more of what U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had to say about that incident.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PETE HEGSETH, U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY: An American submarine sunk an Iranian warship that thought it was safe international waters. Instead, it was sunk by a torpedo. Quiet death, the first sinking of an enemy ship by a torpedo since World War II. Like in that war back when were still the War Department. We are fighting to win.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Iran's foreign minister condemning that warship attack. He posted on social media, quote, "The U.S. has perpetrated an atrocity at sea 2,000 miles away from Iran's shores."

Well, for more analysis, we're joined by Malcolm Nance. He's a former intelligence and national security expert for the U.S. Navy. He joins us from Montreal. It's good to have you this morning, sir.

And let's start with the sinking of that ship international waters with a torpedo launched from a U.S. Submarine. As we heard there, a first since World War II. Can you just talk to us about the significance of this incident?

MALCOLM NANCE, FORMER U.S. NAVY INTELLIGENCE AND NATIONAL SECURITY EXPERT: Well, it's significant principally because the United States decided to actually engage that submarine so far away from the main battle area. As we know, the INS Dena was coming from the International Fleet Review in eastern India.

Now, they did make an unfortunate choice about their navigation as it was transiting down the eastern side of Sri Lanka. The U.S. Navy submarine would have been tracking it. I'm qualified in submarines. I've ridden on submarines. And then once it turned west past Gall, that would have head into the Indian Ocean. And that meant that the United States would have to make a decision to either track the vessel and let it come closer to the battlefront or sink it.

And as you see, the Pentagon has a very aggressive attitude towards this war. They decided to sink it as far away as possible.

ANDERSON: All right. Let's unpack. Thank you. More of what we learned in that Pentagon briefing yesterday. Here's the Joint Chiefs Chairman on what has happened to Iran's aerial warfare. Have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CAINE: Iran's theater ballistic missile shots fired are down 86 percent from the first day of fighting with a 23% decrease just in the last 24 hours. And their one way attack drone shots are down 73 percent from the opening days.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Sound like massive drops. Is it capability that's reducing or could it be strategy on the part of the Iranians at this point? NANCE: I think it's a combination of both. I mean we saw in the 2004

ballistic missile war between Israel and Iran. They have enormous stockpiles and their biggest stockpiles are the missiles that actually can hit the Arabian Gulf nations on the western side of the Persian Gulf as opposed to the one that can go all the way to Israel.

I think that it's a combination of the two. But Israel and the United States have been pretty successful, principally Israel, of striking their mobile ballistic missile launchers. It's really not so much a war against the missiles themselves. Even though you can hit storage facilities, these things can be hidden in, you know, large garages. It's the launchers that can bring them out, set them up, get the GPS geography and then launch them off into a target. The Iranians may be saving some of them.

I think that's what's happening with the drones. They have over 80,000 drones and we've only seen a couple of thousand launched in this war. They may be preparing for a very long war, years long possibly.

ANDERSON: Our video that we are running alongside this interview with you does show missile launches there being hit by, with. By the U.S.- Israel, coordinated action here. Look, we've heard a variety of explanations from the Trump administration, but we did hear clear objectives from General Caine. One, eliminating Iran's ballistic missile systems, Two, destroying the Iranian Navy, and three, ensuring Iran cannot rapidly rebuild or reconstitute its combat capability.

[04:15:36]

From a military perspective, how quickly can those three mission objectives be achieved?

NANCE: Well, mission number one is going to take a long period of time because you can't get every individual ballistic missile. You can degrade them down to where perhaps they can only fire off a few. The Iranian Navy, that was just a -- that was a gimme, right? Right.

That's what we would say. That was something that was absolutely going to happen. The Iranian navy is almost a showcase force. I fought the Iranian navy in 1988. Decisive victories. They're just ships. They didn't even come out of port. The crews were not on the vessels and we sank them in harbor.

It's the Iranian revolutionary guard corps, 33,000 small boats that really pose the asymmetric threat within the Gulf that could take a very long time to degrade, if we never degrade it, and also reducing their military capability. You can destroy the Iranian Air Force. They were on the ground.

You know, they were very easy targets to hit. You can reduce the Iranian navy, but you can't get rid of the army. You can't get rid of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps because, you know, so long as there is a intersection, a street corner and a tea shop, the IRGC, you know, main foot soldiers and the Basti volunteer militias have a place to go. You cannot overthrow a military force strictly from the air. You

cannot have regime change or regime collapse strictly from the air. So their objectives are good for what they want to do militarily. But in the long term, the Iranians have the capacity to make this war go a year or more and punish their neighbors in ways we haven't even discussed.

ANDERSON: Malcolm, it's great to have you on this morning. Important analysis and insight for us. Thank you very much indeed.

Bipartisan effort to rein in President Trump's war powers didn't go well. We are live in Washington with details on two key votes. That's up next.

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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: This is very important and we're doing very well on the war front, to put it mildly. I would say somebody said. On a scale of 10, where would you rate it? I said about a 15.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HILL: President Trump clearly pleased with the war in Iran. As for a number of US Lawmakers, however, not so much. Today the House is set to vote on an effort that would limit the Trump administration's war powers. A vote on that same issue, however, failed in the Senate on Wednesday. 47 voting for that measure, 53 against the resolution would have forced the Trump administration to get congressional approval for future attacks against Iran.

It's important to note though, even if that resolution did pass both chambers, it would likely struggle to survive what would be an expected presidential veto. CNN's Brian Todd is tracking this and other developments for us live from Washington. So, Brian, likely not to pass, but a symbolic measure.

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Erica. And that is really what's important for the Democrats here is to get this on record. I'm going to get to that in just a second. But let's just get to the nuts and bolts of what's going to happen this morning in the House and what just happened in the Senate.

The House vote to limit the president's authority to wage war without congressional approval. That's coming in the coming hours. It is expected to fare about as well as the Senate vote did, which means it is expected to not pass. House Speaker Mike Johnson has indicated he believes he has the votes to defeat the message measure. On Wednesday, the Senate rejected a measure Erica, alluded to this, that would have limited the president's power to wage war against Iran without congressional approval.

Now, ahead of the House vote, our colleague Manu Raju, who's been just, you know, tirelessly moving around the Capitol to gauge the temperature of Republicans and Democrats about this war. Well, Manu caught up with three prominent Republican congressmen, all Republicans, to talk about, you know, exactly how they're defining this war, why there should not be an authorization from Congress for this war for the president.

He spoke to Congressman Tim Burchett of Tennessee, Congressman Brian Mast of Florida, and Congressman Mike Flood of Nebraska, all Republicans, about how they're feeling about all of this. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MANU RAJU, CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Why shouldn't Congress have to vote to authorize it?

TIM BURCHETT (R-TN): I just don't think that's within constitutional parameters.

BRIAN MAST (R-FL): But in Iraq and Afghanistan, there were AUMFs authorizing the use of force. There was an entirely different set of mission that I think has absolutely no relevance in looking at this operation.

RAJU: Why not just vote to authorize this war?

MIKE FLOOD (R-NE): Well, I think the president has the authority.

RAJU: Would you consider it a war?

FLOOD: It's a significant military operation.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TODD: So that's Congressman Mike Flood of Nebraska calling it a significant military operation even though by everyone's parameters, including CNN's, this is a war going on with Iran in the Middle East. So Erica, this is what you have here. You mentioned a symbolic effort here by the Democrats. It is symbolic. They knew these votes would go down. What they really want here is to get as many Republicans on record to gauge whether they're going to support the president on this or not. Because if this goes sour, if this war is open ended and it gets messy and it goes very wrong. And those Republicans who voted to support the president, they want them on record very publicly doing this.

They knew these votes would go down with the actual voting in Congress. But they wanted the Republican colleagues on the record. And they're getting that.

[04:25:07]

HILL: Yes, they certainly are, Brian. Really appreciate it. Brian Todd for us live in Washington.

A man protesting the U.S. Military action in Iran was forcibly removed from a Senate hearing on Wednesday. Take a look at how this played out.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is wrong, (inaudible). And nobody wants to fight for Israel. Reminder, you all are commandant, please stand up as a Marine. Stand up for America. Ouch. No one wants to fight for Israel.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: His hand. His hand. Oh, his hand.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HILL: Capitol Police say the protester and several officers were injured during that chaotic scene. Brian McGuiness is a green Party Senate candidate whose campaign website identifies him as a Marine Corps veteran. You saw him in uniform there. He is facing now several counts of assaulting a police officer as well as resisting arrest.

European countries are still trying to figure out their role in the growing conflict in the Middle East. Spain, which has refused to get involved in the war, is now working to get its citizens out of the region. The Defense Ministry says a military plane leaving Amman brought 171 Spaniards back home.

Meantime, French President Emmanuel Macron is calling for Israel and Lebanon to deescalate tensions, saying the retaliatory strikes are putting the entire region in danger. And in the UK British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is hitting back at criticism from President Trump, noting the country is now allowing the U.S. access to UK Bases after initially refusing.

Reuters is reporting Italy will send air defense aid to Gulf states after Iranian strikes. That's according to the prime minister, George Maloney. CNN Salma Abdelaziz is following all of these developments for us from London.

Selma, it has been interesting to how and when the world leaders, specifically those in Europe, are reacting.

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. And you're seeing a President Trump who is not accepting any middle ground, if you will, from Europe, berating and belittling European leaders that he does not see on side and on the continent. What you're seeing is a rather fractured and divided response. Usually try to see a unified response to these types of events, but that's not what you're getting on the ground. It seems every country is making decisions on a case-by-case basis.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer was, of course, on the sharp end of President Trump's criticism after he refused to allow the United States to have an open ended, essentially access to the UK's basis abroad, instead only permitting that two bases be used for limited defensive actions. That was not enough to satisfy President Trump, who gave him essentially what would be the worst insult you could give a British leader comparing him to Winston Churchill and saying this is not what we are dealing with here. Prime Minister Keir Starmer had to defend himself in the House of

Commons yesterday and his decisions around this conflict. I want you to take a listen to his reasoning.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KEIR STARMER, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: We're taking action to reduce the threat with planes in the sky in the region, intercepting incoming strikes, deploying more capability to Cyprus and allowing U.S. planes to use UK Bases to take out Iran's capability to strike. What I was not prepared to do on Saturday was for the UK to join a war unless I was satisfied there was a lawful basis and a viable thought through plan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ABDELAZIZ: And you're hearing that sort of repeated across Europe, this idea that President Trump has selected a war of choice that there seems to be no clear plan for European leaders to be on board with for what happens the day after this conflict. But the response to that is also across the board when it comes to the different issues that they need to deal with. As you saw, their evacuations, to protecting assets abroad, to of course, not alienating the White House, to of course, their concern about European security.

President Emmanuel Macron is yet another example. He's had some strong words about this conflict, essentially urging the White House to return to diplomacy, calling this conflict as something outside of international law. You've had that very defiant message as well from Spain, which has said no to war, even accepting the fact that President Trump might try to cut off all trade to the country. As a result, to give you an update also on those evacuation efforts, the UK Was supposed to have its first evacuation flight, its first charter flight leave Oman yesterday. That has not happened.

There's a great deal of upset around that. And you have hundreds of thousands more Europeans across the region that are looking for those evacuations. And many European countries are seeing that right now as the priority.

HILL: Yes. And understandably some. I appreciate it. Thank you.

Ahead here after the break, we continue with our breaking news coverage of the war with Iran. We're going to take you live to Doha for a closer look at the evacuations near the U.S. Embassy. Stay with us.

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