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Iran: "Legitimate Right" To Target UAE, U.S. "Hideouts"; War With Iran Enters Third Week With No End In Sight; Analysis: Strikes On Tehran Oil Depots Spiked Pollution Levels; Protesters In Spain Call For End To Middle East Conflict; CNN Goes Into Hezbollah Stronghold In Southern Beirut; New Details About How Michigan Synagogue Attack Unfolded. Aired 1-2a ET

Aired March 15, 2026 - 01:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:00:44]

BEN HUNTE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to CNN Newsroom. I'm Ben Hunte in Atlanta.

We're beginning with breaking news from the Middle East. Missiles and interceptions could be seen lighting up the Tel Aviv sky in Iran's latest attack. Munitions impacts are being reported at several locations in central Israel. Emergency workers reported two people needing treatment, but there have been no reported casualties so far.

Meanwhile, the U.S. President has claimed that other countries will be sending warships to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. No confirmation from any of those countries that they will take part in his plan, though. This all comes amid a new warning from Iran's military following the U.S. strikes on Kharg Island, which handles roughly 90 percent of the country's crude exports.

Let's talk about it. Let's bring in CNN's Will Ripley. He's joining us live from Taipei, Taiwan. Will, thanks so much for being with me. What are Iran's plans for retaliation at the moment after the U.S. strikes on their energy infrastructure?

WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Iran's Revolutionary Guard, Ben, is warning that people across the Middle East should be avoiding any U.S. linked industrial sites, warning that civilians should stay away in particular if they want to, "Avoid any harm." Now, we know Iran has already attacked energy and oil infrastructure in places like Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE.

Those countries also happen to host U.S. military bases. Projectile also reportedly hitting the U.S. embassy compound in Baghdad, damaging the helipad there. But now Iran is saying essentially that they could expand the range of viable targets, including perhaps data centers, banks, anything tied to the United States, anything with economic ties to the United States, trying to make it clear if they can inflict massive economic pain on any countries that are partnering, any assets, any facilities that are partnering with the United States. Even as Iran's foreign minister continues to say that technically the Strait of Hormuz remains open, but not to the United States and not enemies of Iran. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ABBAS ARAGHCHI, IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: The Strait of Hormuz is open. It is only closed to the tankers and ships belong to the -- to our enemies, to those who are attacking us and their allies. Others are free to pass. Of course, many of them prefer not because of their security concerns. This has nothing to do with us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RIPLEY: We know that shipping companies are already avoiding that route over security risks. As the foreign minister mentioned, at least 16 ships have been attacked. The Strait handles about 20 percent, roughly one fifth of the global oil trade. It's affecting a lot of countries, including countries here in Asia, where I'm speaking to you from, Ben. President Trump urging China, urging Japan, South Korea, also the United Kingdom to help protect shipping.

But at this stage, none of those countries, as you mentioned, are confirming any warship deployments. We do have a reaction to President Trump's comments from the Chinese embassy in Washington. Beijing is calling for de-escalation, saying, "As a sincere friend and strategic partner of Middle Eastern countries, China will continue to strengthen communication with relevant parties and play a constructive role for de-escalation and the restoration of peace."

United Kingdom also not confirming any warship deployment, just saying it's consulting with allies, trying to find a way to ensure that the security of shipping in the region continues. So basically, countries with a hands-off approach to the Strait of Hormuz for now, even as President Trump is calling for backup, realizing that the world could soon be plunged into an even more dire economic crisis than this war already is beginning to create, Ben.

HUNTE: OK, well, thank you for that, Will. We appreciate it. Speak to you again later.

Onward, CNN's Paula Hancocks is in Abu Dhabi with the latest on Iran's escalation toward the UAE.

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We've certainly seen the UAE has been singled out for the most amount of missiles and drones over the past two weeks. And now another threat from Iranian officials that it will be targeted even more. This is the latest that we have heard from the spokesperson of the armed forces.

It comes after the U.S. attack on Kharg Island, even though it was military targets that were taken out. We did hear from the U.S. President saying it could be oil infrastructure next if the Strait of Hormuz is not back to normal. So I'll quote what we heard from this statement, saying, "We warn the UAE leadership that the Islamic Republic of Iran views it as its legitimate right to strike the origins of American missile launches, those concealed in ports, docks and shelters used by U.S. forces under the cover of Emirati cities in defense of its national sovereignty and territorial integrity."

[01:05:19]

Now, it's worth pointing out that the UAE maintains that its defensive posture remains unchanged. We certainly not heard anything different to that. But Iran feeling that some of these missiles are coming from Emirati territory, despite no confirmation or suggestion that that is, in fact, accurate. Now, we have seen on the east coast of the UAE in a place called Fujairah. This is where there are a lot of oil depots.

And this is where we see black smoke and fire that is climbing into the sky. Once again, this is not the first time that Fujairah has been targeted. Now, we understand it was an interception and debris from that interception that damaged this particular port area.

But we do know that sources to "Reuters" and "Bloomberg" say that some of the loading operations, those oil loading operations, have been suspended. So this obviously puts the UAE, although it is on a high state of alert, on notice once again that it is going to be the most heavily targeted by Iran's retaliation.

HUNTE: Let's bring in Gregg Carlstrom in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He's a Middle East correspondent for The Economist. Greg, thanks so much for being with me. President Trump is rejecting ceasefire efforts and downplaying diplomacy for now. What does that signal to Tehran about where this conflict is headed?

GREGG CARLSTROM, MIDDLE EAST CORRESPONDENT, THE ECONOMIST: I think for both sides now, this is turning into a conflict over the Strait of Hormuz and over global energy supplies. I mean, we haven't heard Trump speak in recent days about wanting to topple the regime in Iran or wanting to make some sort of a deal with the leadership there, which he did talk about in the early days of the war. I think the more we see this disruption to global energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, the more both sides are digging in around that question.

We've heard Trump talking about wanting allies and also countries like China to send warships to join some sort of coalition. It's all a bit vague, but some sort of coalition to protect shipping going through the Strait. The Iranians continue to make these threats around at least some of the shipping that's going through.

That's really become the focal point of the war, and it's hard to see now how this ends until either the Americans are able to wrench that Strait open or until Iran is able to inflict enough damage to the global economy and to energy shipments that the Americans are forced to wind things down.

HUNTE: Mojtaba Khamenei still hasn't appeared publicly since taking over, and his first comments were delivered through state media rather than in person. What do you think that tells us about the regime right now?

CARLSTROM: We really don't know who is in charge in Iran. There are all of these rumors about Mojtaba's health, that he may have been wounded, perhaps badly wounded in Israeli strikes in the early days of the war. We have no confirmation of that. But I think between the fact that his first statement, as you say, was written, and then we didn't hear from him at all on Friday, which for the Iranian regime is known as Quds Day.

It's a day of state-backed rallies, state-backed demonstrations against Israel. Traditionally, the supreme leader will deliver a message on that day, and he was notably a no-show. And so I think what that tells us is that power is actually in the hands of other people in Iran right now, probably the likes of Ali Larijani, who's the head of the National Security Council, Mohammad Pahlavi, the Speaker of Parliament, various other long-time regime figures like that.

They are likely the ones calling the shots behind the scenes. And even after the war ends, it's not clear how much Mojtaba is going to be able to consolidate power and really be the supreme leader of the country, as his predecessors were, or how much he's going to be a figurehead than actually other politicians, the Revolutionary Guard, other entities in Iran might be the ones in charge.

HUNTE: Does the IRGC look capable of sustaining a prolonged conflict like this, or are we already seeing the limits of its military power?

CARLSTROM: I think they're able to maintain a conflict like this, but I'm not sure they're able to escalate much further. It's a topic that we look at in this week's Economist. I think you go back a couple of years, you look at what the guards were threatening to do if there was a conflict. They were talking about volleys of thousands of missiles fired at Israel in a single salvo.

[01:10:09]

They were talking about thousands of dead American troops, about swarms of fast attack boats, small naval ships that they would use to harass not just commercial shipping, but American naval vessels in the Persian Gulf. We haven't seen any of that materialize throughout the war. Their military performance in some ways has been underwhelming, has been less than advertised before the conflict. They've been able to strike at soft targets in the Gulf, like ports in Fujairah or airports or things like that, but they haven't really been able to fight back in a meaningful way against either America or Israel.

So I think they can keep this up. They can continue firing drones and causing damage to economies in the region, causing damage to global energy supplies. But I don't think they're able to escalate much further beyond that. And I think when they emerge from the war, the guards are likely to be diminished in the sense that many of their military capabilities, from their ballistic missile, production facilities to their navy, have been badly degraded over the course of two weeks of bombing.

HUNTE: Question, if the regime survives, but Iran comes out of this more isolated, poorer, more divided, what kind of country does it become after the war? CARLSTROM: I think it's a country that might look a bit like Saddam Hussein's Iraq after the first Gulf War in 1991. I mean, that's more and more a comparison that I'm hearing from people that I speak to. If you think about Iraq then, it remained under very heavy sanctions, and so it wasn't able to meaningfully rebuild its military. And of course, there were catastrophic consequences for civilians.

Iraq's economy basically collapsed during the 1990s. You can imagine something similar happening in Iran. Yes, it might continue to sell some oil, but it's going to remain under very tight sanctions. And the proceeds from that oil, in some cases, might not even be accessible. So it's not going to be a very pleasant place for Iranian civilians. And then I think at an elite level, at a sort of political level, there's going to be a lot of infighting.

The Revolutionary Guard before the war were the main, not just political and military actor in Iran, but economic actor as well. They preside over a vast business empire. But I think after the war, you might have some people starting to question the use of having a Praetorian Guard that hasn't been able to actually protect the regime over the past two years.

So I think you're going to have a lot of political infighting. You're going to have regime officials who, some of them might want to make a deal with the Americans after the war, might be looking for a way to reorient Iran's policy. Some of them will not want to, and they will try to double down on relations with Russia and China, which hasn't been terribly successful or terribly beneficial for Iran to date. I think it's going to be a country that's in a very difficult position, both internally and geopolitically.

HUNTE: OK, we'll leave it there for now. Gregg Carlstrom in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, thank you so much. Appreciate it.

[01:13:18]

We will have more breaking news coverage on the war with Iran after this break. But still ahead, a CNN investigative report on spiking pollution levels after Israel strikes oil depots in Tehran. See you in a moment.

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HUNTE: President Trump insists that reopening the Strait of Hormuz remains a top priority of the war with Iran. According to the U.K. Maritime Trade Operations, at least 17 vessels in and around the Persian Gulf have been attacked since the war began on February 28th. On Saturday, Trump posted on social media that, "Hopefully other nations will join the U.S. in sending naval assets to help open their strategic waterway."

China and the U.K. have both responded to the post by calling for dialogue and de-escalation to resolve the crisis. This all comes as the U.S. and Israel target energy infrastructure that they claim supports Iranian military efforts. According to CNN analysis, recent strikes on fuel depots in Tehran have sparked fires, spilled oil into surrounding landscapes, and scattered toxic pollutants into the air.

Investigative reporter Katie Polglase has more for us on how the fallout is now prompting public health concerns.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KATIE POLGLASE, CNN INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER (voice-over): Israel struck multiple oil depots across Tehran last weekend. They say these sites are fueling Iran's military, but the strikes are also spreading polluted air across the city, and it's made worse by these mountains that trap toxic fumes in the region.

POLGLASE: Environmental and legal experts told us that Israeli military planners would or should have known that targeting oil facilities right next to a city of millions would have a catastrophic impact on human health and daily life. So we began analyzing the strikes and their consequences, using public data and imagery.

POLGLASE (voice-over): Getting air quality data is difficult due to the communications blackout, but various monitoring platforms show a huge surge in pollution in Tehran on March 7th, around the same time as the strikes on oil depots. The pollution level later drops as the pollutants settle, but experts say the health risks remain high.

This is the southern Tehran oil depot. Millions of people across the city rely on it for power. Two days after the strikes, the depot looked like this. Fires are still burning. The Conflict and Environment Observatory told us this black smoke indicates high levels of black carbon, which can cause respiratory disorders. This blackened ground is likely spilled oil, which could seep into the soil and contaminate crops and water supplies, they said.

You can even see it from NASA's satellites, smoke from this same oil depot stretching for miles and reaching other nearby towns. We saw similar black smoke at Shahran oil depot in the north and Aqdasiyeh in the northeast of Tehran. Environmental experts say this pollution mixes with chemicals released by other bombed buildings in the city, forming what they describe as a cocktail of pollutants.

The Israeli military have publicly stated their objective in targeting these oil depots to incapacitate Iran's military, but the question under international humanitarian law is whether it is proportionate to the harm inflicted on civilians and the environment.

[01:20:12]

POLGLASE: CNN reached out to U.S. CENTCOM and the Israel defense forces for comment on these strikes and their proportionality. U.S. CENTCOM referred us to the IDF. The IDF told us that these strikes were deepening damage to Iranian military infrastructure, and they would continue to operate with determination to remove threats to the state of Israel.

Katie Polglase, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE) HUNTE: Well, joining me now live from California is Hunter Swisher. He's a fertilizer industry expert as well as the founder and CEO of Phospholutions. Thank you so much for being with me. How are you doing?

HUNTER SWISHER, FOUNDER & CEO, PHOSPHOLUTIONS: Hey, Ben. Thanks for having me. Great to be here.

HUNTE: It's good to see you. We have seen reports and videos of rain in Tehran falling. And almost black drops after strikes on fuel depots and industrial sites. Can you talk to me about what chemicals could actually be spreading through the air and the soil? And what might that mean over the long term?

SWISHER: Yes, I mean, look, it's obviously a disaster. I think that these are pretty big, large industrial complexes that here are being attacked. And I think these are pretty critical infrastructures for a lot of industries related to fertilizer, but specifically energy production as a whole. You know, things that are falling from the air here are not good. I think that you can see in the videos here that there's a lot of terror that's happening through this region.

HUNTE: When we talk about war in the Gulf, people think about oil markets. But fertilizer production and shipping also heavily depend on energy and global trade routes too. How exposed is the fertilizer market to disruption in a conflict like this?

SWISHER: Quite a bit, Ben. I mean, these are regions where quite a bit of fertilizer is being produced and shipped out of the region. You have both supply chain logistics being disrupted through this conflict as well as it's a major source of fertilizer that obviously a lot of the world's food supply depends on getting access to in a very timely manner.

HUNTE: Not only are oil markets being shaken by this war, but fertilizer shipments moving through key routes like the Strait of Hormuz could also be affected. You just mentioned a bit there, but how does that ripple through the global food supply?

SWISHER: I mean, you've got to look at fertilizer as being pretty far upstream in the agricultural industry. You know, you've got markets across the world that are depending on these fertilizers to be able to have access to them in a timely manner. There's a lot of production, not only in terms of finished fertilizer product, but all the way up to energy production that these fertilizers rely on and byproducts and raw materials like sulfur, ammonia, and other things like phosphate rock that are pretty plentiful coming out of the region. You know, it's quite a concern for those that are producing the world's food.

HUNTE: When fertilizer becomes harder to move or more expensive, what does that actually mean for farmers making planting decisions around the world?

SWISHER: Yes, farmers, unfortunately, are the ones that are being hit the hardest by this today. You know, fertilizer getting there on time is one of the most critical pieces here. Farmers are already experiencing quite high prices due to other geopolitical and other supply chain disruptions. When you have a war in a place like the Middle East, you simply cannot get access to these in a timely manner. And what you see is price hikes around the world, lack of availability, and ultimately, farmers having to make hard decisions as to whether they apply these products or not due to the high prices.

And what you ultimately see is a decrease in yields, which ripple through food chains and ultimately mean less food for the world to survive on.

HUNTE: OK, we'll leave it there for now. But really appreciate your time. Hunter Swisher, thank you so much.

SWISHER: Thank you.

[01:23:49]

HUNTE: Onwards, first, they were displaced by Israeli attacks on Gaza. And now a massive sandstorm has thousands living in tent camps scrambling to keep their shelter. Coming up, the amount of damage that the storm has caused. See you in a moment.

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HUNTE: Welcome back. Iran's military warns that it could target ports and docks in the UAE as retaliation for the U.S. strikes on the critical island of Kharg, which handles about 90 percent of the country's crude oil exports. On Saturday, just one day after the strike on Kharg Island, plumes of smoke could be seen rising from a major oil hub in the UAE after a drone attack and fire. The port, located near the vital Strait of Hormuz, carries hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil each and every day.

For more, I want to bring in CNN producer Matias Grez live from Doha. Thank you so much for being with me. Can you just tell me, what's the latest where you are, Matias?

MATIAS GREZ, CNN PRODUCER: Well, fortunately for us here in Doha, it was a much quieter night last night than it was on Friday night when we had a couple of really huge explosions rock the city not far from us. But yesterday evening, the country's Ministry of Defense came out and confirmed that on Saturday, it had been subjected to four missile attacks and a number of drone attacks, all of which had been successfully intercepted.

And a bit further afield, the UAE said on Saturday it engaged five ballistic missiles and 33 drones, while Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Defense said that since last night and into the early hours of this morning, it had intercepted 21 drones and six ballistic missiles. And in Kuwait, the country's aviation authority said a drone strike had damaged a radar at its main international airport, plus there had also been damage done to an airbase further afield.

But look, these strikes are now having a huge impact on major events that are supposed to be hosted in this region. Formula One came out last night and announced that the Bahrain Grand Prix, scheduled for April 12th, and the Saudi Grand Prix, scheduled for the following weekend on April 19th, had both been cancelled with no alternatives added to the calendar. And similarly, not far from here, just up the road, actually, the Finalissima, a huge football match between Spain and Argentina, is supposed to be played next weekend. And while there's been no official confirmation that match won't go ahead, of course, reports came out last night saying that it looks extremely difficult that will happen.

But these events, in particular the Formula One, have become huge prestige events in the region. Bahrain was the first country to host a race back in 2004. And since then, the Gulf has become one of, if not the biggest area for growth in the sport. And these are not, like I said, just economic, sorry, just prestige events. They're also huge economic events. They bring in business, they bring in tourists, they bring in sponsors from all around the world.

And with Qatar and Abu Dhabi also added to the calendar and scheduled for November and December later this year, sponsors and organizers, of course, we hoping things subside in time for those events to still go ahead.

[01:30:01]

HUNTE: OK. Well, thank you so much for that update, Matias, and please stay safe over there. Appreciate it.

Protesters in over 100 Spanish cities took to the streets on Saturday, denouncing the conflict in the Middle East. The Stop the War platform, which is backed by figures from the worlds of film and music, called for demonstrations all across the country. CNN's Pau Mosquera has this report for us from Madrid.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAU MOSQUERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: These were the tense and the mood- filling downtown Madrid this Saturday morning. Twenty-three years after the war in Iraq, Spaniards have once again taken to the streets in more than a hundred cities to shout no to war. It is a slogan that was used in 2003 to unsuccessfully urge the government led by Jose Maria Aznar not to involve Spain in the hostilities in Iraq. This Saturday, protesters used it to condemn both the attacks by the United States and Israel, as well as the regime of the Ayatollahs, calling on democratic countries around the world to condemn the attacks and work toward lasting peace in the Middle East.

CARMEN REY, MADRID RESIDENT (through translator): I hope this ends soon because it's heartbreaking. It makes me want to cry seeing how many children are dying.

JOSE MANUEL, MADRID RESIDENT (through translator): I think it's an absolute disgrace the kind of world we're heading toward, where ordinary people have fought to achieve some peace, and we see how those in power crush everyone.

MARIA DOLORES, MADRID RESIDENT (through translator): We were at the 2003 protests when Aznar took us into the other war, and I'm not willing for them to drag our grandchildren into one now as well.

TOMAS VALDIVIESO, MADRID RESIDENT (through translator): There have been too many years of oppression and repression in the Middle East. I think we need to approach dialogue in a different way. We've lacked a great deal of dialogue and, above all, much more effective United Nations.

ARMANDO LAFON, MADRID RESIDENT (through translator): I hope those in power take note. That's what they're there for. That's why we elect them, to take action and listen to the people. We are the ones who are in charge, the ones who decide in democracies.

MOSQUERA: From the Spanish government's side, they also have condemned the hostilities in Iran, confirming that they will limit their role to protecting the European Union borders from any potential threat linked to the war.

Pau Mosquera, CNN, Madrid.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: Ukraine's president is accusing Russia of playing an even bigger role in the war in Iran than previously reported. Sources have told CNN earlier that Russia is supplying Iran with intelligence about locations and movement of U.S. forces, and that Iran is also receiving help with advanced drone tactics.

But in an exclusive interview with CNN's Fareed Zakaria, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said some drones used Iranian attacks that were made in Russia.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: They built and produced a lot of drones. They gave them. I have 100 percent facts that they -- that the Iranian regime, used against American bases and against our Middle East -- in Middle East. I mean, my intelligence told me that they said if Europe and the United States can help Ukraine with intelligence in this war, it means that Russia can help the Iranian regime. This is their point of view on this. So it's a fact. And you see that it's not a big secret.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: Israel is reportedly keeping the door open to potential talks with Lebanon. Two sources are telling CNN a close aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been chosen to lead the possible negotiations. But an Israeli official says that doesn't mean there are any plans to hold talks at this point.

Meanwhile, the head of the World Health Organization is castigating Israel's deadly strike on a health care center in Lebanon, calling it a war crime, while U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is calling on Israel and Hezbollah to stop the fighting. And he says southern Beirut is at risk of, "Being bombed into oblivion."

CNN's Isobel Yeung went into that part of the city for us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ISOBEL YEUNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We're in the southern suburbs in the area of Dahieh, and it's just another level of destruction You can see this building was just recently struck by an Israeli airstrike still on smoke. This whole building just entirely crumpled, stuff everywhere on the floor. I mean, the Israeli Defense Forces said that this is a Hezbollah stronghold and there are Hezbollah command centers here that they've been targeting. They've ordered everyone to evacuate and saying that they'll treat anyone who remains here as terrorists.

YEUNG (voice-over): This is the strike that leveled the building behind me. Dahieh has been hit harder than any other Beirut neighborhood, but still a small trickle of residents returned to pick up belongings or check on their homes.

[01:35:14]

YEUNG: What did you come to pick up?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through audio translation): I wanted to take some stuff from the house. Like clothes for the kids.

YEUNG: What does it feel like seeing your neighborhood like this?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through audio translation): We stand firm. We need to stand firm because the resistance fighters are sacrificing a lot of blood and whatever we offer is too little.

YEUNG: Hezbollah is the reason that the Israelis are targeting this area. You have no blame for them?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through audio translation): Israel is the reason. For 15 months they've been killing us and we've been silent.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through audio translation): This is what the complex looks like after the strike.

YEUNG (voice-over): In the aftermath of strikes, it falls on the civil defense team based on the outskirts of Dahieh to put out fires and save any casualties. The Israeli military has warned it could start striking ambulances across Lebanon if, as they allege, Hezbollah continues to use them as transport vehicles.

Hezbollah told CNN they do not use ambulances or medical centers for military purposes. On Friday, the IDF also struck a health care center, killing 12 medics in southern Lebanon.

YEUNG: Is that something you're worried about?

GHADEER ZEINEDDEEN, LEBANESE CIVIL DEFENSE: Yes, of course. We had a threat like today. He wanted to attack the ambulances, so it was like a shock for us.

ALI RAHAL, LEBANESE CIVIL DEFENSE: Although there are high risks that we will get war, but we can't stay down. This is our duty.

YEUNG (voice-over): Now, though, the strikes are not limited to Hezbollah strongholds. An apartment block in a mostly Christian neighborhood of Beirut was struck twice, once yesterday and again today.

YEUNG: (Speaking in Foreign Language). How are you? (Speaking in Foreign Language).

YEUNG (voice-over): Locals tell us they no longer know who to trust and fear their neighbor could be an Israeli target.

YEUNG: All the glass are shattered here?

YEUNG (voice-over): Many are resentful that they have been dragged back into yet another war.

YEUNG: From up here, you can really just see how close everyone lives to each other and how densely populated this area is. You've got apartment blocks wedged in next to each other. I mean, this apartment was targeted just a few hours ago. And the residents here, many of whom are Christians, are saying that they just don't have anywhere else to go to. So it must be absolutely terrifying.

YEUNG (through audio translation): Is anyone not afraid?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through audio translation): We were really scared. We were so scared.

YEUNG: What's it like seeing --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through audio translation): It's the first time they strike here. I mean, they never struck like this.

YEUNG: Who do you blame for this situation?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through audio translation): Of course, Hezbollah. Wherever Hezbollah is present anywhere in Lebanon there is no safety. Of course, they're endangering the lives of Lebanese all around Lebanon. They didn't have to enter this war. And then they're saying that they're supporting Iran. What's that got to do with us?

YEUNG (voice-over): It's a cruel question, particularly for the civilians forced to shoulder the cost of this relentless war.

Isobel Yeung, CNN, Beirut.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: A destructive sandstorm in southern and central Gaza has thousands of Palestinians who were displaced by the conflict with Israel struggling to secure their temporary encampments.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE (voice-over): A tent camp in Gaza is engulfed in a thick orange haze. Gaza's civil defense warning people to stay inside their homes and shelters as a massive sandstorm whips through the region.

But most of Gaza's population of about 2 million people have been displaced, according to the U.N., many living in tents made out of salvaged materials, which give little protection from the cutting winds.

IBRAHIM JARGHOUN, DISPLACED GAZAN (through translator): These tents have already been worn out. They've been here for almost a year, maybe more than a year and a half. Worn out tents in the winter, the water lands directly above our heads. When the wind blows, it just lifts everything.

HUNTE (voice-over): The storm churning up gusts of winds of up to 65 kilometers an hour, so strong that some people struggle to keep their tents from blowing away.

MOUHAMED ABU HARBID, DISPLACED GAZAN (through translator): The bathrooms have collapsed, the tents have collapsed, and our whole life has fallen apart. The tents are our only shelter. Without a tent, we have nothing. Our belongings are being ruined by the sand. Our mattresses are being ruined by the sand. Everything we own is being damaged by the sand.

HUNTE (voice-over): The high winds are expected to last until Sunday night, with gusts possibly even more powerful than the ones that already covered parts of Gaza in dust.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[01:39:44]

HUNTE: OK, we are learning new details about the targeted attack on a synagogue in Michigan, how the attack unfolded, and the suspect's ties to Lebanon after this break. See you in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HUNTE: We now know the names of the six American crew members killed when a refueling aircraft crashed in Western Iraq on Thursday. The Pentagon identifying the fallen service members as Major John Klinner, Captain Ariana Savino, Technical Sergeant Ashley Pruitt, Captain Seth Koval, Captain Curtis Angst, and Technical Sergeant Tyler Simmons. The incident is under investigation, and the military says it's not a result of hostile fire or friendly fire.

We are also learning new details about the attack on a synagogue in Michigan. A truck rammed the place of worship on Thursday, hitting a security guard. The suspect exchanged gunfire with security officers before dying from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. CNN's Brian Abel is in Michigan with the latest for us.

BRIAN ABEL, CNN U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The suspect in this attack, according to the FBI, showed up here at Temple Israel Thursday morning around 10 o'clock, pulling into the parking lot with his truck, staying inside the truck for more than two hours before he decided to begin this attack, barreling that truck through the doors of Temple Israel, hitting a security guard with it once inside and then continuing down the hallway.

Inside the vehicle was not only a rifle but commercial-grade fireworks and jugs full of flammable liquids. At one point, this truck became stuck between hallway walls, so Ghazali was trapped inside. He then opened fire through the windshield.

There was an exchange of gunfire with security guards there at one point during the exchange. That's when Ghazali fatally shot himself, and when the vehicle's engine caught fire. Now we are learning more about Ghazali, the only person killed in this attack, though first responders were treated here on scene for smoke inhalation after going inside to make sure everybody else got OK.

Ghazali, the 41-year-old, his motive may still be unknown, but we are learning more about his connections to Lebanon. He did not have any previous criminal history. He was not previously part of any FBI investigation, but according to officials briefed on this, Ghazali was in federal government databases as having connections to "Known or suspected terrorists associated with Hezbollah in Lebanon."

[01:45:20]

That is where Ghazali had family, and according to a mayor of a city in Lebanon where that family lived, family members were killed or injured during an Israeli airstrike a week before this attack here. Ghazali's two brothers as well as one of the brother's two kids were killed. Ghazali's parents and the brother's wives were injured.

Out of all of this, with Ghazali being the only person killed, the community here is feeling a sense of relief, a sense that this could have been much worse. I want you to hear a state lawmaker who also attends Temple Israel. Talk about the rabbi talking about how all of this could have been much different.

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SAMANTHA STECKLOFF, MICHIGAN STATE REPRESENTATIVE: He said, I didn't know how it was going to turn out, and as the children came into Shenandoah, all I kept thinking about was how many tiny graves we were going to have to make. But there are no new names added to this list, and that is a miracle.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ABEL: And indeed, law enforcement and this community are praising those teachers, everybody for the preparedness and their actions during this attack. More than 100 kids were inside at the time of this attack. More than 600 law enforcement officers responded. Of those, more than 60 were treated for that smoke inhalation, but they are all expected to recover.

In West Bloomfield Township, Michigan, I'm Brian Abel, CNN.

HUNTE: Amsterdam's mayor is denouncing what she calls a targeted attack after a bomb exploded at a Jewish school. The blast hit the outer wall of the building. No one was injured. Police say they have images of the person who allegedly set off the device.

Officials in Amsterdam said they increased security after similar incidents in Rotterdam and Liege, Belgium. All of the incidents have occurred since the U.S. and Israel began the War of Iran two weeks ago. Anti-government protesters in central Cuba took to the streets on Saturday, venting their anger over the ongoing energy crisis there.

Videos of the demonstrations show people setting fire to and throwing rocks at the local Communist Party office in the city of Moron. Cuba's president, Miguel Diaz-Canel, responded to the incident on social media, saying there will be no impunity for violent protests. Frustration is growing in Cuba, as the oil blockade imposed by the U.S. is causing daily blackouts across the island.

North Korea launched a series of ballistic missiles on Saturday. That is according to the U.S. military. The United States Indo-Pacific Command said the launches didn't pose an immediate threat to U.S. forces or its allies in the region. North Korea's show of force comes after its leader, Kim Jong-un, vowed to strengthen his country's nuclear capabilities.

[01:48:11]

Los Angeles will host the biggest sporting contest in the world this summer. Just ahead, a look at how Angelenos are preparing for the FIFA World Cup. See you in a moment.

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HUNTE: Formula One is calling off upcoming races in the Middle East due to safety concerns over the war in Iran. They were set to take place in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia next month, but both countries have been hit by Tehran's retaliatory missiles responding to the U.S. and Israel's attacks on the country. Formula One officials haven't ruled out rescheduling yet. Without the races, there will be a five week gap from the Japanese Grand Prix on later this month and Miami Grand Prix in May.

Los Angeles is preparing to welcome millions of fans from around the country and the world for this summer's FIFA World Cup games. Eight matches will be played in the host city, including the U.S. men's national team's opening match against Paraguay.

CNN's Gonzalo Alvarado is catching up with Angelenos as the countdown gets underway.

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GONZALO ALVARADO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fun, excitement, but lots and lots of anticipation. That's what the Los Angeles is experiencing this weekend, launching the road to the World Cup FIFA 2026. And how they're doing it, they're doing with several activities here at the heart of Los Angeles.

KATHRYN S. SCHLOESSMAN, CEO, LOS ANGELES WORLD CUP 2026 HOST COMMITTEE: So this is our inaugural community day presented by Amgen. What everybody's going to do, our volunteers and locals alike, we have 10 giant soccer balls. Everybody's going to be painting them in different themes. And then those soccer balls will be placed throughout the community, again, to make the city look better, to help welcome the world. But what today is really about is people working together who are excited about soccer, getting to actually do something to help welcome the world, bringing them together.

ALVARADO (voice-over): The Los Angeles World Cup host committee will hold two community events like this one. Next community event is scheduled for May 2nd. Events that, according to Los Angeles City Mayor Karen Bass, is going to help stimulate the World Cup excitement.

KAREN BASS, MAYOR OF LOS ANGELES: But I am so excited because in less than 90 days we will welcome the world here to Los Angeles.

ALVARADO: How do you feel as an Angeleno that the World Cup is coming here, you know, to town?

BRIAN CHAVES, VOLUNTEER: I feel very excited and proud. You know, we're going to welcome all the tourists, you know, people out of town, you know, with open arms.

ALVARADO: Canada, United States and Mexico will be hosting the World Cup FIFA 2026. Of all the 104 games that will take place throughout the whole World Cup, 78 of them will take place in U.S. soil. Eleven cities in the U.S. will host the World Cup, L.A. being one of them. Eight of those games will take place at the SoFi Stadium. June 12th, USA will face Paraguay.

SCHLOESSMAN: This is an incredible opportunity to really showcase our city on the international stage. We have never in my tenure in this role of bringing major events, and we've had a lot, had the kind of excitement focused on the World Cup is the largest single sport event in the world and the media attention and everybody's excited about it and it's -- what are we doing about that opportunity.

[01:55:11]

ALVARADO: Gonzalo Alvarado, CNN, Los Angeles.

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HUNTE: In about 24 hours, we will know who has won Hollywood's top prizes. Final touches to the red carpet are now underway ahead of Sunday's Academy Awards. Those iconic Oscar statues are taking their place as Hollywood prepares for its biggest night of the year. This year's competition looks absolutely fierce, from "Sinner's" record- breaking number of nominations to the highly anticipated battle for best actor with Michael B. Jordan and Timothee Chalamet among the top contenders.

In Berlin, locals welcome the arrival of spring in floral fashion. The German capital city's famous memorial church was transformed into a pick-your-own tulip garden. Organized by the Dutch embassy, crowds looped around the iconic building for their chance to claim a free bouquet of 10 flowers each. Event officials said the scheme was devised as a way to symbolize the leaving behind of darkness. Love that.

Chicago's uniquely colorful St. Patrick's Day tradition took place on Saturday morning. Each year, the city embraces Ireland's patron saint by turning its river green. Look at that. That is very cool. Thousands of onlookers watched as a local plumbing union cast the emerald dye along Chicago's main waterway. The luminous green color can last anywhere from a few hours to a couple of days, depending on weather conditions in the windy city.

OK, well, thanks for joining me and the team. That's all I've got for you for now. I'm Ben Hunte in Atlanta. I will see you for more news after this quick break. See you in a moment.

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