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Munitions Impacts Reported At Locations In Central Israel; Trump Not Ready To Make Deal To End With Iran; Iran Continues To Attack Gulf Nations With Missiles, Drones. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired March 15, 2026 - 03:00   ET

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

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[03:00:00]

BEN HUNTE, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers in the United States and all around the world. I'm Ben Hunte in Atlanta.

We're beginning with the latest developments from the Middle East. Missiles and interceptions could be seen lighting up the Tel Aviv sky in the latest attacks from Iran and Hezbollah. Munitions impacts are being reported at several locations in Central Israel. Emergency workers reported two people needing treatment. But so far there have been no reported casualties.

Meanwhile, President Trump says he's not ready to strike a ceasefire deal with Iran just yet, and he questions whether the country's new supreme leader is even alive. The president called the news of Mojtaba Khamenei's death, quote, a rumor. But said if he is alive, quote, he should do something very smart for his country, and that is surrender.

President Trump is calling on other countries, including China and the U.K., to help secure the Strait of Hormuz. All of this as Iran threatens more retaliatory strikes following the U.S. attack on Kharg Island.

CNN's Eleni Giokos joins us live from Dubai. Eleni, thanks for being with me again. What is the latest?

ELENI GIOKOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. So, I mean, we spoke about this three hours ago now. The Ministry of Defense said that they're engaging with missiles and drone threats from Iran. Don't forget that after the United States struck Kharg Island, which is important and vitally critical for the Iranians on the energy infrastructure side of things, and importantly, that's the island they used to export 90 percent of their crude, they came out with a threat. And they said they're going to be targeting the ports in the UAE. They're going to be targeting what they say is U.S. assets hidden within the UAE because they believe that those strikes on Kharg Island came from UAE territories.

So, that's where we stand right now, and I think everyone is on high alert. But, importantly, what we've seen around the region, Saudi yesterday saying they intercepted seven drones, Qatar four ballistic missiles, Kuwait, we saw -- we actually saw damage at the al-Jaber air base, and they're calling it material damage. And also the Civil Aviation Authority say that radar systems at the airport have also been struck there. Iraq, the U.S. consulate struck a second time in just one week.

So we are seeing sort of an escalation trap that is emerging right now. And at the center of all of this, Ben, is of course what's happening in the Strait of Hormuz and trying to get traffic to restart again.

HUNTE: Well, if it's okay, let's keep talking about that because what more can you tell us about developments with the Strait of Hormuz?

GIOKOS: Yes. So, it's been pretty interesting and you mentioned this, that Donald Trump came out with a post on Truth Social saying that he's going to bring in other countries that are going to assist with these naval escorts that are frankly being spoken about for almost two weeks now, and we see no sign of that materializing.

The Iranians say on their part that they are controlling the Straits of Hormuz. President Trump, of course, wants to change that scenario. But I want you to hear what the Iranian foreign minister had to say about the straits and their plans to keep choking that strategic waterway and inflict economic pain,

(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, you know, security concerns. This has nothing to do with us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GIOKOS: So, that's really interesting. And we know that it's usually 20 million barrels of oil every single day that passes through the strait. If we see naval escorts, according to U.S. intelligence, they say they'll need about eight to ten destroyers to just escort around five to ten tankers daily. Normally, the Strait handles about 50 tankers every single day. We also have confirmation that two Indian tankers passed through the straits on Saturday and the Iranians are saying, well, they gave clearance for those tankers, showing again that they do have a handle and basically controlling what passes through.

There was one caveat though to those tankers moving through the straits is that they would be settled in Chinese yuan and not in the petro dollar. That is significant because we've been talking about de- dollarization for many years, the strength of the U.S. dollar.

[03:05:04]

Iran is also trying to circumvent using the U.S. dollar.

And it's interesting that they're going for the Chinese yuan. They're really trying to upend U.S. dominance. They're trying to inflict economic pain, not only using oil and that strait as a lever, but also importantly targeting critical infrastructure across this region. In Fujairah, here in the UAE, an oil depot, once again, ablaze because of debris, we've seen other critical infrastructure that has been hit. And that is what the Iranians are threatening consistently. So, it's not only the strait but also inflicting economic pain by targeting critical infrastructure across the strait.

The calculation here is because Kharg Island was struck, the Iranians have promised these threats. We don't know how that will materialize and just how intense it'll be. But the United States as well as Israel saying that they have degraded it runs military capabilities. To what extent, it's still a question, Ben.

HUNTE: Okay. Well, thank you so much for that update. We appreciate, and I still can't believe those images we're seeing as you were talking there. Eleni Giokos in Dubai, thank you for now. Please stay safe.

As the war drags into its third week, neither side seems ready to budge. U.S. President Donald Trump says he is not interested in making a deal to stop the fighting. And according to a former commander with Iran's Revolutionary Guard, Tehran has set a high bar for ending the war.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MOHSEN REZAEE, FORMER ISLAMIC REVOLUTIONARY GUARD CORPS COMMANDER: We will only look at ending the war when in the first place we have received full reparations from America for the destruction they've caused. And we seek a 100 percent security guarantee for the future, which is not possible without an American exit from the Persian Gulf. Therefore, a second condition for ending the war is for America to leave the Persian Gulf region.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: But as far as Israel is concerned, the endgame for the war goes through the Iranian people. Here's the Israeli defense minister on Saturday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ISRAEL KATZS, ISRAELI DEFENSE MINISTER: We're entering the decisive phase of the struggle between the regime's attempt to survive while causing increasing suffering to the Iranian people and surrender. Only the Iranian people can put an end to this with a determined struggle until the overthrow of the terrorist regime and the salvation of Iran.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: Ali Vaez joins us now from Geneva. He's director of the Iran Project International Crisis Group. Ali, thanks for being with me. How are you doing this morning?

ALI VAEZ, DIRECTOR, IRAN PROJECT INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP: Good to see you. How are you? HUNTE: I'm good. 3:06 A.M., we are doing well. Thank you so much for asking.

Mojtaba Khamenei still hasn't appeared publicly since taking power, and his first message came through state media rather than in person. Why might the leadership choose to keep him out of sight for now?

Look, first of all, that's the norm for Mojtaba Khamenei. I've been studying Iran for 20 years. I've never heard his voice, ever. He's always operated from the shadows and he worked in his father's office for a long time and he was always behind the curtain. So, that's not unusual for him. But I agree that under the current circumstances and for his first message as a supreme leader, one would expect at least audio, if not video. But it is probably either because he's badly wounded or it's because of very tight security concerns because he has a target on his back.

HUNTE: What more can you tell us about his absence and about how power is actually being exercised in Tehran at this moment?

VAEZ: Honestly, I don't think it matters because the country is currently being run by two individuals, National Security Adviser Ali Larijani and Speaker of Parliament Ghalibaf. That's where really the power lies. And even if Mojtaba is well, is probably incommunicado in a bunker somewhere. And so I don't think it really matters if he's present or not present. There were plans in place for these two individuals to run the war efforts and all the contingency plans that the Iranians had prior to the war seemed to be already in place. There doesn't seem to be any kind of vacuum despite Mojtaba's absence.

HUNTE: There is still so much that we don't know about the situation inside Iran, but we know what the U.S. was hoping for. Are there any signs of that unrest or pressure building against the leadership?

VAEZ: No. There is currently no sign of it. There is no sign of any cracks at the top of the political system. There is no sign of detections from the security forces. There is no bottom up pressure. But it's also understandable because the bombardments are pretty heavy, and so people are taking shelter. Streets are quite empty. And the Revolutionary Guard still has a very tight grip on internal security.

[03:10:01]

If the U.S. and Israel are to completely degrade that capacity, we still have to be in this war for another few weeks at a very high humanitarian casualty cost for ordinary Iranian people.

Look, last year, it took six months after the end of the 12-day war for people to come back to the streets. So, usually, these things don't have sort of an immediate impact.

HUNTE: From Tehran's perspective, what does survival actually look like in this conflict?

VAEZ: Well, survival means that they would, this regime would remain in place in whatever form it is. Whether it has lost more of its top military brass or political leadership it doesn't matter, as long as it is still standing in the face of very heavy aggression by the world's superpower and the region's superpower, it is victory for them. Survival, even if it's Pyrrhic one, is definitely considered victory.

And the kind of message that it was sent to its opponents at home is also very important because, of course, we saw that this is a regime that was willing to kill thousands of its own people back in January to remain in power. But if it has been willing to go to a face-to-face battle with much superior military powers, like the United States and Israel, then I think it feels that it has had a second peace on life.

HUNTE: If the war continues and Iran's economy and infrastructure take further damage, how might that reshape the country internally, do you think?

VAEZ: Well, look, one key concern is that Iran will end up where Iraq was after the first Gulf War, which is a wounded, aggressive, repressive regime that remains in place under sanctioned, internationally isolated, and that results in attrition, basically, across the board for the country's economy, for its people. And then the fabric of the society might start basically being torn apart.

And then at the end of that process, even if the regime falls, it will be so much more difficult to put the country back together.

So, even if this war stops at some point, we have to find a way to diplomatically address the underlying causes and to also, in a nonviolent way, figure out a way of allowing Iranian people to determine their own fate.

That is not something that the United States and Israel can dictate but it is something that the United States with its sanctions leverage can potentially facilitate.

HUNTE: Okay. Well, thank you so much for those updates and insight. Ali Vaez, we really appreciate it.

VAEZ: A pleasure.

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

CNN goes into Southern Beirut, a Hezbollah stronghold, that's taking the brunt of Israeli strikes in Lebanon. But some residents are not blaming Israel for the scenes of devastation like this one. That story is ahead.

And later this hour, we'll take a look at how the conflict in the Middle East is impacting global oil prices.

See you in a moment.

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[03:15:00]

HUNTE: A plume of smoke billows over Beirut, a city that's been repeatedly pummeled by Israeli strikes. And those are live pictures you're seeing there. But we are now learning that Israel is reportedly keeping the door open to potential talks with Lebanon. Two sources are telling CNN a close aide of 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 condemning Israel's deadly strike on a healthcare center in Lebanon, calling it a war crime, while U.N. Secretary General and Antonio Guterres is calling on Israel and Hezbollah to stop the fighting. And he says Southern Beirut is at risk of, quote, being bombed into oblivion.

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

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ISOBEL YEUNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So we're in the southern suburbs in the area of Dahieh, and it's just another level of destruction here. You can see this building was just recently struck by an Israeli airstrike still on smoke. This whole building's 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 that's saying that they'll treat anyone who remains here as terrorists,

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 residence return to pick up belongings or check on their homes.

What did you come to pick up?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE).

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

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE).

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

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE).

[03:20:00]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE).

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 casual. 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 healthcare center killing 12 medics in Southern Lebanon.

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 they're high risk that we will get bombed, but we can't stay down. This is our duty

YEUNG: 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.

How are you?

Locals tell us they no longer know who to trust, explosion and fear their neighbor could be an Israeli target.

All the glasses shattered here.

Many are resentful that they've been dragged back into yet another war.

From up there, you can really just see how close everyone lives to each other and how densely you 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 who are Christians, are saying that they just don't have anywhere else to go to. So, it must be absolutely terrifying.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE).

YEUNG: What's it like seeing --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE).

YEUNG: Who do you blame for this situation?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Of course, Hezbollah. (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE).

YEUNG: 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: Joining us now is Maya Gebeily in Beirut. She is Reuter's bureau chief of Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan, thank you so much for being with me. I'll get straight to it.

The fighting in Lebanon has intensified over the past few days. What are you seeing and hearing on the ground right now?

MAYA GEBEILY, BUREAU CHIEF FOR LEBANON, SYRIA AND JORDAN, REUTERS: There's been a couple of points of note over the past week that have been really scary for a lot of Lebanese. Just right off the bat, the clashes in Southern Lebanon have been quite intense. We've seen Israeli forces -- we've heard that Israeli forces have set up additional points deeper into Lebanese territory, and that's a really big fear that so many Lebanese have that we're going to see a large scale Israeli ground invasion. It's not the first time Lebanon unfortunately has lived through that and a lot of people still have memories of the 1982 invasion and other invasions that the Israelis have mounted within Lebanese territory.

A lot of Lebanese that we're speaking to are really, really worried that when they're leaving their towns in Southern Lebanon, that they're leaving them for the last time, and that there might be a long-term Israeli military occupation. That's a big chunk of the fears that we're hearing about.

And we're also seeing Israeli airstrikes on Beirut and around Beirut expanding in scope. And some of the areas that your reporter was just in are Christian areas that were relatively shielded the last time around in 2024 in the last war, and now they're starting to actually face those targets themselves. And so they're quite worried that we're actually going to see a massive expansion of the air campaign as well.

HUNTE: This is all so scary, and even just seeing the pictures while you're talking there, it's absolutely awful.

You have spent a lot of time with displaced families. What are people telling you about how this conflict is affecting their daily lives? Tell me a bit more.

GEBEILY: Well, it's important to note that we're in the holy month of Ramadan, so these families are also fasting. And Ramadan is usually months where there's a lot of, you know, prayer fasting during the day. And then when the sun sets families gather together in their homes, they're cooking all day to break their fast together when the sun sets. And displaced families have been essentially robbed of that tradition of this really special month that they're used to celebrating.

And so instead when they're breaking their fast, they're doing it with food that's been donated by community kitchens. They're trying to, in some cases, even head back to their homes in the southern suburbs of Beirut during the day to take whatever food they've still got left in their fridge to pick up pots and pans, and a small cooking stove that they can cook with even in the displacement centers where they're based.

[03:25:03]

So, they're trying really, really hard to kind of stay attached to these traditions and these kind of daily routines. But it's very much being dictated by, you know, the pace of Israeli airstrikes, the pace of Israeli evacuation warnings for these areas. And these families are -- you know, they barely had time to get back on their feet after the last war, which was just 15 months ago. And so they're trying so hard to kind of hold on to those traditions that it's been really difficult for them.

HUNTE: And you can see how difficult it must be because the pictures are absolutely awful, and we're seeing alongside you there.

French President Emmanuel Macron is urging Israel to abandon a large scale offensive and instead talk with Lebanon. How realistic do you think that is right now?

GEBEILY: I think, you know, the pace of the diplomatic efforts has not sparked a lot of hope in Lebanon, unfortunately, because at the same time that we're hearing -- you know, we even heard the U.N. secretary general yesterday a call for an immediate ceasefire. We're seeing that the French also tried to kind of spark some diplomatic action. But we're also hearing Israeli officials essentially saying to the Lebanese government that if the Lebanese army is not going to take care of Hezbollah itself, that the Israelis will do it for them.

And so, really, what's kind of -- what's looming larger is a lot of those Israeli statements. And the Lebanese president last week issued a call essentially for negotiations. He said that he was open to engaging in direct talks and any other time that would have been really a landmark diplomatic overture, but they haven't heard much from the Israelis in return.

Now, we did see some reporting over the past 24 hours that the Israelis are also preparing a delegation to send to prospective talks. I spoke to a Lebanese official last night who said that they haven't heard anything concrete and that they still have two points that they need to be clarified. The first is whether the Israelis would be willing to abide by a full ceasefire before negotiations start. The Lebanese don't want to be negotiating as ground operations are ongoing, as airstrikes are ongoing. They want to be able to secure a full ceasefire so that they can actually start talks.

And then there's the details of, you know, when talks will take place, where -- what the agenda is exactly. And without that clarity, Lebanon says it doesn't look like there are some serious talks in the immediate horizon.

HUNTE: Okay. We'll leave it there for now. But, Maya Gebeily, thank you so much and thank you for your reporting as well. We really appreciate it. Please stay safe.

GEBEiLY: Thanks so much, Ben.

HUNTE: Speak to you soon.

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

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[03:30:00]

HUNTE: Welcome back. I'm Ben Hunte. Let's take a look at today's top stories.

President Donald Trump says he is not ready to strike a deal with Iran to end the war. Mr. Trump claims that Iran wants to make a deal, but he's unwilling because, quote, the terms aren't good enough yet.

China is calling for dialogue to resolve the escalating conflict in the Middle East. This after President Trump claimed other nations would send naval assets to help keep the Strait of Hormuz safe for oil shipments. On Friday, Mr. Trump warned that U.S. naval escorts through strategic waterway will begin, quote, very soon.

Munitions impacts are being reported at several locations in Central Israel. Israeli police say, quote, bomb disposal experts have been working to isolate and secure the impact sites in Tel Aviv. Rescue workers said they were treating two people south of Tel Aviv after rockets were fired toward Israel.

Iranian strikes continue across the Gulf. The UAE and Saudi Arabia reported interceptions early on Sunday. Both nations, along with Qatar, intercepted missiles and drones on Saturday. And Kuwait Civil Aviation Authority reported damage to a radar system after their international airport was targeted late on Saturday night.

For more, I do want to bring in CNN Producer Matias Grez live from Doha. Matias, thanks for being with me again. I do appreciate it. What more can you tell us about what's going on in the Gulf states?

MATIAS GREZ, CNN PRODUCER: Well, fortunately for us and the team here in Doha, it was a much quieter night last night than it was on Friday night when the city near where we are was rocked by two really loud explosions. And just to give you a bit more details about those interceptions across the region. Yesterday, this country's ministry of defense came out and said that on Saturday it intercepted four missiles and a number of drones in the UAE. They said, authorities there said they engaged nine ballistic missiles and 33 drones while the Saudi Ministry of Defense since last night into the early hours of this morning say that they've intercepted at least 21 drones and 6 ballistic missiles. And in Kuwait, like you mentioned, the aviation authority there said a radar, its main international airport was damaged in a drone strike, as was damage at an air base further afield.

But, look, these strikes are now having a huge impact on major events that are supposed to be hosted in this country. Last night, Formula 1 came out and said that its Grand Prix in Bahrain on April 12th and the Grand Prix in Saudi Arabia the following weekend on April 19th have now both been canceled with no additional alternatives added to the calendar. And similarly, next Friday just up the road from here in Lusail, we're supposed to have the Finalissima, a huge football match between Spain and Argentina. Now, there's been no official report yet of that being canceled, but some reports came out last night saying that, of course, it looks very difficult that that match will go ahead.

And that will be a huge blow to locals and to sponsors. Lionel Messi, arguably the greatest footballer of all time, was supposed to be coming back to Qatar for the first time since he lifted the World Cup here with Argentina in 2022.

But these events have become huge prestige events for the region. Ever since Bahrain hosted the first Grand Prix in the region in 2004, the Middle East has become one of, if not the key growth market both for Formula 1 and for many sports beyond Formula 1. But aside from being just prestige events, these are huge economic events for the countries, the cities, the areas in which they're hosted. They bring in international business, they bring in tourists from around the world and sponsors.

And now with Qatar and Abu Dhabi added to the calendar for November and December, later this year, they're scheduled for. Organizers, fans, of course, sponsors will be hoping that things subside enough for those events to still go ahead.

HUNTE: Okay. Matias Grez, thank you so much for joining us, and I'm so glad you're and the team are safe.

[03:35:01]

Please stay that way.

Onwards, as the war Iran stretches into a third week, gas prices are spiking across the U.S. According to the AAA Auto Association, the national average has ballooned to $3.68 a gallon. That is a 23 percent increase since the start of the conflict. And it comes amid heavy disruptions to the flow of crude oil through the Strait of Hormuz.

Global oil prices closed the week at their highest level since 2022. Brent Crude, that is the international oil benchmark, settled on Friday above $103 a barrel. U.S. crude finished just under $99 a barrel.

In the last hour, I spoke with international economists Cornelia Meyer, who explained why this conflict is having such a big impact on global markets. Have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CORNELIA MEYER, ECONOMIST, FOUNDER AND CEO, MEYER RESOURCES: 20 percent of oil products and crude have to pass through the Straits of Hormuz. There's some relief with the pipeline west, east to west from in Saudi and the pipeline to Fujairah in UAE. But still, it is overwhelming. 20 percent of LNG have to come through the straits.

Also, you know, it's aluminum. It's fertilizer, it's polypropylene, it's polyethylene, it's all sorts of other really important things that have to come through the Straits of Hormuz. So, this is a shock to the economy and obviously traders are worried.

HUNTE: A lot of the focus is on the Strait of Hormuz, and rightly so. If shipping there does stay disrupted, how big of a problem is that for global suppliers? Because we were talking earlier about how it even impacts fertilizer.

MEYER: Yes, no, it is a problem for global supplies. Right now, there's still -- you know, there's still enough sort of around the IEA. The International Energy Agency says it is releasing 400 million barrels of emergency stocks, the various countries are. But, you know, the problem there is flow rate. How fast is this going? So, at some stage we will -- it will get critical. And that is what traders are looking at. Traders are sort of, you know, looking ahead and they're buying on the rumor or what they think is coming ahead. They will then sell on the fact.

But it's a really critical situation. As you know, the CEO of Aramco, the world's biggest oil company, Saudi Arabia's oil company, said this will have dire consequences for the global economy if this persists.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: The U.S and Israel say they're targeting energy infrastructure that 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 now on how the fallout is now prompting public health concerns.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

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.

Environmental and legal experts told us that Israeli military planners worked 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.

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 from miles and reaching other nearby towns. We saw similar black smoke and oil spills at Shahran oil depot in the north and (INAUDIBLE) 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.

[03:40:03]

But the question under international humanitarian law is whether it is proportionate to the harm and inflicted on civilians and the environment.

CNN reached out to us CENTCOM and the Israel defense forces for comment on the 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: In the Central Cuba, anti-government protesters took to the streets on Saturday venting their anger over the ongoing energy crisis. Videos of the demonstration show people setting fire to and throwing rocks at the local communist party office. We're seeing it there. Cuba's president responded to the incident on social media saying there will be no impunity for violent protests.

Frustration is growing there as the oil blockade imposed by the U.S. is causing daily blackouts across the island. Wow.

As the war with Iran rages in the Middle East, several recent attacks in the U.S. are shaking Americans' sense of safety. We've got an in- depth report and perspective from an expert. Stay with us.

And lines at the airport might be getting longer, and that's because TSA agents aren't getting paid. All the details just a ahead.

See you a moment.

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HUNTE: As the war with Iran rages, recent attacks in the U.S. are shaking Americans' sense of safety. On Thursday, there were two separate incidents now being investigated as terrorism, a deadly shooting, and a targeted vehicle ramming. Just days earlier, two men accused of throwing IEDs during New York protest told law enforcement they were inspired by ISIS. And two weeks before that, a shooter killed three people and injured several others in Austin, Texas.

[03:45:00]

CNN's Holmes Lybrand has more for us

HOLMES LYBRAND, CNN REPORTER: since the start of the conflict with Iran, several attacks have occurred inside the U.S. that are now being investigated as potential acts of terrorism. While some members of Congress have voiced concern over potential Iranian sleeper cells, the issue now facing U.S. law enforcement is lone wolf attacks.

That threat, while not being new, brings with its significant challenges, both in attempting to thwart such attacks and trying to predict where they might take place next.

After Thursday's attacks, police departments across the U.S. ramped up patrols and security around places of worship, and they're all on high alert for similar attacks that might even be inspired by those two this Thursday.

Now, when the conflict began with Iran, the FBI specifically tasked agents to keep close eyes on people of interest inside the country who might be activated or triggered by the Iran strikes. The threat of lone wolf actors will continue to be a key concern for law enforcement as the conflict with Iran continues.

HUNTE: With these terror-related events seemingly becoming more commonplace, CNN Senior National Security Analyst Juliette Kayyem assessed just how vigilant Americans should be as war with Iran rages on.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JULIETTE KAYYEM, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: The threat environment is elevated. There's this, I mean, you don't have to be an expert to know that. We are -- we started a war. It was not quick. It's now a regional war. It's having global consequences. And we ought, we need to be prepared as a homeland. That means both the government and our communities, local and state law enforcement.

To date, the administration has yet to issue what we would call an elevated threat advisory to state and locals, but we all know it, anyone in the field knows it to be true. I talk to enough police officers and state officials. They know it to be true. And that is -- and that would be true of any war, and that would be true during any presidency.

So, that is one concern, right, obviously. And then I think out there somewhere is some concern about Iranian state sponsored terrorism. I don't think we should expect that immediately right now, but you know, Iran plays the long game and they've definitely been a state sponsor of terrorism.

For the average American, you know, basically watch your surroundings. Don't go into hiding. Don't be too fearful, you know, that then they win. And I really believe that for certain communities, in particular the Jewish communities we saw in Michigan, they are going to be and probably should, you know, organize for greater defenses at Jewish institutions, temples, congregations elsewhere, because in the anti- Semitism that an animates some of this terrorism, they're equating disagreement with Israel's policies with Judaism, which is just anti- Semitism, and I do worry about that.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: More than 60,000 TSA workers are missing their first full paycheck this weekend because of the U.S. government partial shutdown. Funding for the Department of Homeland Security run out last month and many workers are now wondering how they'll get by in the meantime.

CNN's Camila DeChalus has the latest details from Virginia for us.

CAMILA DECHALUS, CNN REPORTER: What we're seeing right now is that it has been relatively really quick lines, not major delays at this airport, but, unfortunately, that is not the case of airports across the country. And even though we're not seeing major disruptions here, what you can't see on camera is just the emotional and financial toll this partial government shutdown has taken on several TSA agents here.

Now, I spent a lot of time just talking to TSA agents and they told me their biggest sentiment is that they're feeling very fed up about what is happening. One of the biggest things I've heard is them feeling that it's very unfair that they're being financially impacted by this partial government shutdown because of what's happening on Capitol Hill and the fact that Republicans and Democrats can strike some sort of a deal to pass funding for the Department of Homeland Security.

One person just told me, hey, this is about immigration related activities. That has nothing to do with us. And so I'm kind of confused about why we're being financially impacted by this. A lot of them talked about not just the financial strain that this partial government shutdown has taken but also the emotional toll.

Some people have told me how they've had a call out of work sick, just saying, because the stress alone of how they can't even think about how they're going to afford to pay their next bill is enough for them to not just show up to work. And they're saying that the big picture here is that if this government shutdown continues that we're going to expect to see major delays at airports because they're really saying to me that enough is enough.

And even these past few months, they've experienced government shutdown after government shutdown that they're really feeling like they're the collateral damage in all of this and it is unfair.

And so the big question here is that what we're going to see in the days and week ahead, if this partial government shutdown continues, and they're expecting to say that you're going to see more delays and more disruptions at airports as more TSA workers call out.

[03:50:00]

Camila DeChalus, CNN, Arlington, Virginia.

HUNTE: Severe weather continues this weekend across much of the U.S. We will have the latest forecast for you after this break.

See you in a moment.

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HUNTE: Welcome back. A high impact storm system is bringing a dangerous mix of severe thunderstorms, heavy snow, and strong winds to a big chunk of the United States this weekend.

CNN Meteorologist Chris Warren has the forecast for us.

CHRIS WARREN, CNN METEOROLOGIST: We're tracking a massive winter storm and record heat. First, the winter storm with blizzard warnings up and winter weather alert spanning more than a dozen states and will be impacting more than 20 million people.

This will be a big time snow producer as well. Even just outside of Minneapolis, it is possible there could be two feet of snow, the upper peninsula of Michigan, possibly three feet of snow with this. Dangerous travel can be expected. And this same system that'll be working through the Great Lakes and eventually off into the northeast will bring some dangerous, severe thunderstorms as well.

So, this threat continuing throughout the day, Sunday and into Monday.

[03:55:00]

And the threat for severe thunderstorms includes damaging winds. Tornadoes can't be ruled out. That's a possibility. Also, large hail continues again here on Monday now from Florida all the way up to Upstate New York.

Then the temperatures, have you noticed that, how different it has been in just a couple of days in the East while the serious heat is going to be expanding here in the west. First, a look at these temperatures that after seeing readings in some areas, well into the 70s, even near 80s in the Eastern Time zone, Monday will be another day, relatively mild in the 50s in Boston to around 60 degrees in New York and 70 in D.C. But by Tuesday, that cold air settles in, and these are high temperatures, high right around 39 degrees in Washington, D.C.

Meanwhile, in the west, still the beginning of this heat with the heat is going to linger through much of the week. And for Los Angeles, 80 degrees here on Sunday, 91 by Tuesday, and Phoenix, 98 degrees, you're going to be well into the triple digits by the end of the week. And with that, the potential is there with possibly more than 300 daily records falling in the coming days. HUNTE: We are just hours away from finding out who's walking away of Hollywood's top prizes. Final touches to the red carpet are underway ahead of Sunday's Academy Awards. This year's competition for those Oscar statues is fierce from Sinners' record-breaking number of nominations to the highly anticipated battle for best actor with Michael B. Jordan and Timothee Chalamet among the top contenders.

Chicago's uniquely colorful St. Patrick's Day tradition took place on Saturday. Each year, the city embraces Ireland's patron saints by turning its river green. Thousands of onlookers watched as a local plumbing union cast the emerald die along Chicago's main water. Well, that's pretty cool.

That's all I've got for you. Thanks for joining me in the team. I'm Ben Hunte in Atlanta, and I will see you tomorrow. Our coverage continues after a very quick break.

Kim, over to you. See you later.

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