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Trump Urges Countries to Help in Securing Strait of Hormuz; CNN Provides an Update on War with Iran; How Americans View the Iran War; FCC Chair Threatens U.S. T.V. Networks Over Iran War Coverage; Global Oil Prices Spike As War With Iran Enters Third Week; Large Crowds Gather For Al Quds Day Demonstrations In London; U.S. & Israel Indicate Iran War Will Keep Going For Weeks; Oscars Honor This Year's Biggest Films And Top Talents. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired March 16, 2026 - 02:00   ET

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

[02:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to all of you watching here in the United States and around the world. I'm Rosemary Church.

We are continuing our breaking news coverage of the U.S. and Israeli war with Iran now in its third week. President Donald Trump is urging other countries to help keep the critical Strait of Hormuz secure. And he now has a blunt message for NATO. In an interview with the Financial Times, he warned NATO faces a -- quote -- "very bad future if U.S. allies fail to assist in securing the strategic waterway." He spoke more about that earlier aboard Air Force One. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: We are talking to other countries about working us on the policing of the strait, and I think we're getting a good response. If we do, that's great. And if we don't, that's great, too. But remember, like, as an example in many cases in NATO countries, we're always there for NATO. We're helping them with Ukraine, it has got an ocean in between us. Doesn't affect us. But we've helped them. It would be interesting to see what country wouldn't help us with a very small endeavor which is just keeping this strait open.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: China is one of the countries President Trump is urging to help address shipping disruption sparked by the war. And he now says he may have to postpone a planned summit with Xi Jinping.

Meantime, Israel says it's planning at least three more weeks of its campaign against Iran with -- quote -- "thousands of targets remaining." Israel's military claims it struck more than 200 targets in one day, taking aim at what it called Iran's ballistic missile capabilities and air defense systems.

CNN's Ivan Watson joins us now live from Hong Kong. Good to see you, Ivan. So, a fuel tank caught fire near Dubai International Airport after a drone-related incident early Monday. What is the latest on that and, of course, attacks across the region?

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Right, the Dubai authorities said that this was some kind of drone incident and it resulted in temporarily suspending operations at this very busy, normally busy air hub.

And there were reports. We spoke with a passenger who was supposed to be getting on a plane to New York. He described hundreds of people sitting on the ground. The fire has been contained. And Emirates Airlines has said that there will be limited operations resumed at 10 a.m. local time. This is only one of a number of times that drones and other projectiles appear to have targeted Dubai airport. Other airports across the Gulf, from Kuwait to Bahrain to Doha, have also been apparent targets over the course of the past two and a half weeks.

Iran says it has fired more than 700 ballistic missiles and more than 3,600 drones since it initially came under a joint surprise bombing attack from the U.S. and Israel. The French president, Emmanuel Macron, actually spoke with the Iranian president and urged Iran to stop these -- quote -- " unacceptable attacks on other Middle Eastern countries." In the past, the Iranian president, Masoud Pezeshkian, has said Iran will no longer be attacking kind of civilian infrastructure. But, as we've seen, these attacks have continued on oil depots, on ships, cargo ships in the area.

Meanwhile, Israel has continued its bombardment of Iran, saying it hit at least 200 targets in a single day. It says that it is targeting kind of military infrastructure and things belonging to the security forces in Iran. But the death toll continues to rise there with the Iranian government saying more than 1,300 civilians have been killed in Iran throughout a bit more than two weeks of fighting thus far.

CHURCH: All right. Thanks to Ivan Watson for bringing us that update. Appreciate it.

Iranian crowds were seen chanting "death to America" and "death to Israel" after strikes rained down near a rally.

[02:05:03]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(CHANTING)

CHURCH: In this video, which was verified by CNN, a religious singer is performing in front of a large crowd in city of Hamedan. They were there to commemorate those they are calling the martyrs of the Ramadan War. After strikes were seen near the city, the singer started the chants.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Well, Iran's foreign minister says Tehran is open to holding talks with countries wanting to safely access the Strait of Hormuz and has already been approached by several of them. Speaking with CBS News on Sunday, he shut down President Trump's claim that Iran has asked for a ceasefire. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ABBAS ARAGHCHI, FOREIGN MINISTER OF IRAN: We never asked for a ceasefire, and we have never asked even for negotiation. We are ready to defend ourselves as long as it takes. And this is what we have done so far. And we continue to do that until present time comes to the point that this is an illegal war with no victory.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Joining me now is Mina Al-Oraibi, editor-in-chief of "The National," a daily newspaper based in Abu Dhabi. Appreciate you joining us.

MINA AL-ORAIBI, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, THE NATIONAL: Thank you for having me.

CHURCH: So, with Iran continuing to use its considerable leverage over the Strait of Hormuz to block oil supplies getting through, President Trump is now threatening NATO member nations with what he calls a bad future if they fail to help the U.S. secure access through that vital waterway and also pressing Asian nations. But, so far, he doesn't appear to be getting firm commitments on this. So, how likely is it that that will change?

AL-ORAIBI: The problem with the current American approach is he's expecting people to come in, countries to come in to support the Strait of Hormuz, keep it clear, but there isn't an American willingness to lead this effort, this, you know, call on allies, call on Asian countries, clearly because the world's economy is all affected by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

But for many countries, first, there's a sense that Israel and the U.S. went ahead with this war, and Iran has gone and retaliated in a way that basically is the worst possible scenario that the world feared, if this will happen, that then, of course, it would affect the world's economy.

I think that the approach of the U.S. administration to just expect countries to rise up and fill in this gap rather than be the one to coordinate and lead as a coalition has left many countries in this confused state of not necessarily getting involved because their approaches, we are in a defensive position, but we don't want to be in a position where we're a part of an offensive that the U.S. and Israel has launched. Also, then, of course, this Iranian approach of striking at different countries, we've seen vessels flagged from different countries being dragged into the war. So, I think this lack of coordination, understanding of what is the long-term strategy here is leaving this gap. Now, behind closed doors, there is American diplomacy. People are

reaching out not only to the U.S., but also regional countries here of what can be done and how long will this take, especially since it isn't clear that duration of the war itself -- as you mentioned earlier in the program, Israel has said several weeks, but there's no guarantee, first of all, how long those several weeks actually will be and also what Iran's calculation will be long-term in terms of its almost piracy approach of keeping the strait closed and threatening countries from all over the world.

CHURCH: Right. And, of course, we are hearing three weeks, but we don't know. Of course, it's hard to ever estimate that. So, what about the Gulf states? Because they have remained on a defensive footing even as Iran strikes at various targets inside their countries. But at this point, they're refusing to be drawn into this war. What's the thinking behind that approach and could it change as this war drags on?

AL-ORAIBI: Thinking behind the approaches, they would like to deescalate and minimize the war rather than widen it. It seems that Iran wants to expand as much as possible. In the first few days of the war, we even saw Turkey and Azerbaijan being targeted in this war, but also the fact the repeated attacks on civilian infrastructure, trying to destabilize the Gulf as much as possible. Gulf, in their mind, is it's better to deescalate and try to bring it together. If they were to join the war, it is a calculation that would mean they could bring the war perhaps to a swifter end.

[02:09:57]

But, at the moment, the calculation is it would be a further expansion of the war, and that is something they are very keen to avoid. They also want to make sure that it is clear not only to Iran, but to the world that they are in a defensive mode and that this is a belligerent act from Iran. And this will have long-term consequences, both in terms of Iran in front of the world, possible U.N. measures on the long term, reparations possibly in the long term. So, as long as they are in defensive mode, they are on the right side of international law.

CHURCH: Right. And as we just discussed, the White House and Israel say this war will go on for at least three more weeks as gas and oil prices soared. But the White House does say that it could end sooner. Again, we don't know and they probably don't know. But what do you make of that difference in timelines from the U.S. and Israel?

AL-ORAIBI: The aims of this war continue to change or shift, depending on the statements coming out from Israel and coming out from the United States. It seems that for Israel, they want to make sure that Iran's military capability is completely eroded. That includes, of course, missile rocket launchers, which are very easy to shift around in the country in the grand scheme of things, but also to really undercut the regime.

In the U.S., we started at the beginning of this war in February hearing that regime change was on the cards. Now, that has been taken away. So, as the aims shift, those targets are also shifting.

CHURCH: And, of course, there's still no visual of the new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei. What do you think that means exactly?

AL-ORAIBI: There are repeated reports that he has been injured. And the fact that his first statement was not even in his own voice, let alone actually seeing him, seems to solidify that thinking, that he is not able to appear in a way that would really get the confidence of the Iranian street. And also, let's not forget all the different security apparatus that are working in the dark somewhat with the amount of communication that has been disrupted inside of Iran.

So, it has not helped in any way to dispel the rumors about his health. And I think the fact that he has yet to be seen, it was the last Friday of Ramadan, last Friday, you would have expected something from him, especially if he's trying to solidify his role as supreme leader of Iran. So, it's very hard to verify. And journalistically, we cannot go off rumors, but it does raise a lot of questions about how his welfare is.

CHURCH: Mina Al-Oraibi, thank you so much for joining us. We really appreciate your perspective and analysis.

Still to come, we will have more from the White House on President Trump's push to get China and U.S. allies to help secure the Strait of Hormuz. Plus, the GOP and MAGA Republicans react to the war in Iran. What the latest poll numbers are saying. That's just ahead.

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[02:15:00]

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CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. The latest polls show how Americans as a whole feel about the war with Iran. But what's interesting is Republican sentiment, especially when you consider that President Trump promised to keep the country out of exactly this sort of conflict. For more, I'm joined by CNN senior political analyst and Bloomberg opinion columnist, Ron Brownstein. Good to see you, Ron.

RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST, OPINION COLUMNIST FOR BLOOMBERG: Hi, Rosemary.

CHURCH: So, what do these latest polls reveal and, more specifically, what do they say about Republican sentiment when it comes to the war in Iran and, of course, the impact it could have on the midterms?

BROWN: Yes. Well, generally, Republican voters have been -- remained extremely supportive of the war which, as you say, is kind of surprising given the view that -- going back to 2016, one of the reasons Donald Trump emerged as a force in the Republican primary was his criticism of the neo-conservative vision of George W. Bush and the idea of these endless wars in the Middle East. It really is a reminder that for the rank and file Republican Party, they are willing to follow Donald Trump almost anywhere he goes, at least in the near term.

The problem, of course, he's got is that the war faces overwhelming opposition, really unprecedented levels of opposition at the onset of a conflict among independent and Democratic voters. Maybe not entirely surprising given how cursory an effort he made to try to persuade or even explain why we were doing this to the country before it began.

But still, something that I think leaves him, as I've said to you before, on a narrow ledge where -- since there was not a lot of buy-in at the front end, there is probably not a lot of tolerance among the American public for significant costs for this in any kind, damage in the region, casualties from American troops, and most immediately for them, higher gas prices.

CHURCH: And, of course, U.S. voters still appear to care more about the affordability issue. But, of course, the longer the Iran war drags on, the tougher it will get for those same voters with oil and gas prices surging. What are Americans saying about that and how concerned is President Trump about all of these?

BROWN: I mean, that real -- I think that is the real political risk here for the president, kind of the rebound effect. I mean, it's important to remember that he was elected above all in 2024. In the polling, it was very clear in the exit polling, his voters, the top issue for them was affordability, the cost of living, and inflation. He was above all to bring that under control. He was elected above all to bring that under control.

And even before this war began, that was his biggest vulnerability, that a majority of Americans did not feel that he was making sufficient progress on the problem that they elected him above all to solve. He has had disapproval consistently higher on the economy than at any point in his first term and specifically on inflation. The share of Americans who disapprove of his performance sometimes reaches as high as two-thirds. So, you take the issue that was the most important for why people elected him. They feel to begin that he has not made sufficient progress on it.

[02:20:00]

Now, he has launched a war that most people do not support and do not feel he has explained why he has launched the war. That compounds the problem, that they felt that he was not dealing with it in the first place. I mean, that is a recipe for, you know, a lot of political turbulence.

CHURCH: But, of course, despite all of these, it's not necessarily good news for the Democrats, is it? Voters unhappy with them as well. So, what are the Democrats need to be doing right now to erase these doubts out there about their ability to lead and turn the fortunes around of Americans and the country?

BROWN: Well, you know, I actually think the evidence is that midterms are far more about the president in the White House and the party out of the White House. Clearly, the Democrats are dealing with an erosion of confidence in them and the American public. As I said to you before, I think they are in their weakest position since before the rise of Bill Clinton in 1992 after they lost those three landslide elections in the 80s to Reagan and George H.W. Bush.

But for the midterm, the key variable is the approval rating of incoming president. In both 2018 and 2020, 90 percent of voters who said they disapproved of Trump's performance voted Democratic for the House. We saw that relationship even stronger in the New Jersey and Virginia governor's races where about 93 percent of people who disapproved of Trump voted for the Democratic candidates.

And if his disapproval rating stays as high as it is now, usually at 55 percent or above, you can do the math. That is, you know, daunting prospect for Republican candidates almost anywhere where there will be a competitive race.

At the least, what this war is doing is just burning down more weeks of the clock, where he is not able to drive any kind of message or deliver really improvement on the economy, on the issue that people care the most about, because if nothing else, in the short term, gas prices are going to make them, I think, even more frustrated about the strains on their cost of living.

So, you know, I think even though Republican elected officials are looking at Republican voters staying with Trump and, therefore, they're staying with Trump, I think that even more like Republican elected officials, a few weeks of high gas prices are going to make even some of them nervous about where this is going.

CHURCH: Right. And, of course, while the Iran war plays out, while oil and gas prices surge, the backdrop to all of these is there's a partial government shutdown that's continuing to cause chaos at airports around the country. What's going to happen there? Who's going to be forced to give in here? I mean, do you think the Democrats -- does President Trump care about what is happening and the ramifications of this? Is he going to give in?

BROWN: You know, we had seen airport security lines as the pressure point in the past. That have forced an end to government shutdowns. Plus, the concerns about safety in the air. Now, of course, you have the added risk of, in the aftermath of this war, threats of terrorism, domestic terrorism. And we've seen several incidents that likely, when the investigations are done, will be seen to be, I think, inspired by this war. So, there's a lot of pressure to end the shutdown.

Historically, the shutdown weapon has not been strong enough to get a president to do something that they don't want to do, as we talked about before, whether it was Newt Gingrich in '95 shutting down the government over the budget, or Ted Cruz shutting down the government in 2013, trying to force changes in Obamacare.

The difference is that what the Democrats have been asking for here in terms of changes of immigration enforcement may be pushing on an open door in the sense that Trump himself clearly has seen to recognize the need for at least some recalibration on immigration. Kristi Noem is out. There has not been another deployment like we saw in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Minneapolis. So, in theory, there is a way, you know, toward an agreement that would allow both sides to save face.

But the longer it goes on, you know, as I said, historically, this has not really been a powerful enough lever to get a president to do something he doesn't want to do. So, the question is, what does Trump want to do? Does he want to recalibrate on immigration? Obviously, that's all on the back burner now with the war front and center.

CHURCH: Indeed. Ron Brownstein, many thanks for joining us and sharing your political analysis. Appreciate it.

BROWN: Thanks for having me.

CHURCH: Well, the Trump administration is threatening to go after U.S. T.V. networks for their coverage of the war with Iran. The head of the Federal Communications Commission, Brendan Carr, is warning local broadcasters could lose their licenses over what he deems as fake news coverage. CNN's chief media analyst, Brian Stelter, breaks it down for us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN STELTER, CNN CHIEF MEDIA ANALYST, AUTHOR, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT FOR VANITY FAIR: The Trump administration's threats against T.V. stations are back front and center. And this time, it's happening as the president is fuming about how the Iran war is being covered and scrutinized by American media outlets.

[02:25:03]

Trump's handpicked FCC chairman, Brendan Carr, used his public megaphone on Saturday to threaten broadcasters, seemingly trying to pressure them into softening news coverage. First Amendment advocates, free speech scholars, they were appalled by what they called an authoritarian and unconstitutional post by Carr. It's certainly unheard of in modern American history.

But the threat is ultimately pretty hollow because there's very little Carr can actually do to follow through, and he'll likely be stymied by the courts if he tries to. T.V. stations are not at serious risk of being banned from the U.S. air ways because of the crusade.

But Carr's comments do still carry a lot of weight because he represents the U.S. government. Carr was in Florida visiting Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Saturday when he posted this on X: Quote -- "Broadcasters that are running hoaxes and news distortions -- also known as the fake news -- have a chance now to correct course before their license renewals come up." The law is clear, Carr wrote. Broadcasters must operate in the public interest or they will lose their licenses if they do not.

Now, as a practical matter, the FCC has not denied a license renewal in decades. If the government tries to take a license away, it will probably cause a protracted legal battle. And given Trump's tendency toward retribution and his public comments against T.V. networks, it could be really strong First Amendment case. So, the system seems to favor existing station owners. And we should keep in mind, cable channels like this one, CNN, are not licensed by the U.S. government and neither are streaming platforms like Netflix. But yes, local T.V. and radio stations are licensed.

And we've seen in the past year how some media companies with station licenses have caved or submitted or even self-censored, sometimes trying to win U.S. government approval for mergers. That was a concern last year at CBS parent company Paramount. And now, Paramount is planning to buy CNN's parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery.

So, Carr's threat gained a lot of attention and lot of criticism over the weekend. And it seemed he probably wanted that attention because he's using his bully pulpit in order to influence network choices and station choices. Many Democrats came out and condemned Carr for doing so. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer reacted by saying -- quote -- "This is vindictive, fascist stuff." And he said, "If Carr continues down this route, Democrats will hold him accountable. Threatening broadcasters' licenses for war coverage this administration doesn't like is the worst thing Carr has done -- and that's saying something."

Now, Trump might say it's the best thing Carr has done. He praised Carr in a Truth Social post on Sunday night, saying -- quote -- "Looking at the licenses of some of these corrupt and highly unpatriotic "news" organizations is the right thing to do."

Now, the key line there, the key word is unpatriotic. Trump and his allies are trying to smear news outlets as being unpatriotic for independently covering the Iran war. But history shows that most people see through that kind of rhetoric. Most people want and expect the press corps to provide independent coverage, independent scrutiny of what is going on when lives are at stake.

Brian Stelter, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: And we'll return with the latest on the war with Iran after a short break. Still to come, an update on the drone incident at the Dubai airport that's forcing airlines to suspend flights. Back with that and more in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:31:32]

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: The disruption in the Strait of Hormuz is sending oil prices soaring to their highest level since 2022. Brent crude, the global benchmark, surpassed $106 a barrel earlier. Right now, it's at $104. It's $104.1.

So, U.S. oil has also spiked. The surge causing U.S. gas prices to rise some 24 percent since the start of the conflict. That's according to the AAA auto association.

For more on how the escalating conflict is impacting the Middle East, let's bring in CNN's Eleni Giokos, who joins us live from Dubai.

So, Eleni, what all are you seeing with this?

ELENI GIOKOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah. So what we're seeing with the oil price is clear contagion overall in terms of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz that is, you know, removing essentially 20 million barrels of oil per day that normally passes through this critical energy choke point. That is having ramifications not only on WTI, but in Brent crude, but also a lot of the downstream products.

So, we're talking about fertilizer, jet fuel and even aluminum for example, has increased dramatically in price. A lot of these products pass through the Strait of Hormuz. But essentially with the efforts from the international energy agency to release 400 million --400 million barrels of oil per day -- overall, pardon me, this is very important move because as they're calling it, the largest supply disruption in the history of global oil markets.

So, Rosemary, what we're essentially seeing is over the weekend, President Donald Trump saying naval escorts still on the table, asking other countries to come in and assist to try and move some of these tankers. But again, not getting firm commitment from the countries that he's put on the table, like Japan, for example, the U.K., France and China.

Really interesting to see what is happening early this week because at the end of the day, for as long as the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, we're going to see not only a spike in oil prices, but also importantly, the way that its affecting people at the gas price pump when they go, you know, fill up their tanks in the United States. But frankly, around the world as well.

CHURCH: And, Eleni, let's look at that drone incident at the Dubai international airport. What is the latest information you have on that?

GIOKOS: Yeah. So, this is really interesting. And I think we really need to pay attention to what happened this morning specifically after the IRGC had threatened to launch retaliatory strikes into the UAE after Kharg Island was attacked. The fuel tank caught alight according to authorities, after this drone incident in the vicinity of Dubai International Airport, causing a suspension of flights overall, but also importantly, what we've been hearing is the disruption not only about flights leaving Dubai, but also coming into Dubai.

Authorities actually closed the roads leading into the airport and you can see plumes of smoke as well as the fire that was ignited this happened at around 3:30 a.m. local time and also about an hour ago. The ministry of defense was saying that they were dealing with missile and drone threats.

What we're also hearing from passengers that were meant to take flights today. One person was telling me going to London that they were able to rebook a flight for tomorrow after they received a of disruption another person that was meant to take a repatriation flight to Greece. Now that flight has been delayed. [02:35:00]

Also, a family that was coming into Dubai from South Africa were diverted back to Johannesburg.

Authorities also say a contingency plan is in place where they'll move some flights from Dubai International Airport to Al Maktoum Airport. It is a newer airport. That's coming through.

But also keeping in mind that Dubai international airport is the busiest airport in the world. So, these kind of disruptions causing havoc for passengers and cargo alike.

CHURCH: All right. Eleni Giokos joining us there live from Dubai -- many thanks.

Well, large crowds gathered for Al Quds Day demonstrations in Central London on Sunday.

CNN's Jomana Karadsheh spoke to those taking part.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We are at the London Quds Day demonstration. This is an annual event that was started by the founder of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, after the 1979 revolution. It is marked every year, and it's meant to be a show of solidarity and support for the Palestinian people.

What they would usually do is walk through London, it's a march. But this year, they have been banned from doing so by the police and British authorities because they say that there is high risk, severe risk of public disorder.

KARADSHEH (voice-over): This event is highly controversial this year. It has drawn accusations of being a platform for antisemitism. Organizers deny that.

MASSOUD SHADJAREH, CHAIR, ISLAMIC HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION: The reality is that the Quds Day is for standing in support of Palestinians and all who are oppressed. So, if tomorrow, people in Timbuktu are oppressed, we will have to stand up for their rights.

KARADSHEH: What about the Iranians who are being oppressed by the regime? Is that not also people who are being oppressed?

SHADJAREH: Look, if people are oppressed by the regime and there is a due process and so forth, we have had in Britain over 2,000 people being arrested under anti-terrorism law for just holding a placard.

KARADSHEH: We have heard from British authorities saying that one of the reasons they have decided to ban the march this year, and to put serious security restrictions on this gathering, is because they say some of the organizers, they are supportive of the Iranian regime.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We gather here, and I remind you of this man, this great martyr, this great shaheed, who is not amongst us but is still alive amongst us.

KARADSHEH: The situation is so volatile this year that the police have had to use the River Thames to separate this protest from the counter-protesters on the other side where you see the flags of the U.S., Israel and Iran under the monarchy. They also have been restricted, not allowed to march and only allowed to gather in that area.

People are here for different reasons. Some say they're here to support Palestine. They're against Israel. You also have people who are here obviously, as you can see, to support the Iranian regime as well as those who say they're just against war.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: As I said, you've seen it time and time again with all these Middle Eastern countries. Nothing positive has happened from the intervention. So, I really think they deserve that liberation. But it needs to come from them. And hopefully, one day, we'll be able to see that.

KARADSHEH: From what we've seen and heard today and the level of polarization in this country and the massive security operation, it is very clear that the effects of this war can be felt far beyond the Middle East.

Jomana Karadsheh, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Many pets have been left abandoned as people flee from the Middle East due to the war with Iran. Just ahead, an organization that's helping to find them new homes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:42:31]

CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone.

President Trump is ramping up pressure on NATO allies as his administration calls on other countries to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. He says the U.S. is not yet prepared to make a deal with Tehran to end the war. U.S. and Israeli officials are now indicating that the conflict may keep going for at least several more weeks.

CNN's Nada Bashir has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In Tehran, morning traffic moves under banners of Iranian missiles two weeks of bombardment, and life keeps going.

On Saturday, thousands turned out for a rally in support of the country's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, a leader rallying his people from the shadows he has not been seen publicly since taking power. President Donald Trump questions whether he is even alive. But the strikes keep coming, too. Isfahan hit on Sunday, smoke rising over one of Iran's oldest cities. The bombardment is relentless and for now, there is no indication Washington wants to slow down.

Trump posted on Truth Social this week. His words, "The United States of America has beaten and completely decimated Iran but the countries of the world that receive oil through the Hormuz Strait must take care of that passage."

Israel's foreign minister said the war would end when the U.S. and Israel decide its appropriate to do so. Interceptors lighting up the sky above Tel Aviv. Most brought down. But the message is clear, whatever Washington and Jerusalem say about timetables, Iran is still in this fight.

Tehran has a counter move. Iran vows to keep fighting and is squeezing the Strait of Hormuz, cutting off one of the world's most important supply routes for crude oil and natural gas.

MOHSEN REZAEI, IRANIAN EXPEDIENCY COUNCIL: The Strait of Hormuz will not be open to shipping. Not a single American Navy vessel will be allowed to enter the Persian Gulf. How this war ends is in our control.

BASHIR (voice-over): Prices are jumping, insurers pulling back, shipping companies finding longer routes. And so, the new target for U.S. strikes, Kharg Island, Iran's main crude export hub, handling about 90 percent of its oil exports.

Up close, a vast industrial complex built to pump Iran's lifeblood to the global economy now in the crosshairs.

[02:45:03]

Another country in the crosshairs is Lebanon. For a moment, the sky above Beirut's southern suburbs holds something other than smoke. But on the ground, there is no such reprieve. Nearly a million people in Lebanon are on the move, fleeing strikes across the country.

In Sidon, the aftermath -- shattered buildings, emptied streets. In Beirut's suburbs, entire blocks reduced to rubble. Families camped out on Beirut's beloved Corniche, escaping Israeli military moves through southern Lebanon. Each advance pulls this country deeper into a war it has no capacity to absorb.

Two weeks of bombardment and Iran's government is still standing. That is the point. Tehran is not trying to win militarily. It is trying to make this war too expensive to continue.

With Hormuz under pressure, Gulf terminals threatened and Lebanon now bearing the human cost, that pressure is coming from every direction.

Nada Bashir, CNN, in London

(END VIDEOTAPE) CHURCH: An online community is helping pets in the United Arab Emirates that were abandoned by their owners fleeing because of the Iran war.

CNN's Ryan Young has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RYAN YOUNG, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Milo and Bruno were two beloved family dogs left alone after their owners fled the Gulf in the early days of the war. But thanks to an online community of pet rescuers, the pair was adopted in Dubai and now are settling into their new home. Bruno and Milo weren't the only ones left looking for a new home. Strict airline rules and paperwork required to travel with pets has caused many people fleeing the UAE to leave their pets behind.

Now, animal rescuers and shelters in the UAE say they're overwhelmed with the numbers of abandoned pets. In the days following the first strikes, No Pet Left Behind was created as an online community to help abandoned pets in the United Arab Emirates find foster homes and adopters after their owners fled the region.

The community uses a Telegram chat forum for advice and discussions among members. They've also used social media as a way to spread the word, and they now have over 8,000 followers on Instagram.

SHIKA BODANI, CO-FOUNDER, NO PET LEFT BEHIND UAE: You can actually get a lot of resources from the community in terms of people who've already relocated with their pets, advice on that. And then, of course, we can also put you in touch with people who have applied to be foster homes or adoptive homes

No pet left behind partnered with three animal rescuers in the UAE, along with connecting people with local organizations, the community also provides resources for how to relocate out of the region with your pet.

BODANI: We have some amazing volunteers who have stepped forward to help us, who are just amazing, and they do this on a daily basis and it's really incredible to see people band together over their love of animals.

YOUNG (voice-over): When UAE resident Anna saw No Pet Left Behind's photo of Milo and Bruno, she reached out to adopt them.

ANNA JENTGEN, UAE RESIDENT WHO ADOPTED BRUNO AND MILO: The fact that you are incapable of doing anything in the situation makes you kind of lost. So, by being able to support just in the smallest way, by bringing in a pet in your house and taking care of that animal is. I feel like it just gives some sort of purpose in this whole situation that we have absolutely no control over.

YOUNG (voice-over): She said Milo and Bruno were already feeling at home in her backyard. No Pet Left Behind says about 300 people have already signed up to foster or adopt animals in need. They say they hope to see many more success stories like this one.

Ryan Young, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Just ahead on CNN NEWSROOM, a night of glamor and celebration at the Oscars. We will look at the big winners from the Academy Awards. Back with that in just a moment.

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[02:52:53]

CHURCH: The Academy has spoken, and celebrations are kicking off for this year's Oscar winners, the newly crowned best and brightest of the film industry.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: "One Battle After Another".

(CHEERING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: And that was the big winner, Paul Thomas Anderson's "One Battle After Another". The film won six awards, including best picture, best director and best adapted screenplay. It also raked in a win for Sean Penn as best supporting actor.

Ryan Coogler's "Sinners" had earned a record breaking 16 nominations. It won for best original screenplay, best original score, and best cinematography. The best actor Oscar went to Michael B. Jordan for his role as twin brothers in the film. Jessie Buckley won best actress for her emotional performance as a grieving mother in "Hamnet", becoming the first Irish winner of a best actress Oscar. We'll done to all.

And the fan favorite musical "KPop Demon Hunters" made Oscar history of its own. The animated film won Oscars for best animated feature film and best original song for its billboard hit "Golden".

Earlier, CNN All Access was on the red carpet and spoke with actor and comedian Ken Jeong. He provided voice acting for that film.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REPORTER: Ken is now here joining us.

REPORTER: We're live. We are live on CNN.

KEN JEONG, ACTOR & COMEDIAN: CNN.

REPORTER: Okay

JEONG: This is CNN.

REPORTER: Tell us about "KPop Demon Hunters" and the phenomenon that it's become. Are you surprised at how big it is?

JEONG: Yes. I mean, to me, just no one -- we knew we made a great movie, but no one thought it would be this pop cultural zeitgeist juggernaut that it is. It is the gift that keeps on giving.

And it's also a shout out to Maggie Kang, Chris Appleton, the filmmakers, and this amazing cast from Arden Cho, Ji-young Yoo, and May Hong, and also to Ejae, Rei Ami. There are so many people to -- it's one of those moments.

[02:55:00]

It reminds me of "Crazy Rich Asians" where I'm happier for everybody else more than myself. It's just this collective. It's one of the most beautiful things I've been a part of.

REPORTER: Now tonight, one of the performances on the Oscars stage is going to be "Golden". You know I have to ask you, can you sing for us? Can you sing "Golden"?

JEONG: I can't sing it on. We're going up, up, up it's our moment, CNN. You know, together, we're golden, CNN. You know together, we're golden, CNN. Good rehearsal.

REPORTER: That was fantastic.

JEONG: Thank you.

REPORTER: So I heard -- we're going to put that on a loop in all over social media.

So, I heard that a few years ago you actually threw your hat in the ring to be Oscar host. Would you be interested in the job for next year?

JEONG: Oh, I think Conan he is one of my all time comedy heroes. I honestly think there is no one more suited for the Oscars in Conan O'Brien. I cannot wait. He did such a phenomenal job last year and you talk about -- I -- honestly, he is. He is like mayor of show business. He's kids show business. And it\s just so great to watch. I honestly can't wait to watch him tonight.

REPORTER: Now, I have to ask, of course, so many fans love you from the "Hangover" franchise. Are we ever going to get another one?

JEONG: I would be down for it. It really -- the beautiful thing about the "Hangover" series is that as of -- when we filmed the last one, we knew it would be our last. To leave on our own terms would be -- it was incredible. And so, you never -- in the show business, you never really get to leave on your own terms. So there's something beautiful in the last day of filming "Hangover 3" where I remember Todd Phillips had his camera and was just taking photos on set. It was one of those beautiful moments.

So, but having said that, they're family to me. And so, whatever they want to do, I'm down. REPORTER: Hollywood loves a reboot. Ken, we love talking to you. Have

a great time tonight.

JEONG: Thank you so much, guys.

REPORTER: Thanks so much, Ken. Have a great night.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: And I want to thank you for joining us this hour. I'm Rosemary Church. I will be back with more CNN NEWSROOM after a short break. Do stay with us.

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