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Trump: U.S. Airman "Safe and Sound" After Rescue Operation; U.S. and Iran Exchange Threats Over Strikes, DACA Recipient Wins Battle to Overturn Deportation; Pope Leo Celebrates Easter Sunday Mass; Asian Airlines in Tight Squeeze as Jet Fuel Costs Surge; NASA Releases New Photos of Moon Taken Aboard Orion. Aired 4-5a ET

Aired April 05, 2026 - 04:00   ET

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

[04:00:00]

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN Breaking News.

KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to all of you watching us here in the United States, Canada and all around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber in Atlanta.

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Becky Anderson live from our Middle East and Gulf programming headquarters here in Abu Dhabi.

And we begin with breaking news from the war with Iran. President Donald Trump has announced that the second missing American crew member whose fighter jet was shot down over Iran is now safe and sound after being rescued by U.S. forces. The high-stakes search began this week after an F-15 Strike Eagle fighter jet was shot down in the region. CNN's Jim Sciutto reports the airman got in touch with the U.S. military from behind enemy lines on Friday, which set the stage for what was a dramatic rescue operation.

CNN's Brian Todd joining us live from Washington. And Brian, this has been unfolding over the past few hours as we've been learning more. What can you tell us?

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, from our reporting this morning as well as our reporting over the past couple of days, we're piecing together information that really gives a portrait of a very dangerous and daring rescue mission that took place to rescue this second crew member aboard that F-15E fighter jet that went down in Iran on Friday.

President Trump posting on Truth Social a short time ago that the rescued crew member is a colonel, that he did sustain some injuries, but in the president's words, he will, quote, "be just fine." The president's saying that this rescue was in addition to a successful rescue of another pilot yesterday, meaning I believe on Saturday that that's when that occurred, which we did not confirm, according to the president, because we did not want to jeopardize our second rescue mission.

So, the president kind of putting out some information about the messaging that they tried to get forth during these operations to rescue that first crew member and then the second crew member. And, you know, again, the president giving a little bit of detail on this rescue operation itself, posting on Truth Social this, quote, "At my direction, the U.S. military sent dozens of aircraft armed with the most lethal weapons in the world to retrieve him." And again, the president saying that he did sustain injuries, but that he will be fine.

The president also kind of expressing just, you know, some confidence here in the operation, saying the fact that we were able to pull off both of these operations without a single American killed or even wounded just proves again that we have achieved overwhelming air dominance. Some people might argue that, given the fact that this is the second downing of a plane in about a 24-hour period around Friday. The other one was an A-10 Thunderbolt II warplane, also known as the Warthog, that was hit and downed by Iranian forces.

There, though, the pilot was able to navigate his plane out of Iranian airspace and then eject before being rescued. So, two operations, at least actually three operations in the course of about two days for two downed planes, pretty dramatic developments, Becky, and we're pressing U.S. officials for details at this hour on the rescue mission itself for that second crew member aboard the F-15E Stryker jet.

ANDERSON: And the race between the United States and Iran to find this airman. Brian, how close a call was it?

TODD: Well, according to the president himself and according to what we've been able to piece together, it was a very close call. Essentially, it was a race between U.S. forces and Iranian forces to get to this man in that remote region of Iran. The president's saying that this man was behind enemy lines in the treacherous mountains of Iran, being hunted down by our enemies who were getting closer and closer by the hour.

Also, we had learned previous to his rescue that there was, Iranian state media was promising a reward for any information leading to his capture. Iranian officials saying, I believe we quoted one official as saying, "God willing, we are going to capture him before the Americans get to him." We've also had reports that tribal people in that remote area of Iran were shooting at U.S. helicopters who were involved in the rescue operation.

So, by all accounts, Becky, this was a real race to get to this man and the U.S. forces seemingly got to him just in time.

ANDERSON: CNN's Brian Todd is in Washington. Brian, thank you.

[04:05:00]

I want to bring in Fawaz Gerges. He's a professor of international relations at the London School of Economics and the author of "The Great Betrayal: The Struggle for Freedom and Democracy in the Middle East." It's good to have you this morning, Fawaz, thank you.

And I want to discuss with you where you believe things stand at this point with regard this war in Iran. And what happens next? Before we do that, Fawaz, what do you make of the news unfolding in the past couple of hours and the rescue of this U.S. airman?

FAWAZ GERGES, PROFESSOR OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS: Well, Becky, for your audience, the first point is that we are cutting, we're cutting one side of the story. We're cutting President Trump's side of the story. The greatest military in the world, no American serviceman was injured or killed. We have total air dominance of Europe. This is President Trump's basically point of view.

The other point of view, here what we know, hundreds of American special operations were involved in this operation, hundreds. This is the top of the top American forces. The scores of jets, helicopters, technology, the CIA, and two transport American planes were basically were blown up by American forces because they somehow, they malfunctioned.

Imagine, Becky, just for your own audience, this was, this is a mountainous area in Iran. The Islamic Revolutionary Forces and the Iranian army was hardly present there. They relied on volunteers. They relied on tribal people. They had very primitive weapons. And the American special forces basically avoided a direct clash with the Iranian army forces that they were having that particular way.

The reason why I'm giving you all this information, imagine an operation, an American operation to try to extract any kind of enriched uranium from the heart of Iranian territories, whether in Tehran or any area that's very well protected by Iranian forces. Many things could have gone wrong last night. Many think that this was really a very risky operation.

It does not really mean that the United States has total air dominance, as we have seen in the past 48 hours. Two jets were down, one helicopter was hit. And the rescue operation, all in all, all in all, this is a very, very dangerous war and it's piling out of control. The rescue operation does not basically bring anything new in this kind of what we're talking about on the past four weeks or so.

ANDERSON: But a successful operation nonetheless, and certainly it suggests, Fawaz, that the U.S. is able to operate within Iran, given everything you've said, you know, still a successful operation at this point. Let's talk about this war though, this incredibly dangerous war and what happens next.

It's just after half past 11:00 in the morning on Sunday in Tehran, just after midday here in Abu Dhabi and around this region, sustained attacks once again on the UAE here in Abu Dhabi, on Bahrain, on Kuwait and Saudi. In the past hours, strikes that have resulted in damage from debris to petrochemicals and energy sites. This all ahead of the sort of 36-hour window that Donald Trump has given Iran to either cut a deal or open the Strait of Hormuz. It feels like we are at a very, very important and frankly, dangerous part of this conflict.

What do you make of the sort of the risks at this point and potentially, the end of this war should a deal still be possible in the days to come? GERGES: You know, Becky, this is the most dangerous moment in the American-Israeli war in Iran. I think we are reaching a tipping point. I think everyone I know, all my colleagues, were extremely anxious about what comes next. I believe that what comes next is much worse than what we have seen in the past four weeks or so. And even though what we have seen is extremely catastrophic in terms of civilian casualties, in terms of infrastructure, in terms of economic pain and what have you.

[04:10:00]

President Trump now has boxed himself in. His ultimatum to Iran basically shows that he has not really left himself with a wiggle room. Either Iran has to be compliant, has to surrender, has to accept Donald Trump's basically conditions or the president, President Trump, will have to give up his seat in the White House. Will most likely authorize the American military to destroy the civilian and the infrastructure in Iran, including water plants and energy and what have you.

And the question is, the question that President Trump and the American military have to answer to the American people and the world, will the American military accept any authorization to systematically target Iran's civilian infrastructure that is seen by most international attorneys as war crimes, point one.

Point two, what will Iran do? Iran, as where you are, Iran has threatened to target all the energy infrastructure in the region, whether it's in the United Arab Emirates or in Kuwait or Bahrain or Saudi Arabia and Qatar. And what does this really mean? It means the destruction, the systemic destruction of the global energy supplies in the mean. What does it really mean? Double shock to the world economy, double shock to the American economy.

So, the question is, this is where we are now. Everyone is waiting to see what really President Trump will do. My hope, my take, knowing this particular president is that this president again will expand the deadline. That's what we hope. That's the only, because otherwise, I think what we're going to see, total war, total destruction of energy infrastructure in Iran and the neighborhood. And not just in terms of civilian casualties, war crimes committed on a much bigger scale that we have seen so far.

ANDERSON: Well, Fawaz, I'm going to leave it there. I'm sorry that that was such a pessimistic note, but your analysis is incredibly important. And it is clearly, you know, an incredibly important point in this conflict. To have you on is enormously valuable. Thank you very much indeed for joining us. And we will have a lot more from the Middle East coming up.

I will now though, get you back to Kim in Atlanta.

BRUNHUBER: All right. Thanks so much, Becky. Straight ahead, we'll take you live to the Vatican where Pope Leo will be leading his first Easter mass as pontiff. And a woman is celebrating a legal victory after she was briefly deported and separated from her daughter. Just ahead, we'll fill you in on her legal battles. Those stories and more coming up. Stay with U.S.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:15:00]

BRUNHUBER: A mother and her daughter in California are together again after a 40-day separation during which the parent was deported. She lived in the U.S. under DACA, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. But as Gonzalo Alvarado reports, a court agreed that her rights were violated.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GONZALO ALVARADO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is the moment a mother and a daughter are reunited after weeks shaped by deportation and uncertainty. A five-minute hug after Maria de Jesus Estrada was allowed to return to the U.S.

ALVARADO: How would you describe these 40 days being apart?

MARIA DE JESUS ESTRADA JUAREZ, DACA RECIPIENT: I feel like I was, I feel like I was dead.

ALVARADO (voice-over): Maria de Jesus is a DACA recipient, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. And last February, while attending a routine immigration hearing in California, she was detained and quickly deported to Mexico.

DAMARIS BELLO, MARIA'S DAUGHTER: I would describe it as detrimental and traumatic.

ALVARADO (voice-over): Suddenly, her efforts to obtain the U.S. residency through her U.S. citizen daughter were cut short.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She did what people are told to do when they're applying for residency. Instead, she was detained and deported in less than 24 hours. She did not get to speak with a lawyer. She did not get a real chance to challenge what was happening to her.

ALVARADO (voice-over): After navigating a maze of legal hurdles and refusing to accept her case was over, the fight pushed through the courts until a federal judge ruled in her favor, ordering that Maria be allowed to return to the U.S. It's the first case of its kind in the country.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A federal court looked at the facts and agreed that Maria was in DACA status and could not be removed. The court ordered that the government bring back Maria and restore her back to the status quo as if this unlawful removal never happened.

BELLO: Obviously, her rights were violated and I wasn't going to let that happen.

ALVARADO (voice-over): In a statement sent to CNN, the Department of Homeland Security says that Estrada had been deported for illegally re-entering the U.S. after a judge ordered her removal back in 1998. And also highlights that any DACA recipient may be subject to arrest and deportation for a number of reasons, including if they have committed a crime.

Between January and November 2025, ICE arrested 261 DACA recipients. 86 of them were deported, according to a letter that then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem sent to Congress in late February.

JUAREZ (through translator): They don't understand the magnitude of the harm they cause not just economically, physically, or mentally, but emotionally. Above all, it's the separation from family.

ALVARADO (voice-over): Though her legal journey isn't over, she will be able to pursue DACA renewal and seek permanent residency from the U.S., her attorney says, but for now --

JUAREZ: All the work, all the hard work, all the sacrifices, they paid off today.

JUAREZ (through translator): My case will help other keep fighting without stopping until they can be reunited with their families. They suffering may have been worth it.

ALVARADO (voice-over): Now, mother and daughter hope to make the most of every minute together. A wish Maria de Jesus asked of the Virgin of Guadalupe while in Mexico. And now she says it was granted.

[04:20:00]

JUAREZ: But I'll be OK now.

ALVARADO (voice-over): Gonzalo Alvarado, CNN, at the border crossing of San Isidro, Tijuana.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: All right. We're looking at live pictures as worshippers are gathering in St. Peter's Square for Pope Leo's first Easter Mass as pontiff. Catholics around the world are celebrating what they say was the resurrection of Jesus, and Pope Leo will also deliver his Easter message and give a blessing.

For more, I want to bring in CNN's Vatican correspondent, Christopher Lamb, joining us live from Rome. So, as we see that religious service going on right now, obviously lots of interest in the Pope's message, which is coming up later. You're there, take us through what's happening right now and what we're expecting.

CHRISTOPHER LAMB, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kim, the mass is getting underway in St. Peter's Square. There's thousands of people here in the square and just behind us at the entrance to it. You also see that there are flowers that have been arranged around the altar. That's always the tradition on Easter Sunday. It evokes a sense of joy because this is really the highlight of the church's year, and we are expecting to hear from Pope Leo twice this morning. First, in his reflection at Mass, and then from the balcony of St. Peter's, where he gives his Easter blessing and message. And I think we can expect to hear comments about war, about the need for this festival, this feast, to communicate a sense of peace to the world. That's, I think, what he's been trying to do throughout this Holy Weekend Easter celebrations. And, you know, we saw on Good Friday, Leo carrying the cross around the Colosseum, first Pope in decades to do that, and prayers that were said for children, immigrant children who have been deported.

And also, a warning to those with authority that their actions will be judged, and, you know, including whether they start or end wars. So, we have seen Leo during these days become a bit more outspoken, and he is very concerned about the war in the Middle East, and conflicts taking place around the globe. Kim.

BRUNHUBER: Appreciate that. Christopher Lamb, thanks so much for joining us. And travelers here in the U.S. are seeing surging gas prices during this Easter holiday weekend. The national average for a gallon of regular gas is up to $4.10. The high cost is due to the near shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz as the war with Iran stretches on. CNN's Gloria Pazmino reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, if you're traveling throughout the tri-state area, chances are you might come across this major intersection here on the New Jersey turnpike, whether you're going north or south. And you might also want to fill up your tank right here in New Jersey, which has some of the slightly lower prices for gas when you compare it to places like New York City.

Here's where the gas prices are as of this weekend. The current average is right around $4.10. The weekly average coming in at $3.98. Compare that to the average a month ago, which was $3.20. Gas prices have soared significantly in the last few weeks, 37 percent since the U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran on February 28th.

The conflict is, of course, the biggest driver of the increase in gas prices that we're seeing right now. It has created a massive supply disruption in the global oil supply. That has reduced availability. The price of crude oil has gone up and that has driven gas prices up.

Now, it's also the start of a major travel season here in the United States, which means that a lot of drivers are feeling the increase right in their pockets. We're right in the middle of the Easter weekend. It's spring break for a lot of people. And of course, there is going to be the summer vacations that millions of Americans will be wanting and trying to take in just a matter of a few months.

Now, we heard from drivers who said that they have slightly adjusted their budgets. They're trying to figure out how to make it work. A lot of people also told us they simply have no choice. They have to get to where they're going and they have no option but to fill up their tank.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRIS BRANDAO, DRIVER: I'm just holding the pump and it doesn't end. It's $130 to fill up this car. No choice. I just have to keep filling up the tank. There's nothing I could do. You got to -- I need the car. I need to get from point A to point B.

DOTOTA WALLACE, DRIVER: It's definitely getting tougher. I don't drive much, but whatever I do drive, I definitely feel it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAZMINO: Now, while New Jersey has some of the lowest prices here in the tri-state area, places like California have the most expensive.

[04:25:00]

They're seeing $5.92 a gallon in California, while Oklahoma has the lowest prices. They're coming in at $3.29 below that $4 mark, which is unlike what we are seeing across much of the country. The main question in many drivers' minds is when will prices start to come down, but experts say that even if the Iran conflict ends soon, it is likely that it will take months for the oil markets and gas prices to come down.

Gloria Pazmino, CNN, New Jersey.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: All right. Still to come, what we know about the operation to rescue U.S. airman shot down over Iran. We'll have that when we come back. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Welcome back. I'm Becky Anderson, live from our Middle Eastern Gulf programming headquarters here in Abu Dhabi.

And back to our top story this hour. The U.S. president says the second missing airman shot down over Iran has now been rescued. Donald Trump posted on social media about the search operation, saying that the U.S. military sent dozens of aircraft to retrieve him. Now, the high-stakes search began Friday after the F-15 fighter jet was shot down over Iranian territory. It was the first time a manned U.S. aircraft was shot down since the U.S. and Israel began their war with Iran.

CNN's Eleni Giokos joining us from Dubai. And what further details do we have at this point on this rescue, Eleni?

[04:30:00]

ELENI GIOKOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So, a lot of the details that we have basically is from President Trump and talking about this dangerous and daring mission by U.S. Special Forces going into Iranian territory, and from what we understand, deep inside Iran, mountainous area, to rescue the second crew member that was on the F-15 fighter jet that was downed on Friday.

And you'll remember that just hours after the fighter jet was hit by Iran, the first crew member was rescued. And then it became a race between Iran and the United States to get there, you know, rescue this crew member. Importantly, Iran had put out a reward message on state TV that anyone that would find the crew member would receive thousands of dollars. And what we've seen transpiring in the last 36 hours is dozens of aircraft, multi-layered operation.

Military analysts tell me that what we understand is the U.S. Special Forces were able to not only breach air defenses in Iran, but also missile defenses. And the other thing that it tells us is that Iranian ground troops were not able to find the crew member. For the United States, obviously, this is a big win.

After, from the Iranian perspective, the downing of the F-15 fighter jets on Friday was a win from their side. And one military analyst said that if the crew member was found by Iran, it would potentially be used as a bargaining chip as we start to see escalatory language really coming to a big high as we're heading towards the deadline, Becky, which ends tomorrow. President Trump saying that all hell will break loose in Iran if they don't open the Strait of Hormuz.

ANDERSON: That's right.

GIOKOS: So, this really important. Yes.

ANDERSON: Yes, hours ahead of this deadline by Donald Trump to either get a deal or open the Strait of Hormuz. Otherwise, attacks on Iran's electricity infrastructure and more. We are seeing missile and drone attacks on the Gulf region overnight and into Sunday. It is now just after half past 12:00, of course, here in the UAE. We've seen debris damage to petrochemical sites across the Gulf. What's the risk here of a broader regional energy conflict at this point?

GIOKOS: Well, I mean, many people will tell you we're already seeing an energy conflict transpire over the past 37 days where so much damage has been incurred on oil fields, on gas fields. And the most recent today in Abu Dhabi, fires breaking out the Baruj petrochemical facility there. It was debris. It was intercepted. But fire breaking out there. We heard a fire at a facility in Bahrain. No injuries there. In Kuwait, a petroleum complex catching fire. And then importantly, a water and power plant facility in Kuwait was also damaged. They had to shut down two units there. So, that's really important.

This is clearly an escalation on critical energy and power infrastructure in the region after we heard that Iran also suffered damage at a petrochemical plant deep inside Iran, as well as a nuclear plant as well. The Iranians are threatening again, saying that the gates of hell will open in terms of retaliatory strikes towards the region, which have, of course, been continuing over the past few weeks as President Trump seems to be doubling down in terms of maintaining this deadline, which we know has changed a few times since the initial threat by President Trump.

So, this is an important moment. Depending on how this plays out, Becky, we could potentially see more retaliation into the region. But this all comes down to just what kind of military capabilities Iran still has.

ANDERSON: That's right. Eleni Giokos is in Dubai. Thank you. Well, President Trump described the rescue of the American service member in glowing terms, one of the most daring in U.S. history. Earlier, CNN military analyst and former U.S. Air Force Colonel Cedric Leighton described it this way.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COL. CEDRIC LEIGHTON (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST AND U.S. AIR FORCE (RET.): This is one of the most intricate operations that you could mount in any type of military scenario that you're talking about. It's bad enough, difficult enough to do it under benign conditions, you know, where there's no hostile fire or anything like that going on. You're just trying to rescue somebody from a crash site. But it's more than triple the difficulty when you're going into hostile territory. And in this particular case, what you had is a situation where the Iranians were actively looking for the downed air crewmen.

And so, with them looking, of course, we were looking from the U.S. side. We also had the capability, as the president alluded to, to track the movements of these airmen and make sure that as much as possible that they were kept relatively safe. But there's only so much you can do from afar, and that's why they needed to be extracted as quickly as possible.

[04:35:00]

So, this is really one of the most difficult missions that can be mounted by any military force. And it's doubly difficult when you're in a situation where there's the possibility of hostile fire, where people are looking for you, and they don't have any good intentions in mind.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Absolutely. Well, Syria has temporarily closed one of its border crossings with Israel out of concern it could be hit by airstrikes. Israel has warned it'll attack the facility, saying it's used by Hezbollah to smuggle weapons. But Syrian officials say the crossing northwest of the capital of Damascus is used only for civilian transit.

Well, Italy's prime minister has wrapped up what has been her two-day Middle East trip, the first by an E.U. leader since U.S. and Israel launched their war with Iran. CNN's Clare Sebastian with the details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, this visit to the Gulf by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni really underscores the scale of the economic emergency this war has caused. Italy normally gets about 10 percent of its total gas supplies from Qatar as liquefied natural gas, according to Reuters, and 12 percent of its oil imports from the Middle East. So, Meloni is there, despite ongoing attacks by Iran, to show support to these countries. Italy has already provided defensive weapons to Gulf allies, but also critically to safeguard its own energy supplies. Meloni told the emir of Qatar Saturday Italy was willing to contribute to the rehabilitation of Qatar's energy infrastructure, heavily damaged by Iranian strikes.

Well, this also comes as U.S. President Donald Trump continues to lambast European allies for failing to come to the U.S.' aid in this war. Maloney treading carefully in an interview Friday saying that while Europe has little to gain, she said, from a divergence with the United States, this time we disagree. And her discussions in the Gulf have also focused on de-escalating the conflict, part of an accelerated international effort.

The U.K. led a 40-plus-country summit earlier this week to discuss ramping up the pressure on Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The NATO secretary-general is due in Washington next week, though that was preplanned. And meanwhile, a U.N. resolution drafted by Bahrain that would essentially authorize the use of force by member states to reopen the Strait, calling for, quote, "all defensive means necessary," has hit a roadblock. It was supposed to go to a vote in the Security Council Saturday, but that has now been postponed to next week, diplomats tell Reuters, amid resistance reportedly from China and Russia. China's U.N. envoy warning that the use of force would inevitably lead to further escalation.

Clare Sebastian, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: And sources telling me that that vote on that resolution could be now Tuesday. Well, in Tel Aviv, at least 10 people were arrested as police broke up an anti-war protest on Saturday night. Police say they were rioters who acted disorderly before the arrests. Officers warned demonstrators that the crowd size exceeded the limit set by Israel's Supreme Court. Anti-war rallies have been happening weekly since this conflict began.

Well, the war is causing a domino effect that is hurting the bottom line for many international airlines. Rising oil prices are causing jet fuel costs to skyrocket, leading to more expensive fares, as Kristi Lu Stout now reports. Some Asian airlines are considering drastic measures to deal with that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Now, before the war, an economy class ticket on Cathay Pacific from Sydney to London would cost you $1,370. But now, it costs you more than $2,000 thanks to another jet fuel surcharge. And on some days, it's over $3,500.

Before the U.S. Israeli war with Iran started, the global airline industry had forecast record profits of $41 billion for 2026. But with the price of jet fuel more than doubling, carriers are under pressure and they're scrambling to cope. Carriers ranging from Air New Zealand to Vietnam Airlines have started cutting flights. Korean Air is shifting to emergency management mode to deal with the supply crunch. And the president of the Philippines has said grounding planes is a, quote, ""distinct possibility."

To secure its own supply, China has banned exports of jet fuel. China's airlines are also finding opportunity during the crisis, adding thousands of flights to Europe thanks to China's ability to save fuel by bypassing the Middle East and accessing Russian airspace.

Nevertheless, China's carriers remain exposed to the Iran energy shock. Air China, China Eastern and China Southern Airlines are all reporting cautious outlooks for the year. According to HSBC, fuel made up 35 to 38 percent of the operating expenses for all three airlines in the first half of the year.

[04:40:00]

Why is Asia so vulnerable? Well, Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, and the region relies more heavily on oil and gas that transit the Strait than any other parts of the world. So, while Iran maintains its iron grip on the Strait, expect higher fuel costs around the world, from Asia to the United States, and expect airlines to pass that cost on to you, the consumer.

Kristie Lu Stout, CNN, Hong Kong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Well, more than a million people have had to flee their homes because of Israel's military operations in Lebanon. Some of them say the humanitarian lifeline they rely on for pretty much everything is drying up.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): Here, when we first arrived, the situation was very good. Aid was reaching everyone. Blankets, mattresses, food aid, anything we needed was being provided. Gas cylinders were being secured through an invisible initiative, and even kitchen utensils were provided. A long time passed before they brought us cooking equipment and such. But since Ramadan ended, no aid has reached the center.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, displaced families also having trouble getting clean water and medications. Aid groups have warned that they are struggling to keep up with the growing humanitarian needs. Those families say they just want to go back home, but some may not get that option. A military official said that Israel could demolish some towns and villages on the Lebanese side of the border to create what they describe as a buffer zone against Hezbollah.

Well, the Artemis II mission is now closer to the moon than it is to the earth. When we return, an update on the mission as well as some stunning new photos taken by the crew. That is after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:45:00]

BRUNHUBER: Well, a woman's dash cam captured the dramatic moment a small single engine airplane landed on a Pennsylvania highway. Have a look at this. In the video, you can see the plane barely missing cars as it lands. The woman whose dash cam captured the moment said she was amazed by how well the pilot handled the situation. Now, it's not clear what caused the pilot to land the plane on the highway, but local officials say no one was injured.

All right. We're going to give you a live look now. Coming up here at the Artemis II mission, which is now closer to the moon than it is to Earth. So, right now, the crew is asleep, so obviously those aren't live pictures, and the mission control has signed off.

NASA says the spacecraft has traveled more than two-thirds of the way to its main goal. Despite having a relatively quiet journey so far, they did have some technical difficulties with their toilet. Using the restroom is more complicated in space due to the lack of gravity, but NASA says the toilet is now back up and running. During a press briefing, NASA addressed how the crew adapted when they didn't have a working toilet.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN HONEYCUTT, ARTEMIS II MISSION MANAGEMENT TEAM CHAIR: I would really like for it to be in the best state that it can be for the crew's sake. They're kind of like, it's a little bit of camping in space already, but then it makes camping a little bit tougher when you don't have the full capability of the toilet. They're OK, and they're trying to manage through the situation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Meanwhile, on Saturday, NASA released more stunning photos taken by the crew. Instead of focusing on the beauty of Earth, this time the photo captured the moon as they prepared for their lunar flyby on Monday. The beautiful images left the crew in awe as they journey where no one has gone before.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTNA KOCH, ARTEMIS II MISSION SPECIALIST: Last night, we did have our first view of the moon far side, and it was just absolutely spectacular. I think that one of the interesting things that happens when you look at a moon that inherently just looks different is the darker parts just aren't quite in the right place, and something about you senses that is not the moon that I'm used to seeing.

And sure enough, we got out our lunar targeting information, and we were able to get a good match up, and we're like, yes, that is the dark side. That is something we have never seen before.

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BRUNHUBER: Now, the crew aboard the Orion spacecraft are testing out the capsule as it takes them to the far side of the moon. So, you might be wondering how cramped or spacious it is. Well, CNN's Tom Foreman explains how this capsule is actually roomier than it appears.

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TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What is life like for the Orion crew right now? Well, I can tell you it is busy, and it's really interesting. Let's get rid of the service module for a moment here, although it will stay with the crew capsule for almost the entire mission. I just want to talk about the crew capsule now, though, and give you a sense of what they're dealing with.

First of all, this is a big capsule, 23,000 pounds at liftoff, more than 11 feet tall, 16 feet wide. So, that's big, and the interior is bigger than anything NASA has put up in the space since the space shuttle. But this is all a relative thing. If you were to come inside here, you would say, well, they have a lot to get in here too.

All four people have to live here. They have to have places to be strapped in or sit. They have communications equipment. They have control equipment. They have emergency supplies, medical supplies, food, water, waste facilities, exercise equipment, even some things for entertainment. So, yes, it's a lot to get into this space, as spacious as it is.

If you look at this NASA video, you can get a sense of what it would really be like inside, although I should point out you're not stuck to one space. Remember, in microgravity, they can use all of this space to do what they want to do. Still, it's four people in this space for 10 days. That's not a whole lot of room, and they have to all work in concert to make it work properly.

And interestingly enough, that includes sleeping at the same time. Yes, that's right. At the same time, they will all strap in for the night, close their eyes, and they will sleep and dream as they drift through the cosmos from the Earth all the way up to this historic return to the moon.

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BRUNHUBER: Well, this year's final four is in the books. We'll break down Saturday's winners and take a look at the NCAA tournament's championship contenders. Stay with us.

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BRUNHUBER: We're still more than two months away from the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Mexico will hold 13 matches spread across three cities ahead of the big tournament. Mexico's army is carrying out a large- scale drill to prepare for potential terrorist threats, CNN's Valeria Leon reports. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VALERIA LEON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A military exercise, but one that strikes close to home. In this scenario, members of a cartel hijack a bus carrying soccer players. Mexican security forces move in fast, freeing the hostages. All of it in preparation for the World Cup, which Mexico will co-host along with the U.S. and Canada this summer. Mexico's security is getting set for all sorts of emergencies.

LEON: Somebody trapped inside this car. But this is actually a simulation. Mexican forces are running a high-intensity drill, preparing for everything from explosives to fires as the country gears up to host World Cup crowds.

LEON (voice-over): At this military base outside Mexico City, units are deployed in the air and on the ground. Here, Mexican Special Forces are trained to search for and disarm explosives and other devices.

CESAR VILLANUEVA, HAZARDOUS MATERIALS LIEUTENANT (through translator): We're preparing for chemical and biological emergencies, and to handle hazardous materials.

LEON (voice-over): But this is not just about security threats. These troops are also training for medical emergencies. And if disaster strikes, search and rescue teams dig through rubble, racing against the clock.

[04:55:00]

MARLENE GAITAN, EMERGENCY BATTALION (through translator): We're focused on improving response times, so we can act as fast as possible during the World Cup.

LEON (voice-over): With more than five million visitors expected, authorities plan to set up command centers near each of Mexico's three host stadiums.

HECTOR FLORES, MEDICAL LIEUTENANT: We'll be monitoring operations at all times with coordinated deployment from the Army, Air Force and National Guard.

LEON (voice-over): For U.S. and international visitors worried of cartel violence, security remains a key question ahead of the tournament. Mexican officials say these exercises are meant to send a clear message. They're ready for an event where the whole world will be watching.

Valeria Leon, CNN, Mexico.

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BRUNHUBER: Michigan and UConn will face off for the men's college basketball championship Monday night. The Michigan Wolverines secured their spot in the final with a dominant 91-73 win over Arizona. They set an NCAA tournament record with their fifth game scoring more than 90 points. UConn advanced with a 71-62 win over Illinois. The Huskies now have a chance to win their third national championship in four years.

And in the women's tournament, top seed South Carolina faces UCLA in the title game later today. Gamecocks are chasing their fourth NCAA championship and the Bruins are seeking their first.

All right. That wraps this hour of CNN Newsroom. I'm Kim Brunhuber. Becky Anderson, and I will be back with more news in just a moment.

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