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Trump Open to Meeting Iran's Leader; Sherpa Rescued on Mt. Everest; CNN Gets Rare Access to Hezbollah; Rare Access Inside Lebanon As Hezbollah Vows To Keep Fighting; Bondi: Todd Blanche Was "In Charge" Of Epstein Matter; World Cup Cities Prep For Tourists Amid Safety Concerns. Aired 2-3a ET
Aired June 05, 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)
BEN HUNTE, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: Hello, wherever you are in the world. You are now in the "CNN Newsroom" with me, Ben Hunte, in Atlanta. It is so good to have you with me.
Coming up on the show, President Trump says he could meet with Iran's new leader. That is as CNN speaks to people in Tehran about the war. Plus, this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ISOBEL YEUNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We have managed to secure a meeting with a member of Hezbollah, who has been fighting in the south of Lebanon for the last few months, and he has agreed to meet us in a very remote location, which we're heading towards right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNTE: We get rare access inside Lebanon and speak to Hezbollah members who promised to fight on. And the latest on the rescue mission to find a Sherpa missing for six days on Mount Everest.
UNKNOWN (voice-over): Live from Atlanta, this is "CNN Newsroom with Ben Hunte."
HUNTE: Welcome. Let's begin with the push to end the war between the U.S. and Iran. President Trump saying he would be open, even honored, to meet with Iran's new supreme leader if they can make a deal. But he also told reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday he would very quickly restart the war if Iran killed U.S. troops. Here's more of that exchange.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNKNOWN: And we heard that you want to meet with the new ayatollah, the new supreme leader.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: I don't want to meet. But if I did meet, I'd be honored to meet him. I'd like to see if we make a deal. But if we make a deal, it's possible that I would meet him. I'd be OK with that.
UNKNOWN: Would that happen here in the U.S.? White House --
TRUMP: I haven't really heard too much about it. I didn't suggest it, but some people have suggested it. If it happened, it would be happened. I'd be respectful.
UNKNOWN: Do you think because Epic Fury killed his dad and his wife and his kid that he's got hard feelings and wouldn't want to meet?
TRUMP: Well, I would say I'm not his favorite person. But with that being said, he's probably a -- I don't know. He's probably a professional. In some circles, he has a very good reputation, actually. You know, sometimes, some people say bad. But a lot of people say bad about me. It's totally false, of course.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNTE: Iran now says it will impose service fees, not tolls, for ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz. They would cover navigational assistance, search and rescue services, and environmental clean-up, too.
CNN's Fred Pleitgen is in Tehran, and we should note, CNN operates there only with the permission of the government, but maintains full editorial control of its reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Iranians are here in Tehran to mark the death of the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Khomeini. As you can see, a lot of people have turned out here to pay their respect.
Now, in this year, as Iran is in this conflict with the United States, of course, this event also has a special meaning for the people who have come here. There's a lot of people that we are seeing who are waving red flags that say "revenge" on them because, of course, there are still a lot of people here who want revenge for the killing of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and that's also something that was voiced here by the crowd.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNKNOWN (through translator): We don't America. Never ever.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEYYED AHMAD KHOMEINI, KHOMEINI'S GREAT GRANDSON (through translator): There is no reason for the Islamic Republic of Iran to grant concessions. We have no reason to back down from our position. We were not defeated in war nor have we been defeated in diplomacy. We demonstrated that we are capable of resisting and that we are highly resilient.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PLEITGEN: At the same time, of course, the context that all of this happens in is extremely important. There are talks that are going on between Iran and the United States. Both sides say they are trying to get to a memorandum of understanding that will then pave the way for broader peace talks to try and end the war between Iran and the United States for good.
Also, though, of course, the security situation, especially in the Persian Gulf, remains extremely volatile with the U.S. hitting some targets on some Persian Gulf islands. The Iranians, for their part, saying that they were hitting targets affiliated with the United States in places like Kuwait and in places like Bahrain as well. So, the security situation, very volatile, the ceasefire very fragile. At the same time, both sides say that they are trying to find a way out.
[02:05:02]
Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Tehran.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HUNTE: The leader of the militant group Hezbollah has rejected a ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel. He says the deal requires Hezbollah to stop fighting while Israel continues its aggression.
CNN's Mike Valerio is live in Beijing with more on that. Mr. Valerio, good to see you. What do you know?
MIKE VALERIO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, attacks are still continuing in southern Lebanon, Benny. That is the biggest headline at this hour that we can report to you. And why this matter is because if there's no ceasefire in Lebanon, Iran has signaled that there's going to be no pathway to a deal with the Trump administration to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
But it's still quite interesting and also, I would say, quite revealing to listen to the president talking at the Oval Office a couple hours ago about him still projecting optimism even though we're hearing quite the opposite, up until this hour, from Hezbollah and other actors in the region. So, let's listen to the president, and we'll talk more on the other side.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I think Hezbollah -- I will tell you, they called us, and they said, how about stopping? And I think you're going to see things happen over there. I spoke to Bibi Netanyahu about that, and I speak to them about it. And I actually spoke to Hezbollah about it. And I think progress is made.
(END VIDEO CLIP) VALERIO: OK. So, then, when we talk about Hezbollah's leader, Naim Qassem, this is the kind of language that he uses. Remember what the president just said. So Naim Qassem saying -- quote -- "We are concerned only with a comprehensive end of the aggression through a ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal. As long as the occupation remains, the resistance will continue." He also called this a roadmap to exterminate a segment of the Lebanese people and enslave the rest. So, we hear the president in the Oval Office, and then we hear the head of Hezbollah.
And, essentially, in order for negotiations to move forward, Iran has said there needs to be a way for Hezbollah to maintain its existence. Hezbollah's primary benefactor is Iran.
So, then, one more note before we go, the Strait of Hormuz, you mentioned in the introduction to the segment, Benny, that Iran wants to start charging for navigation security, environmental cleanup as well, service fees. That sure seems like a toll to all the other international actors who are involved in this. And one of the biggest points of agreement when President Trump was here in this town in Beijing, China resolutely rejected any kind of move to toll, to impose charges in the Strait of Hormuz.
So, one of our reporting targets in the days ahead is certainly to see if China pushes back on that, if there's more regional and international pushback on that. But, again, all of this moving forward seems to hinge on Lebanon. We're waiting to see, does Israel change its tact? Does it start to move out of southern Lebanon? That's really the question that we're facing here, Benny.
HUNTE: OK, Mike, thank you so much. Mr. Valerio, appreciate it.
Maha Yahya is the director of the Carnegie Middle East Center. She joins me now from Beirut. Just yesterday, Hezbollah rejected the latest U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal agreed by Israel and the Lebanese government, too. How significant was that rejection? Does it effectively kill the deal in its current form?
MAHA YAHYA, DIRECTOR, CARNEGIE MIDDLE EAST CENTER: Good morning, Ben. No, it doesn't, honestly, because Hezbollah is not even party to this discussion. The discussions are happening between representatives of the Lebanese government and the Israeli government. And it's not even a deal, in all honesty. It's a kind of memorandum of understanding of sorts, some principles that have been agreed to.
And the problem with what was put out is that it's very much tilted towards Israel perspective of things. So, there's no timeframe. There is no -- the ceasefire is, again, unilateral. It's contingent on the withdrawal of Hezbollah, the disarmament from certain areas. So, a lot of the conditionalities in the deal itself make it very difficult for it to be implemented and accepted on the Lebanese side. And then you add to the mix the fact that Hezbollah itself is under, frankly, the control of the IRGC in Iran.
And so as long as Iran doesn't agree to any kind of a deal, to accept any kind of cessation of hostilities without getting whatever political leverage it wants in return, we're not going to see any kind of ceasefire, effective ceasefire or a broad ceasefire where Israel really does stop firing and Hezbollah also.
HUNTE: All of that considered, what are people in Lebanon telling you right now? How would you describe the mood in the country?
[02:10:00]
YAHYA: Very anxious. Very tired. I mean, people here are just exhausted of conflict. They want this over and done with. People understand that the post-conflict period is going to bring tremendous challenges. There are direct threats to Lebanese sovereignty.
Israel today -- in 2024, when that conflict ceased, if you like, to some extent, in November 2024, Israel was occupying five hilltops, which it absolutely refused to leave. And then between 2024 and the latest round, there was a constant infraction of the ceasefire agreement at the time on the Israeli side. Now, today, we've gone from five hilltops to occupying almost one-third of southern Lebanon, close to 15 percent of Lebanese territory. This is not a buffer zone. This is occupied Lebanese territory.
And the destruction is enormous. So, we're talking -- the last figure I saw, which was more than a month ago, was something like 63 towns and villages had been totally eradicated.
So, there's genuine concern that A, Israel is planning a long-term occupation of southern Lebanon, and B, even if it were to withdraw from some areas, the possibility of return is incredibly difficult, if not impossible, in some cases, because there's nothing left to return to.
So, there's a lot of anxiety, a lot of concern, and people just want this over and done with. We're tired of war.
HUNTE: After everything that we have seen over the past couple of days, who do you think has the most leverage right now? Israel, Hezbollah, Iran, or potentially the U.S.?
YAHYA: The U.S. Depends. Leverage on whom? Leverage on Israel, it's the United States. President Trump is the only one that can pull off a real cessation of hostilities in Lebanon, an actual ceasefire, and can pressure Israel to begin withdrawing to wind down its military campaign and start to work with the Lebanese government to put whatever is needed in place to both disarm Hezbollah, among others, but also to put the security measures that are needed for Lebanese as well for Israeli security. There need to be guarantees there. So, President Trump is the one, frankly, it's the United States that has the most leverage.
Iran obviously carries significant leverage also, which is why what happens in Lebanon -- Lebanon is just a side show for the bigger conflict between the Iranians, the Israelis, and Americans. So, what happens in Lebanon is very much influenced by ongoing negotiations between Iran and the U.S.
HUNTE: OK. Well, thank you so much for that insight. We need to leave it there for now. Maha Yahya in Beirut, thank you.
YAHYA: Thank you, Ben.
HUNTE: U.S. House lawmakers are rebuking President Donald Trump by greenlighting a new aid bill for Ukraine. Dozens of Republicans crossed the aisle and voted with Democrats to approve the bill just a few hours ago. Among other things, it authorizes $8 billion in new arms sales and slaps 500 percent tariffs on Russian imports. Sources told CNN the bill's future is uncertain in the Senate.
Ukraine's president is urging his Russian counterpart to meet face-to- face and negotiate the end of the war. Volodymyr Zelenskyy made the proposal in an open letter to Vladimir Putin on Thursday. The Ukrainian leader wants a firm date for that meeting, which would be held in a third country. And he is calling for a ceasefire during the talks.
The letter says -- quote -- "We can all see that Russians are finally becoming less comfortable with this reality -- with the fact that the war is bringing more and more negative consequences to Russia," adding that "They do not like the fact that there is no end in sight to your war."
In response, the Russian leader questioned Mr. Zelenskyy's legitimacy as president. Some experts say it would be politically difficult for Mr. Putin to agree to meet the Ukrainian leader.
In the coming hours, Mr. Putin will take center stage at his showcased economic forum in St Petersburg. He is set to make what the Kremlin calls a grand speech at the event, which is often called Putin's Davos. The statement says he will focus on economic problems and political issues.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average set a new record on Thursday, jumping 875 points. This all comes after strong gains in financial and health stocks. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 closed with a more muted gain, and the Nasdaq Composite ended in the red.
[02:15:01]
Those indexes were weighed down by losses in chipmakers and AI-related stocks.
An American college student goes missing on a family vacation in Japan. A look at the search efforts and what his parents say happened shortly before their son disappeared, ahead on CNN. Plus, a rescue at the top of the world. Missing for six days on Mount Everest without any food or any oxygen. A Nepali Sherpa story of survival. That's coming up, next.
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[02:19:59]
HUNTE: Welcome back. The U.S. Coast Guard has taken custody of the small boat linked to its criminal investigation into an American woman's disappearance in the Bahamas, the dinghy where Lynette Hooker's husband said he last saw his wife. Fifty-five-year-old woman has been missing since early April now. Police say her husband, Brian Hooker, told them she fell from the dinghy while they were navigating back to their yacht. Brian Hooker has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in his wife's disappearance.
A massive search is now underway in Japan for an American college student who went missing six days ago. James "Weston" Higginbotham was traveling with his family in Kyoto when he disappeared. His family says the Auburn University student went into the woods to blow off steam after an argument. They haven't seen or heard from him since.
Our Hanako Montgomery has more for us.
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HANAKO MONTGOMERY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Nancy and Keith Higginbotham can only think of their missing son.
NANCY HIGGINBOTHAM, MOTHER OF MISSING AMERICAN: Every single second, you think about your kid, and then you have the flashbacks of when he was two, when I was breastfeeding him, the birthday parties we've thrown for him.
MONTGOMERY (voice-over): The family of four is on a first-time holiday across Japan. But 20-year-old Weston Higginbotham left his parents and brother on Friday night, and they haven't seen him since. The college student appeared to have switched off a GPS function on his phone and is believed to have taken a train away from Kyoto.
HIGGINBOTHAM: It's not unusual for Weston to blow off steam, going to, you know, the woods and just exploring. That's his happy place.
MONTGOMERY: But it was unusual that he turned off his location.
HIGGINBOTHAM: When he turned off his locations.
KEITH HIGGINBOTHAM, FATHER OF MISSING AMERICAN: That was really concerning.
N. HIGGINBOTHAM: And that was so concerning because it's so out of character for him. And I just felt it.
K. HIGGINBOTHAM: It's mother's intuition. She kept saying something is not right.
N. HIGGINBOTHAM: I said something is not right. Something is not right. I knew something was wrong.
MONTGOMERY (voice-over): Weston is a keen outdoorsman, a vegan, and an environmentalist. His mother said they had bickered after Weston got upset with her for using chat GPT because of AIs environmental impact.
MONTGOMERY: Weston was last seen at this train station on May 29th. And since then, the Japanese authorities have been searching the woods in this area where they believe he might be.
MONTGOMERY (voice-over): Torrential rain and typhoon winds have stopped the search at times while strangers have reached out to help the family despite the language barrier.
UNKNOWN (voice-over): Many of us can't even imagine.
MONTGOMERY (voice-over): Vigils were held back home in Alabama for young man described as both popular and caring. The search for him continues, but without any new leads.
N. HIGGINBOTHAM: I don't want anybody to think that we're thinking of him in the past because we're not.
MONTGOMERY (voice-over): Hope that Weston is OK, trapped or lost in the Japanese forest.
Hanako Montgomery, CNN, Kyoto.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HUNTE: A Nepali Sherpa has been found alive after he went missing for six days on Mount Everest without food or oxygen. Officials spotted 52-year-old Dawa Sherpa above base camp and brought him down to safety on Thursday. He was returning with a Polish climber after failing to reach the summit when he went missing between camp 3 and camp 4. His client returned to base camp, and it's not exactly clear how they got separated, but they were among the last climbers on Mount Everest for the season, which ended just a few days ago. The Sherpa was rushed to hospital where his family says he is in good health. He is receiving treatment for frostbite on his fingers plus other complications.
OK, still ahead on "CNN Newsroom," CNN is on the ground in Lebanon speaking to members of Hezbollah as well as those whose lives will never be the same because of the conflict with Israel. See you in a moment.
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[02:25:00]
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HUNTE: Welcome back. The European Union has approved about $116 million in additional aid to the Lebanese Army. Europe's foreign affairs chief says the best way to reduce the threat posed by Hezbollah is to strengthen the Lebanese state and empower its institutions. The money for the military is part of the effort to support the latest fragile ceasefire.
Hezbollah on Thursday rejected the US-brokered ceasefire deal reached between the Lebanese government and Israel. The Iran-backed militant group is not party to the ceasefire. The agreement calls for a complete cessation of Hezbollah fire and the group's withdrawal from southern Lebanon. Local media reports Israel and Hezbollah exchanged attacks earlier on Thursday, just hours after the ceasefire was announced, although attacks on northern Israel appeared to decline.
CNN's Isobel Yeung gained rare access inside Lebanon and spoke with drug dealers, fighters, and civilians who are paying a devastating price.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
YEUNG: So, we're here in the Bekaa Valley where Hezbollah still have a very tight grip on control. After months of trying, we've managed to persuade a man, who we believe is an arms dealer providing these weapons to Hezbollah, to meet with us.
UNKNOWN (voice-over): Follow him. Follow.
YEUNG (voice-over): That's the car?
UNKNOWN (voice-over): Yes. Yes.
YEUNG: It seems to be just off this road. So now just going off the dirt track.
[02:30:00]
The building has been struck by an airstrike.
Let's put the cameras down.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What do you say?
YEUNG: I think she says she thinks --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You think this is the house?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
YEUNG (voice-over): We were asked to put our cameras down and not to reveal this location or the identity of this arms dealer, who says he's a target for the Israeli military as they try to stop the flow of weapons entering Lebanon.
YEUNG: What is this?
ARMS DEALER (translated): This is a grenade launcher.
YEUNG: It's quite a lot of weapons you have here.
ARMS DEALER (translated): Yes, Kalashnikov, RPGs, projectiles, machine guns.
YEUNG: Who is it you're selling these weapons to?
ARMS DEALER (translated): We sell to whoever wants to buy weapons. I cannot give names. YEUNG: I mean, if you're selling to people in the Beqaa Valley, I
mean, could be working for Hezbollah, right?
ARMS DEALER (translated): Maybe. It is possible they are taking them to Hezbollah. But I don't know. I just sell the weapon, and they do whatever they want with it.
YEUNG: You think that these weapons are needed to defend themselves against Israel?
ARMS DEALER (translated): Yes, of course. They shouldn't invade Lebanon. They crossed into Lebanon, they are causing destruction and killing families.
YEUNG: And it never keeps you up at night that these weapons are obviously used to kill people?
ARMS DEALER (translated): Why should I be concerned?
YEUNG: I mean, there is obviously a war going on in this country right now. You're not worried that these weapons are helping to fuel that war?
ARMS DEALER (translated): I am far away. Let people do whatever they want with these weapons.
YEUNG (voice-over): Driving much of the demand for weapons is Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group designated a terrorist organization by the U.S., U.K., Canada and others. Hezbollah is an incredibly secretive group, but we wanted to understand how they're still standing and what they're fighting for.
After months of working with contacts on the ground, we gained exclusive access to key parts of the group and to those most affected by the war. Hezbollah struck Israel in solidarity with the Hamas October 7 attack, triggering a massive Israeli bombardment across Lebanon, even since the November 2024 ceasefire, accusing Hezbollah of failing to withdraw from the border areas.
In March, Hezbollah fired rockets on Israel after Israel and the U.S. attacked Iran. This sparked a large-scale ground invasion, displacing over a million people and killing more than 3,000, according to the Lebanese government.
Hezbollah's fight could be existential. Under pressure from the U.S., the Lebanese government has been trying to disarm the group. But Israel's offensive has given Hezbollah new zeal, and it has vowed to fight on, despite heavy losses.
YEUNG: Thanks.
MOHAMAD ALI HAIDAR HASSAN, COUSIN OF HEZBOLLAH FIGHTER: This is my friend. His name is Hassan Mortado (ph). This is 2007. This is his sister, and this is his sister. This is his grandfather, and this is his mother.
YEUNG: You know a lot of people who have died in here?
HASSAN: Yes. I know my another friend is there.
YEUNG: When did he die?
HASSAN: From three years, I think.
YEUNG: Okay.
HASSAN: In the Janub (ph).
YEUNG: Was he a fighter?
HASSAN: Yes, he's a fighter.
YEUNG (voice-over): Mohamad, from the Beqaa Valley, says he's not a member of Hezbollah. But he and many others here see the group as their best protection from Israeli aggression.
YEUNG: This is your cousin.
HASSAN: Yes.
YEUNG: And he was fighting for Hezbollah.
HASSAN: Yes. But Hezbollah defends us, defends us and defends of Lebanon.
YEUNG: Does everyone here support Hezbollah?
HASSAN (translated): We all support Hezbollah. Their blood won't go wasted, God willing.
YEUNG (voice-over): Perhaps Hezbollah's greatest strength are the thousands of fighters willing to sacrifice their lives for the group. They rarely give interviews to Western media.
YEUNG: We have managed to secure a meeting with a member of Hezbollah who's been fighting in the south of Lebanon for the last few months. And he's agreed to meet us in a very remote location which we're heading towards right now.
Assalamu Alaikum.
HEZBOLLAH FIGHTER: Wa Alaikum Salam.
YEUNG: Why did you join Hezbollah?
HEZBOLLAH FIGHTER (translated): First, no family was spared Israeli attacks. Civilians are being killed. They want to take our land. They have a plan to occupy our land to achieve their goal.
YEUNG: You've seen a lot of fighters die. How does that make you feel?
HEZBOLLAH FIGHTER (translated): This makes us proud. I envy them because they are martyred. Martyrdom is something we are proud of. This is our doctrine, and we stick to it. We die defending our homeland.
[02:35:00]
YEUNG: Do you think that firing towards Israel and Israeli troops is going to create a safer Lebanon? I mean, surely that puts Lebanese people at more risk, knowing that what the Israelis will hit back with.
HEZBOLLAH FIGHTER (translated): No, we are not responsible for this. We will never give up our land. In the end, we either get martyred or get victorious.
YEUNG: But I guess it doesn't feel like that to a lot of people. It feels like Hezbollah is, you know, triggering and creating more war rather than peace.
HEZBOLLAH FIGHTER (translated): If it wasn't for Hezbollah, there would be no peace in Lebanon.
YEUNG (voice-over): Not everyone agrees. Recent polls suggest that while most Lebanese view Israel as an enemy, even more are critical of Iranian involvement in Lebanon.
Among those forced to flee their home is Mona Jahamy, a Shia Muslim schoolteacher from the southern city of Tyre.
YEUNG: So many displaced people across the whole of Lebanon. It's crazy.
MONA JAHAMY, HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER DISPLACED FROM SOUTHERN LEBANON: It's the most miserable displacement ever that happened in Lebanon.
YEUNG: This is an Israeli drone overhead.
JAHAMY: I can't see it, but we hear it.
YEUNG: We can hear it.
JAHAMY: We could have been better without getting involved in this war. What the hell did we have to do, put ourselves in the middle of hell?
In 2024, my house was almost devastated. It took me a year to reconstruct it, to redo everything. I haven't even took a deep breath, then another war. This is too much. This is too much for the people of Lebanon.
YEUNG: You know, Israel are the ones who have displaced people, destroyed entire neighborhoods, killed thousands of people.
JAHAMY: We know that Israel is a very hostile and aggressive country, and it is highly and technologically armed. Nobody has doubts about this.
Take this example. There is a ferocious lion. I tell you, keep your hand away from the lion. He might bite you. He will bite you.
But you keep on teasing him. So he bites you, and more than that, you release the lion against everyone around you, okay? This is what Hezbollah has done. Let the lion stay in its place.
YEUNG: What is your message to the Hezbollah leaders?
JAHAMY: Let us live in peace.
If you want to fight for Iran, go to Iran. But let us live in peace.
YEUNG (voice-over): Lebanon's government has tried to contain Hezbollah, and to stop it from attacking Israel. But its ability to do that is limited. Many fear that a direct confrontation with Hezbollah risks igniting sectarian strife and even civil war.
NAWAF SALAM, LEBANESE PRIME MINISTER (translated): We're not seeking a confrontation with Hezbollah. On the contrary, I'd prefer to avoid a confrontation with Hezbollah, but believe me, we won't be intimidated.
YEUNG (voice-over): For decades, Hezbollah has stepped in where the state has failed, providing health care, social services, security. Hezbollah officials like Ibrahim Al Moussawi even hold seats in parliament.
YEUNG: The U.S. and Israel want Hezbollah disarmed. The Lebanese government itself also wants Hezbollah disarmed. What would happen if the Lebanese government and the Lebanese military tried to do that?
IBRAHIM AL MOUSSAWI, HEZBOLLAH MEMBER OF LEBANESE PARLIAMENT: This will not happen, I can assure you. We want our army to defend our country. Your army is not strong enough.
YEUNG: Hezbollah decided to enter this war on March the 2nd. You knew before starting this war that the Israeli response would be huge, that thousands of people were likely to die, which they have. What made you decide that that level of human suffering, which we've witnessed over the last few months, was worth it?
AL MOUSSAWI: I don't want to go into the philosophy of life and death here. The Israelis continue to carry aggression, so there was one point when we have to respond to all of these aggressions. One, the Israeli-American war again, they started the war against Iran. We felt this is a proper window to respond.
YEUNG: Hezbollah strikes have killed several people in Israel. They've caused some civilian harm. They've also been targeting some civilian areas. That has triggered a huge Israeli response, and we've seen thousands of Lebanese people killed. We've seen over a million people displaced.
AL MOUSSAWI: You know why is this happening?
YEUNG: Do you take -- do you take any responsibility? I'm going to ask you. AL MOUSSAWI: Do you know -- do you know --
(CROSSTALK)
YEUNG: Do you take any responsibility at all for your actions on March the 2nd triggering the mass human suffering?
[02:40:03]
AL MOUSSAWI: Do you take any responsibility? Does your government take any responsibility? Does the American government take any responsibility for unleashing the Israeli full mighty power of killing and making genocide? Do they do this? We're defending ourselves.
YEUNG: I'm asking you about your role in this movement.
AL MOUSSAWI: I'm asking you about right of resistance.
YEUNG: But you acted -- you acted on March the 2nd. I'm asking if your actions on March the 2nd bear any responsibility for thousands of people killed, including hundreds of children?
AL MOUSSAWI: Absolutely not. The international community bears responsibility. America bears responsibility. When Trump is capable to restrain the Israelis, the criminals, I believe the American administration hold the first and exclusively the responsibility for all of the killings that happened.
YEUNG: But apart from appeasing Iran, what else has this war actually achieved? There has been a huge amount of mass human suffering.
(CROSSTALK)
AL MOUSSAWI: You're using -- you're using -- you're using the same equation, but in journalistic terms, that the Israelis are doing.
What the Israelis are doing? Simply, they, if you carry an operation or if you defend yourself against their incursion into a certain village, they'll destroy the village, to tell you what. Never think to defend yourself again. Never think to stand up for the Israeli mighty force. I want to break this cycle.
YEUNG: What would you say to the parents of the hundreds of kids who have died? What do they die for?
AL MOUSSAWI: I believe this question you should say to Donald Trump and to Benjamin Netanyahu: We are defending our people. Go back to the people who are in the funerals and ask them, you're in Lebanon now, and you can see.
YEUNG (voice-over): Since March, around 200 children have been killed in Lebanon.
YEUNG: Just absolutely heartbreaking. There's body after body after body. Tiny little bodies, these ones having to be carried on the bed because there's just only parts and remnants and pieces of them left. YEUNG (voice-over): In just one strike in March, five children were
killed, six-year-old Yasmina (ph), nine-year-old Malika (ph), 11-year- old Sadiq (ph), 12-year-old Zahra (ph), and 13-year-old Zainab (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (translated): Were there any Hezbollah martyrs? We're a family. The people of the south do not bow down. Not to Israel, not to America.
YEUNG: These kids obviously have been out of school since the beginning of the war. And this group now is trying to do some activities with them, try to have some semblance of normalcy in their lives which have obviously been completely disrupted.
UNIDENTIFIED GIRL (translated): While we were eating they started bombing so I got scared. I'm scared one of us will be killed.
YEUNG (voice-over): As the Trump administration tries to rein in both sides, the people of Lebanon are trapped between a die-hard militant force backed by a newly emboldened Iran and the Israeli military, waging a brutal war.
YEUNG: What would you say to the people who have power over this war right now?
UNIDENTIFIED GIRL (translated): God didn't create you to do this to us. Children can't continue their education or do anything, you have ruined our lives.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BEN HUNTE, CNN ANCHOR: The former U.S. attorney general says she didn't oversee the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Pam Bondi says it was the man who took her job instead.
Ahead, details from Bondi's closed door interview with lawmakers last month. See you in a moment.
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[02:48:36]
HUNTE: President Trump says he plans to formally nominate Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to fill the role permanently. But Blanche's involvement in the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files could impact his confirmation process. Former Attorney General Pam Bondi told lawmakers last month that Blanche was in charge of the matter.
CNN's Paula Reid reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAULA REID, CNN CHIEF LEGAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: In this transcript, former Attorney General Pam Body makes it clear that she delegated all things Epstein to her number two, then Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. She told the committee that as the head of a large department with broad responsibilities, quote, "I did not lead every aspect of this effort nor conduct the document review myself. I delegated that oversight over the process to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche."
She makes it clear that Blanche supervised the entire process of carrying out their requirements under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. She also said that when it comes to that controversial Ghislaine Maxwell interview, she said Blanche is the one who initiated that and because he believed that there was someone still living, in prison who had potential information about other coconspirators and crimes.
Now, she was not at all critical of Blanche. In fact, she praised him, calling him one of the most highly ethical individuals I know, saying that he is an incredible acting attorney general and that this investigation was a Herculean task done with very little error.
[02:50:01]
But now that Blanche faces a high stakes confirmation hearing to be attorney general, this is something that he is going to have to answer to.
Now sources have previously told me once he was tapped to be the acting attorney general that one of the only problems they saw with Blanche was that he didn't get this administration past the, quote, "original sin" of how they have handled Epstein because he was so involved.
So, now, not only will he face questions about that controversial weaponization fund that had his name on it, he will also be answering questions about his handling of the Epstein files and Democrats can even read directly from this transcript.
Paula Reid, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HUNTE: All right, with the World Cup only days away from its opening match, host cities are racing to tighten their security.
Still ahead, host cities are preparing as they brace for the flood of visitors. See you in a moment.
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HUNTE: Welcome back.
Now just six days to go before the start of the biggest sporting event of the year. That is the FIFA World Cup. The opening match kicks off in Mexico City. And that is where South Africa's team is training ahead of their showdown against Mexico, the hometown favorites.
And in Mexico's Nuevo Leon state, the governor gifted sombreros to members of Japan's national team. That was right after they landed in Monterrey. With World Cup matches just days away, one host city, Atlanta, is
encouraging everyone to now use public transportation to avoid traffic.
CNN's Ryan Young takes a look at how World Cup cities are preparing for visitors amid potential safety concerns.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARKWAYNE MULLIN, U.S. HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: Through 11 different cities, and we're going to have 78 Super Bowls in 38 days.
RYAN YOUNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Across the U.S. and Canada and Mexico this year, FIFA World Cup on tap to be the largest tournament in history, with stadiums averaging nearly 70,000 seats. Organizers expect the event to draw five million fans.
That will also mean intense security. Some recent unprovoked attacks give people reason to worry. In Los Angeles where the U.S. tournament kicks off, police say someone stabbed and beat a 70-year-old woman back in March, leaving her with a broken neck. Not far away in Long Beach California last month, police say another woman was stabbed and left hospitalized.
And last week in Atlanta, police say a woman was fatally stabbed on a train operated by MARTA, the city's public transportation line.
In months past, the Transportation Department called for improved safety measures in cities to include Chicago, D.C., New York, L.A., Charlotte, and Philadelphia.
Now, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy wants an investigation in Atlanta, saying measures in cities to include Chicago, DC, New York, LA, Charlotte, and Philadelphia.
Now, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy wants an investigation in Atlanta saying, every American should be disturbed by the horrific crimes we have seen on MARTA in the last month.
YOUNG: There's a big focus on safety, and whether or not MARTA can meet the need when it comes to all the international guests that will be coming to town. And some things that really frighten people in the city, especially a deadly stabbing that happened just last week, having people asking questions, is MARTA safe enough and ready for the World Cup?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think there should be extra security for sure on a day-to-day basis, especially with the World Cup coming up.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Traveling alone would not be an option right now for me on MARTA.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Safety is an issue for sure --
YOUNG: OK. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: -- based on what happened last week, so definitely hesitant but still doing it. I'd be great to see a little bit more security on the trains.
YOUNG (voice-over): MARTA continues to tell its riders this system is safe.
CHIEF SCOTT KREHER, MARTA POLICE DEPARTMENT: This was a senseless crime and violence would not be tolerated on MARTA.
YOUNG (voice-over): Atlanta police recently ran a mass casualty training exercise showing the public just how prepared they are.
And from the feds --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: FBI Atlanta will lead drone ground intercept teams around stadiums and Fan Fest locations.
VINCE VELAZQUEZ, FORMER ATLANTA POLICE OFFICER (RET.), SECURITY CONSULTANT: Fans are going to come in and enjoy this World Cup experience and not have an idea of all the security measures that are going on.
CHIEF JIM MCDONNELL, LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT: Let me be clear, anyone who seeks to turn the celebration into chaos, who threatens the safety of our residents or visitors or who comes here intending to commit crimes, you will find no refuge in this city.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
YOUNG: Yeah, safety is going to be real concern. MARTA will be key, especially because traffic in the city normally is terrible. So you understand why MARTA is going to be needed to move all these international fans from the MARTA line to the FIFA World Cup here in Atlanta.
This will be a big event. This will be like the Super Bowl where it's just one weekend. You're talking about a month long worth of events that will test law enforcement, the transportation and the city over a long period of time.
Ryan Young, CNN Atlanta.
HUNTE: A new study reveals that bumblebees are actually much smarter than you might think. Researchers in Finland found the insects were able to roll a plastic ball underneath a fake flower and then climb over the ball to reach the flower for a sugary reward. The study's lead author says it proves that bumblebees can solve a novel problem without being trained to do so. Researchers say the experiment illustrates a certain flexibility in behavior that could help bees and other pollinators cope with challenges as their environments change.
All right. Well, I'm Ben Hunte in Atlanta. That's all I've got for you. Thanks for joining me and the team. I will be back shortly with your top headlines and another hour of CNN NEWSROOM in about two minutes' time. See you then. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
