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CENTCOM: U.S. Carrying Out Strikes In Strait Of Hormuz Area; Questions On The Future Of Iran's Enriched Uranium Stockpile; Inside An Alleged Russian Effort To Infiltrate U.S. Law Firms; North Korea Commissions Its Largest Ever Warship; Americans Struggling As Inflation Rises To Three-Year Highs; Extreme Flooding Kills At Least Four In Kentucky; Group Play Ends Tonight With Only Four Spots Remaining. Aired 6-7p ET

Aired June 27, 2026 - 18:00   ET

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

[18:00:57]

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN Breaking News.

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN HOST: Welcome to the CNN NEWSROOM, everyone. I am Omar Jimenez in New York.

We've got some breaking news for you to start this hour. U.S. Central Command says the United States is conducting new additional strikes on Iranian targets around the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. and Iran have been trading back and forth attacks at the waterway critical for the world's oil supply, testing their fragile peace agreement over the past few days.

And all of this, as the 60-day clock continues to tick down for the U.S. and Iran to reach a final nuclear deal feels even further at the moment. But CNN correspondent, Julia Benbrook joins us now from The White House.

And, Julia, what are we hearing from the administration, especially on these latest strikes?

JULIA BENBROOK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Further escalation here in the Middle East and U.S. Central Command says that at the direction of President Donald Trump, it has launched additional strikes at multiple targets. That comes in response to the Iranian drone strikes that were reported just hours earlier.

I do want to pull up this statement. This provides a bit more information. CENTCOM said that "... forces launched strikes today in direct response to continued Iranian aggression against commercial shipping. U.S. Military aircraft targeted Iranian military surveillance infrastructure, communication systems, air defense sites, drone storage facilities and minelayer capabilities, adding that commercial vessel transits through the Strait of Hormuz continue, and that U.S. Forces remain vigilant, lethal, and ready."

Now, it was just a week ago, just last weekend, that Vice President J.D. Vance, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner were all there in Switzerland to really kick off these technical talks.

The Memorandum of Understanding, which has been signed really just a starting point, it kicks off the 60-day timeframe to talk through some of the bigger issues, like Iran's nuclear program and the fate of its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.

But Vance, he has really been at the forefront of all of this and he put out a post yesterday after kind of the first back and forth here. Now, things have escalated further. But in it, he said, "Iran signed a ceasefire agreement. We have honored it. If they have disagreements about how the MOU is being applied, they can pick up the phone, but violence will be met with violence.

So we know the U.S. Military conducted strikes on Friday. That was in response to Tehran targeting a commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. President Donald Trump was asked about this. This was yesterday afternoon before the U.S. responded for the first time.

Take a listen to what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REPORTER: You said that Iran violated the ceasefire. Will they face any consequences?

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: You'll find out.

REPORTER: Do you consider the ceasefire to still be in place?

TRUMP: I don't like the fact that they took a shot yesterday. Actually, four. We knocked down three at a ship.

If we are going to respond, you're going to find out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BENBROOK: And now, making it clear that he did not like that those shots were taken this morning either. So this continues to escalate that tension there in the Strait of Hormuz, threatening to put a strain on these ongoing negotiations, which have already been in a bit of a fragile place -- Omar.

JIMENEZ: Yes, it is just the latest in the back and forth we've seen over the past few days.

Julia Benbrook, really appreciate the reporting from The White House.

I want to bring in former congressman and retired Air National Guard Lieutenant Colonel Adam Kinzinger. And look, you've flown surveillance planes for the United States in many places around the world. And I just wonder, do you see these latest back and forth attacks as a violation of the current ceasefire between the United States and Iran or just more posturing?

ADAM KINZINGER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, I mean, it is clearly a violation of the ceasefire because there is firing going on. You know, the interesting point here is, first of all, I think that the President is right to respond.

[18:05:02]

And I think we have to respond very aggressively, but there were a couple of mistakes made leading up to this. First off, during the -- I guess, the last month or so while Iran was keeping the Strait closed, we had halted all attacks, and if you're going to negotiate, you negotiate from a position of strength. That's one thing.

The other thing is both, in you talking about where the strikes were today and the strikes yesterday, they are hitting communications, radar, missile sites, drone production, command and control, air defense sites, all which we were supposed to have already destroyed. So either we didn't already destroy it or they have already rebuilt that capacity in a very short amount of time.

So I think we need to be very straight and clear about what capacity Iran still has. But yes, the President was right to respond to this violation. And clearly it is a violation.

JIMENEZ: You know, for the President, it is an interesting position because, to your point, the United States, as Vice President Vance also said, violence will be met with violence. If there is one set of strikes, the United States will respond. There is also a power dynamic in the negotiations as well.

There is also the politics outside of it, where President Trump has clearly wanted to get to some sort of resolution in this war, and yet again, you're in that dynamic where you have to respond if you're struck.

I wonder how you see the risk of putting Republicans in a tougher spot here for the President, while also weighing the national security interests of the U.S.?

KINZINGER: Yes, I mean, it is putting Republicans in a tough spot. The problem is that you and I and everybody watching knows that the President is desperate for a deal.

That means Iran knows the President is desperate for a deal and when Iran knows that the President is desperate for a deal, they are going to hold out. They're going to violate the ceasefire. They are going to do everything they can to extract everything from the United States.

If the President would simply say, look, we are going to respond with force. We are not in a hurry. We will do what we need to do and he doesn't negotiate with himself in public. That gives the United States a better position.

And now, you have republicans that are going to have to go out and defend him either way. Like I said, I think he is doing the right thing by responding. But the whole lead up to this and the position that we've gone into this with that desperation for a deal, I don't know how they can defend. They are going to do it, but I think it is a very tough case to make to the public.

JIMENEZ: How do you think this affects the ongoing negotiations? I mean, is a final deal possible if it still seems there are disagreements on the interim MOU?

KINZINGER: Yes, I mean, look, a final deal is possible. But Iran needs to understand what the U.S.' bottom line is, and red lines are. They need -- you know, the President needs to keep enforcing actions against any violation of the ceasefire because, again, look, Iran is very good at negotiating. They also can sniff weakness.

And when the President shows weakness, they are going to push for more in this MOU and if that violates the President's kind of red line, he has that -- he is going to demand from Iran, it makes a deal less possible.

So I think it is, but at the same time, we have to do that from a position of strength. And I think this was all kicked off, whether you agree or not, with the military action in the very beginning, we started from a position of weakness when we stopped fighting, Iran kept the Strait closed and there was no like cost for them to do that, besides Donald Trump desperately begging for a deal.

So this can be salvaged, and I think, it is really important. Look, I have a four-year-old son. I don't want him to have to someday go and fight a much stronger Iran, and so it is important for us to get a good deal out of this. But again, that has to come from a position of strength.

JIMENEZ: Yes, so let's talk about that position of strength. You know, it was seen sort of if Iran's card was to close the Strait of Hormuz, then the U.S. card was to institute that naval blockade. And I wonder, do you think the U.S. has enough leverage through that blockade, for example, to get to a final deal through a position of strength with Iran if they ultimately still control at least a large portion of the Strait of Hormuz?

KINZINGER: Yes, I mean, look, we do have the tools to get there. The question is, are we willing to use them? So right away, when the military action started, the President and all of these politicians say we will never introduce ground troops, right?

Now, look, you may never want to introduce ground troops, but when you say that, you basically show the limitation of what you're willing to do to Iran. If you're just quiet and say, were going to do what we need to do, then all of a sudden Iran is left guessing, what are they willing to do?

So yes, the blockade, it inflicted a cost on Iran. Obviously, the world economy as well, Iran's closure of the Strait, but they have a much higher threshold for pain because they don't have a problem killing 40,000 of their own citizens that are protesting.

[18:10:06] They don't have a problem denying their citizens medical aid and food. We obviously have a lower threshold. So I think if we are willing to do what is necessary and that may be further strikes, that may be taking out oil infrastructure, then I think we can do that.

But if, again, if the whole thing is, you know, we are desperate to reopen the economy, Iran smells that and they can extract more from us.

JIMENEZ: Now, to your earlier point, sort of talking about the fact that, look, you know, whether the ceasefire has been broken, bottom line, people are firing back and forth here, no matter what the administration might say in terms of this is still holding, you know, there is still kinetic activity.

But let's say it does hold after these sets of strikes. What is the role of military action on the sidelines of diplomacy in either creating leverage or posturing for one side versus the other? And how do you see that dynamic applying here?

KINZINGER: So, look, the whole point of the military is usually it is kind of a last case action, but the point of it is to compel a diplomatic solution where I think this administration failed the whole DIME model diplomatic, information, military and economic. Those are four forces of foreign policy. They jumped right to military. You know, they basically ignored our allies. They pushed our allies aside. So the diplomacy thing is done.

Information they let Iran put out, you know, videos of Lego men that were funny and The White House, instead of responding with the same against Iran, were attacking Democrats the whole time and then the economic leverage is what it is.

So the military is an important force of that model, but it cannot work in isolation. So it helps to encourage and embolden diplomacy. The information side, we have to make it clear that we are willing to use it. And the economic threat, what the military can do. So it is an important piece.

But when we sit and we use the military alone as a silo, it very rarely is successful because all of these other pieces have to come into play, too.

JIMENEZ: Congressman Adam Kinzinger, really appreciate you taking the time. Thanks for being here.

KINZINGER: Any time. You bet.

JIMENEZ: All right, we are going to have much more on the breaking news: The U.S. Military launches a new attack on Iranian targets in the Strait of Hormuz coming up after the break.

And later, we will take you inside an alleged Russian effort to infiltrate multibillion dollar U.S. law firms. A whole lot coming up. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:17:12]

JIMENEZ: Tonight, U.S. Forces have conducted new strikes on Iranian targets. Central Command says this was in response to an Iranian attack on an oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz. Let's analyze this a little bit with Gary Samore. He served as President Obama's White House Coordinator for Arms Control and Weapons of Mass Destruction, and is now director of the Crown Center for Middle East Studies at Brandeis University.

I just want to start with the breaking news tonight. How are you looking at these new strikes and the recent strikes around the Strait of Hormuz over the last 48 hours?

GARY SAMORE, SERVED AS PRESIDENT OBAMA'S WHITE HOUSE COORDINATOR FOR ARMS CONTROL AND WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION: So I think it was inevitable because the U.S. and Iran have fundamentally different views about the future of the Strait. The U.S. wants things to go back to how they were before the war, where there was free passage through the Strait. Iran wants to use the war in order to establish its control over the Strait. And so they are using military force in order to send the message to shipping that unless they do it, Iran's way, they are going to be at risk of military attack.

And I think President Trump had no choice but to retaliate, to show that the U.S. was not willing to accept that. So I expect this tit- for-tat skirmishing to continue. I don't think either side is looking to escalate to full conflict again.

But of course, things can get out of hand. And if this kind of fighting continues, I expect that President Trump will order a partial reimposition of the naval blockade in order to begin intercepting Iranian oil tankers. If Iran is going to stop tankers from using the Strait, then I expect that the U.S. will have no choice but to try to restrict Iran's use of the Strait. So it could very easily lead to a collapse of the MOU.

JIMENEZ: Well, and one of the questions is on that front, I mean, the backdrop to this is the ongoing negotiations at whatever pace they may be going, of the Memorandum of Understanding. And one of the things that we heard announced by the Vice President at one point is around the U.N. nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency and part of the current agreement requires it to play a key role.

Again, all of this is still fluid, but based on what has been sort of announced and put out publicly, and Iran has countered that any inspections must await a final deal. And I just wonder, how important is the role and scope of these inspections, and at what stage should the U.S. be pushing for them to begin?

SAMORE: Well, the inspections are absolutely essential in order to monitor Iran's compliance with the agreement and to protect against the risk of cheating. Now, the IAEA has continued to conduct inspections in Iran since the June war last year, but they haven't gone to the three main nuclear facilities that were heavily bombed -- Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.

[18:20:22]

And basic, while, the Iranians say the reason is that they suspect the IAEA inspectors are passing information to the U.S. Military, but I think the real reason is that Iran doesn't want the U.S. to know what the exact status of those facilities are and the nuclear material there unless we give them sanctions relief. So they are using access to those sites for their bargaining leverage.

Of course, we should push for access as soon as possible, but given the difficulties in these nuclear negotiations, I would expect the inspections of those facilities to be part of any final package if such an agreement is reached, which, frankly, most experts think is very unlikely, within 60 days.

JIMENEZ: Yes, I mean, you know, the inspectors were a hallmark of the previous JCPOA. And that one, of course, took years to come into its final form.

You know, I want to ask about really the main crux of what would be a final deal, which is around Iran pursuing a nuclear weapon. Now, Iran has long insisted that it is not pursuing a nuclear weapon, but it does have this stock pile of highly enriched uranium. And I wonder, in your time in the Obama administration, how are you thinking about that dynamic and whether the highly enriched uranium was potential weapons grade or potential use for things like energy as the Iranians have claimed it would be for, for the most part.

SAMORE: Well, as you say, Iran's official explanation for their enrichment program is that it is intended for peaceful purposes. But frankly, very few people believe that. So it is pretty clear to me that Iran's nuclear strategy was to create a threshold capacity, an option for producing a nuclear weapon if the Supreme Leader made that decision.

Now, that whole infrastructure, the enrichment infrastructure has been very heavily damaged in the June 2025 war. And I think it is unlikely that Iran would try to restore those facilities. Of course, we don't know the exact status until the inspectors actually get in there, at least in public.

If Iran decides in the future to build nuclear weapons, I think they are much more likely to try to do it through small secret facilities, rather than these large facilities that are declared and inspected by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

So any nuclear agreement will have to protect against that kind of covert breakout. And that's going to be very difficult, because I think the Iranians think they are in a strong position in these negotiations.

JIMENEZ: I mean, look, and, you know, we are talking about it because we have to talk about that scenario. But as we talked about leading into this, we've got strikes going on very far away from getting into the nitty-gritty of handling of nuclear material. But I appreciate the perspective nonetheless, Gary Samore, really appreciate you being here.

SAMORE: Thank you, Omar. Great to talk to you.

JIMENEZ: All right, now, coming up for us, we want to bring you a different story. Cyber criminals have a new target -- major U.S. Law firms. You're going to hear how an alleged Russian hacking ring is hiring people to help them break into these computer networks. We will explain coming up. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

JIMENEZ: New tonight, Russian speaking cyber criminals are targeting U.S. law firms with a unique tactic. Instead of hacking the firms computers from afar, these cyber criminals are actually recruiting people to pose as trusted individuals in order to gain access to valuable information. CNN's Sean Lyngaas has the story.

So, Sean, can you just walk us through how this strategy works?

SEAN LYNGAAS, CNN CYBERSECURITY REPORTER: Yes, Omar, this is pretty brazen, right? These guys are based probably in Russia and in Eastern Europe, and they are having a lot of luck, actually, just through the hacking alone. According to some of my sources, in the last six months alone, they've made about $100 million in ransom payments from hacking people. But they're getting greedy and saying, well, sometimes we can't get all the way into the targets that we want. We want some juicier data from these law firms so we can shake them down.

And so they are offering like 500 bucks to people in the U.S. to come show up in person at a major law firm, say, D.C. or New York or Chicago and plug in USB sticks. And, it hasn't been as successful on the physical side as it has been on the digital side, but it is just remarkable because of the evidence it leaves for the FBI to go over and that's happening right now.

And you know, some of the examples that we've collected from our reporting are pretty striking. In one case, a Russian-speaking man was wearing smart glasses posing as I.T. support, saying, I am here to fix your computer in the law firm ad then was talking in Russian through the smart glasses, presumably to someone, you know, one of these hackers back home to look at what are the best targets in the firm to hack. So pretty remarkable stuff.

It is unusual for them to do this just because of the evidence that leaves and because of the fingerprints that are out there. But on the other hand, a lot of these criminals are based in Eastern Europe and so, it is not any skin off their back if one of their hired hands gets caught and not them.

So it is a new problem for the FBI to deal with, and something that we've really seen the convergence of cyber and physical threats over the last year here in the U.S., Omar.

[18:30:36]

JIMENEZ: It's a fascinating dynamic and shows there's always something that the FBI or these other intelligence agencies or law enforcement are dealing with behind the scenes that are -- that are out of the sort of daily news cycle. But Sean Lyngaas, I appreciate your reporting. Thanks for being here.

All right, meanwhile, North Korea is flexing its military muscle, showing off its largest ever naval warship. Analysts say the new 5,000-ton destroyer could give the country's adversaries something to think about in a time of crisis. CNN's Will Ripley has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): North Korea's largest ever warship, the Choe Hyon, can fire a salvo of nuclear capable missiles in seconds, state TV says. As seen in this multi- camera cinematically shot demonstration earlier this year.

A carefully choreographed show of military might starring North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. and his daughter and rumored successor, believed to be in her early teens, Kim Ju Ae. She did not join her father at this week's grand commissioning ceremony, also broadcast on North Korean state television.

Kim donning a Panama hat in classic strongman style, inspecting his new destroyer's big guns. Crew members smile for a photo with their Supreme Leader. But nobody was smiling just over a year ago when a similar destroyer partially capsized during launch.

Satellite images showed a catastrophic failure. One side submerged parts of the hull draped in blue tarps.

Worse still, Marshal Kim was watching from shore. He called the botched launch a criminal act that brought shame to the nation. They arrested shipbuilders, engineers and military leaders but never disclosed their fates. The capsized ship was eventually refloated, launched again and began sea trials this month.

Now, Kim is declaring a new chapter in North Korean naval history, an end to over 70 years of stagnation. He said, "in terms of military hardware, the navy was the weakest of all the services of our armed forces. Things have changed."

Sanctions were supposed to stop Kim from building warships like this. Instead, North Korea says it built this destroyer entirely on its own. Outside experts are not so sure. How did they build a warship this sophisticated this quickly?

Some analysts suspect Russian assistance, pointing to Kim's growing military alliance with leader Vladimir Putin. Neither Moscow nor Pyongyang has acknowledged any such help.

Some experts also point to similarities between North Korea's new warships and Russian naval designs. Kim says he wants to build two of these 5,000-ton destroyers or bigger every year for the next five years. As Kim sets sail on his quest to build a nuclear capable navy, whether North Korea can actually match those ambitions remains to be seen. North Korea is still no match for the naval power of South Korea and the United States but this destroyer does mark a turning point. For decades, Pyongyang relied on submarines, fast attack boats and coastal defenses.

Now, Kim Jong U.N. is trying to build a blue water navy capable of operating in deep ocean much farther from home and carrying his nuclear ambitions with it. Will Ripley, CNN, Taipei.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JIMENEZ: All right, Will Ripley, appreciate it.

Meanwhile, here in the United States, everyone is feeling it. Higher prices on so many products with inflation up, our dollars just don't go as far as they used to. So, what are families doing? We're going to talk about it here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:39:07]

JIMENEZ: Inflation made more headlines this week when a key reading, the Fed's preferred way to look at inflation, came in red hot. A May inflation index jumped 4.1 percent from a year ago. That is twice as high as the Fed is typically comfortable with. And suggests they might need to raise rates to fight inflation.

Now, look, you already know this. The higher prices are a huge problem for families everywhere. But also, for President Trump and his party as the midterm elections get ever closer. I want to bring in Kaela Berg. She's a flight attendant, a mom, a union leader, and a state representative in Minnesota. She's also running for a seat in Congress as well.

Now Kaela, look, higher oil gas prices were driving this particular inflation report. Those are expected to cool off. But gas is still almost a dollar a gallon more than where the -- when -- than -- when the war with Iran began. I just wonder for you personally, titles aside, how have you been dealing that -- with that with your family and the families that you talk to?

[18:40:05]

KAELA BERG, (D) MINNESOTA CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE: Well, thank you so much for having me, Omar. Look, the chaos coming out of this administration makes it nearly impossible to plan a family budget. When the prices keep going up and keep going down, people don't know what to expect. And it's been this way for a long time with this administration. And it is not getting any easier on hardworking families here in Minnesota.

JIMENEZ: So, just on the bread-and-butter money issues here, I mean, you know, going to the grocery store, trying to provide for children, childcare. I mean, just what are you seeing there in Minnesota either for yourself or the families that you've been speaking to? BERG: So, here in Minnesota, folks are struggling. This economy is

hard on everyone. And what I'm hearing out on the doors and when I'm talking to voters is rising childcare costs, healthcare premiums. I talked to a teacher who pays a third of her salary for healthcare for her family. And people are really wondering why Washington is making decisions to enrich billionaires while leaving the rest of us behind.

JIMENEZ: You know, a few months ago, I was -- I was in Minnesota and Minneapolis and we were covering a lot of the increased immigration enforcement there with -- with ICE. And I remember, you -- you know, stood with other lawmakers to tell ICE to get out of Minnesota. You weren't alone in that. But one of the things that we documented sort of in the aftermath of that was that many of -- many businesses were struggling in terms of their customer base decimated over this environment of fear, trying to figure out how they were going to move forward with that dynamic, aside from the increased prices that we ended up seeing with fuel.

And I just wonder what is the leftover fallout there in Minnesota for either some of those businesses or I mean, with -- let's just start there for those businesses that were affected by some of what we saw to start this year.

BERG: Yes, look, our communities are still dealing with the lasting trauma from the invasion by our federal law enforcement. I escorted union workers to their cars from their job sites because they were too afraid to simply walk through a parking lot. And you're right, that has affected our small businesses.

Folks are just now opening up their businesses again. People are still afraid to leave their houses and it is going to take a long time to make those workers whole. And that's something that we're seeing in other places like New Jersey. This has really affected our local economies.

JIMENEZ: So, you know, we're talking about these local economies and obviously how much people have been struggling. You know, your campaign, as I understand, centers on -- on more of the kitchen table issues, but I guess bottom line, what do you want to see done? What do -- what do you want Washington to do that you think will actually make a difference in some of the union members you speak to, or even just some of the everyday Minnesotans that you come across, or yourself?

BERG: Right, look, I'm fighting for hardworking families. I know what they're up against because I live it. I stretch every paycheck. Even as a state legislator, I still fly to make ends meet. And I know what they're facing. And we don't find that in Washington. It works exactly like it's supposed to with the billionaires controlling the agenda. We need people in Congress who know who they're fighting for, who can make decisions for our hardworking families because we live it. We need people who are not bought and paid for.

The billionaires have been buying the agenda and the influence in Washington for far too long. We need people who are not going to capitulate to corporations, they can't be bought. That's why I'm fighting for our hardworking families. And you can find out about us at KaelaForCongress.com. Join our movement.

JIMENEZ: Kaela Berg, really appreciate you taking the time. Thanks for being here.

BERG: Thank you so much, Omar.

JIMENEZ: All right, we'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:48:51]

JIMENEZ: We're following breaking news out of Kentucky. The Governor's office says at least four people are dead following extreme flooding in parts of the state. Heavy rains have completely wiped-out bridges and inundated roads. You see what looks to be the remains of a church here as that water just rages by. The Governor says at least one motorist was killed after being swept away by flash flooding.

As I mentioned, we've been monitoring what's been going on there in the state. And I've got Richmond Mayor Robert Blythe who joins us now -- Richmond, Kentucky.

And Mayor Blythe, Richmond obviously for our viewers just outside of Lexington, Kentucky. But what is the latest there now?

MAYOR ROBERT BLYTHE, RICHMOND, KENTUCKY: Yes, we're about 20-25 miles from Lexington. Well, the latest is that -- that I've been able to get -- get access to and I -- I need to let you know I am currently out of town. I left Richmond yesterday morning and -- for a meeting with the housing and urban development. And, of course, this morning I was met with the news of the excessive rain.

[18:50:01]

And then, of course, some of the things that we were doing subsequently there in the city of Richmond and being asked, of course, to immediately declare the state of emergency. So, we've done that.

What I've gotten so far, of course, that major intersections are flooded, that there are homes that are flooded. I've received calls from some residents from certain areas in Richmond that their area was flooded and they had concerns about their neighbors whose homes appeared to be flooding. There was -- and I had -- I was very purposeful in not discussing at that time without getting an accurate message from our city manager and from others in our public safety department regarding whether or not there were any casualties.

Now, I'm -- I'm hearing rumors, but as of right now I've not gotten the word that I need to -- to be an official word. So, but there are great concerns, of course, about the entire community and the county community as far as that's concerned.

JIMENEZ: Understood. You know, for folks who are -- who are watching, and you can't see this, I don't think, but as you've been talking, we've been showing some images just across the state of some of -- of the flooding that we've been seeing. You know, for -- for those that have been following Kentucky for a bit, I mean, deadly flash floods in early 2025, there was back in 2022, dozens of people were killed in Kentucky when we saw some unprecedented flooding there.

And I -- I just wonder, can you just give us a sense for how Richmond, but also the region, typically deals with flooding? Unfortunately, it seems that -- that this is a familiar story.

BLYTHE: And -- and let me say this, I just flipped -- I'm here in the hotel, and I just flipped to -- to CNN broadcast -- broadcast. But, of course, and I made this comment to our city manager this morning as we were communicating, that all around us, eastern Kentucky, western Kentucky, northern, all of the folks who have had tragic weather incidents, and we seemingly, to a certain extent, had been spared.

But, of course, I'm -- I'm concerned always. I said to someone a few days ago, in fact, I'm -- I'm starting to feel that the earth is doing some kind of -- I'm not sure what it is -- and it isn't -- that it's funny, it's just that the earth seems to be revolting in so many different ways, so many different kinds of weather events. And we -- look, it's been everybody else.

Now, of course, a few years ago, we did have a tornado that came through our county several years before that, back in -- I believe it was '73, '74, another tornado event that came through our county. But it seems here recently that others have experienced these things, flooding certainly not being the least of those. And now, I said to the city manager, it appears to be our turn, and, you know, God forbid, but it seems to be that.

JIMENEZ: And it's something we're continuing to monitor closely. Mayor, I appreciate you taking the time as you keep tabs on your community as well. Keep us posted if things -- if things change. Thank you for being here.

BLYTHE: Thank you so much for giving us the opportunity to share with you.

JIMENEZ: Of course. All right, coming up, we're going to get you back to the top story we've been following in -- which is really Central Command saying it launched new strikes tonight against Iran -- Iranian targets. We'll have the latest on the breaking news. Stay with us just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:58:37]

JIMENEZ: World Cup underway. Six matches being played tonight across the country. It is the last day of group play. As teams look to secure their spot in the round of 32. And head to the knockout rounds, which begin tomorrow.

Now, look, reigning champion Argentina is among the 28 teams already moving on. So, not much at stake in tonight's match against Jordan, which will be done whether it wins, loses and draws. But there's still plenty of excitement among fans. CNN's Carolina Peguero is at a fan festival in Dallas.

Carolina, what -- what are fans telling you? I see some packed-in Argentina fans next to you.

CAROLINA PEGUERO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I am in a sea of blue and white jersey fans here. Just representing Argentina. They're minutes away from opening the gates here at Dallas Stadium. People are cheering on. People are happy. They're ready to see Lionel Messi, who has become, ultimately, the maximum goaler in World Cup history with 18 goals. Now, you can see there's long lines of people that have been waiting and trying to take shade. It's very hot here in Dallas, Texas, in this area of Arlington. Now, ahead of the game against Jordan, we also, earlier today went to a donation drive in efforts to have help hands for the Venezuelans in -- in Venezuela after the two earthquakes, while also here there will be a moment of silence.

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