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Longtime, Influential Republican Senator Lindsey Graham Being Remembered; U.S. and Iran Trade New Strikes; Pub Fire in Bangkok Kills 27, Injures Dozens; Allies Express Gratitude For Senator's Hawkish Foreign Policy; U.S. & Iran Make Contradictory Claims About Strait Of Hormuz; China Begins Cleanup After Strongest Storm Of The Year; Jannik Sinner Keeps Wimbledon Title Win Over Alexander Zverev. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired July 13, 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]

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ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us here in the United States and from all around the world. I'm Rosemary Church.

Just ahead on CNN Newsroom, we are learning what likely caused the sudden and unexpected death of Lindsey Graham, a Republican stalwart who pushed for the use of military power overseas. The U.S. says dozens of targets are hit in the latest round of strikes on Iran, Tehran targeting U.S. bases in the Gulf. Plus, back-to-back wins. Jannick Sinner walks away with Wimbledon glory for the second year in a row.

UNKNOWN (voice-over): Live from Atlanta, this is "CNN Newsroom with Rosemary Church."

CHURCH: Good to have you with us. And we begin this hour with new details on the sudden death of U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham. According to Graham's communications director, a preliminary finding from the medical examiner shows the 71-year-old died following an aortic dissection.

The longtime South Carolina Republican died Saturday night shortly after returning from a visit to Ukraine. The Senate will be back in session in the hours ahead in Washington where flags are being flown at half-staff at the U.S. Capitol in his honor. Graham, once a Trump critic, became a close ally of the U.S. president who said he had spoken with the senator just hours before his death.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (voice-over): He's a great politician. He was a natural. There are very few of them. He was a natural politician, got along with everybody. When he didn't, he was very tough. You know, he's a tough cookie, too, but he got -- got along with everybody. He was one of the 17 people that ran against me. And he was, you know, a smart guy. And it was a nasty campaign. He was tough and nasty, but I was nasty, too, and it worked out fine. And I got to know him by little drips and drabs. And then we became friendly, and there was no better advocate. He was a fantastic advocate in the Senate.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: CNN's Jeff Zeleny has more now on the reaction from Washington.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: The Senate returns to Washington on Monday, mourning one of its own, the loss of Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who died overnight Saturday into Sunday of what his office called a brief and sudden illness. Now, this was a shocking development to all of Washington and indeed to the White House. He was one of the most loyal allies of the president.

But Senator Graham's office on Sunday gave a little more information about what led to this untimely and sudden death. They said the preliminary findings from the medical examiner said that it was related to aortic dissection due to cardiovascular disease. The senator's office went on to say this: The death certificate will be pending until all toxicological and microscopic testing are finalized and, at that point, the death certificate will be updated to reflect the cause of death and appropriately classify the manner of death.

So many senators now are just beginning to take stock of what this will mean going forward. There was no one really who embodied the transformation of the Republican Party from the Bush era to the Trump era more than Lindsey Graham. Of course, he was a fierce critic, but then became a loyal defender of the president. He's also the chairman of the Budget Committee. And there are very -- there's a very slim majority in the Senate, of course.

So, this week was also scheduled to be the confirmation hearing for the attorney general, Todd Blanche. Of course, Senator Lindsey Graham is a top supporter of him. Now, Republicans will be looking for to hold all the ranks there. They cannot lose a single vote on that as well as defense spending measures as well.

So, even as the Senate is grieving Senator Lindsey Graham, some senators are calling on the Senate to pass sanctions again to Russia in his name, in his honor. Of course, he was traveling in Ukraine, then returned to Washington when this happened. That remains an open question.

But from the White House to Capitol Hill, certainly to South Carolina, the grieving for Senator Lindsey Graham continues even as South Carolina officials are looking ahead and likely having a special election for it to fill his primary seat in just three weeks.

Jeff Zeleny, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[02:05:00]

CHURCH: Lindsey Graham was a major supporter of Israel. And his death has shocked leaders there, especially Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who is remembering him this way.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL: He was a wonderful, wonderful friend, a great American patriot, and a great champion of the Israel-American alliance. And I'll miss him personally a lot, a lot. I really, really thought the world of him, and I think the world has lost a great human being. America has lost a great senator, and we have lost a great friend.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Ron Brownstein is a senior political analyst for CNN. He joins us now. Good to see you. Thanks so much for talking with us.

RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Hi, Rosemary.

CHURCH: So, I think it's fair to say that we were all shocked by the sudden passing of the longtime senator, Lindsey Graham. And at this point, we know from his office -- they're saying that he died from complications related to cardiovascular disease, specifically aortic dissection, and with further tests pending. Talk to us about what his legacy is, particularly when it comes to foreign policy. Of course, he had just returned from a trip to Ukraine when he passed away.

BROWNSTEIN: Yes, it's a complex legacy. I mean, he was certainly respected and liked by all of his colleagues. He is someone who very much revered the Senate, enjoyed being a senator, especially earlier in his career, very much was a bipartisan dealmaker, also was someone who tried to disagree without being disagreeable.

Later in his career, in the Donald Trump era, he really personified the evolution that a lot of Republicans went through on Trump, from -- initially, Graham was enormously skeptical, even hostile for Trump, called him a bigot and a xenophobe. But, ultimately, concluded that he had to, you know, kind of move into Trump's orbit, both as a way of advancing his own -- maintaining his own relevance, but also to advance causes that he cared about, which, as you know, above all, were an active American role in the world.

So, it was -- it was a complicated legacy. And the Lindsey Graham of 2026 didn't necessarily have a lot in common with the Lindsey Graham of 2006, but he was someone who really did leave a mark.

CHURCH: And there were a lot of people troubled by that evolution. You know, as you point out, he was initially a critic of Donald Trump. And he was a very close ally and friend of John McCain who died back in 2018. And then after the death of McCain, he did make that incredible leap of faith and coming --

BROWNSTEIN: Yes.

CHURCH: -- alliance with Donald Trump. I mean, a lot of people criticized him for that. How would you explain that evolution?

BROWNSTEIN: You know, some people, someone I saw, someone described it as Robin found a new Batman. I mean, you know, he was -- I always thought of Lindsey Graham as John McCain's kind of wingman. I mean, John McCain provided air cover, his name, his persona, to important bipartisan deals on campaign finance, on immigration, and an attempt on climate change. And then Lindsey Graham was really the guy on the ground working in the room with Democrats doing the details, you know. And he was kind of the number two, very clearly the number two to McCain, who was his mentor.

You know, after his failed presidential campaign, that's Graham in 2016, and Trump's emergence in the GOP, Lindsey Graham was someone who above all wanted to be relevant, you know. And he said to my former colleague, Mark Leibovich, in 2019, that his association with Donald Trump above all gave him relevance within the Republican Party.

But I think like a lot of Republicans, he decided that he really could not win an argument about the direction of the party with Trump and that he had to kind of make his peace with Trump in a way that allowed him to try to influence Trump around the edges on the things he cared about.

But that required, Rosemary, that's not sugarcoated, it required enormous concessions and Graham accepting things from Trump, from January 6 to the way he talked about immigrants, that it was really impossible to imagine Lindsey Graham abiding 10 years earlier or perhaps even if John McCain was still alive.

CHURCH: Yes indeed. And, of course, in the wake of Senator Lindsey Graham's death, we've seen an outpouring of tributes from world leaders and indeed from politicians right across the United States. So, talk to us about what you think will happen now going forward when it comes to debate on various foreign policy issues and, of course, other issues.

[02:10:00]

BROWNSTEIN: Yes. You know, it's understandable why those leaders are making those comments, unlike something like immigration, where aligning with Donald Trump really required Lindsey Graham to abandon the principles that he talked about earlier. On foreign policy, he did not. On foreign policy, he consistently, in a kind of McCain-like way, supported a very assertive, even militaristic U.S. role in the world. He was using his influence with Trump to try to steer Trump in that direction.

And losing Graham is an important loss for the internationalist wing of the Republican Party, the interventionist wing, for that matter, of the Republican Party. He was someone who made a difference on that front. He was a staunch defender of Ukraine. He, you know, was very much supportive of intervention in the Middle East, in Iran, in Israel. I mean, you can kind of debate the wisdom of his counsel, but the direction of his counsel was unmistakable. That wing of the Republican Party, I think, is going to be weaker without him there and the unique personal relationship that he was able to forge with Trump. CHURCH: And Ron, on that, who do you think will likely replace Senator Lindsey Graham? And what are the political ramifications of who fills that spot?

BROWN: Yes. I don't know. I mean, you know, I think Joe Wilson, the representative, has expressed interest in it. I read today that Scott, which I did not know, Scott Bessent, the treasury secretary, is a South Carolina native, and some people are interested in him.

You know, what makes this a little unusual, of course, is that Graham's seat is open in November. The law in South Carolina is a very accelerated table. I mean, people have to declare for this seat very quickly, and there will be a primary very quickly, and then that person will have to run in November. South Carolina is red enough that it is likely going to be a Republican.

You know, in some ways, who replaces Graham in his seat in South Carolina is less important than who replaces Graham as kind of the leader of the traditional internationalists in the Republican Party, and that's not entirely clear to me, either.

CHURCH: Ron Brownstein, thanks so much for joining us. Appreciate your analysis.

BROWNSTEIN: Thanks for having me, Rosemary.

CHURCH: We are also learning more about the health of U.S. Senate Republican Mitch McConnell. Speculation over his condition has increased in the past few weeks after he was hospitalized on June 14. His office has released a photo of the senator and his wife, former U.S. transportation secretary, Elaine Chao.

McConnell says he was hospitalized after he fell and was briefly unconscious. He says he's now in a rehabilitation center to regain his strength after a mild case of pneumonia. Video obtained by CNN shows an ambulance at the senator's residence in June. But until now, no one knew what that emergency was. The lawmaker says he did not break any bones or have a heart attack or stroke. A doctor's note attached to his statement also referred to his injuries as minor.

McConnell has a history of health issues. He is a childhood polio survivor and suffered a concussion from another fall just a few years ago.

Turning now to Iran where the Islamic Revolutionary Guard says it has launched a new wave of missile and drone attacks targeting U.S. bases in the region. The announcement comes after the U.S. began an hours- long barrage of strikes across central and southern Iran. A U.S. Military spokesperson says the attack is in response to Iran firing at another commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran is warning neighboring countries not to assist any U.S. military action and a number of Gulf countries say they faced Iranian fire during the weekend.

So, let's turn to CNN's Paula Hancock. She joins us live from Abu Dhabi. Good to see you, Paula. So, what is the latest on these tit- for-tat attacks between the U.S. and Iran and where do diplomatic efforts stand right now?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Rosemary, residents in a number of Gulf nations were woken up by emergency alerts, some by the sounds of interceptions as well. Iran says that they have targeted Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman. They have given quite a few details about Bahrain and Kuwait, saying that they were targeting U.S. military infrastructure, claiming that they have -- that they have created damage at some of those military bases.

In Kuwait, for example, they claimed they've destroyed fuel storage tanks, Patriot air defense systems. We have asked Central Command for comment on that.

[02:15:01]

And also, in Bahrain, claiming that at the U.S. air base, that they have inflicted significant damage as well.

Now, we heard from Jordan's Ministry of Defense. They say that they had to intercept four missiles this Monday morning. That was according to state media.

So, we are seeing a significant response from Iran around the region. Now, this follows what we saw in the early hours of Monday morning. Central Command saying that they were targeting dozens of sites. Now, some of them are similar to what we have seen over the past week or so, so the air defense systems along the Strait of Hormuz, also missile and drone launch areas along the waterway as well.

They say that what they are trying to do is to degrade Iran's ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial vessels freely transiting the strait. This is really the main sticking point when it comes to the U.S. and Iran at this point. This is why we are seeing these tit- for-tats strikes from both sides.

The U.S. accusing Iran once again of targeting a vessel in this critical waterway. Tehran has insisted that vessels have to take their pre-approved routes. They have to get Iranian permission. They claimed that this is what the memorandum of understanding had specified.

But what we have been seeing is many vessels wanting to take the more southern route, so hugging the Omani coast, so they don't have to deal with Tehran. This is why we have seen this reaction from Tehran.

Now, of course, as you might understand, there are far fewer vessels that are willing to try and get through the Strait of Hormuz at this point. That is leading to a knock on with oil prices. We're seeing oil prices again rising.

And, certainly, this is an issue that has become quite significant over the past couple of days. This really is a very serious threat to this memorandum of understanding the U.S. and Iran did sign, and there are concerns of further escalations in strikes. Rosemary?

CHURCH: All right. Thanks to Paula Hancocks in Abu Dhabi with that live report. And, as we heard, of course, we will look at the markets in Asia. They're doing -- how they're doing this first day of trading since the escalation in fighting in the Middle East. And you can see Japan's Nikkei has lost more than two percent there. And in South Korea, the KOSPI has lost nearly eight percent. There are some shattering numbers there. We'll keep an eye on that.

Well, a fire at a bar in Bangkok left over two dozen dead and many more injured. After the break, the latest on the fire as the investigation into its cause continues.

And there's growing outrage in Texas after an ICE agent fatally shot a man accused of ramming a law enforcement vehicle with his van. Hear what the other men in that van are saying about the incident. That's after the break.

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[02:20:00]

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CHURCH: A fire at a bar in Bangkok, Thailand has killed at least 27 people and injured dozens. Officials say the fire was reported at around midnight Saturday night. The country's prime minister said many of the victims were found in the restrooms at the back of the pub.

So, let's bring in CNN's Mike Valerio. He joins us live from Beijing. And Mike, the images are horrifying. What more are you learning about what happened at this Bangkok pub and, of course, the likely cause of this deadly blaze?

MIKE VALERIO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, Rosemary, we have new reporting that's coming from our producer, Kocha Olarn, in Bangkok. This is from fire officials who say -- quote -- "The preliminary assumption is that the cause of this fire was an electrical short circuit on an air conditioning unit mounted to the ceiling of this building." So, that is new information coming in. We're going to take that fact and combine it with the horrific scene from just a few hours ago. We're going to play our story, sort of synthesizing all the facts, and we'll talk more on the other side. Let's watch.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VALERIO (voice-over): A huge fire tore through a popular pub in Bangkok early Monday morning, killing at least 27 people and injuring dozens more. Witness's video shows violent flames raging as terrified patrons ran for their lives. Thick smoke gushed out of the entrance. The fire engulfing the building in minutes.

Firefighters from multiple Bangkok stations rushed to the scene, taking about half an hour to bring the fire under control. But, by then, the damage was devastating.

CHAKRIT KHONKOM, LEAD FIREFIGHTER (through translator): The fire was not that aggressive, but the smoke had engulfed 100 percent of the venue. Once we knew there were a number of victims inside, we sent in a search and rescue squad, and found that a lot of them were inside the toilet. Most of them were trying to escape to the back because they saw that the flames were at the front.

UNKNOWN (through translator): My friend, who's a singer singing on stage, said, at first, they noticed the smell of something burning. Then, a little after, they saw the ceiling was on fire.

VALERIO (voice-over): The blaze broke out around midnight at the Nat Lat Phrao brewery restaurant, popular live music venue in Bangkok's Chatuchak district. Footage of the aftermath shows scorched interiors, collapsed furniture, and blackened walls. Authorities are working to identify victims, with many of their I.D. cards unable to be found.

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul visited the site in the early hours and directed agencies to assist victims' families. Investigators are now working to determine the cause of one of the deadliest pub fires Bangkok has seen in recent years.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[02:24:54]

VALERIO: And we also have live pictures from the scene right now where you can see fire investigators in Thailand going in and out of the building to try to figure out the first few frames from the story that we just played, how that fire, Rosemary, was accelerated so quickly. Astonishing to see.

And if you're watching this, you know, with your heart going out to the families and everybody who is inside of the building and thinking to yourself, you know, perhaps this is a familiar storyline, you're not wrong in that sense. When we go back to New Year's Eve in 2009, there were 66 people who lost their lives because of a similar fire situation in a club with lower fire standards than we're accustomed to in many parts of the world. In 2022, there were 14 people who were also killed when a fire broke out inside a nightclub southeast of Bangkok. Again, lower safety standards.

So, the storyline that we are following and tracking for today and the rest of the week and onward will be what, if any, practical lessons could possibly be learned from this instance and what changes will be made in Bangkok and throughout the country, Rosemary.

CHURCH: Yes indeed. Hopefully, we'll see some changes made. That is simply horrifying. Mike Valerio in Beijing, thanks for bringing us up- to-date on the situation. I appreciate it.

The shooting death of a Mexican man by a U.S. immigration officer in Texas is prompting an outcry of protests. A crowd gathered outside Houston City Hall on Sunday calling for an independent investigation into the killing of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo. ICE officials say he rammed a law enforcement vehicle with his van and refused to follow officers' verbal commands. The other men who were in the van deny those claims.

Our Carolina Peguero has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) CAROLINA PEGUERO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's almost been a week since Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was shot and killed by an ICE agent just a few steps from where I'm standing here, but also where community members continue to show their love and support as this memorial site continues to grow. And many are still seeking answers. Strikingly different accounts as well from ICE and the other passengers in Salgado Araujo's van.

In terms of the investigation, ICE says the DHS Office of the Inspector General is leading efforts to review what happened. The FBI's Houston office and local police are also investigating. But there has been no update since Friday. They only have shared that federal agencies are resisting collaboration.

We went door to door to the local businesses and houses here in the east end of Houston to see ourselves if we could obtain any information, surveillance footage or cell phone video of the incidents, while residents and business owners say they have seen detectives in the area.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN: We shouldn't wait for something like this to happen. I'm here because I come from a mixed status family. This could happen to my cousin, my uncle, my dad. And, you know, I do want Houston to touch its heart and realize that it could be any of us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PEGUERO: And Congresswoman Garcia visited two of the three men that were with Salgado Araujo in the van when he was shot. She met with them at the detention center where they are being held and shared their accounts.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. SYLVIA GARCIA (D), TEXAS: Only Mr. Salgado said that the FBI -- someone from the FBI had come to talk to them, to him. I asked him if there were any questions that might be about this alleged assault to an agent, and he was just, what? None of us ever touched them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PEGUERO: And for now, we know that a local civil rights group as well as the family are seeking an independent autopsy and accountability.

Carolina Peguero, CNN, Houston.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: U.S. allies are offering their condolences following the death of Senator Lindsey Graham. Still to come, what emerged from his final trip to Ukraine last week. Plus, the U.S. and Iran are making conflicting statements on the status of the Strait of Hormuz. Details of what's happening in the crucial waterway when we come back.

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[02:32:06]

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Leaders from around the world are paying tribute to the late U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, remembering him as a staunch advocate for U.S. involvement overseas.

As Nic Robertson reports, Graham had just returned from one of his many trips to Ukraine.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yeah, it's really interesting because this, of course, is a time where President Trump is really straining his relationships with his NATO partners. I mean, you only have to look back to last week and that summit in Ankara where the president came in angry, he left a little happier. But that has been strained. And it's very interesting to hear from the secretary general of NATO, Mark Rutte, from the German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, from the British foreign secretary, Yvette Cooper, all saying that he was a very strong supporter of the NATO Atlantic alliance.

So that is something that the Europeans found value, particularly at this time with President Trump. And that's really was perhaps best embodied by Lindsey Graham's engagement in Ukraine, President Zelenskyy said that Lindsey Graham had been there 10 times since Russia's invasion in 2022, you know, that he was a great supporter of peace. But he had other really strong words that I really think speak to what Senator Graham did when he was in Ukraine. And that was connect not just with the political leadership, but with the people, because President Zelenskyy pointed out that he was really grateful for Lindsey Graham's kind and supportive words about the difficult as the Ukrainians were going through, remembering they've been through many winters, freezing winters.

And Lindsey Graham's visits there weren't just about trying to get more weapons for Ukraine so that they could fight back against Russia. They were about supporting the country and the people. You know, I'll miss our conversations, is what President Zelenskyy said. But this latest visit, perhaps the most important, if you will, visiting with the Ukrainian president, visiting Skyfall, that's one of Ukraine's top drone-producing factory is really why they're getting an advantage in this war.

And it was that advantage coupled, Lindsey Graham hoped, with more sanctions on Russia that gave him the belief that perhaps the war could be ended. This is what he said about it when he was in Kyiv just on Friday last.

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): We've reached agreement with the White House on a version of the Russian sanctions bill that they will support. It means it's going to become law. So, when I get back to Washington, I'm going to go with Senator Blumenthal to the Republican, the Democratic leader, to see if we can find time to move this Russian sanctions package that would give tools to President Trump to help end this war.

[02:35:02]

ROBERTSON: And that's what's going to be hard to replace here in Lindsey Graham, not just the advocate for Ukraine, but an advocate and a sympathetic supporter of the people winning President Zelenskyy's trust and being that vital conduit to the White House to try to influence President Trump. Value to the Europeans as well.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Earlier, CNN spoke with the former chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party, Katon Dawson.

He reflected on his close relationship with Graham over the years and what he will remember most about the senator's legacy. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KATON DAWSON, FORMER CHAIRMAN, SOUTH CAROLINA REPUBLICAN PARTY: Lindsey would always tell you, when it really got hot, Lindsey would say, you know what, they sent me home. At least they sent me home because I was trying to do the right thing for the country and the right thing for South Carolina. And you have to admire a politician willing to take those chances. Lindsey liked everybody, got along with most people as long as you stood by your word. And he always stood by his.

I mean, he's just a charming individual that came from a very meek beginning in his life on West Main Street, Ram Seneca, South Carolina, and took those values to Congress, was one of the floor managers on Bill Clinton. That's when he really became famous, was on TV as a floor manager when Bill Clinton was being impeached.

And then I think what's missed on everybody is Lindsey Graham ran for Strom Thurmond's open seat, which there hadn't been an open seat in South Carolina in decades, and no one ran against him in that primary. Amazing that he had that kind of ability and political acumen, but he just was a good guy, y'all.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Turning now to the Middle East, as the fighting between the U.S. and Iran escalates, we are hearing conflicting messages about the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's authority that oversees a new protocol for transits through the waterway says that the passage of vessels is, quote, "not possible due to the recent unlawful movements of the U.S. military."

But President Donald Trump told CNN that the strait is still open as far as the U.S. is concerned.

So, let's go live now to Cairo to talk to H.A. Hellyer, senior associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute for Defense and Security Studies.

Appreciate you joining us.

H.A. HELLYER, ROYAL UNITED SERVICES INSTITUTE FOR DEFENSE & SECURITY STUDIES: My pleasure. Thank you for having me.

CHURCH: Of course.

So, we are hearing these conflicting claims from the U.S. and Iran about what's happening in the Strait of Hormuz right now when it comes to marine traffic and who controls this critical waterway. What are you able to tell us about the situation in the Strait right now?

HELLYER: So, I think that embedded in the MOU that Iran, the United States, agreed to several weeks ago is where we should really be looking here. The MOU had very vague and frankly conflicting pieces when it came to this. The Iranians have made it very clear that the Strait of Hormuz is incredibly valuable to them. It's a leverage point. It's a pressure point that they can use. in order to push the United States through the international community.

It violates international law. I don't think anybody should be any -- in any doubt about that. It's an international waterway. There shouldn't be any restriction on traffic going through it. Be that as it may, the Iranians have seen that when they apply pressure on the international community through the Strait of Hormuz, things change. And I think that this is why they're pushing so hard on this.

What has been striking to me, frankly, over the last few days is that they have tried to apply pressure on the Gulf by engaging with the Omanis, which are the Gulf Arab state on the other side of the Strait from them. that would be in control of the strait on their side, most of all, also partially the Emiratis. But it's particularly the Omanis.

And the Omanis have been very flexible, have been tried to be--they've tried to be accommodating, not because they're pro-Iranian, but because they recognize that the Iranian regime isn't going anywhere anytime soon, and they are prisoners of geography. They can't not deal with Iran. and they've tried very hard to deescalate and accommodate.

But the Iranians have been really clear, frankly thuggish when it comes to this by actually striking Oman over the last couple of days, as well as other Gulf Arab states.

[02:40:03]

So I think that this is really a crucial issue, that if the Strait of Hormuz is going to remain open, then there has to be a lot more action from the Gulf, but also more widely in the international community. Otherwise, the Iranians will simply conclude that they can push and push and push, and because the United States is not going to go to war again, thankfully it was an illegal and frankly very foolish war, that they can do what they want when it comes to the strait.

CHURCH: Right. Of course, we are seeing these tit-for-tat attacks right now, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard saying it has launched more missile and drone attacks on U.S. bases in the region after extensive U.S. strikes across central and southern Iran. And, of course, those U.S. attacks were in response to Iran firing at

another commercial ship in the Strait. So where does all this leave diplomatic efforts, which we understand are still underway?

HELLYER: So, this, again, is another crucial point. The Iranians have, I think, correctly concluded that the United States does not want to return to war. And in the absence of returning to war, what pressure is really going to be applied on the Iranians in order to have them stop this type of activity within the Strait of Hormuz.

That's the calculation that I think that they're making. Again, I think it was very, very foolish for the United States to go to war against Iran. I think it was completely illegal to do so. Having said that, I'm also not advocating that they return to war now. But having said that, the assessment then from the Iranians is that, okay, the U.S. isn't going to go to war again. We have a Gulf Arab community that is trying to coexist with us in some way. So, actually, we can push.

And I think that they're really overplaying their hand, because if the Iranian regime thinks that the Gulf Arab states are simply going to accept the state of affairs alongside the rest of the international community, I don't think that they're thinking this through very well. The Gulf Arab states depend also on freedom of navigation. The Iranians may be able to bully in certain ways over the short term. I'm not convinced that they're going to be able to hold this for the medium to long term, especially if they want to continue trying to develop how un-isolated their country is in the region at present.

Right now, they're trying to be the hegemon of the Gulf. They're not the hegemon of the Gulf. There isn't that sort of consensus within the Gulf at all, and they can't hold that position simply by, as I said, bullying.

CHURCH: H.A. Hellyer, thank you so much for joining us and sharing your perspective and analysis. Appreciate it.

HELLYER: My pleasure. Thank you.

CHURCH: Still to come, man's best friends are in need of more help than ever after Venezuela's deadly earthquakes. We will show you what's being done to help pets affected by the disaster.

Back with that and more in just a moment.

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[02:46:19]

CHURCH: China is assessing the damage left by Typhoon Bavi, the strongest storm to hit the country so far this year. More than 2.8 million people were evacuated from the coast before the storm hit on Saturday night. At landfall, it had equivalent power to a category one hurricane with 144 kilometer per hour winds. The storm covered an area the size of France. Bavi has weakened to a tropical storm as it travels inland, but it will continue to bring heavy rains across eastern and northern China in the coming days.

Well, it's been more than two weeks now since two deadly earthquakes hit Venezuela. Officials say the death toll has risen to nearly 4,500 lives. As the grueling cleanup continues, one animal shelter is trying to track down as many stray and displaced pets as possible.

CNN contributor Stefano Pozzebon has more details.

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STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR (voice-over): A safe haven, the Nevado Animal Shelter in Venezuela says it's rescued over 500 animals since the country's devastating twin earthquakes. Though the human toll is staggering, animal welfare workers say pets and wildlife are also voiceless victims.

RENE CARDOZO, NEVADO MISSION COORDINATOR (through translator): Last night, almost 40 kittens were rescued from a residence that was in ruins. We have to take advantage of the night because that's when the kittens come out.

POZZEBON (voice-over): Rescuers say they often go out at night to look for displaced animals, who hide during the day out of fear and to avoid the heat. The ones that are saved are often dehydrated, injured, or anemic.

Pets lucky enough to remain with their families face a different set of challenges. Finding veterinary care is difficult when so many human needs are going unmet. But some emergency camps are offering side-by- side care.

ROSALIN GONZALEZ, VETERINARIAN (through translator): We are caring for all pets that have been affected by the earthquake. We are already handling emergencies. Some have come in with fractures, others with eye problems.

POZZEBON (voice-over): A McDonald's in La Guaira was recently transformed into a makeshift field hospital, treating both humans and animals. A team of volunteer veterinarians worked on the four-legged patients, which one quake survivor says he's grateful for.

NORBERTO LEON, EARTHQUAKE SURVIVOR (through translator): How could we not save the pets? We're going to do everything we can for them. Wherever I have to take him, I'll take him. He's important. He's part of the family.

POZZEBON (voice-over): Back at the Nevado Animal Shelter, one woman says she came to adopt a pet, to give it a new life, something many victims of Venezuela's quake also hope for.

ANDREA GOMEZ, STUDENT (through translator): There are so many animals that have been abandoned, whose owners can't be found, and who sadly lost their families. I would like to give them a home, because they're also in need. This is a tragedy for all.

POZZEBON (voice-over): Stefano Pozzebon, CNN, Bogota, Colombia. (END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: The top tennis player in the world defends his Wimbledon title despite some early concerns. Highlights from Jannik Sinner's big win, that's next on CNN.

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[02:53:35]

CHURCH: Just four teams remain in the battle for football's biggest prize. The World Cup semi-finals kick off on Tuesday. France will put its star-studded defense to the test against a Spanish team that's allowed just one goal in the tournament so far. And on Wednesday, one of the sport's greatest rivalries will play out yet again when defending champions Argentina meet the three lions of England on the pitch here in Atlanta.

And it's possible the next World Cup could be even bigger. FIFA's president confirms the organization will explore the idea of expanding the men's tournament from 48 to 64 teams after this year. He told a Swiss broadcaster he thinks it's important to organize the event for the whole world and that every nation should be able to dream of participating. If approved, a 64-team tournament would have 128 matches This year, there's 104.

And world number one, Jannik Sinner, is holding onto his ranking and the Wimbledon title. He beat Alexander Zverev in four sets during a brutally long match at the All England Club. It's Sinner's fifth Grand Slam singles title.

Our Don Riddell has all the highlights.

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DON RIDDELL, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Jannik Sinner is once again the Wimbledon champion, but he was made to work for his title defense by Alexander Zverev on Centre Court on Sunday.

[02:55:01]

This was a fascinating matchup between the top two seeds, but Zverev might have had a bit of trepidation beforehand, although he recently broke his major drought by winning the French Open. He had lost nine consecutive matches against Sinner. However, he stepped up here, edging a tight first set on a tiebreak, snapping a run of 14 consecutive lost sets against the Italian. The second set also very competitive, although this time it was Sinner who edged it on another tiebreaker.

And although he went on to win the match by three sets to one, Zverev had pushed him all the way. Regardless, Sinder is now a five-time major champion and a two-time Wimbledon champ, and at three hours and 46 minutes, this was the second longest win of his career.

JANNIK SINNER, WORLD NUMBER 1 TENNIS PLAYER: There's no better place, honestly, to play tennis. Standing here, you can feel the nerves in a Sunday morning when you wake up, you know, that this is, you know, a very, very special day, and you never know how many times you can come back on Sunday, so I never take things for granted, playing in front of very, very special people throughout the whole couple of weeks. It has been amazing.

And yeah, and thanks for the support. You are always amazing to me, and you gave me the most special feeling a tennis player can ever feel like. So thank you so much.

RIDDELL: So, the focus now switches to the U.S. Open in New York, where Sinner was the champion in 2024. He'll be the favorite, although Zverev must now be considered a serious rival. And at some point, the injured Carlos Alcaraz is going to be back in the mix. If he's been watching on TV, he'll know that Sinner will take some stopping. Back to you.

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CHURCH: All right. Thanks so much for your company this hour. I'm Rosemary Church.

CNN NEWSROOM with Selma Abdelziz is next after a quick break.

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