Return to Transcripts main page

CNN This Morning

U.S. Official: Israel Strikes Iran, Target Not Nuclear; Seven Men, Five Women Seated For Trump Hush Money Jury. Aired 5-5:30a ET

Aired April 19, 2024 - 05:00   ET

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

[05:00:37]

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

JIM ACOSTA, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. I'm Jim Acosta, in for Kasie Hunt.

We begin with breaking news. A U.S. official confirming to CNN that Israel carried out a military strike inside Iran late last night. An Iranian news agency reporting there were three explosions heard near an army base in the Isfahan province, that's about 270 miles south of Tehran. The Israeli military is not commenting on the attack and it's not immediately clear what was targeted.

This appears to be in retaliation for Iran's failed missile and drone attack on Israel last weekend. The International Atomic Energy Agency says there's no damage to Iran's nuclear sites, and it is monitoring the situation very closely.

Paula Hancocks is in Beirut with the latest.

Paula, get us up to speed. What do you know?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Jim, at this point, we have been hearing from Iranian officials throughout state- run media in Iran. And really the message that they are giving at this point is that there was no damage, and that it is business as usual. We understand from the state media reports that they shot down three drones in this particular area and was seeing really street scenes of a business as usual, on state-run media, really an effort to downplay what happened overnight and trying to prove that nothing was affected.

We heard from a state media also saying that the nuclear facilities are secure and that its this point that is no concern. It's a very different message to what we have been hearing in recent days. In fact, just hours before the strike happened on our air, we had the Iranian foreign minister saying that if Israel does carry out another strike against a radiant terror and Iranian assets than the response would be even more than what we saw last weekend with unprecedented attack of more than 300 drones and missiles against Israeli territory.

And this is what we have been hearing in recent days, that if Israel were to retaliate, then there would be an even more significant response so at this point we don't know what is going to happen. We can assess from what we are seeing from the Iranian side that is being downplayed, but they don't consider this a significant attack and certainly when you compare it to the visuals of what we saw last weekend, it does not seem to be on that kind of level.

So the hope certainly among many is that these fears of a wider regional conflict may have been averted at this point, but it all comes down to Tehran now, Jim, it depends if Iran believes that this was a low level enough attack that it doesn't feel it has to respond -- Jim.

ACOSTA: All right. Paula Hancocks in Beirut for us, thank you, Paula, appreciate it.

Let's go now to CNN chief international correspondent Nick Paton Walsh, who's live in London with more.

Nick, if you can pick up where apologists left off there, you know, it sounds like there's a lot of hope inside the diplomatic community internationally that perhaps this tit for tat will not continue. But I guess there are no guarantees that that will happen.

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, absolutely no guarantees, but one of the benefits Iran has of being an autocracy, being able to control the information released inside its own country. Is it going essentially tell everybody what it wants to about what just happened?

This may be Israel showing in a limited way that it can penetrate Iranian air defenses, it maybe potentially trying to hit elements of Iran's military that were involved in the attacks, we don't know, and we may never entirely know.

We do know from U.S. officials that nuclear targets were not hit. And so it appears here that Israel has calibrated this. It is limited as they had potentially signaled to their allies earlier, and it gives around the opportunity to essentially say nothing happened here.

Look at street scenes of how calm life has returned to Isfahan. Let's move on potentially closing a chapter here. There is obviously, Jim, huge scope for miscalculation, yet again.

[05:05:02]

You could argue that we got to this place because potentially of miscalculation in Israel although if they hit the Iranian consulate in Damascus, so that wouldn't spark potentially a larger Iranian response.

So, in this region, it's impossible to have absolutes, but its pretty clear from the nature of the Iranian attack here. One in which Iran is saying these were drones, you can argue maybe they even launched inside of Iran itself and Israel can put its own messaging out about the strength of its strike here, that both sides have sees an opportunity annuity to turn the volume down. And then were going to deal frankly with more pressing internal problems themselves, Jim. ACOSTA: Yeah. But, you know, Nick, I mean, one thing that has

happened over this past week is that both sides of sort of cross this -- I read what used to be sort of a red line that there would not be strikes inside Israeli territory by the Iranians and vice versa. And that seems to -- that's no more?

WALSH: Yeah, that whole sort of confrontation to this point for the most part has been about proxies. Iranian proxies in Syria, Lebanon, Hezbollah key there and Iraq being used to hit Israel and its allies with some degree of deniability, they could turn it on, turn it off, but leave the Iranian homeland, so to speak, not something that could be a target.

Also, Israel using covert operations inside of Iran to hit nuclear scientists, to hit key targets and damage Iran's infrastructure, but not have to stand up and claim public responsibility. That taboo is now gone certainly. And you may argue the cat is now out of the bag. It cannot be turned round.

We're in a new phase potentially of this confrontation, but it's clearly a face tonight, we've seen neither side really wants to embrace. This is not a new era of direct confrontation either once. And, Jim, it's important to just remind ourselves here how nobody now, right now, it seems of the three major parties involved in this seems to want over war.

It's clear the Biden administration absolutely does not want that as we head into an election season. It's clear Israel sees real pressing problems still in Gaza, potentially invading refer, which is going to need to deal with before it potentially sparks a huge and bloody messy confrontation that many Israeli hardliners think it needs with Hezbollah to its north, and Iranian proxy and Iran not that strong militarily, I think its fair to say the apogee of its powers is potentially behind it, economically struggling, with internal dissent issues, too.

So, all three, perhaps not wanting confrontation now, you may see increased tension with Israel and Iran's proxy hairs belonged to the north and the months ahead, because there are so many in Israel who believed that, quote, problem needs to be dealt with. But it would be utterly catastrophic when that confrontation comes. And so, my takeaway without the big caveat of accepting how unpredictable and volatile this whole region has always been, is that we may be seeing this chapter tonight coming to certainly a lesser volume in the days ahead.

ACOSTA: All right. Nick Paton Walsh, our chief international security correspondent -- Nick, thank you so much. Really appreciate it.

Coming up, jury selection nearly complete. Donald Trump's hush money trial on track for opening statements in just a few days.

Plus, more on the breaking news overnight. You heard Nick and Paula talking about those tensions in Middle East escalating after Israel strikes back against Iran.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:12:47]

ACOSTA: Breaking news, overnight in the Middle East, Israel, striking a non-nuclear target in the Isfahan province. That is south of Tehran. The Israelis vowed to retaliate after last weekend's failed drone and missile attack by the Iranians.

Israel's war cabinet meeting for days before deciding to take actions. CNN's Erin Burnett, we should note spoke to Iran's foreign minister just yesterday before Israel retaliated.

Here's what happened in case.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HOSSEIN AMIR-ABDOLLAHIAN, IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: In case the Israeli regime embarks on adventurism again and takes action against the interests of Iran, the next response from us will be immediate and at a maximum level.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: And joining me now is former deputy assistant secretary of state and Democratic strategist, Joel Rubin.

And, Joe, what do you make of what we saw overnight? I mean, we were talking to Nick Paton Walsh few moments ago. I suppose there's some optimism and the diplomatic community that maybe this is it. Each side got their luxon, so to speak maybe this wont spiral out of control.

What do you think?

JOEL RUBIN, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Well, Jim, cold comfort in a sense, like if you look at where we are in terms of the big picture, it's been over two decades now where this has been building a question about whether or not there will be a direct confrontation. And the psychological barrier was crossed.

Last night, Israel hitting Iran inside of Iran basically, now, changes the game in terms of how this shadow war is seen. It's no longer in the shadows. It's now out in the open.

I do think that the strike itself was limited. It was targeted on military sites, potentially, and also calibrated to send a message to Iran that Israel, we can hit, any strike, any site, we want, including the here are your nuclear sites. So that was very limited. And in that way, in the immediate term, we can breathe easy. But in the big picture, we're heading in the wrong direction.

ACOSTA: Well, and our CNN reporting is that the U.S. was given a bit of a heads-up on this and the message was sent that the administration is not on board with this. What's your sense of all of that?

RUBIN: Yeah. I agree with that. I think be menstruation has been trying to gently, if not a little bit more than gently explain to Israel that there actually is a diplomatic window for them.

[05:15:05]

Look what happened last weekend with this unprecedented strike by Iran, the barrage of missiles too much, too -- it was too extensive, too aggressive. But that generated sympathy for Israel globally with Europe and it also had Arab allies defending Israel.

And the White House is saying, look, this is an important moment for you diplomatically, and its an important moment to think carefully and I do think the Israelis heard that the IDF, from my understanding, one to go much harder to really restore deterrence from their perspective. But there's some political heads and Israel that heard the White House messaging and that's a good thing.

ACOSTA: And Iran's foreign minister also said this about last weekends attack on Israel's territory. Let's watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AMIR-ABDOLLAHIAN: Our objective was to warn, has to send a clear message to be received by the government of Israel and to let it know that we do have the means to respond. I will repeat again -- we never seek expansion of chaos and warfare and tensions in the region.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: He says, we never seek the expansion of chaos in the region. Your thoughts?

RUBIN: While we're doing it, you know?

ACOSTA: Isn't that what they do?

RUBIN: That is their business with the proxy groups, with his blood now bombing northern Israel said point, we have almost 100,000 Israelis having to flee their homes. The Houthis from Iraq, you name it de-stabilizing Syria, that's just bollocks as they say in England.

But I do think that the touting coming out of Tehran also belies deepen security that Israel has the capacity. It's demonstrated last weekend that we have extensive defensive capabilities to prevent real damage to Israel from Iranian attack. So, they're having to talk tough. But the idea that Iran is somehow passive actor here in the region is laughable.

ACOSTA: Well, and I have to think that, I mean, just to that point, looking back at what occurred this past weekend, the way that the U.S., the UK, French, Jordanians, the Saudis -- I mean, that was quite a coalition that came together very quickly that had to have gotten Iran's attention. And I also think there's limited response by the Israelis, that also sends a message.

RUBIN: Well, you know, kudos to Joe Biden, kudos to the White House for orchestra and bringing that together. And also so tamping down what really has had a lot of domestic political turmoil for Bibi Netanyahu. He has members in his coalition this morning basically saying, weak, too ineffective, too soft.

So the president's having to finesse this and I think this gives a window. I'm always an optimist this gives a window for some type of diplomatic engagement. The region knows now it's on a tinderbox and now it's out of the shadows as were talking about the region has to be engaged diplomatically Europe is engaged. There may be a way to try to chart some diplomatic process out because we're heading in the wrong direction.

ACOSTA: Yeah. You have to hope the cooler heads prevailed on a reasonable that doesn't always take place. Joel Rubin, thanks very much.

Coming up. Donald Trump's jury is now seated in his criminal hush money trial. What the judge is saying about the search for the rest of the alternate -- alternate for that jury.

Plus, more on the breaking news from the Middle East. Israel striking back against Iran. We'll have more on that in just a few moments. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:22:58]

ACOSTA: Donald Trump's hush money trial now has a jury with opening arguments on track to start as soon as Monday. So far, 12 jurors, seven men and five women plus one alternate have been chosen so far. That's all that's left filling the remaining alternate seats. That's continuing in just a few hours from now.

Trump bearing the same old grievances after a court adjourns.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT & 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANIDDATE: I'm supposed to be in a lot different places campaigning, but I've been here all day on a trial that really is a very unfair trial. All of these are stewards of legal experts, saying how this is not a case.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: And joining me now, trial attorney Imran Ansari.

Imran, thank you so much for being with us this morning.

What is your sense of it? I mean, I think one of the things that's taken a lot of folks by surprises, how quickly they've been able to put this jury together, even though we had a couple of jurors go by the wayside yesterday, they were able to essentially get a almost a full jury with a full slate of alternates together.

IMRAN ANSARI, TRIAL ATTORNEY: Yeah, Jim, my first reaction as the events of this week unfolded was that it was a quick jury selection process. I expected that it would go on more than one week. We see that its

almost wrapping up here with one alternate already picked the main 12 jurors seated and five alternates or so to go. It was a quick jury selection, of course, some issues arising during that jury selection.

But my opinion was that it was a lot quicker than most of us in the legal world expected.

ACOSTA: And prosecutors said they won't share the witness list with Trump's legal team ahead of opening arguments because quote, we put this on screen, Mr. Trump has been tweeting about the witnesses. We're not telling who the witnesses are.

What's your reaction to that?

ANSARI: Jim, that's not necessarily the normal course of business. Typically, there's some professional courtesy between trial attorneys, the prosecution and the defense, and you would receive the witness list, the first witnesses to be called after opening statements from the prosecution and that's the courtesy that we give amongst each other as it attorneys in the courtroom.

[05:25:09]

Here is the exact opposite prosecution, obviously, saying that they're not going to give that to Donald Trump's legal team because they're afraid that there's going to be some publicity about that, or he will be tweeting about that. Not tweeting, but on Truth Social especially making comments about the trial oh there are withholding that and that's not typically the norm.

ACOSTA: And we know little bit about these jurors. There are seven men, five women, the jury foreperson is in sales. Other areas of work includes law and education, investment banking. You've probably looked at some of the details about some of these jurors and this jury that were going to be watching this case with.

Your sense of it? Is it a pretty well-rounded jury as things go?

ANSARI: I think it reflects New York County gym in terms of the jury pool here. It's pretty diverse. I was surprised that there are two attorneys on that jury.

Typically, when you're picking a jury, you don't want attorneys on the jury. You don't want them to really impose their knowledge into the trial or takeover the deliberations in the back when the deliberations are occurring between the jurors. You have two attorneys on there and you have a very jury of seven men, five women on that main jury from different professions.

And I think it's indicative of Manhattan, New York County and it remains to be seen though if it's going to be a fair and impartial jury. We'll have to see.

ACOSTA: All right. I'm sorry. Thank you so much for your time this morning. Really appreciate it. All right. Coming up next, House Speaker Mike Johnson, putting policy says he's putting policy over politics, a move that could cost him his job.

Plus, explosions overnight in Iran. Israel striking back, tensions in the Middle East, escalating. That's ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)