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White House Insists War Will Lower Gas Prices; Former Public Affairs Officer Joe Plenzler is Interviewed about the Strait of Hormuz; Pleitgen Reports from Inside Iran; Geopolitical Analyst Bobby Ghosh is Interviewed about Iran; White House Doesn't Rule out Troops to Iran. Aired 6:30-7a ET

Aired March 11, 2026 - 06:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:33:38]

AUDIE CORNISH, CNN ANCHOR: OK, thanks for joining us. We're doing our continuing coverage of the war in Iran. I'm Audie Cornish. It's half past the hour. And here's what's happening right now.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard is saying it has launched its most intense and heaviest operation since the start of the war. State media saying that it is targeting Israel and U.S. assets in the region.

Now, this is as the Iranian capital remains under heavy bombardment. You've got some explosions seen near Tehran's airport.

And the U.S. military says it has destroyed multiple Iranian naval vessels, including 16 minelayers near the Strait of Hormuz. Sources familiar with U.S. intelligence saying that Tehran is laying mines in the strait, which, of course, serves as a vital global oil and shipping lane.

And today, President Trump will head to Ohio to, quote, "celebrate" his economic victories. This is coming as oil and gas prices are on the rise because of the U.S. war on Iran. The average cost of gas is the highest it has been in 18 months. The White House and other Republican leaders, however, are downplaying that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAROLINE LEAVITT, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The recent increase in oil and gas prices is temporary, and this operation will result in lower gas prices in the long term.

REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA): Gas prices will come back down.

This is a temporary blip.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[06:35:01]

CORNISH: So, a temporary blip, as they say. Already hitting Americans' pockets.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Normally when I put in $20 to $30 I get five, seven gallons. Now I've only got two, three gallons.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: $72 to fill up the tank.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was like $3, $3.49. That was that morning. On my way back to work that night, $3.79.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CORNISH: And this morning, oil futures, they remain steady after coming down Monday from four-year highs. A report in "The Wall Street Journal" saying that the International Energy Agency could decide today on a proposal on the largest ever oil release from strategic reserves.

CNN anchor and correspondent Eleni Giokos is in Abu Dhabi this morning with the latest.

Eleni, first talk about the impact on global markets. What are they showing right now?

ELENI GIOKOS, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I mean, we've seen enormous moves on brent crude and WTI. At one point earlier this week we saw brent almost hitting $120 a barrel. Things are looking slightly softer now. But a lot of the traders that I talked to, they're saying there's a little bit of cognitive dissonance in terms of understanding the capacity that we've lost in the region because of the energy infrastructure that's been hit, but also the inherent risks of passing through the Strait of Hormuz despite assurances from President Trump about insurance guarantees and also naval escorts.

Interestingly, we had the energy secretary yesterday posting on social media that there was the first naval escort. He quickly deleted that post. And then we actually saw massive moves on oil right now.

What we're waiting to see is from the International Energy Agency. They are possibly considering releasing strategic petroleum reserves that are going to dwarf what we saw released during Russia's invasion of Ukraine. And that might flood the market with a lot more oil. And that means it will alleviate some of the pressure.

In the meantime, we -- you spoke about those three vessels that were struck just this morning. Those are not tankers. Those are cargo vessels. So, we're seeing massive risks, Audie, throughout the region.

CORNISH: Are there knock on effects? We're talking a lot about oil, but there are other kinds of industries that use this passage, no?

GIOKOS: Yes. Absolutely. I mean, look, we're talking about aluminum. We're talking about steel. We're talking about helium. That is absolutely vital for the tech sector. Those shipments have also come to a grinding halt. We're also talking about refined products, like jet fuel, polymers

that feed into the plastics industry as well. And then urea, which is the most important input for fertilizer. And, actually, urea prices have skyrocketed. Qatar, that is one of the biggest producers of urea, has called force majeure on gas production, as well as urea production, and any other downstream product. So, this is far ranging.

And also I just have to say this, and I think it's super important for people, you know, around the world to understand, that 70 percent of the food that we consume here in the gulf -- across the gulf comes through the Strait of Hormuz. So, when we're talking about supply constraints in the straits, it's not just energy, it's not just those related products. It's also about goods coming in and out of the region. And a lot of the shippers that I've spoken to are talking about massive surcharges on getting any vessel even close to this region.

We spoke -- you spoke about the mines that are possibly one of those threats and risks. President Trump and his team keep talking about this ending very soon. But the signals are showing something completely opposite at this point, Audie.

CORNISH: OK, Eleni Giokos, thank you so much for this detail.

I want to talk more about this, you know, essentially 20-mile-wide water passage, the Strait of Hormuz, because, as we mentioned, oil tankers carry about 20 percent of the world's energy supplies through that strait every day. At this point, Iran is threatening to attack any ship which travels there, which is essentially stopping traffic entirely. Sources also telling CNN that Iran has now started placing essentially undersea mines across the channel. Iran seems to be making good on those threats because the maritime trade security group is saying that more than ten cargo ships have reportedly been attacked in the region since the outbreak of the war

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ADMIRAL JAMES STAVRIDIS (RET.), FORMER NATO SUPREME ALLIED COMMANDER: The Iranians have 5,000 mines in total. They can turn it into a hell scape in a few days with those mines. They've been thinking about it, preparing for it for decades.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CORNISH: Joining me now to discuss, Joe Plenzler. He's a Marine combat veteran and a former public affairs officer for the U.S. Marine Corps.

Joe, I've been reading your work for the last couple of days, so I have a lot of questions.

JOE PLENZLER, USMC COMBAT VETERAN: Sure.

CORNISH: And the first one is, we're hearing from the Defense Department that they have essentially destroyed Iran's navy. But we're still having this issue with the Strait of Hormuz. So, help me understand, translate what we're actually looking at. PLENZLER: Yes, I just heard my friend Admiral Stavridis' voice there.

[06:40:02]

Yes, we were at the U.S. Naval Institute together not that long ago. And I got to tell you, like, you know, this is almost like Schrodingers cat, right? This war appears to be ending and starting, you know, depending on who in the administration you listen to.

When I served with General Jim Mattis, the First Marine Division, he, you know, said, hey, if you're going to go to war, bring all your friends that have guns and make sure you bring a gun. But secondly, you know he said, you know, if you're trying to go it alone, you know, it's going to be a really, really long war.

The problem with this is that, yes, I mean, the enemy always gets a vote, which is another thing he always used to tell us. And, you know, the Iranians, it's -- they've got a lot of capability. I mean we can go toe to toe and defeat them, their air force, their navy, you know, but, you know, they have a lot of small, independent units and a lot of small boats that can carry one or two mines, right? Thousands of these things. And turning --

CORNISH: Joe, can I ask you something, though?

PLENZLER: Yes, please.

CORNISH: I was under the impression that, I think as far back as 2002, the U.S. had done some war games, so to speak, right? They had sort of modeled out what could happen if Iran was to go after the Strait of Hormuz.

PLENZLER: Yes.

CORNISH: No lessons learned there? I mean what is the U.S. military prepared to do in this scenario?

PLENZLER: Yes. You know, and I think, you know, John Ismay over at "The Wall Street Journal," had a good article about that today talking about how we have undersea drone capabilities to go after this. But again, you know, it's a big area. We need to be efficient all the time. The Iranians only need to be lucky once or twice. I mean, you know, it's just like the headlines of a big tanker ship blazing away in the strait is really all they need for the insurance companies to say, yes, we're not -- we're not cool with putting ships through that body of water yet. So, I mean, the oil is not moving --

CORNISH: Is that why it's not clear whether there's going to be naval convoys? Someone mentioned on the panel earlier there was this like -- the companies are asking. The companies are saying, hey, U.S., can we get an escort?

PLENZLER: Yes.

CORNISH: And it's not clear that the U.S. is in a position or wanting to. What's your takeaway? PLENZLER: Yes, I mean, the Iranians aren't dumb. They're looking at

the way we're fighting this war with standoff weapons, you know, largely missiles and aviation platforms, dropping bombs.

What that does for us is we can strike from over the horizon with less risk to our ships. And we also increased the response time, right? So, are we going to actually put, you know, gray hall (ph), U.S. Navy ships closer to Iranian capabilities, closer to this big fire stack that they've built within the Strait of Hormuz. I mean we would not tactically. It just doesn't make sense to get that exposure. Because what would they like to do? Would they like to put a U.S. Navy warship on the bottom of the ocean? Hell, yes, they would.

CORNISH: We know the president has said that the navy's effectively wiped out. We know he's also saying, essentially, people should get some guts and try and pass through the strait.

I want to play for you something, this is Captain Jim Staples, his response to this message to those piloting these tankers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAPT. JIM STAPLES, CARGO SHIP CAPTAIN: It isn't guts that gets you through the minefields, it's minesweepers that get you through the minefield. So, you know, taking a ship up into a known minefield would be probably a very, very eventful situation. You know, you're looking at pollution. You're looking at an environmental problem up in that area.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CORNISH: He -- as he mentioned, environmental issues. If there's a spill. If there's panic. Is the military prepared for those kinds of scenarios?

PLENZLER: I mean, a large tanker, you know, dumping oil into the -- into the gulf. I mean, what does the military have to counter that, right? We don't.

CORNISH: OK, Joe Plenzler, thanks so much for speaking with us.

PLENZLER: Thank you.

CORNISH: Next on CNN THIS MORNING, our breaking news coverage continues, this time from inside Iran. That's where our Fred Pleitgen is on the ground in Tehran.

Plus this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAROLINE LEAVITT, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: He does not rule options out as commander in chief.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CORNISH: Boots on the ground. Nothing is off the table.

And later on CNN, Republican Senator Rick Scott joins live to discuss the latest on the war with Iran.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:48:46]

CORNISH: So, we have a new report from CNN international correspondent Fred Pleitgen, who is inside Tehran. So, our team on the ground is operating there with the government's permission. This is required by Iran's local regulations. And CNN does still maintain full editorial control over this report.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FRED PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): There's been heavy bombardment in Tehran over the past 24 hours, as we both heard and felt. This morning, we visited a site, but all of a sudden it was targeted again.

Yes, we should go.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We go. We go. We go. We go.

PLEITGEN: Yes.

OK, we're hearing jets overhead. There's anti-aircraft fire going up. They told me we got to get out of here as fast as possible.

So, that just goes to show how fast things can turn bad here. We were filming at a site as apparently -- get rid of this mask -- struck yesterday.

PLEITGEN (voice over): Earlier, we'd spoken to folks caught in the attack.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I was in the basement. I was thrown against the opposite wall. I was under the rubble. That's it. I don't know what else to say. I'm sorry.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[06:50:08]

CORNISH: OK, that was Fred Pleitgen reporting on the ground in Tehran.

All right, we're going to talk about this global shipping route further compromised. Overnight, reports that three vessels were struck by unknown projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz. This is according to UKMTO. That's the maritime authority that has responsibility for the region.

Now, since the start of the conflict on February 28th 13 vessels have been struck in the Middle East. The White House says the U.S. Navy has not assisted any vessels or ships to safe passage through this bottleneck waterway. This is despite previous reports that they would consider it.

Now, sources are telling CNN that Iran has started laying mines in the strait, and this has prompted U.S. Central Command to strike boats in the area Tuesday.

So, to talk more I've got Bobby Ghosh, columnist and geopolitical analyst.

Bobby, I wanted to talk to you for two reasons. One, the president saying ships should go through the Strait of Hormuz and show some guts. But two, your comment in your writing that, "destroying the Iran navy is like claiming you've neutralized a wasp's nest by removing the decorative hive."

So, what's left? Why isn't downing the navy enough?

BOBBY GHOSH, COLUMNIST AND GEOPOLITICAL ANALYST: Well, Iran always has had two navies, Audie. There was the traditional navy of ships, big ships on the surface, the kind of navy most people associate when you -- when you use the word "navy," battleships and everything from battleships to minesweepers. And then it's -- it has a second navy, which is run by the IRGC, which is the Revolutionary Guards, the elite of the Iranian force, which is made up of swarms of thousands of speedboats.

And in the past, whenever Iran has wanted to make trouble in the waters of the Persian Gulf near the Straits of Hormuz, it has used those speedboats. They swarm around ships. They can launch attacks from those speedboats. They can launch projectiles from those boats. Some of those boats are packed with explosives, is a kind of, if you think about a floating suicide drone, that's what they represent.

Those are very, very difficult to fight against. The United States has sort of had the experience of having to deal with these. And they're extremely difficult to fight against using conventional weapons. They're very hard to spot from the air --

CORNISH: But at the same time, Bobby, let me jump in for a second.

GHOSH: Yes.

CORNISH: U.S. Central Command, they've actually released video saying that they have been able to strike 16 minelayers.

GHOSH: Yes.

CORNISH: So, they are saying that they are making some progress there. What do you --

GHOSH: Well --

CORNISH: Yes, tell me.

GHOSH: Audie, minelayers are still conventional vessels. These are not the speedboats. The speedboats are a different proposition altogether. Iran has a -- has a 1,000 mile coastline. There are many, many places where small boats can hide. Small boats like that are very difficult to catch from the air and blow up.

The U.S. has conducted all kinds of exercises to try and understand how to deal with this kind of threat, and they've not been very successful. That is the whole nature of asymmetric warfare.

We've seen what happens on the other side of the Arabian peninsula when -- where the Houthis, who have no navy at all --

CORNISH: Right.

GHOSH: Were able to stop shipping on the Red Sea using projectiles from the -- from the coast, as well as small boats. You cannot deal -- you cannot completely eliminate the menace that Iran represents on the seas simply by taking out its conventional naval forces. That's not how that works. And it's not just the matter --

CORNISH: Can I ask about Israel then? This is a joint attack and a joint operation. Are there capabilities they have in the region that would be helpful?

GHOSH: No. Their capabilities are, in this respect, not that dissimilar to us. They're still using aerial attacks. They're using -- they're using attacks by cruise missiles or missiles of different kinds and bombers from the air. It's very, very hard to take out all -- thousands of small boats with lots and lots of places to hide, as well as thousands of places.

As you reported, ships are already on fire because of projectiles from the shore. Those projectiles, we don't know the nature of them as yet. They could be missiles. They could be rockets. They could be drones. Iran again has thousands of those. Taking them all out is very difficult.

And it's not just a question of asking the ships and the ship's crews to be brave about this. Insurance companies won't insure ships going through those kinds of conditions.

CORNISH: Yes.

GHOSH: Therefore, shipping companies won't even allow their crews, no matter how brave they're prepared to be, they won't even allow their crews to enter those waters if the insurance companies won't cover them.

CORNISH: Right.

[06:55:00]

Bobby, I'm going to let you go, and also let people know that this conversation is very much active. We've got the U.S. government talking about providing a risk insurance to the tune of $20 billion. So, I hope to have you back, have this conversation. Always appreciate having you.

Bringing it back to the group. There's something we nodded to earlier, I think, in between during the break, the White House once again leaving the option of deploying troops into combat in Iran. As always, they're saying nothing is off the table.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAROLINE LEAVITT, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: As for boots on the ground, the president has talked about this repeatedly. Wisely, he does not rule options out as commander in chief.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CORNISH: So, after emerging from a different classified briefing on Capitol Hill, Democratic senators, however, believe the president is setting the stage to possibly deploy troops into combat.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL (D-CT): I emerge from this briefing as dissatisfied and angry, frankly, as I have from any past briefing in my 15 years in the Senate.

We seem to be on a path toward deploying American troops on the ground in Iran.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CORNISH: OK, group chat is back.

I wanted to talk about this because this conversation has always been perceived as a bright red line for Trump. The same way he's very focused on getting rid of nuclear weapons, he also has never, and maybe you can tell me because you followed him politically, wanted to put boots on the ground.

VIVIAN SALAMA, STAFF WRITER, "THE ATLANTIC": I mean this was a central feature of his campaigns, multiple, you know, plural. He has denounced forever wars. He has talked about how no American troops should be sent abroad. And it was a defining feature of the America first policy.

CORNISH: Yes.

SALAMA: And so, fast forward now where operational considerations are now kind of taking precedent. And now he is a wartime president, even though he does not want to acknowledge that he's a wartime president.

CORNISH: Yes. And you see people trying to defend him.

SALAMA: Yes.

CORNISH: Congresswoman Luna, I think, was out there saying, like, look, no boots on the ground. That's not what the president wants.

SALAMA: But he might not have a choice in the matter -- CORNISH: Yes.

SALAMA: If it's to defend, you know, further -- prevent further risk to U.S. personnel, if it is to secure any nuclear sites that they are able to kind of occupy.

CORNISH: Yes. And isn't it wise not to take anything off the table?

ALEX PLITSAS, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Yes.

CORNISH: I mean their attitude has pretty much been to say that to everything.

SALAMA: Yes.

CORNISH: Including stuff that politically is radioactive, like when people bring up the draft.

PLITSAS: Right. Right.

CORNISH: Instead of just saying no, they say, we don't take anything off the table. So, how seriously should we take this?

PLITSAS: I mean serious is like -- is what you can actually see and what you can actually do. And at this point, there are no ground troops mobilized anywhere. There are literally no infantry divisions, Army or Marine Corps. The only assets we have, about a third of the U.S. Navy is off the coast, 250 strike aircraft and two carrier strike groups and strategic bombers have now been brought in. So, just to be clear on that part of it. I think you're 100 percent right --

SALAMA: And I don't think there are any plans to do so at the -- at this moment.

CORNISH: Yes.

PLITSAS: But there -- and there are -- and there are not.

SALAMA: Right.

PLITSAS: And you were 100 percent correct in what you were talking about. Those operations will be done -- well, those will be performed by special operations forces. So, I think that phrase is being used specifically, one for political purposes from a couple different angles from both sides. But what they're speaking of, from my understanding is, it's special operations missions.

CORNISH: One of the things I see over and over again is them trying to create a division between the forever wars of the past and the war the president has initiated alongside Israel now.

I want to play for you, Pete Hegseth on Tuesday, who, of course, is a veteran. And so, he speaks from experience when he's up there. Here's what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) PETE HEGSETH, DEFENSE SECRETARY: I went through 20 years of those wars myself, worried about getting dragged in, worried about mission creep, worried about nation building or democracy expansion. That's never the perspective the president has pursued on this. Just because previous presidents and previous secretaries have decided to just pour more resources and more people in toward some unguided end state doesn't mean that's the way the world needs to look today.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JOEL RUBIN, FORMER DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE: All right, well, they're trying to do war by remote control. And I think that's why the president is so vague as well. He doesn't want to put any real clear policy objectives on the table that then forces a hard conversation with Congress, related, in particular, to money, which will be coming up. There will be a supplemental request as well.

CORNISH: Meaning, they will say we need more money to continue.

RUBIN: Yes. And then they're going to have to answer hard questions. And it my not all -- that magic war may not be there.

CORNISH: OK. I have one thing to play for you. Someone has an idea for how this could work. We may not have time to play it, but Josh Hawley says, "we ought to say to our heroes, thank you for job well done. This has been amazing," and saying that it's now time to declare history.

PLITSAS: It's over.

CORNISH: Can you just like vibe your way out of this by just saying like, look, we accomplished something?

[07:00:03]

PLITSAS: So, I think they actually have four military objectives that are achievable. The regime change one is political. It's not a military one. The military can set the conditions for a change in government, but they don't control the protesters and they don't control inside the Iranian government to decide who's going to take over.

So, we can bomb and he can -- he can leave.

CORNISH: And you can declare a military operation over and --

PLITSAS: Correct.

SALAMA: And you can declare victory like we did in Iraq --

PLITSAS: Correct.

SALAMA: But still have to go in later on when the mission calls for it.

PLITSAS: But then the Iranian people are still left in the lurch. CORNISH: OK. A lot of question going ahead then. Thank you guys so much for hashing it out with me. And thank you for waking up with us. The headlines are next.