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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Addresses UNGA; Zelenskyy Calls on the World to Unite for Peace; Israel to Call Up Reserves for Northern Front; IDF Says Missile Intercepted; Zelenskyy's Intel Shows Putin Planning Attacks on Nuclear Plants; Secretary of State Antony Blinken Mum on Israel's Strategy with Hezbollah; U.N. Peacekeepers on Lebanon-Israel Border. Aired 10-11a ET

Aired September 25, 2024 - 10:00   ET

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

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VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: It not only ignores reality but also gives Putin the political space to continue the war and pressure the

world to bring more nations under control.

Any parallel or alternative attempts to seek peace are in fact efforts to achieve, allow instead of an end to the war as a global initiative. The

peace formula has already existed for two years. And maybe somebody wants a Nobel Prize for their political biography for frozen truce instead of real

peace. But the only prices Putin will give you in return are more suffering and disasters.

We must restore nuclear safety. Energy must stop being used as a weapon. We must ensure food security. We need to bring home all our captured soldiers

and civilians possibly deported to Russia.

We must uphold the U.N. Charter and guarantee our right, Ukraine's right to territorial integrity and sovereignty, just as we do for any other nation.

We need to withdraw the Russian occupiers, which will bring an end to the hostilities in Ukraine.

And we must hold those responsible for war crimes accountable. We need to prevent ecocide and stop the destruction of nature caused by the war. And

we must not allow a second or sword face of this Russian invasion, and we need to make it clear the war is over.

This is the peace formula.

What part of this could be unacceptable to anyone who upholds the U.N. Charter?

If someone in the world seeks alternatives to any of these points or tries to ignore any of them, it likely means they themselves want to do a part of

what Putin is doing. The point they ignore reveals the desire they're hiding.

And when the Chinese-Brazilian duo tries to grow into a choir of voices with someone in Europe, with someone in Africa saying something alternative

to a full and just peace, the question arises.

What is the true interest?

Everyone must understand you will not boost your power at Ukraine's expense. And the world has already been through colonial wars and

conspiracies of great powers and the expense of those who are smaller, every country, including China, Brazil, European nations, African nations,

Middle East, all understand why this must remain in the past.

And Ukrainians will never accept why anyone in the world believes that such a brutal colonial past, which suits no one today can be imposed on Ukraine.

Now, instead of a normal, peaceful life, I want this for my people real peace and justice. And I'm asking for your support from all nations of the

world. We do not divide the world. I ask the same of you do not divide the world. Be United Nations. And that will bring us peace. Thank you for

Ukraine (ph).

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: On behalf of the assembly, I wish to thank the president of Ukraine.

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST : Well, that was the Ukrainian president to a hall which is not entirely full today.

We've got so much to cover, Jill Dougherty and Kim Dozier are standing by in Washington, D.C.

I do though, want to get to CNN's Fred Pleitgen, who is in Kyiv, before we analyze and provide some insight on what we've just heard from the

Ukrainian president.

What's the perspective there, Fred?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: First of all I think everybody here in Ukraine, most people would say, this has definitely

been a key moment for the Ukrainian president as this is a key week, Becky, for the Ukrainian president as well.

And I think, once again, the speech that we saw just now at the United Nations is a building block on what Volodymyr Zelenskyy wants to achieve as

he's in the United States this week.

On the one hand, he once again wants to point out that the war, Russia's invasion of Ukraine or full-on invasion of Ukraine has been going on since

early 2022.

[10:05:07]

It's not just a threat to Ukraine but it's also a threat to the world and also, of course, to the principles that govern the United Nations, which

is, of course, the territorial integrity of nations.

It's something that he said again and again in the speech just now, is that Ukraine only asks for the rights that all nations should be afforded under

the U.N. Charter, which is, of course, the rights to territorial integrity and to live in peace.

But I think what Volodymyr Zelenskyy is essentially trying to do is he's trying to sideline the Russians even more on the international stage,

calling for countries to support Ukraine while, at the same time, of course, he will be calling for the U.S. government under President Biden to

continuously support Ukraine economically.

But then, of course, also with weapons as well. And that also includes, of course, allowing Ukraine to use some of those longer distance arms that

have already been given to the country to strike deep into the Russian territory. That's something that we were on the ground hear again and again

from the Ukrainians.

They believe would be key for themselves to stabilize the situation on the front line and possibly even allow their forces to strike back to achieve

what Volodymyr Zelenskyy once again said in his speech as well, to try and bring about, as he calls it, a just peace.

Which the Ukrainians believe can only be achieved if they manage to push back the Russians on the battlefield and essentially force them into

negotiations. Becky.

ANDERSON: Good to have you, sir. Thank you.

Let's bring in Jill and Kim.

Jill, let me start with you.

What do you make of what you just heard from the Ukrainian president?

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: I think Zelenskyy is trying to make a pitch to Europe and to the developing world. In Europe, he's saying, we

have information that the Russians are planning to attack our nuclear power plant structures. And that is extremely dangerous.

The purpose, he would say, cut them off from the energy supply. But what he's saying is if they tried to do that, it could be extremely dangerous

for Europe.

And then he moves to, as we call it, the developing south. And he says, this is colonialism, that what Russia is doing is colonialism. And for you

countries that are on the side who don't think that it applies to you, it does.

So I think it's a different purpose here. He's talking to the General Assembly. They are very focused on what's happening in Gaza and Lebanon.

And that has taken some attention from Ukraine.

But right now he's saying, pay attention. This is really dangerous. And as you said, there can be no peace without Ukraine. So he's saying Ukraine is

key to peace literally in the world.

Kim, let me bring you in here. What Fred was describing as the sort of wish list for the Ukrainian president and describing very specifically that

those on the ground in Ukraine know that this is an extremely important week. It's not a new wish list.

It is a list of demands as it were that have been on the table for months and months.

What can he expect to leave Washington with this week, given that we are now some 40 days out from this U.S. election?

KIMBERLY DOZIER, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: Well the U.S. has been preparing further aid packages. But so far Zelenskyy hasn't gotten that key

thing that Fred was mentioning, permission to use U.S. and other Western provided weaponry to hit Russia where the attacks are originating.

Which is usually inside Russian territory, not Crimea but Russian proper. And so far, the Biden administration has still been risk averse, worried

that the use of NATO provided or NATO country provided weapons to hit Russian targets could trigger some sort of a nuclear response.

I think that Zelenskyy also is taking the temperature in that, as you mentioned, that wasn't the packed hall that he had the first time he

addressed the U.N., just after the war had started, when I believe he was speaking virtually.

The world would like to move on. There are other crises, be it Sudan, Gaza, Lebanon, drawing their attention and their resources. So I think that also

was one of the reasons that he stressed peace, that he is not in it for endless war but that Ukraine is willing to talk peace as long as it is

defined as a just peace.

Which means getting some of that territory back from Russia.

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Think that's a really important message for other nations to hear, that Ukraine isn't asking for something unreasonable in international legal

terms and that it doesn't want to fight forever to the last inch.

And that, therefore, if countries care about their own democracies, their own independence, they've got to stand up for Ukraine. That's still the

message that he's sending loud and clear.

ANDERSON: Shashank Joshi is joining us as well. He is a defense editor at "The Economist."

We've just heard from the Ukrainian president and Kim there talking about the potential next step here, which could be -- and certainly we, you and I

have discussed whether what we have seen over the past couple of months is in preparation for a potential deal with Moscow.

And certainly getting Ukraine into some sort of more sort of robust position to go into negotiation with Russia.

What did you make of what you just heard and where Ukraine stands at this point?

SHASHANK JOSHI, DEFENSE EDITOR, "THE ECONOMIST": Well, I thought there was nothing new in that speech. And to understand what Zelenskyy is doing, you

really have to read between the lines, don't you, because he's doing two things at once.

He's indicating to his partners, I am ready to talk. I'm not here to get back every square inch of my territory. I'm ready to do a deal. And we

heard that particularly earlier this week, when he told one of your rivals, he said, I think we are closer to peace than we think.

At the same time -- and I think this is what he was doing in today's speech -- he's emphasizing, no -- I think he called it a half-baked settlement, no

half-baked settlements.

In other words, don't do a deal at any price in a way that would make Ukraine so inferior to Russia it would only cause another invasion a little

bit down the line. So he's balancing those two imperative, I think.

ANDERSON: Can I just ask, on the ground, as you speak to people in Kyiv but around the country -- and I know you've been in and out of the country

now many, many times and most recently along the front lines, Fred, as well, what sort of support is -- how would you describe support for this

ongoing grinding conflict?

I know it's Russia's war on Ukraine.

But what's the sense on the ground from people you speak to?

PLEITGEN: It's a really interesting question and certainly is -- I think you'd probably get different answers, depending on which part of the

country you are. We have to understand this is an extremely vast country.

And, you know, when you're on the Western border of Ukraine, you're about 1,000, maybe 1,200 kilometers away from the actual front line.

But one of the things that I've actually done over the years that I've been coming here is, everywhere I go, is asking people, look if, for instance,

Ukraine were to be told that it would be taken directly into NATO and directly into the European Union, would you be able, would you be willing?

To give up, for instance, eastern parts of the country and possibly Crimea as well. And what I've heard from people again and again is no. So people

here say that they want their territories back.

But at the same time,, of course, it is also no secret that Ukraine is in a very difficult position right now on the front lines. Ukraine is having a

lot of trouble also mobilizing enough people to go to the front lines and fight in the war.

Which, of course, also has to do with the fact that, for a very long time, they have been badly outgunned by the Russians. And the Russians, of

course, have been escalating in a huge way as well.

If you're looking at the front lines now compared to the front lines a year ago, some of the weapons that the Russians are dropping, for instance, from

the air, you're talking about bombs that can weigh 1-1.5 tons. That is something that is extremely difficult to deal with.

And of course, this war is grinding on. And I think also from that perspective, one of the things that Volodymyr Zelenskyy was also alluding

to was the fact that this could be an extremely difficult winter for the Ukrainians.

They understand that their power system is very much under siege and under attack by the Russians. He was saying that they're possibly looking at even

attacking the nuclear infrastructure of this country.

The Ukrainians, of course, not necessarily talking about attacking nuclear power stations but the transformers that feed large parts of the energy

grid here, which would make the winter very difficult.

So I do think that the population here obviously has been under strain for an extended period of time. But by and large, the people that you speak to

here on the ground believe that this is something where it's a war of existence for Ukraine that they need to see through, Becky.

ANDERSON: I want to talk to all of you about what we -- what you believe the Ukrainian president's calculus is when it comes to the U.S. election.

[10:15:06]

He knows the window for what has been staunch support by Joe Biden is closing. Kamala Harris, should she become the U.S. President the beginning

of next year and win this election, of course, in November, is certainly aligned in favor of support for Ukraine going forth.

But this is Donald Trump earlier this week, have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: Every time. Zelenskyy comes to the United States, he walks away with $100 billion. I think he's the greatest

salesman. But we're stuck in that war unless I'm president. I'll get it done. I'll get it negotiated. I'll get out.

We got to get out. Biden says we will not leave until we win. What happens if they win?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Jill?

DOUGHERTY: It's a difficult question. I think Zelenskyy has to play it short term, long term. I mean, I think he feels at this point there's no

way that Putin is going to come to the table unless he's forced to come to the table.

So how do you force him to come to the table?

Obviously, short-term, he would say the West, especially the United States and Europe, have to provide those weapons and they have to give the green

light to use long-range weapons against military sites in Russia.

And then long term, he's saying, you have to -- we, Ukraine, have to make sure that we have some type of guarantee or commitments that we are going

to be protected and that we just won't be run over by Russia, even if there, let's say, one peace agreement. And then it's broken.

And I think he would be convinced Russia would come right back. So he's looking long term to say, if you can put in place a long-term guarantee,

then Putin will look at this and say, hey, you know, I should not continue the war. Maybe I come to a deal.

But the problem is that you've got two diametrically opposed candidates, Harris and Trump. You just heard Trump and basically he's saying it's over,

no more money. And he's already said he would let Putin do what he wants.

ANDERSON: Shashank, your view very briefly.

JOSHI: My sense is that you're seeing the Zelenskyy campaign initially reach out to Trump and Trump surrogates, hoping they could sway him. They

had a phone call that was described as somewhat constructive not all that long ago.

But of course, what we have to remember is this isn't just about Trump's view of the strategic stakes in Ukraine. Ukraine is bound up with so much

in his history. It was so central of course, we now, I think, sometimes forget, to his impeachment. Ukraine was at the crux of that.

And I think all of those efforts by the Zelenskyy camp to reach out and shape Trump and shape those around him, I think they are now becoming

fairly disillusioned. They are losing faith.

But the hardest thing here for Zelenskyy is, that where he might have hoped a year ago that European states might fill the gap in the event of a Trump-

induced cutoff in aid.

Especially when we saw Emmanuel Macron of France making some very hawkish statements, I think European initiative in leadership in the last year or

so has stalled and faded. France is distracted domestically. So is Germany. The U.K. has a new government.

And so the -- Ukraine's plan Bs, its bridges in the absence of U.S. aid, are also a lot more constrained than we hope they might have been.

ANDERSON: Is this a desperate Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Kim, in the U.S. this week?

DOZIER: I think Zelenskyy has learned not to telegraph desperation, especially as dire as the situation looks on the ground approaching the

fall. He knows everything hinges on what happens in November in the U.S.

And the word from the Harris campaign is that Harris understands that Russia has to be answered, has to be met with some sort of force to push it

back because China is also watching.

What surprised me is that I'm hearing that some military types, some former GOP types, who had previously supported a Trump campaign, think Harris

could be the better option for Ukraine.

[10:20:11]

And basically Zelenskyy's job right now is to offend no one until November happens and just try to keep enough coming in to the Ukrainian coffers to

keep them in the fight until next January, when the new president takes office.

ANDERSON: To all of you, I very much appreciate it. Thank you very much indeed for your analysis and your insight.

We just heard from Volodymyr Zelenskyy of course, at the United Nations in New York.

Many there and certainly around this region have their eyes on Lebanon, as deadly Israeli strikes continue across the border. We are live there and in

Israel after this quick break, stay with us.

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ANDERSON: Welcome back, 22 minutes past 6 here in Abu Dhabi, as Israel's operation in the north intensifies. The IDF has now said that it is calling

up more reservists and, ominously, the defense minister is hinting at a possible ground operation as the security cabinet there prepares to meet in

the coming hours.

That conflict escalated again today as a Hezbollah ballistic missile soared over Tel Aviv before it was shot down. Across the border, Lebanese health

officials say 23 more people killed by Israeli strikes today. The foreign ministers from Jordan, Egypt and Iraq warning Israel is, quote, "pushing

the region toward an all-out war."

Let's go to our reporters on the ground. CNN's Jomana Karadsheh back with us from Beirut. Nic Robertson is with us live from Tel Aviv.

And Jomana, I do want to start with you. I mean, the voices loud and clear at the United Nations in New York from regional leadership, criticizing the

U.S. administration and Israel, of course, and voicing their concern about just where this is headed.

You are on the ground.

What's the sense there?

JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Those warnings, Becky, that we have been hearing from regional leaders for nearly a year now, warning that,

unless there's a ceasefire in Gaza, that this risks escalating into a wider regional conflict.

And that fear is so real right now. And when you speak to people here, when you have neither side, not Israel, not Hezbollah nor Lebanon, right now,

calling what's happening, a war.

[10:25:00]

But many people say it certainly feels like one. The Israeli military saying today that they carried out extensive airstrikes, as they're

describing it, targeting Hezbollah in the southern part of the country as well as in the eastern Bekaa region as well, saying that they hit 280

Hezbollah targets.

What we're hearing now in the last few minutes, Becky, from the Lebanese health minister, he is saying that the number of casualties at this point

has reached 51 people killed, 280 others, more than 200 others injured.

Now it's unclear how many of them are Hezbollah fighters, how many of them are civilians. But we have certainly seen many women and children among the

casualties, according to Lebanese authorities, in Israeli attacks and strikes in recent days, especially on Monday, where you had Lebanon's

deadliest day in decades.

With more than 500 people killed in those Israeli strikes and you have thousands of people in just over a week who are injured. You have a health

sector that cannot deal with so many injured at the same time.

This is a health sector that has been on its knees for years right now. And now they have to deal with this overwhelming number of casualties that is

continuing to rise by the day. And in addition to that, Becky, you've also have the mass displacement that is taking place.

You -- we heard from the Lebanese foreign minister, saying that the number of people who have been displaced from their homes across Lebanon is

approaching 0.5 million.

That's nearly 10 percent of Lebanon's population. And this is a country that literally cannot afford this sort of crisis to deal with this, to

provide for this number of people who have been displaced.

And when you speak to people here --

(CROSSTALK)

KARADSHEH: -- they are so afraid and so worried about what might be coming next. And they fear that this is only just the beginning.

ANDERSON: And they will have seen these same announcements of the calling up of -- callup of reservists in Israel. And the fear of a ground invasion,

of course, will be very, very real, as we just get word that the health ministry where you are has now upped the daily death toll, the death toll

today, to 51.

And of course, many, many others injured and, as you say, a significant portion of the population in Lebanon on the move.

So what is Hezbollah's sort of response to what is going on here?

What's their position, Nic?

Yesterday, late on, they find -- this is significant -- a ballistic missile which was shot down but it was headed, they say, targeted very specifically

for Mossad, that's the Israeli intelligence installation.

Is it clear what the response to these increasingly targeted or increasing strikes which are targeted, Israel says, on Lebanon, is it clear what

Hezbollah are up to at this point?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: The analysis from the IDF would be that Hezbollah has reached a point, leadership has reached a

point, where its morale is down and its ability to command and communicate has been damaged.

And it's been damaged by a series of planned, very sophisticated planned events and escalation of the blowing up of the pagers, the blowing up of

the walkie-talkies on different days last week, the targeting of senior Hezbollah leadership.

And the IDF's view of the situation is that they're taking out some of the missile systems taking out some of Hezbollah's ability to use its equipment

at the moment and their understanding of a ballistic missile being used for the first time by Hezbollah.

But Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, having threatened to use it many times in the past now finally pulling the trigger and firing one. They

would see that not as the ultimate red line, ripping up escalation that would trigger an all-out response from Israel.

But they would see it as an escalation of the use of force where he is either playing to his own base, to show that Hezbollah still has some

strength, or intending to signal to Israel that, while they regroup, they are not defeated and they will continue to fight back.

[10:30:04]

And Israel is planning for the latter, is planning for Hezbollah not pulling back from the border, as they have demanded, and Hezbollah

continuing to fight. And that's why they're having the continuing strikes.

And I think as you were saying before, this sense that we may be getting closer to Israel putting troops across the border, that is a growing

impression that's been created here, not just because two brigades of reservists have been called up, not just because the defense minister was

at the border with the 98th Paratrooper Division.

Who he told was the most experienced, the most battle hardened troops that Israel has at the moment. But just from the words of the northern commander

at the border there, speaking today, saying we've entered a new phase.

And we must be ready for action and maneuver. When military commanders talk about maneuver, they talk -- that means moving, that means moving troops.

So I think the impression that they are intending to create is that a border move by troops may be coming.

Whether they actually mean to do it or not, is not clear at the moment. But it's a momentum. And all of this, all of these escalations have a momentum.

And from Israel's perspective, that momentum is to put Hezbollah on the back foot and make it pull away from the border.

ANDERSON: Hezbollah has said that their attacks on Israel will stop if the war on Gaza stops. Of course, now you can take that as you will. This is a

conflict that's been going on for some time. A ceasefire in Gaza seems as far away as it has ever been at this point.

Have a listen to the national security communications advisor for the White House speaking to one of our colleagues on CNN just earlier. This is John

Kirby on where the U.S. sees the prospect for a ceasefire in Gaza at this point.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ADM. JOHN KIRBY (RET.), COORDINATOR FOR STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS, WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL: We believe that there is still time and

space for a diplomatic solution here to de-escalate the tensions and to prevent an all-out war.

Now what we haven't seen along that blue line between Israel and Lebanon is ground maneuvers, ground forces moving in. It's all been strikes. Again,

I'm not diminishing the violence --

(CROSSTALK)

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: -- that's the point of no return.

KIRBY: I think certainly if you start to see ground forces moving, then it definitely takes the fighting up a notch. And we're trying to prevent

exactly that outcome.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, actually that was very specifically on the use of these of ground troops in Lebanon.

It's good to have you both. Thank you very much indeed for joining us.

Well, of course, this, as we've been saying, the crisis in the Middle East is really front and center for so many people in New York at the U.N.

General Assembly. So of course, making headlines, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has just made his case to the U.N. General Assembly.

What the Ukrainian president hopes to achieve after his big address. That is coming up.

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ANDERSON: Welcome back.

You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Becky Anderson for you.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has risen the specter of a potential nuclear disaster. The Ukrainian president just gave a major address at the United Nations

General Assembly. He says that he's worried that Russia could be planning attacks on his country's nuclear plants.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENSKYY: Recently, I received yet another alarming report from our intelligence. Now Putin does seem to be planning attacks on our nuclear

power plants and the infrastructure, aiming to disconnect the plants from the power grid.

With the help of satellites -- by the way, ladies and gentlemen, by the way, satellites of other countries.

Russia is getting images and detailed information about the infrastructure of our nuclear power plants.

But what does this really threaten?

Any missile or drone strike, any critical incident in the energy system could lead to a nuclear disaster. A day like that must never come.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, President Zelenskyy also expected to meet with U.S. President Joe Biden and press for support for what he is calling his,

quote, "victory plan" to defeat Russia.

And while world leaders speak at the U.N., the war, of course, in Gaza rages on. The health ministry says more than 41,000 people have been killed

since October 7th.

At the General Assembly on Tuesday, leaders from the Middle East voiced outrage at Israel for attacks that have targeted both Palestinians and U.N.

personnel in Gaza. Have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KING ABDULLAH II, JORDAN: The U.N. is under attack, literally and figuratively. For nearly a year, the sky-blue flag flying over U.N.

shelters and schools in Gaza has been powerless to protect innocent civilians from Israeli military bombardment.

U.N. aid trucks sit motionless just miles away from starving Palestinians. Humanitarian workers who proudly wear the emblem of this institution are

disparaged and targeted. The rulings of the U.N.'s International Court of Justice are defied, its opinions disregarded.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, PRESIDENT OF TURKEY (through translator): In Gaza, not only children are dying but also the United Nations system. The values

that the West claims to defend are dying. The truth is dying. The hopes of humanity to live in a more just world are dying, one by one.

I am asking you bluntly here. Ultimately, frankly, I call out to you, all human rights organizations.

Are those in Gaza and the West Bank not human beings?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHEIKH TAMIM BIN HAMAD AL THANI, EMIR OF QATAR (through translator): Aggression befalls the Palestinian people in the Gaza war because the most

barbaric, heinous and extensive aggression violating human values, international conventions and norms.

This is not a war within the international relations' well-known and common concept of war. But rather it is a crime of genocide by means of the most

sophisticated weapons against the people, besieged in a detention camp, where there is no escape from the barrage of aerial bombing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: And as aggression escalates with Israeli forces striking Hezbollah in Lebanon, targeted strikes, they say. But many, many, many

hundreds of thousands now displaced across the country.

America's top diplomat appears to be dodging questions on whether he agrees with Israel's latest strategy. Have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SAVANNAH GUTHRIE, NBC ANCHOR: A massive bombardment by Israel and to the north into Hezbollah territory.

[10:40:00]

The Israeli theory here is escalate to de-escalate. In fact, just in essence, hit Hezbollah so hard they're forced to the negotiating table.

Put simply, does the U.S. support this escalation strategy by Israel?

ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: Well, first, Israel has a real and legitimate problem because here's what happened after the horrific

events of October 7th by Hamas in Israel in the south.

Hezbollah from Lebanon joined in and started firing rockets into Israel. People who lived in northern Israel had to evacuate their homes. Villages

were destroyed, homes were destroyed; 70,000 Israelis were forced from their homes.

And Israel started firing back. You had a tit-for-tat going back and forth. People in southern Lebanon had to leave their homes, too. And what everyone

wants is to have a secure environment in which people can simply return home. Kids can go back to school. That's what Israel's after.

So the best way to get that is not through war, not through escalation. It would be through a diplomatic agreement that has forces pulled back from

the border, create a secure environment, people return home. That's what we're driving toward because, while there's a very legitimate issue here,

we don't think that war is the solution.

GUTHRIE: Well, fair enough. But Israel is not listening to that. In fact, the U.S. Defense Secretary on Sunday told his Israeli counterpart to give

time for diplomacy to work. And on Monday, this Israeli bombardment was the most serious, deadliest day in Lebanon since 2006. Israel is not listening

to the U.S.

Why not?

BLINKEN: What we're focused on now, including with many partners here in New York at the U.N. General Assembly, the Arab world, Europeans and

others, is a plan to de-escalate. And again, to make sure that people can go back to their homes.

But if there were to be a full-scale war, which we don't have and which we're working to avoid, that's actually not going to solve the problem.

It's unlikely that people would be able to return home if there's a full- scale war going on.

GUTHRIE: Short answer, does the U.S. support what Israel is doing right now in terms of this escalation in order to later deescalate and get to

negotiating -- ?

(CROSSTALK)

BLINKEN: What we support is solving the problem, of making sure that people can go home. But we believe the best way to solve it is through

diplomacy, not through war.

GUTHRIE: Why does the U.S. not have or use more leverage over Israel, its ally?

We are the supplier of the bulk of its weapons of war. And yet there are countless examples -- and you probably know them better than I -- where

Israel seems to flout what the U.S. is asking or suggesting.

Why is that?

BLINKEN: We have a long-standing relationship and security relationship with Israel, including making sure that it has what it needs to prevent the

many enemies that it has from attacking it, to deter them. And that's important to avoiding war as well.

And in this instance, there is a real problem that needs to be solved. Again, from our perspective, the best way to do it is diplomatically. We're

engaged with Israel on that, we're engaged with others in the region on that.

And we need to, I think, find the opportunity unity now to stop any escalation prevent a full-scale war, get people back to their homes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, that is Antony Blinken.

Still ahead, we are going to get the latest on what is forecast to be a major hurricane bearing down on the U.S. state of Florida. Where and when

it will hit is after this.

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[10:45:00]

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ANDERSON: Tropical storm Helene churning in the Gulf of Mexico between the Yucatan Peninsula and Cuba.

Over the next day, it is forecast to explode into what looks like a major hurricane, with Florida's Gulf Coast in the crosshairs. In a press briefing

last hour, Florida's governor warned residents to prepare for the impact.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. RON DESANTIS (R-FL): we are going to have a significant impact from this storm. It's a tropical storm now. It is going to become a hurricane.

The models vary on how intense but there's clearly a pathway for this to rapidly intensify, prior to making landfall.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(WEATHER REPORT)

ANDERSON: For those of you, if you are watching in the States and you are in the crosshairs, stay safe. We will be right back.

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ANDERSON: If you've been with us for the last couple of hours or indeed you're a regular viewer, you will know that we've been bringing you the

very latest from the ground in Lebanon, where fears of a wider war erupting between Israel and Hezbollah are palpable.

We've been here before. In 1978, after the U.N. urged Israel to withdraw its forces from Lebanon following a bloody conflict, it established UNIFIL,

the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon for three main reasons.

One, confirming the withdrawal of Israeli forces; two, restoring international peace and security and, three, assisting the government of

Lebanon in ensuring the return of its effective authority in the area.

And when hostilities boiled over along the southern Lebanese border, again in 2006, the U.N. created a buffer zone.

[10:50:06]

Free ostensibly of any armed personnel except those of the Lebanese government and UNIFIL under U.N. Security Council resolution 1701.

Well, that buffer zone, seen here on the map between the so-called blue line and the Litani River, well, until today, UNIFIL has been working to

ensure the area remains weapon free, both from Israel and Hezbollah.

Earlier, I spoke with UNIFIL spokesperson. He told me more than 10,000 peacekeepers are fully deployed in southern Lebanon in over 50 bases to try

to help de-escalate tensions in the area.

Over 80,000 people have fled southern Lebanon, he said, in just two days, incredible numbers. Here's what else he told me.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDREA TENENTI, SPOKESPERSON, UNITED NATIONS INTERIM FORCE IN LEBANON: Well, the focus at the moment, of course, during the heavy shelling, it's

important also to keep in mind that the security and safety of the troops and usually they're in compounds.

But most of the time, we've been patrolling, we've been monitoring until a few days ago. We had over 450 activities per day. But important role is

also the role of the head of mission, of the force commander, General Laszlo (ph), who has been keeping a channel of communications open with the

parties.

So the effort now is de-escalation and trying to use our diplomatic efforts to de-escalate and try to bring some addos (ph) ability.

ANDERSON: So what are the two parties told him because, at this point, it is a stated aim by Israel to escalate in order to de-escalate.

I mean, how does UNIFIL feel about that?

And how concerned are you about a ground invasion?

TENENTI: Of course, we are concerned about the overall situation, including also a ground invasion. That's what we are trying to prevent and

de-escalate.

And a solution is there and both countries have been, several times, saying that resolution is, again, the full implementation of the resolution that

ended the conflict in 2006 between Hezbollah and Israel, which is Resolution 1701, the resolution that wants to bring back a large number of

Lebanese army to the south.

They want to discuss issues related to the red line in order to find agreement on areas where there is no borders and have an area free of

weapons and militia in the south. So there are -- there is a solution that is possible. But you need the commitment of the parties.

ANDERSON: And you said that the commander has spoken to both parties.

I mean, what have they said?

TENENTI: Well, the communication is mainly to de-escalate. Of course, everyone has a different position in terms of what they want to achieve.

And the IDF have been repeatedly saying that they need to get Hezbollah out of the south of Lebanon.

But now we see that the shelling is everywhere. And it's important also, from the Lebanese side, to ensure that areas that have been under

occupation will return to Lebanon.

Also their ground and air violations that we've been witnessing on a daily basis, these are all violations. And there is all part of the resolution

that has not been being implemented. So there is a solution. We need the commitment of the parties in order to implement it.

At the moment --

(CROSSTALK)

ANDERSON: Yes.

And that, of course, includes Hezbollah.

We're not just talking about Israel and Lebanon here. There's an acting government in Lebanon at present. This is about Israel and Hezbollah.

I mean, is there any indication they are prepared to concede anything?

They used ballistic missiles, for example, a ballistic missile, in a targeted attack last night, Tuesday night, against, they say, a Mossad

installation in -- near Tel Aviv.

What have they said that they are prepared to do to de-escalate?

And what --

(CROSSTALK)

ANDERSON: -- their policies?

TENENTI: I think most of the conversation, of course, in terms of negotiation is handled by member states and countries, main stakeholders at

the moment. So the mission is prepared to assist in any kind of agreement that can be found and working the de-escalation process.

But it's important for the international community at the moment to increase their work in deescalating the tension. And the General Assembly

in New York in these days, it would be a perfect and good forum for the diplomacy work on this de-escalation.

ANDERSON: Well, one would hope so. I mean UNIFIL, of course, is a U.N. deployment that the UNSC, the Security Council, will meet later today to

discuss the escalating tension in Lebanon.

What is your message to member states at this point?

[10:55:00]

TENENTI: But more than a message to member states in the message to everyone and to the two parties fighting at the moment, that what we're

seeing today, could potentially and very much lead to a regional conflict that could have devastating and catastrophic consequences not only for the

two countries but for the entire region.

So it's a very important moment that this is not only confrontation between Hezbollah and Israel but it's much wider. And it needs to stop, not only

after 11 months, almost one year, no one can afford it.

And we need to go back to the situation we were living before, where we were trying to move forward. Let's not forget that from 2006 until October

last year, the south of Lebanon had witnessed one of its quietest period in recent history.

We were trying to move forward and maybe more to laugh (ph) deployed to the south working on establishing an area along the line that were agreed by

both sides. So there was a work that was about to be done.

But everything stopped so that's why it's important to go back to 1701 and to go back to a long term solution for this region that doesn't suffering

(ph) not only for 11 months but for a very, very long time.

ANDERSON: If Israel starts a ground invasion, if it invades, are you ready?

What will you do?

TENENTI: UNIFIL has been here in 2006 when there was a ground invasion.

(CROSSTALK)

TENENTI: -- since 1978. We have not left.

So of course, if we have a situation where it would be difficult for the mission to operate and to work on the implementation of the mandate, would

be, again, up to the Security Council to decide how to move forward.

But at the moment, we're really hoping that working on de-escalation should be the next phase. But everything else, if anything happens, of course,

Security Council, we need to decide the way forward.

[11:00:00]

END