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Iran's New Supreme Leader Makes First Statement; Oil Prices Surge; Analysts Warn War Poses Long-Term Threat to Global Economy; Iran Increases Cluster Munition Strikes on Israel; Israel Sends Waves of Deadly Strikes on Beirut; Examining Russia's Motives as U.S. Wages War on Iran; Kuwait Airport Hit by Drones. Aired 10-11a ET

Aired March 12, 2026 - 10:00   ET

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

[10:00:00]

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): This is CNN breaking news.

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST (voice-over): Breaking news this hour. We're hearing from Iran's new supreme leader for the first time since his father

was killed and he was appointed.

He did not deliver the nursing himself. We didn't see him. We didn't hear his voice. This was a letter or statement read out by Iranian state media.

It comes as Iran ramps up attacks on oil tankers at sea and other energy infrastructure across the region.

He warned those attacks will continue, saying, quote, "Certainly the lever of closing the Strait of Hormuz must continue to be used. Studies have also

been conducted regarding opening other fronts where the enemy has little experience and is highly vulnerable.

"And their activation will occur if the war continues and circumstances require."

CNN chief national security correspondent Nick Paton Walsh live in Amman, Jordan.

For those who may be just joining us at the top of this hour, you and I spoke just after we heard those words from Iranian state media.

Your key takeout at the start of all of this, what did you hear?

What did you see?

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yes.

I mean, it's what we didn't hear. And what we didn't see, we didn't hear Mojtaba Khamenei's voice and we did not see his face. And we did not see

this statement delivered on video.

And while it's important to point out that we have no evidence that he is incapacitated or deceased, this was a key moment where Iran really had, I

think, had to meet the doubts as to his health and his capacity to govern.

It's clear that he has been injured in some way or other. Part of the speech he talked about the loss of his wife, his sister, those close around

him and how he visited the body of his deceased father.

This is the man who president Trump has said he does not want to lead Iran. And his appointment clearly a way of hardliners thumbing their nose,

ultimately, back at the White House.

But you know, it was, you must imagine, a paramount concern for the Iranian regime; overall security worries about the possibility Israel would use

anything within that electronic message or anything at all to try and target the successor of Khamenei, as they said they would indeed do.

To deliver a clear sense that there is somebody alive functioning in the role of the previous supreme leader, ayatollah Ali Khamenei, instead we

have more doubts and doubts, frankly, that will amplify.

What was in the message, well, I think the things tactically to note was a pledge to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed, essentially an element of

leverage over the possibility that other Gulf states impacted by that closure might reconsider the presence of U.S. bases on their territory.

He didn't specifically demand the removal in that. But he made it clear that they were being attacked because they had U.S. bases on them and the

bases were the target, not the land in question of those other Gulf nations.

Not true, as you've seen, Becky. We've seen across the region targets across those Gulf states being hit repeatedly, as of, indeed, this morning,

a demand that was slightly, you might, say, out of a grasp of reality for reparations to be paid for Iran.

Unclear how that would function in the heat of war or if the U.S. or Israel would have a remote interest of that.

Is that sanctions relief?

Unclear where that was going; a sign, perhaps, of a desire for the world to get back to normal or to tell the Iranian people that there might be some

reward coming down the end and also, too, a suggestion that targets they might go for next might be the softer ones.

They would look for weaknesses, for places where -- I paraphrase here -- for places where the United States and Israel were not necessarily

expecting to be attacked and go for them instead.

Ultimately, the asymmetrical warfare we've already been seeing. But however much we pass this statement, delivered in a clerical tone, a reminder that,

like his father, he's not from a particularly clerical background, the rules were ultimately changed for Ali Khamenei to get that supreme leader

job.

We are hearing a big vacuum still at the top of Iranian leadership. Here's a message. Seven chapters read on state television by a female anchor. No

sign of him. No sign of his voice. And the moment, for the proof of life I think many need or proof of health, not met, Becky.

ANDERSON: Yes, no. Fascinating. Nick, it's good to have you. I just want to read one more key part of the supreme leader's speech. And you raised

the point about his insistence that these bases be closed.

He said, "Iran has 15 neighbors and has always desired warm relations with them.

[10:05:04]

"But the enemy, I advised them" -- "but the enemy is on that land. I advise them to close those bases because they have surely realized by now that

America's claims of security and peace are false."

As you rightly point out you know, I'm here in the UAE, testament to the fact that, you know, the targets have been well beyond these U.S. bases

around this region. But I wonder where -- and you've been talking to sources around this region of the Middle East as long as you've been in and

particularly during this latest war.

I wonder where that leaves the Gulf nations in any decisions about what happens next and where this might leave the United States.

What's your sense?

WALSH: I think it would be an odd moment -- I don't know if you agree, Becky -- for Gulf nations at this stage, to think that the solution to this

problem is to kick out the United States military from their territory.

You know, they -- many of them publicly oppose the U.S. and Israeli operation against Iran. Now it's happening. They found themselves quite

unexpectedly, I think you might say, on the receiving end in areas unrelated to the military bases which were targeted, it seems, quite

fiercely in the opening hours of this.

Found themselves targeted more broadly.

So does that mean your calculus is, well, the way to assuage this quite rogue neighbor who's been attacking us is to kick out the people who

provide the bulk of our security and weaponry, intelligence and assistance?

I would suspect probably not. But it does, potentially for the Gulf nations here, put them more in the game, so to speak, and protract the timeline of

their involvement. If Iran is saying the straits don't open until you kick the Americans out, ultimately -- I mean, I'm conflating issues here.

But that seems to be the nub of the message here.

Then you ultimately find yourself in a place where you have to make the calculation of, do you try and move to speed up the end of this?

Or do you make calculations about how you might try and appease Iran?

But ultimately, I don't think this message delivered one of strength or new direction or strategy that will lead people in the region to immediately

conclude that they're dealing with a renewed or reinvigorated threat of Iran, now Mojtaba Khamenei is at the helm. We just don't know at this point

what condition he's in, Becky

ANDERSON: Didn't see him, didn't hear him. Nick, thank you.

Let's get you more impact. More now on the impact of this war, particularly with a focus on the Strait of Hormuz.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON (voice-over): This video shows the moment a tanker was struck at sea. The attack sending oil prices soaring once again. Prices hit $100 on

the barrel today before backing slightly off those highs.

The IEA says the war is causing the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market.

U.S. President Donald Trump says the prices are not his priority.

Posting on his social media platform in the last hour, quote, "The United States is the largest oil producer in the world by far. So when oil prices

go up, we make a lot of money.

"But of far greater interest in importance to me," he wrote, "as president is stopping an evil empire, Iran, from having nuclear weapons and

destroying the Middle East and indeed the world. I won't ever let that happen."

And he signed off as he ever does, "Donald J. Trump."

No exclamation marks.

It's good to have you, Eleni, back with us this hour. We are watching the crude prices drift higher once again.

ELENI GIOKOS, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: We are and there's a confluence of issues that happened today. So the International Energy

Agency coming out and saying this is the largest supply disruption in the history of the oil market.

This is after they decided to release a record emergency reserve of 400 million barrels. So you know, they've solidified how serious the situation

is. And I think we needed to hear just what's going on.

Firstly, in the Strait of Hormuz, where we know it's effectively closed, we understand, from a lot of the experts we speak to, there are a few shadow

fleets that are moving through and some commercial fleets. But we're talking about a trickle.

We also have heard from the Energy Secretary who says we're not ready to have these naval escorts yet. So we have no idea what happens next. We've

got Brent crude sitting at almost $100 a barrel right now. I mean --

(CROSSTALK)

ANDERSON: Let's hear that defiance from the supreme leader. I mean, we've just heard that, you know, using the lever of closing the Strait of Hormuz

is a tool that we use against the enemy.

And the world should be prepared, some are saying, for prices to hit $200 on the barrel. Energy Secretary Chris Wright, whom you just referred to,

reacting to that suggestion of sky-high prices at 200 bucks on the barrel just a short time ago.

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Let's have a listen

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRIS WRIGHT, U.S. ENERGY SECRETARY: We're going through short-term energy disruption for just huge long-term gain. You're seeing Iran's behavior.

(CROSSTALK)

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: -- hit $200 a barrel?

WRIGHT: I would say unlikely. But we are focused on the military operation and solving a problem.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GIOKOS: Not very confident there in that answer. I mean, it should have been a categorical no; we'll do everything we can. But obviously sending

mixed messages because we've just heard mixed messages, frankly, from the Trump administration.

Interestingly, the new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei -- we heard this announcement on state TV, we didn't hear or see him.

But you know, vowing in a way or saying that the Strait of Hormuz is going to remain effectively closed but also saying they're going to use this as a

tool against the enemy.

Really interesting here, because we know that, to leverage that, they have -- and if the Iranians and, of course, the military leaders have said we're

targeting $200 a barrel, this is what they're going to do to try and get it right.

They are going to be targeting vessels across the region, which we've had six vessels in just two days across the Persian Gulf. And it's happening. I

mean the disruptions are here. The question is how the markets are going to react in the next few days. People are feeling it across the board already;

refined products, gas prices.

ANDERSON: All the rest of it. And these markets are lower. We are, what, 40 minutes into the trading day on Wall Street. Things aren't looking

pretty as far as U.S. stocks are concerned.

Dina Esfandiary is the Middle East geoeconomics lead at Bloomberg Economics. She joins us now live from Geneva in Switzerland.

Dina, first your analysis of what we've just heard from the new supreme leader or at least a statement or letter read out on his behalf by state

media.

DINA ESFANDIARY, MIDDLE EAST GEOECONOMICS LEAD, BLOOMBERG ECONOMICS: Well, I think that basically the idea is to project continuity, defiance, that

it's business as usual with the Islamic Republic, also continuity in terms of the war. Clearly Iran showing that it isn't seeking a ceasefire or an

end to a war.

And that it believes it hasn't exacted enough of a price on the U.S. and its allies and even the global economy. So to me, it looks like things are

going to continue.

Now the interesting bit, as you pointed out, is that he didn't read it out. We didn't hear from him specifically. It was read out. Ultimately, I don't

think that matters too much because the statement reflects the views of the Islamic Republic and that's what matters right now.

ANDERSON: So you know, a sense of defiance, a defiant message.

Where does that leave both the United States and the Gulf allies of the United States, who the supreme leader very specifically told to close U.S.

bases hosted on their territory or risk being targeted further?

ESFANDIARY: I think this leaves the Gulf Arab states between a rock and a hard place. They really are in a difficult position right now. They can't

join the war because, if they do, firstly, they wouldn't contribute too much to it.

But if they did, that would really make them legitimate targets in the eyes of the Iranians -- not that the Iranians haven't been targeting them. But I

think it would get much, much worse. And that's a frightening prospect.

And at the same time, whatever lobbying they're doing at the moment with the U.S. administration isn't having the intended effect. The United States

is clearly not stopping the war. There has been talk of ending it. But it doesn't look like the Trump administration is really pursuing that.

So the Gulf Arab states are stuck right now and they're the ones feeling the brunt of it.

ANDERSON: There is another argument, of course, the counterargument to the U.S. not listening to a region that says, we've got to stop. This is -- now

this has started and the genie is out of the bottle, to a -- to a degree, go for broke.

We can't afford for this to be an Iranian regime which isn't broken and will come back to haunt this region as it has for so long.

What do you make of that argument?

ESFANDIARY: Well, I think that's absolutely right. There's nothing more terrifying than a system that's entrenched, that's weakened but angry, that

has a need for vengeance and that has learned a really important lesson as the result of this war.

And that lesson is that it's really easy and relatively cheap for them to have a big impact both in the region and on the global economy by attacking

infrastructure in the region, including energy infrastructure and targeting the Strait of Hormuz.

[10:15:03]

And honestly, even if the war ends, Iran has now learned this lesson, which means that anytime anything doesn't go in the Islamic Republic's way, then

this is a lever they're likely to use in the future. And that's a frightening prospect for the Gulf Arab countries.

ANDERSON: You watch these markets like a hawk. I know it's your job to do so. And you keep an eye on what is going on across these oil markets. And I

just want to expand on the fallout, the economic fallout here.

You heard the U.S. Energy Secretary. He didn't rule out that oil prices could reach $200 a barrel. As we watch oil in shipping tankers get hit

across the Persian Gulf -- and here the supreme leader said that Iran will continue to use the lever of shutting down, closing the Strait of Hormuz.

Do you see this as only going one way?

And that is escalation?

ESFANDIARY: Well, I think it largely depends on how long this war lasts in terms of the impact on the global economy. We don't assess that the war is

likely to end any time soon for the very reason that Iran believes it hasn't achieved its objective. And it's learned that it has room for

maneuver, can really impose a cost globally.

So I think Iran feels the need to go for broke right now because its fear is that, if it doesn't, then in six months' time, when the U.S. and Israel

will have regrouped and rearmed, they'll come back for yet another round.

So for the Islamic Republic, it's critical to really impose the cost that is so significant on the United States and the rest of the world that no

one will ever conduct a war like this on them again.

And if that's the way that they're thinking about it, then they won't want to end the conflict anytime soon. And it means that things are likely to

get a lot worse before they potentially get better.

ANDERSON: I didn't want to leave it on a pessimistic note but I'm afraid I am going to leave it there. And your thoughts are, analysis and insight

entirely understandable. Dina, it's always good to have you. Thank you very much indeed for joining us.

And folks, we are working our sources here across this region to better understand the strategy that Gulf states are adopting.

My colleagues, Abbas Al Lawati and Mustafa Salem, have just published this piece, quote, "Why Trump's Gulf allies are resisting pressure to join the

Iran war."

In it, they explore the calculus of countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE as they weigh up the fact that the U.S. can pull its fighter jets and

aircraft carriers out of this region while they will always be neighbors of Iran.

And they write in part, "Even as the conflict rattles global markets and Gulf economies, regional governments remain reluctant to enter a war that

they do not control, wary of being drawn into confrontation whose consequences they may have to manage long after outside powers move on."

You can find that piece on CNN's digital platforms and a reminder that I will share this link and all the most insightful analysis from this show

and the other hour's worth of programming that I am anchoring for CNN on my social channels.

You can find me on Instagram and X @BeckyCNN.

Right. Next up on CONNECT THE WORLD, Israel warns of expanded military operations in Lebanon as Iran-backed Hezbollah continues attacks in Israel.

We'll get you to the scene of one of those strikes up next.

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ANDERSON: Israel's defense minister has instructed the military to prepare for expanding operations in Lebanon. This after Hezbollah fired rockets at

Israel. I want to bring in CNN's Jeremy Diamond. He's live from Haniel in central Israel.

Which, as I understand it, Jeremy, was hit in a barrage of strikes last night.

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's exactly right, Becky. We saw last night the largest barrage of rockets being fired by

Hezbollah in a single instance since this war began. More than 100 rockets were fired from Lebanon toward communities in northern and central Israel.

And this home right behind me took a direct impact from one of those rockets. You can see the state in which the living room is currently. There

is glass shattered all over the floor. I've been inside this home. And of the walls that are still standing, they're all pockmarked with shrapnel

throughout.

This is the part of the home that took the brunt of the impact, though. And you can see the concrete here that's been broken down. There are bits of

concrete still lying on the floor as well. But this is where the rocket actually landed. You can see the size of the crater here, Becky.

I'll stand next to it so you can have a little bit of a sense of scale. What's particularly notable is that Israel, of course, was striking

Hezbollah for more than a year in Lebanon. And yet we are 60 miles away from the Lebanese border.

And Hezbollah still has rockets that can reach an area like this and make a direct impact, not only on the home that I just showed you but also this

home here, that you can see is also pockmarked with shrapnel.

Now inside the -- this first home, there was an 86-year-old woman with her caretaker but they were inside the home's bomb shelter which is completely

unscathed. And so are they, of course, shaken by the power of that blast.

What we've also been witnessing, of course, are these ballistic missile attacks from Iran. And increasingly, Becky, we've discovered that Iran is

firing new types of munitions at Israel.

These are cluster munitions and they're aimed at trying to get through Israel's sophisticated air defense. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DIAMOND (voice-over): Their orange glow streaks across the night sky. Each speck of light, a small bomb carrying up to 11 pounds of explosives and

raining down indiscriminately, sometimes in densely populated areas.

They are cluster munitions and Iran is increasingly packing the heads of its ballistic missiles with dozens of them. Aiming to pierce Israel's

sophisticated air defenses.

DIAMOND: One of those small bombs struck the roof of this residential building and you can see the hole is only a few inches wide. And yet this

is the kind of destruction that just one of those small bombs can cause, one of multiple impact points from a single missile.

DIAMOND (voice-over): We confirmed nine separate impacts from that one missile. They include this strike on a Tel Aviv car wash that severely

wounded one man and another in a neighboring suburb.

The impacts are spread out across seven miles of mostly residential neighborhoods, illustrating why using these munitions in populated areas

violates international law.

The next day, another cluster missile attack sends bomblets tumbling south of Tel Aviv. At least five impacts scattered across eight miles, one bomb

hit a street here. Nearby, two construction workers were killed.

The first fatalities in Israel caused by these weapons.

Israel's military, which has itself deployed cluster munitions in other wars, says about half of Iran's missile attacks used these munitions.

Vehicles overturned, shrapnel slicing through anything near the impact.

Iran's missiles are more destructive when equipped with a single large warhead.

[10:25:03]

but the clusters are much tougher to intercept.

TAL INBAR, SR. RESEARCH FELLOW, MISSILE DEFENSE ADVOCACY ALLIANCE: It's a mechanism to bypass active missile defense. In some cases you can hit the

target with an arrow or with a third missile, for example but the bomblets will continue and will get to the target.

DIAMOND (voice-over): The Israeli military does try and intercept these bomblets, expending a costly and finite quantity of interceptors in the

process.

DIAMOND: So if there is a strategy here by Iran, that could be it to try and deplete Israel's air defenses, right?

INBAR: We know it. In some cases the solution by Iran is a salvo of a very large quantity of even single warhead ballistic missiles and try to fire

and coordinate the launch sites. I think Iran doesn't have the capability at the moment of orchestrating a large barrage of ballistic missiles.

So if Iran wants to cause a lot of damage, even with a small number of ballistic missiles, then submunition missiles.

Missiles with bomblets will be the weapon of choice.

DIAMOND (voice-over): The weapon of choice as Iran pursues a war of attrition, one missile at a time.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DIAMOND: And Becky, we did reach out to the Iranian government for comment on its use of these cluster munitions. They did not respond.

But what's so fascinating as we're watching not only what's happening here but also in the Gulf is this kind of war of attrition that seems to be

developing.

And that seems to be Iran's aim here, to use these kind of various asymmetrical warfare tactics, where, even as they are getting pummeled by

Israeli and American strikes, they are still finding ways to cause damage.

Whether it is here with, you know, one missile at a time that is sending millions fleeing into shelters, causing Israel to use these costly

interceptor missiles as well, or whether it's in the Gulf, where we're watching as its shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz is causing oil prices to

skyrocket, this all seems to be part of one strategy by Iran, Becky.

ANDERSON: It's good to have you, Jeremy. Thank you very much indeed.

Just before 4:30 in the afternoon there, just before 6:30 here, I want to get you to Lebanon and get a sense of the toll that the war has taken

there. This report from Isobel Yeung comes from Beirut.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ISOBEL YEUNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The night of heavy bombardment here in Beirut, we've heard some very loud explosions in the middle of the night.

This started because yesterday Hezbollah fired a barrage of rockets toward Israeli territory.

And Israel has hit back hard with an initial round of airstrikes that was about half a dozen. Some of the residents that we spoke to said that this

was the loudest and the worst that they've seen and heard so far.

And also a targeted strike in Beirut that killed eight people, wounded a further 31, although those figures could continue to rise.

And obviously, this is having a profound impact on civilians. The IDF have warned residents living in the neighborhood of Dahiyeh to evacuate and not

to return any time soon.

And so we've got thousands, hundreds of thousands of people, who have suddenly been displaced, living in tents across the city, living in

makeshift shelters, in schools, in sports stadiums, really anywhere and just desperate to know when this conflict is going to end.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Well, an update there from Izzy on the displaced, the casualties in the almost two weeks of Israeli attacks. The information minister says

nearly 700 people have been killed; among them, more than a dozen medics and rescuers and nearly 100 kids, 98 children.

The conflict taking its toll on the Lebanese people on day 13 of this war.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We are against the escalation. We don't want war. We want peace. We want our children to live in this country

and secure their future in this country so they can live.

War leads nowhere except to destruction, devastation and death. We don't want war. We want peace. Let them find a solution already and end this

because people are exhausted and worn out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Othman Belbeisi is the Middle East and Africa director for the International Organization for Migration. That's the IOM, which is a

humanitarian group. He is there in Beirut.

Firstly, just as a firsthand observation, just tell us, you've been speaking to a lot of people who have been displaced and not just in Beirut

but in Tripoli, for example, as well.

How are people doing?

OTHMAN BELBEISI, REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA, INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION: Yes, thank you very much for

this opportunity. As you have seen, the numbers are rising significantly by the day.

And we are almost hitting the number of 1 million, maybe in two or three coming days, if this rate continues. People are feeling a lot of stress,

feeling that it's different than previous, I would say, conflicts they've been in.

This is, I believe, maybe the largest or the first time as a large area is covered by evacuation orders.

[10:30:00]

People have to flee their homes but also they are seeking refuge in areas that are also affected by other conflicts.

For example, when we were in Tripoli, we realized that many buildings in Tripoli had collapsed lately. And that's why they already have internal

displacement within the cities and they are still hosting displaced people from other regions. The numbers are increasing. The number --

(CROSSTALK)

ANDERSON: And also this morning's strike on Beirut -- sorry; I was just going to -- I'm just to pick you up there. I mean, this morning's strike on

the Beirut seafront, killing several internally displaced people, who, one has to assume, have come from southern Beirut suburbs, down onto that area

to seek some refuge.

I mean, what heightened risk do people face now that they are being forced out of their homes?

BELBEISI: So exactly. First, people are feeling that nowhere is safe because, even though they fled the areas affected by the evacuation order,

they still are being targeted in different areas. And this is definitely unacceptable. So civilians should not be a target.

On the other hand, people are trying to seek refuge in shelters. We know that there are around 590 shelters. But this hosts almost one-fifth of the

total number of displaced. So the rest either had to seek refuge with families or find by their own means, pay for their shelter. And this is not

sustainable.

And also, we are seeing many people on the streets in downtown Beirut. Yesterday we had a walk with the team just going to see people. The

situation is dire. People are out in the cold with nothing. They fled homes with nothing, only with their clothes. Many left their papers.

We visited the ministry of health. They are distributing medicine. Many people even fled without their medication. They just ran for their lives.

ANDERSON: So Israel's defense minister, Israel Katz, has instructed the military at least to prepare for expanding operations in Lebanon. You're

there in Beirut.

What are you and others bracing for in the coming hours and days?

BELBEISI: Honestly, if I want to talk about people we are meeting, there is a lot of fear. There is a lot of anxiety. The options are limited. Also,

the option of moving out of the country or cross border is no longer there.

So people have to seek refuge in different parts of the country with the limited means. Lebanon has been under a difficult economic situation. So we

saw a decline in the revenues from agriculture, tourism; many lost of jobs. And honestly, the options are very limited. So any, I would say, escalation

will result in catastrophic consequences.

Othman, stay safe. Thank you for your work. And we will continue to check in with you as we continue to see these numbers of displaced rise.

We are now looking at some 800,000 today on the 13th day of this war. As Othman Belbeisi just pointing out, we are getting horribly close to a

million people displaced in Lebanon as we speak.

Thank you, sir. Still to come, why Russian president Vladimir Putin may turn out to be a big winner in Donald Trump's war against Iran. More on

that is next.

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[10:35:00]

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): This is CNN breaking news.

ANDERSON: Well, welcome back. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson, from our Middle East programming headquarters here in Abu

Dhabi. Your headlines this hour.

We've just heard from Iran's new supreme leader for the first time since his father was killed and he was appointed. He did not deliver the message

himself but it was read out by Iranian state media.

Mojtaba Khamenei says the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed as a tool of pressure and he demanded compensation for U.S. and Israeli attacks.

Well, a new wave of attacks have been reported across Gulf states. Two foreign oil tankers in Iraqi waters were set on fire by an Iranian attack,

killing at least one person.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

ANDERSON (voice-over): While here in the UAE, a container ship off the coast was hit by an unknown projectile, damaging a container vessel.

The U.S. says it is not ready to escort ships yet through the Strait of Hormuz. Energy Secretary Chris Wright says the Navy could begin doing so

later this month but, for now, U.S. military resources are focused on the war in Iran and targeting the country's offensive capabilities, he said.

Wright also has a message for Americans about soaring gasoline prices. He says the high cost that Americans are paying at the pump is, quote, "short-

term pain to solve a long-time problem."

Though oil prices have spiked, he says $200 oil is unlikely.

ANDERSON: Well pro-Iran hackers have claimed responsibility for a cyber attack on a major U.S. medical device maker. The Stryker Company said in a

statement to CNN that it is experiencing a global network disruption.

It also says it sees no indication of ransomware or malware and believes the incident has been contained. Now Stryker makes a range of hospital

equipment, from defibrillators and ambulance cots to I.T. systems.

America's war with Iran has been a costly one. The Pentagon estimates the first six days of the conflict has cost U.S. taxpayers at least $11

billion. Now that figure was shared with lawmakers in a private briefing on Tuesday.

A top Democratic lawmaker who serves on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense believes the amount of spending is likely even

higher.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CHRIS COONS (D-DE): I expect that the current total operating number is significantly above that.

It isn't an even expenditure because obviously the number of munitions, the amount of assets engaged, the number of the mission set and the target set

has changed to assume that it is well above $1.5 billion a day, I think, would be a fair guess.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Yes, that's Chris Coons.

The war in Iran is the first battlefield test for a South Korean air defense system. It's called Cheongung-II.

And according to a lawmaker in South Korea, it is passing with flying colors. It's been sent over to the UAE. And he says the system has had a 60

-- I'm sorry; a 96 percent interception rate during Iran's large-scale airstrikes on this country, where I am, in the United Arab Emirates.

He also said other systems have rarely managed a success rate better than 90 percent in recent defensive operations. UAE also has defense weapons

from other countries and has, for example, French and U.K. jets in the air at present.

South Korea, of course, has a major U.S. military presence, one that is closely watched in nearby China. It is worth stepping back to think about

where the other global powers, China and Russia, stand to possibly benefit from the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran.

My colleague and good friend, Stephen Collinson, has taken a look at Russian president Vladimir Putin's motivations in his piece titled, "How

Trump's Iran exposure could hand Putin a lottery win."

[10:40:06]

And I'm happy to say Stephen joins us now.

Stephen, you lay out in your piece some of Putin's likely calculations for helping Iran in this war. Part of it is, vengeance, you argue, after the

U.S. provided years of intelligence support to Ukraine.

Then there's the fact that the longer this war goes on, the less bandwidth the U.S. might have to push Russia-Ukraine peace talks.

And then there's the higher oil prices and lifting of sanctions that help Putin fund his war.

So in total -- and those are only three ways that Moscow may be benefiting, you know -- at this point, how significant is this?

STEPHEN COLLINSON, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, it looks like this war could end up being quite a significant strategic win for Putin if it

takes up U.S. resources, U.S. concentration and U.S. time and U.S. and allied military kit that might otherwise perhaps have found its way to

Ukraine.

So all of that could end up boosting his war effort. I think it's very interesting to look at the U.S. response to various reports, including one

that made this an even more serious issue by our colleague, Nick Paton Walsh, yesterday about this idea of Russia potentially helping target

Iranian drones and evade defenses in the Gulf and U.S. air defenses.

They are not really willing to talk about it in the U.S. administration. Steve Witkoff, the Trump envoy, basically said, well, we take Russia at

their word that they aren't doing this, following a call between the president and Vladimir Putin earlier this week.

The Pentagon, Pete Hegseth, has said, well, they didn't ought to be doing that but we haven't seen really a big offensive, rhetorically by the

administration, to try to put the Russians on the spot here indeed.

And this is what has got a lot of people on Capitol Hill rather perturbed is that the administration has been acting to ease some oil sanctions on

Russia because of the political pressure that oil prices have put on the president himself and his political project.

So it would be highly ironic and a cruel twist for Ukraine if the impact of this U.S. war in Iran would actually be for Russia to get benefits directly

from the U.S. administration, even as it's suspected of helping Iran in the war.

ANDERSON: It is remarkable, isn't it?

We have learned that Russia's top economic envoy, Kirill Dmitriev -- he, of course, runs the sovereign wealth fund in Russia -- he met with Steve

Witkoff and Jared Kushner in the U.S. in Florida, as I understand it, this week.

And it comes after Witkoff said, like you say, that Russia or that the U.S. should take Russia at its word when it says it's not providing intelligence

support to Russia.

I just wonder; we know that Dmitriev, Kirill, was in Florida because the Kremlin put out a statement about it. Nothing from the White House.

Does that surprise you?

COLLINSON: Well, we got a very short and unrevealing tweet from Witkoff, who basically said they had the meetings and they're going to continue to

talk about all sorts of issues, quite typical of the way that the Trump administration handles their media.

But, of course, they don't want to draw attention any more than they have to, I think, to this meeting. The problem with that is -- and it's often

the case that the Kremlin, being as media savvy as it is, often gets to tell its story first.

But there are a lot of senators on Capitol Hill, not just Democrats, who are starting to ask questions about the potential lifting of sanctions on

oil. They want to get Scott Bessent, the U.S. Treasury Secretary, up to testify on Capitol Hill.

Because he went on TV earlier this week and said, well, we're not just looking at lifting sanctions on Indian firms that are buying oil from the

Russian ghost fleet. We could end up lifting more sanctions on Russia as this goes on.

So it's extraordinary. There's been a throughline through both Trump administrations of this strange deference from the president to Vladimir

Putin. He admires Putin.

One irony, of course, would be that if the president is going down the same road as the Russian leader by potentially starting a war, in which he -- in

which he underestimated -- sounded like George W. Bush there, "misunderestimated" -- a war in which he underestimated the capacity of the

adversary to fight back.

[10:45:00]

And how long it might take to bring it to a conclusion, because that is exactly the position that Putin got himself in Ukraine.

ANDERSON: Yes. Stephen, before I let you go, I want to lean into you for your thoughts on the Iranian supreme leader's message of revenge, including

for Iranian children, a likely reference to the strike on the Minab girls' school on the first day of this war. Just have a listen to this in part.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

MOJTABA KHAMENEI, IRANIAN SUPREME LEADER (through translator): I gave this assurance to people that we will not forget. We will revenge on the blood

of your martyrs. This revenge is not only for the -- our martyred leader. It's actually for those who are martyred by the enemy.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

ANDERSON: How do you see Donald Trump reacting to this, considering that he was opposed to Mojtaba Khamenei's appointment to begin with?

He called it an unacceptable.

COLLINSON: Well, I think the problem here for Trump is that this is one of a number of factors that complicate what it looks like he wants to do,

which is declare victory and walk away from this and say, well, I can end it any time I want.

Because the presence of the new supreme leader, even if we haven't seen him, gets to the point that all the operation has done, on a political

sense so far, is replace one aging supreme leader without a succession plan, with a younger version, who even has the same name.

So that's going to be one complication. The other, of course, is that Trump can't end the war while the Strait of Hormuz is still choked up, because

that's having such a big impact. So I think the danger for the president is he's losing control a little bit of the course of this war.

And if it becomes a war in which the advantage goes from the United States, with its massive military power, to Iran, which is willing to endure and

take a lot of pain, that then becomes a lot more difficult for the president to end this. And that creates political problems.

So anytime there's a message from the ayatollah, I think it really, you know, puts Trump in more of a domestic political box here.

ANDERSON: Stephen Collinson in the house out of Washington for you today, where the time is 10:45 in the morning, 6:45 in the evening here in the

UAE. It is March the 12th, it's Thursday and it is the 13th day of the U.S.-Israel war with Iran.

A new wave of strikes across this region as the Middle East spirals here. We have more from Kuwait, where a residential building was hit as well as

the international airport. More after this.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:50:00]

(MUSIC PLAYING)

ANDERSON: Well, more on our breaking news, day 13 of the war in Iran and its repercussions around the Middle East.

Kuwait says its international airport was damaged in a drone attack early on Thursday. It was reported shortly after Iran launched a wave of

retaliatory strikes aimed at energy infrastructure in the Gulf. Nic Robertson is in Kuwait outside a residential building that was also

damaged.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes. Just take a look at the apartment above me here, a residential building that completely

ripped apart, blown out, debris strewn on the ground around here. I can see a shoe over there, twisted metal over here.

Two people were injured here, two civilians, Kuwaiti government officials tell us, were injured here. They've been taken away for treatment. There

were multiple rounds of attempted attacks and attacks on Kuwait overnight. The sirens going off, defensive fighter jets put up in the air overnight.

But I want to tell you something here that I think gives our viewers a real clue to how much of a threat Iran is and how their attacks are working. So

you see that impact behind me. Spin around here. And what are we looking at here?

We're looking at the Persian Gulf. Iran is 50 miles behind me across the water there. So that drone flew in from there, straight into the building

here.

A couple of hundred miles that way is a Strait of Hormuz. Just further north from here, closer to Iraq, two tankers, oil tankers, hit by an

explosive device last night, both set on fire.

So right in the northern end of the Persian Gulf, here now you have Iran attacking oil tankers here, a few hundred miles to the south trying to

choke off the Strait of Hormuz.

They are putting this whole region into a an economic chokehold. The Iranians are turning the sea here, the water, the Persian Gulf, effectively

into a war zone, not just the buildings around here.

Kuwait as well last night -- we'll just spin back so you can again see the damage here but Kuwait last night during those attacks, power lines came

down and the attack that happened just a few hours ago in Kuwait targeting and hit Kuwait International Airport.

Structural damage, we're told, no one injured but that threat coming straight across from Iran, very close, very real.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Nic Robertson reporting there from Kuwait.

And we will get you some more news after this.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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ANDERSON: The Iranian sports minister has issued a clear message today, saying that the men's national soccer team, and I quote here, "certainly

cannot compete" at the FIFA World Cup this summer.

Iran's matches are all scheduled to take place in the United States. They are co-hosting the tournament with Canada and Mexico. President Trump has

said the team is welcome to compete. However, questions have been intensifying over Iran's participation. Have a listen to what the minister

specifically said.

[10:55:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AHMAD DONYAMAIL, IRANIAN SPORTS MINISTER (through translator): This corrupt government has assassinated our leader. We do not have the

conditions to be present at the World Cup anyway.

For example, they do not have the security. And their safety is not ensured. Considering the evil actions they committed against Iran, they

imposed two wars on us for eight or nine months and they martyred several thousand of our people. It is definitely not possible for us to be present.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, that's the Iranian sports minister.

And before we go this hour, let's just recap our breaking news.

State media has read a statement said to be from Iran's new supreme leader. In it, ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei vows to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed.

Khamenei has not been seen nor heard in public since his appointment.

Right. That is it for CONNECT THE WORLD. Stay with CNN. "ONE WORLD" is up next

END