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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Obama Authorizes Targeted Airstrikes against ISIS; Explosion Rock Gaza; CDC Changes Ebola Virus Warning

Aired August 08, 2014 - 05:00   ET

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

POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: Humanitarian aid and force, if deemed necessary.

Islamist militants gaining ground and slaughtering thousands. What the president had to say and the dire conditions some ethnic groups are dealing with right now in Iraq.

Also breaking overnight, cease-fire over in Gaza. Violence erupting between Hamas and Israel this morning after peace talks in Cairo break down. Hamas refusing to extend the three-day truce which ended just hours ago. Israel's delegation, walking out.

Live team coverage on that and where the negotiations go next from the people on the ground there. We'll get to that in just a moment.

Also happening right now, tropical storm Iselle barreling into Hawaii, bringing violent winds, pounding rain and ferocious waves. This could just be round one.

Indra Petersons tracking that storm for us as well.

A lot of breaking news this morning. We'll get to it all. Thank you for being with us on this Friday.

Good morning, everyone. Welcome to EARLY START, I'm Poppy Harlow. It is August 8th, 5:00 a.m. here on the East Coast.

We welcome our viewers both here in the United States and of course around the world. Up first this, President Obama authorizing targeted airstrikes in Iraq. In a nationally televised address last night, the president warned America cannot turn a blind eye to the crisis unfolding in northern Iraq. ISIS extremists on a rampage in the region, now closing in, very close to the city of Irbil. That is where U.S. military and diplomatic personnel could be in harm's way.

The president also authorizing an emergency air drop of water and food to help a large number of Kurds and other religious minorities and other Iraqis that are trapped there, literally trapped in the mountains by oncoming militants.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I said in June, as the terrorist group ISIL began an advance across Iraq, that the United States would be prepared to take targeted military action in Iraq if and when we determined that the situation required it.

In recent days, these terrorists have continued to move across Iraq and have neared the city of Irbil where American diplomats and civilians serve at our consulate and American military personnel advise Iraqi forces.

To stop the advance on Irbil, I'd directed our military to take targeted strikes against ISIL terrorist convoys should they move towards the city. We intend to stay vigilant then take action if these terrorist forces threaten our personnel or facilities anywhere in Iraq including our consulate in Irbil and our embassy in Baghdad.

We're also providing urgent assistance to Iraqi government and Kurdish forces so they can more effectively wage the fight against ISIL.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: All eyes -- all eyes have really been on Gaza and Israel. ISIS militants in northern Iraq have been making stunning advances in recent weeks, seizing town after town in a bloody onslaught. They've even taken control of Iraq's largest dam in Mosul.

All eyes on the city of Irbil as we said right now. That is where chaos could erupt at any moment and that's where we find our Ivan Watson.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: These are the conditions that thousands of desperate Iraqis are going to be sleeping in tonight, after they have fled the most recent offensive by ISIS militants who have succeeded in capturing a number of towns and villages, taking them away from Kurdish Peshmerga militia fighters.

At this location we see some of these families who have pulled up after arriving, packed into the back of pick-up trucks, in some cases hitchhiking, hiring taxis, in some cases fleeing on foot. And they are showing up in some of the unfinished apartment and office buildings on the outskirts of the Kurdish city of Irbil.

The conditions here, as basic as can be. They are sleeping on cement. We have seen some distribution of water, of cookies to these people. But these families have no plan in mind. They tend to come from religious minorities that are viewed as apostates by the ISIS militants. These are Shiites. In other cases, they are Christians Yazidis who feel threatened. Their lives are at risk from the Sunni Muslim hard-liners who have vowed to kill people who do not come from a Sunni Muslim faith.

This exodus of people is going to be an enormous burden for the authorities in the Kurdistan regional government that controls northern Iraq. Even at the same time as their militias, they're Peshmerga fighters, are pressed on the front lines to try to protect Kurdish -- territories from the ISIS militants who we are told are now equipped with armored vehicles and -- heavy weapons that have been captured from the Iraqi army that collapsed, the same Iraqi army that was equipped with weapons from the U.S. government.

Ivan Watson, CNN, Irbil in Iraqi Kurdistan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARLOW: Ivan, thank you for that look at what is happening on the ground right now.

Meantime, after three days of relative peace and quiet, loud explosions are rocking Gaza this morning. Airstrikes resuming after Israel says that Hamas violated a three-day cease-fire before it ended. Hamas is denying that.

Let's get straight to John Vause live from Gaza.

So, John, another group is taking responsibility for rockets fired into Israel, but, at this point, all heads broken down and the violence has resumed.

JOHN VAUSE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, exactly. I guess. Who claims responsibility for what is kind of a moot point, really. We're back to where we were three days ago. The Israeli air offensive is under way. In fact, just within the last hour or so, the first airstrike seen to hit a target not far from where we are here to the west of Gaza City. There is some smoke, which could be seen rising up from a building. There's also been at least two other airstrikes in the vicinity of Gaza, the city that is, over the last hour or so.

We are also hearing that artillery rounds have been fired into the northern part of Gaza. The rocket fire, though, from the militant groups began pretty much at the moment that cease-fire expired. And Islamic jihad, one of the other militant groups here taking responsibility for that rocket fire. And they say they began firing because Israel violated the cease-fire by refusing to give into Palestinian demands at those negotiations in Cairo.

The Israelis say, though, the cease-fire was violated hours before it was set to expire after a number of rockets were fired from Gaza into the southern part of Israel. The Israeli government Mark Regev spoke about that to CNN a short time ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK REGEV, ISRAELI GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON: The Cairo talks are based on one crucial assumption, that is unconditional cease-fire. The talks only started because there was a cessation of hostile fire. And by breaking the cease-fire, by re-initiating violence, by targeting our civilians as they have done this morning, it's clear that Hamas has broken the fundamental premise for these talks in Cairo.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Now Islamic Jihad and Hamas not taking credit for the early morning rocket fire before the cease-fire was set to expire. The Israeli government are pretty adamant the rocket fire came from Gaza. Hamas is in charge of Gaza therefore Hamas is responsible. But we did hear from a Hamas spokesperson, who said the reports coming out of Israel about this early morning rocket fire is just an attempt by Israel to simply confuse the situation -- Poppy.

HARLOW: All right. Appreciate the update, John, there live in Gaza this morning for us. Thanks so much.

Also this breaking news. The Israeli delegation at the peace talks in Egypt has walked out and returned to Israel, leaving hopes for the violence to end really dashed.

But right now let's bring in Reza Sayah live from Cairo.

So we just learned this in the last few moments, Reza, really the last hour, that Israel has left. All is broken out. We heard Mark Regev on CNN earlier today saying look, I'm not going get into any of the details from the talks, but do we know -- do we know why they broke down?

REZA SAYAH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I think the sticking point was the duration, the framework of this particular cease-fire. Israel's position was let's continue it, let's extend it unconditionally. Hamas' position, the Palestinian delegation's position was that this was an Israeli bluff. They wanted the return to the status quo. They had come here to Cairo to get one of their core demands met. That's where the impasse was and that's where seemingly the talks fell apart.

We did get a message a short time ago by a senior Egyptian government official telling us that an update may be coming soon. It's not clear what that update is. It's not clear if it's favorable news, but according to this Egyptian official, an announcement could be coming in the next few hours.

Beyond that announcement, all the events that we've observed this morning indicate that we are heading down a very dangerous path. The situation is deteriorating. Of course, there are growing signs in Gaza that the fight has started back up again. And what's worrying here in Cairo is that there's no indications that these indirect negotiations are continuing.

As you mentioned, Poppy, the Israeli delegation, according to the Israeli government, they left at 7:00 a.m. local time here in Cairo. That was roughly five hours ago. The Palestinians say the last time they spoke to the Egyptians was 4:30 a.m. local time. It's not clear if they are continuing to talk to the Egyptians, Poppy. And of course, if you want to get things solved, the one priority is to sit- down and talk to one another, even if it's indirectly.

HARLOW: Right.

SAYAH: And it's not clear if that's happening at this hour.

HARLOW: And they were not even at the same table but at least they were talking and at least the violence wasn't happening for those three days. There were a lot of higher hopes here because this was the longest cease-fire in this battle so far. But, apparently not.

Reza, thank you for the update, appreciate it.

Also this happening right now. Hurricane Iselle has been downgraded to a tropical storm but it's still fierce. It is battering the Hawaiian Islands this morning. Heavy rain began falling yesterday afternoon. The storm's outer bands packing 70-mile-an-hour winds.

Let's get the latest from Indra Petersons.

So we hear that hurricane and tropical storm, but this is -- this is still tough for the people there.

INDRA PETERSONS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes. We talk about that threshold. We're talking about it only weakened about five miles per hour.

HARLOW: Right.

PETERSONS: We're talking about a very borderline, still extremely strong tropical storm that's out there. And keep in mind, only since the '50s have we seen two systems hit the Hawaiian Islands. But we're still looking at two out there right now. Of course Iselle very close to making landfall, you can see it really kind of tearing apart with some of the cooler waters and the winds shear out there.

But look at Julio just behind it on its heels. Look how well defined his yes. That is still a category 3 system there with 120-mile-per- hour steady winds.

Let's take a look at Iselle first. In the next few hours we are expecting it to make landfall. Now you can see the outer bands of the rain already making their way on to the big island here. And of course the center of circulation is right there. So that's what we look for when we talk about making landfall is the eye itself.

As far as the heavy amounts of rain, we're going to be talking about rain really affecting the big island in through Maui and then making its way through even Kauai as we go through later on today, and then exiting off shore by tomorrow. And rainfall amounts are going to be higher. We're talking about a foot of rain is possible on the big island as well as Maui. And still four to seven inches of rain expecting when we talk about Oahu and Kauai.

Wave tides are huge out there. We're talking about over 20 feet. But the biggest concern is going to be in the northeasterly portion of the system. Of course that's when we start to see some of those strong winds and heavier amounts of rain. That puts Hilo into the bull's eye of getting some of the heaviest rain. Of course right where you have the mountain. That's where you have that threat in some of the higher terrain. Bringing in those mudslides right down toward Hilo. So in the next few hours this is going to be the critical time here.

You have the strongest winds and heaviest rainmaking its way into the region. And keep in with those strong wave heights, everything that's going to be battering these islands today, we only have a one-daybreak on Saturday. Before Sunday, there comes, Hilo, the stronger system, making its way in. It is currently (INAUDIBLE) just above the island, but still effects can be felt just there on the islands.

HARLOW: A stronger system, you said?

PETERSONS: Exactly.

HARLOW: Stronger systems right now but of course, it's still expected to weaken, but take some time before we get that --

HARLOW: Right. A one-two punch in an area that frankly hasn't had it in a long time.

PETERSONS: Fifty years.

HARLOW: Thanks, Indra, appreciate it.

All right. Of course we're going to keep following that and all the breaking news this morning including Iraq, the war between Israel and Hamas. And of course the hurricane as I said.

Also this. Big news the U.S. issuing a new Ebola warning as this virus rages across Africa. We are live with the latest. Next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARLOW: U.S. airstrikes in northern Iraq could be imminent. President Obama authorizing the attacks on ISIS extremists it deemed necessary. They are taking over town after town in an absolutely bloody rampage. The militants now threatening thousands of Kurds and other religious minorities there as well as their U.S. personnel in the city of Irbil. The president assuring Americans, though, that no U.S. ground forces will be deployed.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: As commander-in-chief, I will not allow the United States to be dragged into fighting another war in Iraq. And so even as we support Iraqis as they take the fight to these terrorists, American combat troops will not be returning to fight in Iraq because there's no American military solution to the larger crisis in Iraq. The only lasting solution is reconciliation among Iraqi communities and stronger Iraqi security forces.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: Well, President Obama also authorizing a humanitarian airdrop of food and water to help thousands of fleeing Kurds and others that are trapped, literally trapped on this mountainside by the advancing militants. We're going to be following the latest on this breaking news story all morning long.

Also this, a warning from the State Department to Americans not to travel to Liberia if it is not absolutely essential. And starting tomorrow, family members of U.S. embassy staffers in Monrovia will be evacuated. The spread of this deadly Ebola virus is really showing no sign of

slowing down. So far 932 people had died as a result. Over 1700 cases are confirmed or suspected in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Liberia and New Guinea. Patients in West Africa have also now found out they will not have access to the medicine being used to treat those two Americans infected with Ebola that are being treated right now in an Atlanta hospital. And it appears to be working for them. There's simply not enough of the medication.

The crisis is so severe now that the World Health Organization has declared it an international public health emergency.

Isa Soares is tracking the developments live from London.

I know they just wrapped up this two-day meeting. And I wonder what their biggest warning was and frankly how that translates or if it translates into help for all those people in West Africa.

ISA SOARES, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Poppy, yes, they wrapped up about an hour ago. The meeting actually lasted an hour. And they called it an extraordinary event. The WHO chief Margaret Chang said the consequences of further international spread are particularly serious. The chief said it is the largest, most severe and longest case seen in the four-decade history of tracking the disease.

She said the biggest challenge, however, was education, it was information, letting people know that, you know, they can tackle this. What we're seeing at the moment, according to Margaret Chang, is that there's a fear factor. People are running away. Those who do not run away, who approach them, they can, in fact, be treated. But Margaret Chang did call on the international community for solidarity and said countries in the West Africa do not have the means to manage the outbreak. Their health systems are fragile and then went on to outline a series of measures those countries in West Africa should take.

Importantly, though, Poppy, she did say that travel, there should be no general ban on travel or indeed on international trade. She says she's been speaking in terms of flights or how workers should really be traveling to those countries and what measures are taking place. That there will be no ban in that respect. But it's crucial, she said, and I'm quoting here again, "This is not a mysterious disease," she says. "This is an infection disease that can be contained."

So for the rest of us that, you know, we do not -- we're not seeing thankfully an outbreak of Ebola to have those precautions set that we have in U.S., that we have here in Europe but just be aware for there to be checks, appropriate checks at airports should if we need it -- Poppy.

HARLOW: Yes. But an outbreak that has not yet been contained. And as you said, a lot of this being driven by fear. And people that have it need to get the treatment as soon as they possibly, possibly can.

Appreciate the update, Isa. Thank you. All right. Also big breaking news story for us this morning.

President Obama authorizing airstrikes in Iraq as Islamic terrorists take over the country town by town. We are tracking the latest attacks, the stunning movements after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARLOW: Breaking news, President Obama insisting that America cannot turn a blind eye to violence erupting in northern Iraq. Telling the nation he has authorized targeted airstrikes against ISIS extremists who are taking over town after town in that country in a bloody uprising.

Right now thousands of Kurds and other religious minorities along with U.S. military and diplomatic personnel are threatened by this rampage in the city of Irbil.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: Earlier this week, one Iraqi in the area cried to the world, there is no one coming to help. Well, today America is coming to help. We are also consulting with other countries and the United Nations who called for action to address this humanitarian crisis.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: President Obama has also authorized a humanitarian air drop of food and water for thousands of Kurds. And also Yazidis, also Christians. All of them fleeing from the violence. And now they are trapped, they are literally trapped on the side of a mountain by this oncoming extremists.

Those extremists in northern Iraq have made absolutely stunning advances in recent weeks. They have taken over town after town in what has been a ruthless rampage against those religious minorities, forcing tens of thousands to Iraqis to flee their homes or face certain death.

Our chief national correspondent Jim Sciutto has closer look.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF U.S. SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Poppy, the president responding to both an immediate threat from ISIS but also a broader threat. Let's talk about the immediate threat first.

Right here, just to the east of Mosul, you have the Yazidi minority. They are surrounded by ISIS, really under threat of a massacre now. And the president has dropped humanitarian supplies just to keep them from starving, from running out of water on this mountain and giving time for the next step, which is opening up a humanitarian quarter so they can escape to the Kurdish controlled areas here in the north.

The trouble is, those Kurdish controlled areas also coming under threat from ISIS. And in Irbil, the capital of the Kurdish controlled areas in the north, you have several hundred American consular workers as well as military advisers, who have been advising the Iraqi military. The president saying he will conduct airstrikes to protect U.S. personnel there as well as here in Baghdad if ISIS advances.

Those are the immediate threats. Let's talk about the broader threat for a moment because this is where ISIS territory was just in the middle of June. Now, in the last six weeks, here is how much it has grown. And as it grows, it is threatening more parts of the country.

And their strength is growing. And I speak to U.S. officials frequently about this, they say the Iraqi military is in no position right now to push ISIS back from these positions. In fact, ISIS is expanding. That is the next challenge for the administration. It's a threat not only to the region it's also a threat to the American homeland because U.S. intelligence officials believe that ISIS fighters are being trained and prepped for the possibility of carrying out attacks in the U.S. when they return home -- Poppy.

HARLOW: Absolutely huge threat and stunning to see what advancement has been made in a few weeks.

We will continue to follow the crisis, that breaking news out of Iraq. We're also going to continue to follow this. You know those truce talks, peace talks, they are over. Israel has walked out and gone home. And the bombing has begun again. Again we're going to take you live after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)