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Israel Strikes Northern Tehran; Israeli Military Says More Missiles Have Been Launched from Iran; President Trump Suggests "Regime Change" is Possible in Iran. Aired 5-5:30a ET

Aired June 23, 2025 - 05:00   ET

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

[05:00:00]

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN Breaking News.

BECKY ANDERSON, ANCHOR, EARLY START: And welcome to our viewers joining us in the United States and around the world, wherever you are watching, you are more than welcome. I'm Becky Anderson from our Middle East programming headquarters in Abu Dhabi, where the time is just after 1 O'clock in the afternoon.

It's just after midday in Tel Aviv, and just after half past 12:00 in Tehran. And a short time ago, a CNN crew in Iran's capital witnessed a major Israeli aerial bombing on the north of the city. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): So, we've just witnessed a massive airstrike here on the area of sort of northern-central Tehran. We actually went downstairs into a shelter once we heard planes overhead, and then we heard explosions. You can see now the sky over the northwest of Tehran is completely filled with smoke.

It seemed to us as though it were several really strong impacts that took place. And if we look over to the left here, you can see the smoke seems to be emanating from that area. That's more towards the west of Iran, the sort of northwest of Tehran, of the Iranian capital. This is the first time since we've been here that we've seen a heavy airstrike like this in the fairly central part of the city.

So, we're only going to be able to be up here for not much longer. But this is definitely something that I wouldn't say is unprecedented, but definitely something that we haven't seen in the past couple of days coming of course, exactly after the Trump administration struck those nuclear facilities, and the Iranians are vowing revenge for that.

Of course, the Israelis also continuing their air campaign. And right now, as you can see, the skies over Tehran filled with thick black smoke. Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Tehran.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Just filed earlier, Israel has identified additional missiles launched from Iran towards the country's north, according to Israel Defense Forces, a short time ago. CNN international diplomatic editor Nic Robertson there live in Tel Aviv, where air raid sirens went off a little earlier. Last hour, we spoke to you in a shelter where you were -- until you were given the all-clear. What have you learned, Nic?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, Becky, it appears we may be looking at a subtle shift in Iranian tactics in sending missiles into Israel. Not only how many they send, it's when they send them and where they send them, and the effect that they have. And it appears that they are intending or as a consequence, it is disruptive.

When we think about the sirens that went off in the middle of the night at 3:00 a.m. across the country, there was only one missile incoming. It was disruptive. Everyone went to their basements for one missile fired by Iran. And so, what we have witnessed in the past couple of hours this morning are four waves of missiles incoming from Iran.

The sirens going off in the north, then the center, sirens and warnings in the sort of southern Mediterranean area of Israel. And then again, sirens going off in the north. And what the IDF is saying is that they have seen about 5 to 10 missiles fired from Iran into Israel during that period of these sort of four waves.

[05:05:00]

And that is disruptive. And you can see the way that it's disruptive because Israel was trying to get a few flights coming in today to return people who are stuck outside of Israel back in, and it was possible to see on flight tracker that some of those flights weren't able to come in. And the other way it appears to be disruptive, the electrical company here in Israel has reported that near a facility, a strategic facility, there appears to have been the potential for some damage there because they're saying that communities around there are -- may experience a loss of electricity.

We don't have more detail than that. And of course, sense like sense -- sites like that are very sensitive, but it may be that Iran may be, it appears -- and I'm using a lot of caveats here, maybe if it's going into disruptive mode, maybe looking at trying to target power generation or distribution in this country, that certainly seems to have been the result earlier today.

So, disruptive because it's a minimum number of missiles, multiple waves coming in the daytime, which is not typical or hasn't been typical, and it's affecting people. They spend longer times in the shelters, and Iran has to expend fewer missiles. And now, potentially, some interruptions to electricity.

ANDERSON: Yes, it's good to have you, Nic. Thank you. Nic Robertson in Tel Aviv there. Meanwhile, the Pentagon trying to learn the extent of the damage to Iran's nuclear program after this weekend strikes. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff says it is way too early at this point to determine if Iran still has nuclear capabilities. Well, CNN analysis of these satellite photos found that the attack on

Fordo, for example, that nuclear facility there left behind at least six large craters. That's where the uranium -- highly enriched uranium is supposed to be stored. They're likely from the U.S. Bunker Buster bombs which are designed to go deep these craters before detonating underground.

The Isfahan Nuclear Complex, Iran's largest and where the R&D facilities are most importantly, was hit by more than a dozen Tomahawk cruise missiles. And now, President Trump talking about regime change in Iran. Brian Todd live in Washington with more. Brian?

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right, Becky. The messaging from Washington is so critical in these hours right after those airstrikes on Saturday, and the messaging from President Donald Trump in particular, so critical. And this is what the messaging says coming from the President Sunday evening and into this morning.

First, as you mentioned, the idea of regime change. The President posting on Truth Social this, quote, "it's not politically correct to use the term regime change --

ANDERSON: Got it --

TODD: But if the current Iranian regime is unable to make Iran great again, why wouldn't there be a regime change? And then he put the phrase, MIGA for Make Iran Great Again. Now, the President did not specifically say the U.S. would enact regime change in Iran, and two of his top aides, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and JD Vance, the Vice President, have flat-out said on Sunday that, that was not the plan. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PETE HEGSETH, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE, UNITED STATES: This mission was not and has not been about regime change. The President authorized a precision operation to neutralize the threats to our national interests posed by the Iranian nuclear program.

JAMES DAVID VANCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Our view has been very clear that we don't want a regime change.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TODD: Meanwhile, the President and his top aides are expressing supreme confidence that these airstrikes were successful in at least degrading Iran's nuclear program. And here's what the President said about that late Sunday evening in another post on Truth Social, quote, "monumental damage was done to all nuclear sites in Iran, as shown by satellite images, obliteration is an accurate term. The white structure shown is deeply embedded into the rock, with even its roof well below ground level and completely shielded from flame.

The biggest damage took place far below ground level", the President wrote, and then he said, "bullseye!" with exclamation points. Now, what he's referring to as far as that structure, he's talking about satellite images of a structure inside the Fordo nuclear enrichment site in Iran which the U.S. struck on Saturday.

This is a before image, and there's the after-image with those impact craters. The President referring to that white structure, that white building that he says was underneath a lot of rock, and there are the impact craters, presumably from those Bunker Buster bombs that were dropped. Now, we do have sound clips from both -- from President Trump, from Pete Hegseth, and from the Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, General Dan Cain. Two of the three of those gentlemen used the term, "obliterated". Take a listen.

[05:10:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated.

HEGSETH: Iran's nuclear ambitions have been obliterated.

DAN CAIN, CHAIRMAN, JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF, UNITED STATES: Final battle damage will take some time, but initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TODD: Now, despite the use of the term obliterated and other expressions of confidence there from those three gentlemen, we do have to say that according to our correspondent, our colleague, Katie Bo Lillis, U.S. officials say it is still too early to have a completely accurate picture of the damage done to those three facilities. Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan. Becky?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just what a --

ANDERSON: Good to have you, Brian, thank you very much indeed. That is Brian Todd in Washington. CNN correspondent Paula Hancocks joining me now here in Abu Dhabi. So, the U.S. trying to assess, you know, what sort of impact was wrought on Iran's nuclear facilities by their weekend strikes. Meantime, the exchange of fire and missiles between Iran and Israel continues apace. What do we know at this point about targets?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, what we know from the Israeli side about previous targets that they have hit in Iran. We heard Fred there saying, there was a fresh one in the center of Tehran. They said that overnight they had been targeting airports. They say there were six airports that they targeted.

They took out some 15 fighter jets and helicopters, which is interesting because Israel has said that they already believe they have aerial superiority across Iran. They're obviously trying to secure that. We know they were also targeting the missile launching sites, the production sites, which they have been doing since day one, to make sure that Iran has a lesser ability to be able to retaliate. And they're also saying -- one interesting thing that they still have plenty of objectives, plenty of targets to strike, they are increasing the number of strikes, according to the Chief of Staff, and that they are there for as long as is necessary.

ANDERSON: So, it's clear that mission accomplished not quite, not yet as far as Israel is concerned. As you rightly point out, we just heard from Fred Pleitgen, who is on the ground in Tehran in Iran. And we are -- have just been looking at some of the images from what appears to have been a huge explosion on Sunday.

But then just in the past couple of hours, a significant attack on Iran, that seems to have been around the same time as Iran fired missiles at Israel.

HANCOCKS: That's right, yes. We don't have a situational assessment --

ANDERSON: Assessment --

HANCOCKS: Yet from the -- from the military as to what exactly was hit. It appears as though some did manage to get through, but not all of the missiles were stopped or intercepted by Israel. And this is what we're seeing over recent days, that Israel is not managing to intercept all of these missiles, despite the fact that they have this very sophisticated missile defense system.

But the fact is, Israel as a whole is very well set up for this. They have the shelters, they have the air raid sirens, and so, they are able to protect their citizens.

ANDERSON: Good to have you, Paula, thank you. Right, more coverage of our breaking news after this with more detail on Israel and Iran's latest salvo of missile strikes. That, after this.

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[05:15:00]

ANDERSON: CNN crew has witnessed a major aerial attack on Iran's capital. They heard several jets pass overhead before a series of strong explosions shook the building that Fred and Claudia were in. Smoke covered the northwestern area of Tehran in the immediate aftermath. And these are images sent to us by Fred and Claudia, the team there.

Earlier, sirens were activated across northern and central Israel. Emergency officials say crews have been dispatched to report to reported impact sites there. And Israel's electric company says a wave of Iranian missiles disrupted the power supply to several communities in the south.

Well, Miri Eisin is a retired member of the Israel Defense Forces. She's a Senior Fellow at the International Institute for Counter- Terrorism, joining me now from Ramat Hasharon in Israel. Can you just explain where that is in Israel to viewers who may not know, because we've seen fresh strikes in both Iran and Israel in the past couple of hours, and I'm wondering what the scene is where you are. Miri.

MIRI EISIN, SENIOR FELLOW, INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR COUNTER- TERRORISM: So, thanks for asking, Becky. I'm actually sitting -- Ramat Hasharon is a small town north of Tel Aviv. It's like a northern suburb of Tel Aviv, Ramat in Hebrew means high point. So, where I'm sitting right now, I'm looking into the camera, but if I would lift my eyes, I'm at my mother-in-laws house, she lives at the highest point in Ramat Hasharon.

I literally can see all of the greater Gush Dan Tel Aviv area from the window in front of me. It's quiet here right now, and the siren, an hour ago, I was in a -- I was in a safety shelter near my house. I came here because it's easier to be near the safe room that's inside an apartment.

ANDERSON: Understood. Well, we're glad you're safe. Look, given Iran's threats to retaliate, potentially by targeting U.S. bases or closing the Strait of Hormuz, this is after getting involved in the fight over the weekend with these U.S. strikes on nuclear facilities. I just wonder how likely you think it is that this conflict will escalate further.

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What else do you see Israel and its allies preparing for beyond these strikes that we've been reporting for example, this hour?

EISIN: Right now, Israel is attacking the same category of targets that we have been from June 13th in the morning, and that includes the nuclear. They're saying, at least, here in Israel that we're also going back to some of the nuclear sites as we're talking right now. So, Israel is going to continue to target the Iranian Revolutionary Guard commanders, the nuclear targets themselves, any type of air defense that has to do also with the airplanes and helicopters that were attacked, you want to be sure that you have air superiority.

Nothing can go up in the air. You're attacking the missile launcher sites and the installations where they're making them. So, we have, in that sense, lots of targets because the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and the Islamic regime have built an enormous amount of capabilities. Having said that, I think that we are doing something quite effective because I know, yes, there are sirens here and we're going to the safe rooms here, and there are booms and there are interceptions.

But the Islamic regime is not able to fire what I'm going to call in military terms, effective attacks against us. And I just want to add one additional point that they are using cluster bombs, which are horrific, and that's part of the aspect that we are of the broad sirens, is because they're using a type of missile that explodes above the ground, not on the ground, and sends out lots of smaller type rockets and missiles. And they have used that already, and they're using those now.

ANDERSON: OK, we will -- we will need to speak to the IDF to really get a sense and verify exactly what it is that they see coming in at present. But your point about, you know, what it is that Iran has left in its -- and it's sort of war room, as it were, as Israel attempts to degrade its ballistic missile supply is a point well made.

The Europeans on the sidelines of all of this. But we have just heard from the Spanish Foreign Minister calling for stricter measures against Israel. Have a listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSE MANUEL ALBARES BUENO, FOREIGN MINISTER, SPAIN: If the association agreement is based on human rights, it's the most normal thing that we suspend immediately today that association agreement, and that we move forward. That's why I will ask for the suspension of the association agreement and embargo of selling weapons to Israel and enlarging the list of people that are being sanctioned to everyone that wants to be a spoiler of the two-state solution.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: So, Mary, this is certainly mostly informed by Spain's highly critical position of Israel's actions in Gaza. But coming as it does now in the middle of this conflict, a call for a weapons embargo at a time when people are also questioning, you know, what Israel has left in its war room as it were. Can I just get your reaction to that call for a European arms embargo?

EISIN: So, first of all, that was the Spanish, not the rest of Europe. And we should say that Spain has been very critical for a long time, and they've called for the embargo for a long time. That doesn't mean it's being implemented. And having said that, I'd have Spain look at themselves. I'm so not a supporter of the government that I live inside of right now.

And again, there is very broad Israeli support, including me, for what we're doing against the Islamic regime. And I'd have the Spaniards go and look at what Israel is targeting, how we're doing it there. Both on the humanitarian side, the Islamic regime is not targeting. They're firing at anything they want inside Israel.

Just yesterday, very close friends of my parents in their 80s, their home was destroyed in a completely residential area, they were in a safe room, so they weren't killed. So, it's just we're being penalized because these rockets that are coming through aren't killing people, and they have killed people here.

We are targeting very specific military targets. It's Iranian Revolutionary Guard, I'd have the Spaniards go and look at themselves in the mirror on what they're calling for. But again, this is Spain, not necessarily the rest of the European Union.

ANDERSON: Yes, it's interesting. Miri, thank you for your perspective. Miri Eisin there for you today. Well, much more of our breaking news coverage coming up, including reaction from members of the U.N. Security Council at an emergency meeting on Sunday in the wake of those U.S. strikes. Stay with us.

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[05:25:00]

ANDERSON: Welcome back, I'm Becky Anderson in Abu Dhabi. Here are some of the stories that we are watching for you today. And Donald Trump is suggesting that regime change is possible in Iran. The U.S. President took to social media Sunday night, saying if the current regime is unable to quote, "make Iran great again", why wouldn't there be a regime change? Question mark.

Well, that comment is a pivot from messaging from senior administration officials who said on Sunday that the U.S. mission in Iran was not about regime change. Well, President Trump claiming Iran's nuclear facilities have been, quote, "obliterated". Some Iranian officials downplaying the impact of those U.S. weekend strike.

Experts say it's too soon to frankly know the full extent of the damage underground, specifically on Iran's stockpile of enriched nuclear material. Well, CNN has learned President Trump offered Iran that supposed two-week.