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Early Start with Rahel Solomon

Source: Israel Targeted Iran's Top Security Official; Israel Expands Ground Operation In Southern Lebanon; Allies Balk At Trump's Appeal To Help Secure Strait Of Hormuz; Hundreds Of TSA Agents Quit As Airport Disruptions Grow; Israeli Defense Ministry: Iran's Top Security Official, Ali Larijani, Killed In Overnight Strike In Tehran. Aired 5-5:30a ET

Aired March 17, 2026 - 05:00   ET

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

[05:00:05]

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

RAHEL SOLOMON, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning and welcome to our viewers in the U.S. and all around the world. I'm Rahel Solomon, live in New York.

ELENI GIOKOS, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Eleni Giokos live in Dubai.

We're following breaking news on day 18 of the war with Iran. Israeli sources say the IDF has targeted Iran's top security official Ali Larijani in a strike in Tehran. The Israeli military is now waiting the results of the strikes to learn if he was killed.

This comes as Israel says its fighter jets hit targets in several Iranian cities, including Shiraz and Tehran. The IDF says dozens of munitions were dropped.

Meantime, smoke could be seen rising in Beirut overnight after Israel said it was launching more strikes against Hezbollah targets. The IDF is also expanding its ground operation in southern Lebanon.

Strikes in Iraq reported as well. This video from Baghdad shows an explosion in the vicinity of the U.S. embassy. Iraqi officials say the embassy and a hotel were targeted by drones and an oil field in southern Iraq also came under attack.

Lots to get through here. We've got CNN's Oren Liebermann joining us now live from Tel Aviv.

Oren, good to see you.

I want to talk about the Israeli sources saying that the IDF struck a complex where Ali Larijani was based. We don't have details yet of the status, the success of that strike but give me a sense of what you've learned with regards to this strike.

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF: Ali Larijani was one of the most important and senior officials within Iran's leadership. It's also noteworthy that he was one of the most vocal and visible here we are more than two and a half weeks into the war. Israel making clear now that in addition to the targeted killings and assassinations we have seen since the start of the war, they will continue to go after Iran's top leadership. And Larijani is one of the key decision makers, if not the key decision maker at this point.

An Israeli source tells us he was targeted in a strike last night in the Iranian capital of Tehran. But as you pointed out, there is nothing not known a battle damage assessment yet, which is the name for the assessment on whether Larijani had been killed in the strike. So, we are awaiting that.

It is noteworthy that the Israeli military chief of staff, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, said in a situational assessment this morning that Israel had, quote, significant achievements last night in Iran. He didn't mention Larijani or talk about targeting any of Iran's leadership. But it's very possible this is what he was referring to.

So, what we see here is a continuation of Israel's plan to decapitate and go after Iran's leadership and do what it can to weaken and destroy the Iranian regime.

Eleni, we will wait for the latest updates on whether there is an assessment on whether that strike was successful but you see the intent here as Israel also carries out waves of strikes in other cities across Iran.

GIOKOS: Yeah. And we've seen we've seen these strikes increasing.

I also want to focus on Lebanon because the IDF is expanding the ground offensive in the southern part of the country. We've also seen a lot of strikes in the capital, Beirut.

You know, give me an idea of firstly, how the operation is going what their intention is. And if there's a timeline to what we're seeing as many countries are calling for an end to hostilities, particularly in Lebanon.

LIEBERMANN: Let's compare the timeline to Iran for a second. Israel has made clear that the timeline with Iran is at least three more weeks. We expect the timeline with Lebanon could go beyond that and potentially weeks beyond that. Part of that is because Israel is waiting to free up its air force from Iran to commit it to Lebanon.

And that's where we'll see perhaps and potentially a larger influx and incursion, invasion of ground troops. Right now, what we're seeing on the ground is Israeli forces pushing deeper in still a few kilometers. At this point, we haven't seen thousands upon thousands of Israeli ground troops crossed the border in what would be clearly a ground invasion.

But Israel's presence and seizure of territory in southern Lebanon is certainly expanding as they target Hezbollah. We have seen strikes not only in southern Lebanon but also in the capital of Beirut, Israel in particular, going after the Dahieh area, which is considered a Hezbollah stronghold. Meanwhile the death toll in Lebanon continues to soar. The Lebanese ministry of public health says nearly 900 have been killed so far in Lebanon, including more than 100 children.

So, we see an expansion here even as, as you pointed out, Western countries, including France, the U.K., Germany, Italy warning and issuing a call for a de-escalation and warning of what would be a disastrous humanitarian situation if Israel carries out an all-out ground invasion of Lebanon.

GIOKOS: All right. Oren Liebermann, thanks so much for that update. Oren for us in Tel Aviv.

Well, President Trump says he will soon announce the countries that have agreed to help the U.S. reopen the Strait of Hormuz. His comments come as E.U. foreign ministers decide against expanding their naval operations around the key waterway. The E.U.'s foreign policy chief says the Strait of Hormuz is out of NATOs area of action.

Over the weekend, President Trump warning that NATO faces a very bad future if the alliance does not assist the U.S. in helping to reopen the strait. And on Monday, he blasted allies for not backing U.S. naval forces in the region. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We defend all these countries. And then do you have any minesweepers? And they say, well, would it be possible for us not to get involved? I've been saying it for a long time. This is the greatest thing to come out of this. We spend trillions and trillions of dollars on NATO to defend other countries and I always said, but if it ever comes time to defend us, they're not going to be there. Many of them would not be there and we're going to have to start thinking more wisely in this country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GIOKOS: Drone and missile strikes from Iran are causing major air travel disruptions across the gulf region, including here in the UAE, where aviation authority closed the country's airspace for about two hours earlier today, as a precautionary measure. And that's as flights at Dubai International airport were temporarily suspended on Monday as well after drone hit a fuel tank, causing a major fire. No one was injured. Fire is under control, according to authorities.

Now, there are new attacks on key oil facilities here in the region as well, in the UAE in particular.

CNN's Paula Hancocks is live in Abu Dhabi with the details.

I want to start off with the Fujairah oil terminal, because this is the largest of its kind in the region. It's a key storage facility. It also bypasses the Strait of Hormuz, and we've seen many attacks just in a few days.

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Eleni. Yes, exactly what you just said. And certainly, this is on the east coast of the UAE. So, it does not feel the need. It doesn't have the need to go through the Strait of Hormuz, which is obviously the key at this point. But this is why Iran is targeting it.

And what we have seen is two days in a row, Fujairah being targeted. We know there was a fire on Monday, a fire again this Tuesday and also just off the coast of Fujairah, an oil tanker has been targeted. This was on anchor. So, it was not moving at the time. There's minor structural damage, but it brings to 21, the number of tankers that have been targeted by Tehran according to figures we have from the U.K. maritime agency.

And then further inland, you look at the massive shah oil field that has been targeted as well. We understand that production there was suspended. They are assessing damage at this point from a drone attack but according to ADNOC, the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, they say that this is one of the largest oil fields in the world.

So, you can see the theme here by Tehran. They are not targeting U.S. political and military targets. They're not looking at even U.S. affiliated targets at this point. This is purely the energy infrastructure in the UAE as they are trying to impact the economy and impact the reputation of the UAE.

We had heard from Iranian officials saying that the residents should avoid docks and ports in the UAE, because that was going to be their target. Now, here in Abu Dhabi as well, we know that there has been one more person killed by debris from the interception of a projectile incoming. A Pakistan national, bringing the death toll here in the UAE to eight and also, airports have been targeted by Tehran. Again, not something that is affiliated with U.S. military or political interests, but we have been seeing two days now of intermittent suspension of air travel at a time when air travel is extremely restricted, as it is -- Eleni.

GIOKOS: All right. Paula Hancocks, thanks so much for that update.

Rashid Al-Mohanadi joins us now live from Doha. He's a fellow with the Middle East Council on Global Affairs.

Really good to have you with us.

I mean, so much happening. I want to start actually with what we're seeing in the Strait of Hormuz. You're seeing another vessel that has been targeted. It's the 21st vessel that has been hit. Qatar, of course, calling force majeure on gas products as well as gas exports as a whole.

What is your assessment on the efforts by President Trump to create a coalition to try and get naval escorts through the strait? Do you think that shippers and countries alike in the gulf region are going to feel safe to, you know, get their products out into the international market?

RASHID AL-MOHANADI, FELLOW, MIDDLE EAST COUNCIL ON GLOBAL AFFAIRS: Well, there is precedent for this in the 1980s, during the Iraq-Iran war, U.S. frigates and destroyers were escorting Kuwaiti oil tankers out of the gulf because of, you know the targeting of the Iranians to Kuwaiti and Gulf oil. So, there is precedent when it comes to the military option. Of

course, I think Gulf states would prefer a diplomatic solution to ease the, you know the tension and ease this restriction on the strait of Hormuz. But, you know my assessment, it will be a mix of a diplomatic approach, but also degradation of Iranian military capabilities at the strait, especially when it comes to asymmetric capabilities like drones and, and USBs.

So, I think -- I think it's possible because the global economy cannot you know, stand more shocks, you know last time I was asked about this, I said, this is not an energy crisis. This is a crisis of energy, and all the associated industries to it. Fertilizer, semiconductors and in addition to others. So, the world has to work together towards opening the strait. The question is just how at this stage.

GIOKOS: Yes and, of course, they've got to work it out diplomatically. Their legal and political issues that could delay this even further. But you know, you mentioned something really important in the continued strikes by Iran, not only to Qatar, but also here across the gulf region.

Just this morning, we also saw interceptions here in Dubai. The President Trump keeps talking about, you know, degrading a large portion of Iran's military capabilities. And I wonder how the GCC as a whole gulf regions are assessing the successes right now by Israel and the United States in Iran, and whether that would perhaps bring a hard stop to the assault that, you know, everyone in this region has been dealing with in the past two weeks.

AL-MOHANADI: Of course. So, from a military perspective Iran's capabilities have been severely degraded. Weve seen a reduction in in missile attacks, drone attacks. But also on the other hand, we saw adaptation from Gulf militaries, especially when it comes to dealing with drones. So, initially the interception rates for drones at the start of the war from Gulf actors were was okay. But now, it's almost full neutralization in many cases.

Unfortunately, that one drone does eventually go in and that's enough damage to stop the -- to stop production. You know, my, my assessment from the military perspective, Iran's capability has been extremely degraded, and their strategic options are becoming more and more limited. So potentially, you know, with more degradation to their capabilities, they might be more opted for a diplomatic solution at this stage.

GIOKOS: Rashid, do you believe that we're sitting and being stuck in an escalation trap right now? And I kind of refer to what happened at Kharg Island. You know, the Iranians coming out and saying, we're going to retaliate and then coming in and saying we're going to strike ports and any U.S. assets, specifically in the UAE.

And we've seen that, frankly, materialize with critical energy infrastructure that has been targeted in the last few days. So, is this an escalation trap? AL-MONAHADI: Well, you know, I don't like the term escalation trap.

But what we see is that the Iranians have been targeting oil and gas facilities even before the U.S. striked Kharg Island a few days ago. The Ras Laffan LNG facilities were striked at -- or attacked at during the first days of the war.

So, I think we should differentiate between rhetoric coming out of Tehran and actual operational facts. Operational facts tell us that since day one, Tehran targeted civilian infrastructure in the gulf, they've targeted energy infrastructure in the Gulf. And it's not reciprocation. They were going all out, but because Gulf defenses were quite capable in stopping disaster happening, we see that, you know, most of our facilities are still intact.

And most of our societies are still in harmony. But I believe that since day one, that was Iran's strategy.

GIOKOS: Yeah. And it's a big lever they're using. They're trying to weaponize this region and inflict pain across the board.

Rashid al-Mohanadi, I appreciate your time and your insights today. Good to see you.

All right. Well, still to come, it's now been just over a month since the U.S. homeland secretary -- security department rather shut down. We'll show you how the nation's airports and TSA agents are bearing the brunt of the gridlock in Washington. That's coming up after the break.

Stick with CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:19:11]

SOLOMON: Welcome back.

A federal judge has blocked parts of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy's efforts to overhaul U.S. vaccine policy. Kennedy had pushed to scale back the number of vaccines recommended for children as part of the CDC's routine immunization schedule. That schedule outlines when children should receive standard shots, and the ruling says that the changes Kennedy made did not follow proper legal processes.

The judge also found that Kennedy's move to replace a key CDC advisory panel violated federal law. Health officials have told CNN that an upcoming meeting of that CDC advisory committee has now been postponed.

Airports across the U.S. are seeing security lines get longer and longer. With the partial government shutdown now just over a month old, the TSA says that hundreds of agents have quit. Others are taking unscheduled time off.

[05:20:01] This past weekend, workers missed their first full paychecks, and the staffing shortages are clearly taking a toll, as CNN's Colin Jeffery reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COLIN JEFFERY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Department of Homeland Security recently announced that more than 300 TSA agents have quit during the partial shutdown. Monday morning, travelers at some of the busiest airports in the country face long security lines.

At Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport, wait times topped 90 minutes at some checkpoints and at Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta, waits near two hours.

Sunday, the CEOs of major airlines, including American, Delta and Southwest, released a joint letter calling on Congress to pay TSA workers and other airport staff during shutdowns, writing in part, U.S. airlines expect 171 million passengers this spring season, a new record. But too many travelers are having to wait an extraordinarily long and painfully slow lines at checkpoints.

The president of the union that represents TSA workers in Atlanta says workers will bear the cost long after funding is restored.

AARON BARKER, PRESIDENT, AFGE LOCAL 554: And the financial consequences of this shutdown damaged credit, missed payments and lost housing were ever -- will remain ever after the government reopens.

JEFFERY: At Denver airport, leaders are asking the public to help TSA workers weather the shutdown. They're requesting people drop off grocery and gas gift cards for impacted workers.

MICHAEL KONOPASEK, SPOKESPERSON, DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT: We're confident and now pleased to see that the community is really stepping up, and they are providing these gift cards to help these TSA workers.

JEFFERY: I'm Colin Jeffery reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SOLOMON: Afghanistan says that a Pakistani airstrike on a Kabul hospital has killed at least 400 people. Daylight revealing the extent of the damage. Authorities say that the hospital primarily treated drug users. At least 250 people were injured by the strike.

Pakistan has denied striking any civilian sites saying that it only targets militant and military infrastructure. The incident marking a sharp escalation in fighting between the two countries as cross-border clashes enter a third week. Pakistan says that it is in, quote, open war with Afghanistan after accusing the country of harboring militants that launched strikes into Pakistani territory.

Still ahead for us, a source says that Israels military has targeted Iran's top security official. Details on that breaking news, straight ahead. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:26:56]

GIOKOS: Welcome back. I'm Eleni Giokos live in Dubai, and I want to bring you up to speed with all the latest coming through from the region.

An Israeli source saying the IDF targeted Iran's top security official, Ali Larijani, in a strike in Tehran overnight. The Israeli military is still awaiting the results of that strike to learn if Larijani was killed. Meanwhile, were seeing new attacks on Baghdad in neighboring Iraq. That's coming through today.

Iraqi officials saying Iranian drones targeted the U.S. embassy in the heavily fortified Green Zone. Iraq's interior ministry confirming another drone fell near the al-Rashid Hotel in the Iraqi capital. Authorities say there are no casualties.

Live now to Cairo and we've got H.A. Hellyer. He is a senior associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute for Defense and Security Studies.

H.A., great to have you with us.

I want to start off with this news of the Israelis coming out and saying there was a strike overnight in Tehran. They were targeting Ali Larijani. We don't know the status Ali Larijani just yet. But I wonder, from your perspective what the potential death of this man would mean for Iran's network of leaders, and would it be a blow to the regime?

H.A. HELLYER, SENIOR ASSOCIATE FELLOW, RUSI: Thank you very much, Eleni. Always happy to be on the program.

So, I think we need to keep in mind, Iran's regime is in existential crisis mode, which means that it's being preparing not just for the past few months, not even, I would argue for the past year, but longer than that for precisely these sorts of eventualities. When Khamenei was assassinated, they had a plan. They put it into process very quickly.

We have reports from I think some months ago now indicating that anything -- anything up to sort of four levels down commanders and senior officials were told to appoint their successors in the event of death or an assassination.

So I think that if Larijani has been killed and of course, there has not been confirmed yet, then it simply means that the next person on that list is going to take over and the system will continue, the system is most concerned right now about maintaining it's --

GIOKOS: So, H.A. --so actually, we've just -- I've just heard news from my team saying that the IDF is saying that the strike was successful, that Ali Larijani has been killed. So how consequential is this? HELLYER: So, as I said, I think that the next person on the list will

then immediately take over and I think that that person on the list will also have somebody else that is ready to take over in the event of his assassination. The system is built for resilience. And I think that they will continue to have the system work and the regime maintain resilience in the coming period.

They've been preparing for this. And I think we've seen that over the past few weeks.

GIOKOS: All right. My team just tells me we haven't heard from the Iranians yet. That a message will be released very soon. So we're going to wait for that, H.A.