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Early Start with Rahel Solomon

Officials: 2 Killed By Iranian Missile In Central Israel; Israeli Strikes Brings Down High-Rise In Beirut Neighborhood; Iran Vowes Revenge For Security Chief Ali Larijani's Killing; U.S. Senators Open Debate On Trump's Voter ID Bill; Trump: Won't Be Long Before Strait Of Hormuz Is Secure. Aired 5-5:30a ET

Aired March 18, 2026 - 05:00   ET

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

[05:00:22]

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 this morning in New York.

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

I want to bring you up to speed with the very latest developments in the war with Iran.

Officials in central Israel say at least two people have been killed in a missile attack. CNN cameras captured what appeared to be a cluster munition exploding in the sky above. One person was injured when shrapnel from the missile fell in an area north of Tel Aviv. Several neighborhoods and a train station were also damaged.

Now video from an Iranian news agency showing what it says are missiles fired toward Israel in retaliation for the killing of top national security advisor Ali Larijani and he and the leader of an Iranian paramilitary group were among those killed in an Israeli strike late Monday, Iranian state media has published video of what it says is the aftermath on a Tehran neighborhood. The news agency reports two bodies were recovered as emergency crews search through the rubble.

I want to take you now to Lebanon. Video shows extensive damage from an Israeli strike that brought down a building allegedly housing Hezbollah operatives. The IDF had ordered the evacuation of the neighborhood early today.

All right. CNN's Oren Liebermann, joining us now from Jerusalem with more.

I want to start off with Lebanon and we're seeing strikes specifically targeting Hezbollah operatives. Take me through what were seeing in Lebanon as the ground offensive expands in southern Lebanon, but importantly, strikes in Beirut as well. OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF: Eleni, we are seeing an

expansion not only on the ground, but also from the air as well in terms of Israeli strikes across large parts of the country. And that, of course, comes coupled with broadening Israeli evacuation warnings in southern Lebanon and in the capital of Beirut. So, we'll walk through several of the strikes here. According to the Lebanese ministry of public health, over the course of the past day, we have seen at least 17 killed and many more wounded in strikes in Beirut.

You saw the collapse of that residential building in the capital of Beirut. The video there that we have seen showing the destruction from just a fraction of these Israeli strikes. The 17 killed not only in -- in Beirut but also across southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley where we have seen Israel going after Hezbollah with widening strikes.

And this comes with what we see as a as a broadening Israeli ground operation. This is not an all out ground invasion yet where we see thousands of troops crossing the Israel-Lebanon border with airstrikes. But it is certainly moving and creeping in that direction as we see Israel expand the territory it has held since the ceasefire in November 2024 and pushing beyond that. Not only just a few meters into Lebanon now, but in several spots, more and more kilometers into Lebanon, that Israeli troops are pushing there.

At the same time, we see Hezbollah firing barrages with damage in northern -- in northern Israel. And then along with this, we see the barrages coming from Iranian ballistic missiles. This as two killed in the town of Ramat Gan, which is near Tel Aviv. A lot of the ballistic missile barrages we've seen have targeted central Israel. But we have also seen sirens from ballistic missiles in Jerusalem and also in southern Israel.

The ballistic missile that we saw with the two killed, it's crucial to note, was part of a cluster warhead. It seems as we saw that warhead breaking up in the skies over Israel and the damage at reports of numerous sites in Ramat Gan, Petah Tikva, these are all different Israeli cities in the same area. So, you see here on what I believe is day 19 of this war, Iran able to fire back as Israel carries out strikes in Lebanon and in Iran as well.

GIOKOS: Exactly firmly in into the war three weeks in, Oren, and we're also seeing continued attacks in Baghdad. And I want to talk about the striking of the U.S. embassy there. The Iraqi government is saying that they're trying to track down the group responsible for these strikes. Take me through the significance of what we're seeing happening there.

LIEBERMANN: Iran has long had proxies there smaller militias that are able to carry out strikes on U.S. forces in Iraq and in Syria and now it seems that either those proxies or Iran itself are targeting the U.S. embassy in Baghdad.

[05:05:03]

And we have seen that now several times since the start of the war. This is the second, I believe the second consecutive day we have seen strikes on the embassy in Baghdad, as well as -- as well as damage in the embassy compound. We have seen the U.S. successfully intercept some of these projectiles, likely drones potentially missiles as well, with what's known as its SeaRAM system, a gatling gun that is designed to target rockets artillery and mortar.

But as this war drags on we are seeing some of those projectiles get through and cause damage at the U.S. embassy compound, which is obviously a large compound in the heart of Baghdad itself. So, this looks by all means like it will continue even as the U.S. has again targeted those Iranian backed militias in Iraq.

GIOKOS: Right. Oren Liebermann, thank you so much for that update.

In the meantime, Iran has been vowing to revenge for the killing of top national security official Ali Larijani, as it also looks for who will replace him. Larijani was regarded by many analysts as the country's most important decision maker within the Iranian regime. By law, Iran's president is the one to appoint the next national security advisor, and there's now speculation swirling over who may be chosen to fill that role.

Joining me now is Hasan Alhasan, a senior fellow for the Middle East policy at the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

Hassan, it's great to have you with us.

And it's quite a moment here where you see the killing of Ali Larijani. And, you know, so many questions about what this means for Iran's decision making structure who is going to replace him? Has this degraded the regime?

What is your assessment of this move of removing a heavyweight like Larijani?

HASAN ALHASAN, SENIOR FELLOW FOR MIDDLE EAST POLICY, IISS: Yeah. Well, thanks for having me. I think it's quite clear that Larijani has been one of the key influential figures within the Iranian regime that has been calling the shots alongside a few others. He is a veteran of this system in Iran. He has served within the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps. He commands wide respect and is able to really bring together and work across factions and institutions. And he, I think, really plays an important role in ensuring the cohesion of a regime that is under immense stress and pressure because of U.S. and Israeli military strikes there are reports that Larijani was heading negotiations potentially in orchestrating at least negotiations with the United States behind the scenes. In any case, he is -- he was definitely one of the few people who would eventually be able to pull the right levers within the Iranian system for would be diplomatic solution if at all.

So, I think by taking out Ali Larijani, I think Israel is, on the one hand, most certainly trying to spoil. I think any chances for a ceasefire. I think as far as Israel is concerned, there are far reaching objectives that have yet to be accomplished in Iran the immediate effect of this would be, I think a strengthening of the IRGC, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps hold over decision making in Iran.

So, Ali Larijani was one of the few figures who could work with the IRGC, but who could also ensure that he was also orchestrating and ensuring cohesion with other factions within the regime. And now that he's gone, there are other factions that still command and other personalities that still command respect. But I think what Israel is really getting at here its really destroying, I think, the connective tissue that holds all of these factions in institutions of the Iranian regime together.

So, I think this clearly --

GIOKOS: So, I mean, I wonder, Hasan --

ALHASN: -- disintegrating. Yeah

GIOKOS: Yeah. So, disintegrating the structure. Right. And I get what you're saying and I wonder what we need to look out for in the next few days, because it would normally be the president that would be appointing, you know, replacement for this position, who could be the replacement?

ALHASAN: I don't know, it's too soon to tell and there are a number of personalities who could rise to that. I haven't seen any credible indications to suggest who could succeed him in his place. It almost seems like a death sentence. I think, at this point for whoever is going to be nominated to succeed Ali Larijani, because I think it's clear the Israelis will keep targeting the top layer of Iranian defense and political and clerical leadership in order to truly disintegrate the structure.

I think this is, this is what the Israeli objective is at the moment and hitting at that connective structure, I think gets them there. And don't get me wrong, countries in the region like the Gulf states, as much as they wanted to avoid and avert this war.

[05:10:04]

There isn't any sympathy or love lost for someone like Ali Larijani who not only was probably overseeing the crushing of the Iranian protests, but really has been overseeing the Iranian lashing out against Gulf cities and infrastructure.

GIOKOS: So, Hasan, let me ask you this, because I think it's quite important because we don't know what will happen to the regime, they're trying to survive this. As were seeing, you know, the, you know complete disintegration, not only in military capabilities, but also on the structure itself, but what kind of country or regime is going to emerge out of all of this specifically now with the killing of a man like Larijani?

ALHASAN: I think the biggest issue and the biggest risk here is that the Iranian central leadership is destroyed there is no one really who can bring the system together for an end of this conflict. If and when those conditions materialize for this war to come to an end and what we end up seeing are hardened military factions that operate in a decentralized fashion and that are able to wage a guerrilla style warfare of disruption and harassment of the Strait of Hormuz, which is a key choke point, an artery for global energy, but also against regional and gulf energy installations.

And those will be very hard to suppress indefinitely and totally this kind of guerrilla style warfare can be waged for a very extended period of time and can have a disruptive effect on the global and regional economy as well, for an extended period of time. That I think is one of the biggest risks that could materialize from this strategy of decapitation and disintegration of the Iranian state.

GIOKOS: Hasan, really important insight there. Thank you so much for joining me today. Hasan Alhasan in Manama in Bahrain.

All right, I'm going to give you back to Rahel, who's in New York for us as we navigate all the news out of the region -- Rahel.

SOLOMON: All right, Eleni. We'll see you soon. Thank you.

A top U.S. intelligence official has abruptly resigned over the war with Iran. Joe Kent, who was appointed by President Trump had been serving as the director of the national counterterrorism center. And his resignation letter, Kent said that he could not support the ongoing war. And that quote, Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation. A source says that Kent met with Vice President J.D. Vance and director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard on Monday, as he explained why he planned to step down.

Kent's resignation marks the highest profile rebuke yet of the war effort from someone inside the Trump administration.

And still to come for us, patience is wearing thin at security lines at U.S. airports continue to get longer. Why this travel nightmare may not be ending anytime soon. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:17:20]

SOLOMON: Welcome back.

Illinois held Democratic primaries to choose candidates for this year's midterm elections. The state's lieutenant governor, Juliana Stratton will be the Democratic nominee for Senate. She will face former Illinois Republican Party Chair Don Tracy in the solidly blue state. Stratton is heavily favored to win to replace retiring Senator Dick Durbin.

Now, if she wins the Senate race, Stratton will be just the sixth black woman to serve in the U.S. Senate, and her celebratory remarks. She said that she and her supporters will maintain the courage to challenge President Trump.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LT. GOV. JULIANA STRATTON, U.S. SENATE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE: Together, we've confronted one of the most frightening moments of our lifetimes. But despite the fear, we never lost sight of what's most important. And that is courage.

Courage inspired me to run. Courage powered this campaign, and courage will bring this fight straight to Donald Trump's door.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOLOMON: The lieutenant governor also thanked Governor J.B. Pritzker for his support. He ran unopposed in his primary. Pritzker will be running for a third term against a familiar opponent. CNN projects that the Republican nominee will be Darren Bailey who lost the 2022 election to Pritzker by nearly 13 points.

The Senate is debating a voter ID bill President Trump wants passed before November's elections. The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, or SAVE Act would require voters to show ID and proof of U.S. Citizenship in federal elections. Now the bill is not likely to pass, but it is expected to generate sharp debate on the senate floor. It's already sparked tensions within the Republican Party. One Republican house member is criticizing the way Senate Majority Leader John Thune is handling the bill.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Are you disappointed with the way John Thune has handled the SAVE Act?

REP. ANNA PAULINA LUNA (R-FL): A thousand percent. They're over there doing a show vote. They know it's going to fail. I actually had my little sources tell me about what their plan was to get the American people off their back. Voter ID is not controversial, over 80 percent of Americans want it. So, yeah, it's completely unacceptable.

RAJU: Do you think there needs to be new leadership in the Senate?

LUNA: I'm not in the Senate, so I can't make that determination, but I wish that the Senate would find its backbone.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOLOMON: Democrats say that the SAVE Act is only meant to block qualified voters from exercising their rights before debate began. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said that Democrats are prepared to stay on the floor to defeat the measure.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): We're ready to be here all day, all night, as long as it takes to ensure the powers of voter suppression do not win the day. Let me be very clear, the SAVE Act is not a voter ID bill. It is in every sense, a voter suppression bill.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOLOMON: U.S. lawmakers are still trying to strike a deal to reopen the Department of Homeland Security. The White House detailed a new offer on Tuesday. It includes expanding the use of body cameras used by immigration agents. It would also limit the governments ability to carry out operations at sensitive locations places like hospitals and schools. Other provisions include making agents clearly identify themselves while operating in public, and also making it illegal to knowingly detain a U.S. citizen.

But the deal also failed to address some of Democrats main concerns, specifically the desire to stop agents from wearing a mask and the use of administrative warrants over judicial warrants. And as the partial government shutdown continues, we continue to see more frustrated passengers across the U.S. The TSA reports more than 360 agents have quit since the shutdown began more than a month ago. Some airports have advised passengers to arrive hours ahead of their flights to make it through backlog, security lines, and the issues could get even worse.

CNN's Marybel Gonzalez has more details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ADAM STAHL, ACTING DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR: If this continues. It's not hyperbole to suggest that we may have to quite literally shut down airports.

MARYBEL GONZALEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): TSA's Acting Deputy Administrator Adam Stahl told Fox News that with the government agency fully stretched, some smaller U.S. airports may be forced to shut down as the partial government shutdown drags on.

RICKY SMITH, GENERAL MANAGER, HARTSFIELD-JACKSON ATLANTA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT: TSA employees went through this just back in October, 43 days, the longest shutdown in the history of the country and again, we're now, you know, 30 days into this one.

GONZALEZ (voice-over): Ricky Smith, the general manager of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, encouraged travelers to show up three hours ahead of their scheduled flight.

SMITH: We're experiencing about 36 percent call out for TSA employees here.

GONZALEZ (voice-over): He says the airport is doing what it can to help.

SMITH: We're giving them food vouchers. We have our concessionaire partners that are also providing meals to them. We're providing free parking.

GONZALEZ (voice-over): But a TSA officer in Colorado described the situation as complete chaos.

ANGELA GRANA, TSA OFFICER: A lot of them are not calling out because they're wanting to call out. A lot of them are calling out because they can't afford the gas to come to work. On the flip side of that, I have some officers that are spending the night in the airport so that they don't spend any money going home.

GONZALEZ (voice-over): She urged lawmakers to do their job so they can do theirs, and Democratic Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman agrees.

SEN. JOHN FETTERMAN (D-PA): As far as I know, I'm the only Democrat that says, we got to reopen this. It should have never happened.

GONZALEZ (voice-over): I'm Marybel Gonzalez, reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SOLOMON: When we return, we'll have more breaking coverage on the war with Iran.

Still ahead, the latest on the strait of and President Trump's plans to reopen the key waterway. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:27:11]

GIOKOS: Welcome back. I'm Eleni Giokos live in Dubai. It's around 1:30 p.m. here and a lot happening in the region.

I want to take you through what seems to be one of the most consequential issues facing the global economy and President Trump is predicting it won't be too long before the Strait of Hormuz is secure. He claims Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are on board to assist but he hasn't said in what capacity.

The diplomatic advisor to the UAE president says discussions on a collective plan are ongoing, and any contribution from the UAE would likely be part of broader international initiative. This comes as the U.S. military says it struck Iranian missile sites near the vital waterway, President Trump is lashing out at NATO allies for not helping to secure the strait saying the U.S. no longer needs assistance.

Now, threats from Iran have effectively closed the waterway, spiking fuel prices all around the world, and we're seeing fuel shortages in some emerging markets, specifically from countries that are not oil producers.

We've got CNN's Kylie Atwood with the details on that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN U.S. SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: President Trump said on a post on Truth Social that he had been informed that most NATO allies do not want to get involved in U.S. military operations against Iran, voicing frustration on behalf of what he feels is the United States continually providing support to NATO countries and not getting that support in response.

So we have heard publicly from multiple European leaders in recent days that they do not believe that this is their war to fight, and U.K. Prime Minister Starmer said that the U.K. specifically didn't want to get involved in a wider war, though they were looking at a viable plan to try and reopen shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

Listen, however, to what Trump said about questioning the U.S. commitment to the NATO alliance because of the lack of commitment from these NATO allies to get involved militarily in this war with Iran.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think NATO's making a very foolish mistake, and I've long said that, you know, I wonder whether or not NATO would ever be there for us. So, this is a -- this was a great test because we don't need them, but they should have been there.

REPORTER: Are you thinking the United States relationship with NATO possibly getting out?

TRUMP: When they don't help us -- I mean, it's certainly something that we should think about.

ATWOOD: Now, we'll watch to see how this evolves because President Trump is meeting later in Washington with the prime minister of Japan later this week. And that's one of the countries that the United States has had discussions about providing support for to open the Strait of Hormuz, though Japan has not given any indication that it is prepared to provide any kind of substantial support to that effort.

Kylie Atwood, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GIOKOS: Okay. So, so much going on around the Strait of Hormuz, how to reopen it, what it will mean.