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Escalating Conflict Between Israel, Hezbollah Militants in Lebanon

Aired July 13, 2006 - 10:30   ET

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

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: A development on Capitol Hill. Carol Lin has those details for us -- Carol.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: We have just learned, Daryn, that the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Arlen Specter, has reached some kind of a deal with the Bush administration in terms of legislation that would be more detailed about, well, exactly when and how can the government wiretap international phone calls without a warrant.

Now there's a lawsuit going on right now by the ACLU asking that the -- demanding that the administration stop this what they call an illegal wiretapping. Essentially if you make an international phone call, that the government can listen in and not have a warrant to do so. So pending legislation, there are going to be congressional hearings. Some kind of a deal struck on the shaping of that legislation. And as soon as we get more on that, we're going to bring it to you.

KAGAN: All right, Carol, thank you.

Let's update this breaking news for you, the escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. We are following reports that Israeli aircraft have bombed a Lebanese military base and a small military airport. And we've learned the United Nations is now sending a team to the region to urge restraint on both sides.

Here now a look at other developments. Rockets struck northern Israel, hitting the town of Safed. Hezbollah also vowed to attack the key Israeli port city of Haifa if Israel strikes Beirut. Israeli forces bombed the Beirut Airport. Israeli says its aim is to cut off weapons and supplies to Hezbollah. The fighting started when Hezbollah captured two Israeli soldiers and killed eight others in attacks yesterday.

Out of harm's way, the U.S. Navy is moving one of its ships out of the northern Israeli port of Haifa. Let's go to the Pentagon now and Barbara Starr to explain what the ship was doing there and why the urgency to move it.

Barbara, good morning.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Daryn.

Here at the Pentagon, military officials again suddenly finding themselves watching a new front. Indeed, a small U.S. Navy sealift ship called the USNS Apache was in the Israeli northern port city of Haifa. Today it was ordered by the Navy to get under way, and it has now indeed left Haifa, not because there was any particular threat against the ship, but the U.S. military watching those threats by Lebanese Hezbollah to attack the city of Haifa with their rockets, and they don't want this small unarmed ship obviously anywhere in harm's way. It was there on an exercise with the Israeli Navy. The Apache is a small ship, mainly with a civilian crew, that conducts dive diving and towing services. They were practicing all of that with the Israeli Navy. We're told a continuation of that exercise is now being discussed at the highest levels. But that Navy ship has now left the Israeli port.

And officials again watching these threats by Hezbollah. Their Katyusha rockets that Lebanese Hezbollah have. They have a range of about 12 miles. And of course the city of Haifa sits about 18 to 20 miles or so south of the Lebanese border. There's been a lot of talk of Lebanese Hezbollah that they now have extended-range rockets, so those threats to reach the city of Haifa inside Israel are being taken, of course, very seriously, of course by the Israeli government and of course by the U.S. military.

There are a couple of options of course if they have those extended- range rockets. Hezbollah could either seek to attack the city of Haifa, or they might pull back deeper inside Lebanon, fire from there and try to force the Israelis to extend their reach.

But the U.S. military not taking any chances, ordering one of its ships out of harm's way -- Daryn.

KAGAN: So you're focusing on Haifa and the potential of that city being hit. The pictures we are looking at was from Safed, which I understand the Israeli military uses as a staging ground as a northern command so that it can move farther and get better access to the Lebanese border. That's the town that's already been hit.

STARR: Well, that is the town that's already been hit, and I must tell you the U.S. military watching that attack very, very closely this morning, looking at those ranges, trying to determine what exactly Hezbollah might be using, what kind of rockets they have. The attack now by Israel on that Lebanese airbase close to the Syrian border also being watched. When rockets in -- very serious business here when rockets and missiles start flying through the air, not taken lightheartedly at all, very serious business, analyzed by the U.S. military. They want to know the ranges, they want to know what is going on, and they want to make sure that no U.S. forces are in harm's way, and that they can also provide any advice to the Bush administration about the military capabilities being used by all parties here. A lot of concern about the escalation of the violence -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Barbara Starr at the Pentagon. Thank you.

As this situation escalates, Lebanon's interior minister calls the Israeli strike against the Beirut Airport an act of war. That's how Israel describes the Hezbollah attack that triggered this latest conflict.

Joining me from New York is former Assistant Secretary of State Richard Murphy. Also a former ambassador to Syria, a country that has close ties to Hezbollah.

Mr. Ambassador, good morning.

RICHARD MURPHY, FMR. ASST. SECY. OF STATE: Good morning.

KAGAN: How concerned are you about the latest events?

MURPHY: Well, I'm concerned by this signs of a new coordination between the Lebanese militia, Hezbollah, and the Palestinian group Hamas. I'm concerned by the evidence that that suggests that the Iranian capabilities to push and prod the diplomatic scene throughout the region. I think it's a nervous time, and it's going to take, frankly, more than just a U.N. team out there to say, don't let this get out of control.

KAGAN: I want to talk to you in a bit, in a minute more, about what needs to happen. President Bush earlier today saying to the Israelis, you might want to lay off Lebanon a bit, trying to encourage the democracy that's growing on there and focus instead on Syria. As the former U.S. ambassador to Syria, what do you think about that suggestion?

MURPHY: Well, I don't know what it means. I think the president, the administration, is generally has not been interested in being very active on dealing with the Israeli-Palestinian confrontation, and now this additional pressure from Hezbollah that may be self-starting, or it may indicate a new effort by Syria to push itself forward. But basically the message from the White House to me is, we don't want to get involved.

KAGAN: Well, looking at Hezbollah and the Lebanese government. a government that itself is in transition as it tries to move out Syrian influence, how much control does the Lebanese government, the current government, have over what Hezbollah is doing and what's happening there in the southern part of that country?

MURPHY: None.

KAGAN: Zero?

MURPHY: Zero.

KAGAN: And so how is Israel to deal with that?

MURPHY: I don't think Israel's found the answer. The attacks on Beirut Airport, on the bridges, et cetera, are based on the assumption that the Lebanese government will get active and will restrain Hezbollah, but that's been demonstrated over the years that Beirut as a government does not have that control over Hezbollah. And as agonizing as it is for the Lebanese authorities to see this once more flare up, I don't think that they see anything in their hands that they can use to cut back on the Hezbollah activities. KAGAN: Well, let's bring this back to a point you're making at the beginning of this interview and to what it means to people back here in the U.S. Does the U.S. need to step in?

MURPHY: I think the U.S. has been dangerously out of action for the last few years in regards to the Israeli-Palestinian situation. And now this poison is starting to seep out again of an unresolved conflict. Witness the activities of Hezbollah and the asymmetrical warfare that Hezbollah and Hamas are very good at waging, and that Israel with its modern military has no real defense against.

KAGAN: And so a specific suggestion, do you need to send a diplomat there? Do you need to have a military presence? What do you think is the answer?

MURPHY: I don't think we have a military role to play, no. I think it's a time for much more stepped-up American diplomacy in the area.

KAGAN: Former Ambassador Richard Murphy. Thank you for tin sight on what is happening today in the region there, sir.

MURPHY: Thank you.

KAGAN: Thank you.

Well, that crisis in the Middle East is distracting President Bush from his diplomatic mission. Right now, he is wrapping up his visit to Germany, then he travels on to Russia for a Group of Eight summit.

Our White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux is traveling with the president.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (on camera): President Bush began his official trip in Germany, in Stralsund. Once a medieval town, now the home turf to Angela Merkel, the chancellor of Germany. All of his pageantry meant to show a different picture of U.S.-German relations, one that is more friendly and unified. In a press conference,both leaders, of course, playing down the deep divisions of Iraq, but really playing up the unified, tough stance against Iran.

And both leaders addressing the rising tension in the Middle East. They defended Israel's attack in Lebanon, saying Israel has a right to defend herself, specifically going after the terrorist group Hezbollah, but Mr. Bush also cautioned as well against any action that would weaken the Lebanese government.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRES. OF THE UNITED STATES: My biggest concern is whether or not actions taken will weaken the Sanora (ph) government. I think -- the democracy in Lebanon is an important part of laying, you know, a foundation for peace in that region. We have worked really hard to get Syria out of Lebanon. U.N. Resolution 1559 and its follow-up resolution 1680 were manifestations of the work of the international community to get Syria out of Lebanon.

ANGELA MERKEL, GERMAN CHANCELLOR (through translator): We can only urge all parties, appeal to all parties to stop, to cease violence and to also release the kidnapped soldier and to stop this firing off missiles at Israeli territory.

MALVEAUX: President Bush called it pathetic, the taking of innocent life to disrupt the chance for peace.

Tomorrow, President Bush, as well as the Chancellor Angela Merkel, both of course heading off to the G-8 summit. They will bring up issues with Iran, North Korea, as well as this volatile situation in the Middle East.

Suzanne Malveaux, CNN, Stralsund, Germany.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: We're following international developments in how they are affecting oil and stock markets. The stock market rebounding a little bit. You can see it's been open an hour and ten minutes. The Dow down 60, but it was down almost twice that. And the Nasdaq as well coming back a little bit. It is down 15. We'll take a look at other business news just ahead.

Also, it's a time of mourning. Families struggling to recover from terrorist attacks that rocked India's commercial capital. That's ahead on CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Let's get the latest developments from the Mideast. Here's Carol Lin -- Carol.

LIN: Daryn, Israeli Defense Forces now confirming they have bombed two additional airports in Lebanon. Both of them are military airports, smaller airports, significant because of their geographic location. One of them, the Rayak Base in the Bekaa Valley is the closest to Syria. The other in northern Lebanon, also close to Syria. the significance of this is both practical as well as symbolic. Symbolic because Syria, one of Hezbollah's biggest supporter. These are the two military bases that are closest to the country, so Israel sending a message to try to isolate the Hezbollah militants who are firing Katyusha rocket into Israel and now threatening a northern Israeli city -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Carol, thank you.

(BUSINESS HEADLINES)

KAGAN: The U.S. ambassador to Iraq making comments on Capitol Hill. Carol Lin has more on that -- Carol.

LIN: That's right. The ambassador to Iraq is giving an update to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Some testy questioning now by Senator John Kerry to the U.S. ambassador. (JOINED IN PROGRESS)

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: ... attracts insurgency and increases violence and how -- I think there are plans right now within the military to actually garrison troops, begin to move them out, to take a very different posture, which is, in effect, the policy we've described.

So I think using the word abandonment is the wrong way to frame what the real choice is. The question here is, how do we get success? And there are many people who believe that it is only by pushing the Iraqis with the same kind of deadline that required the elections, the transfer of authority, the constitution, all of which they met, with your pressure, may I add, that's the only way to really effect the kind of transition necessary.

AMB. ZALMAY KHALILZAD, U.S AMB. TO IRAQ: Well, I'm in complete agreement with you, Senator Kerry, that we need to keep the pressure on the Iraqis to take on more responsibility to deliver, to do the right thing. And I appreciate the sentiment that is behind some of the efforts, and I don't dismiss the utility of those efforts.

So to the extent to which effort to encourage reliance is the motive, that's welcome. But extent to which signals abandonment undermine confidence. I think that will be counter productive to our goal. So it's...

KERRY: You don't believe General Casey in making a recommendation for a timetable for withdrawal has undermined, do you?

KHALILZAD: I don't believe that General Casey has recommended a timetable for withdrawal.

KERRY: He made a presentation to the Pentagon with respect to plans.

KHALILZAD: As you know the Pentagon and I have worked -- you know, I used have the planning and policy shop there. We have a lot of plans, and then they -- adjustments are made as the plans are reviewed. There has been no discussion yet with the Iraqi government on the way forward. When I get back, we will form a joint committee.

KERRY: But that's specifically to talk about withdrawal of troops.

KHALILZAD: But conditions.

Today, for example, the whole province was turned over to the Iraqis, the province of Motana (ph). They are taking the lead in terms of security for that province. So there will not be as much requirements as there was before.

But in Baghdad, I believe now, we have a requirement for additional capability to bring down the level of violence. So there will be adjustments, and we have to remain flexible with the goal, with the intent to bring the level of U.S. forces down and to get the Iraqi to take on more and more responsibility.

KERRY: But I'm confident you would degree when the national security adviser, Mr. Al-Rubaie, wrote in "The Washington Post" a few weeks ago that there already is an unofficial road map for foreign troop reduction that will eventually lead to a total withdrawal of U.S. troops, he was not undermining his own government, was he?

KHALILZAD: No. I believe that all Iraqis, or most Iraqis, let me say, would like the foreign troops to go out. We would like that troops to come out. But if you ask Iraqis do you want them out now or in six months? I think you will get -- the overwhelming answer will be no.

KERRY: But our plan -- I just want it clear, our plan didn't do that.

KHALILZAD: No, I'm not saying that. I'm just...

KERRY: So we should take the word abandonment off the table? We should leave the word success on the table? Different words.

Thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you very much, Senator Kerry. Let me just note for the record...

LIN: Testy questioning there between the Senator John Kerry and the U.S. ambassador to Iraq. The backdrop of the conversation that just about a month ago General George Casey, the head of the coalition troops, had said that there was a plan being formulated to draw down a couple of battalions out of Iraq by the end of 2007, but sectarian violence has exploded just in the last few days. More than a hundred people have been killed in sectarian violence just this week alone.

So, Daryn, what you're seeing here is a clarification, some political maneuvering and some very uncomfortable questioning of the U.S. ambassador as one senator, Jack Reed, has just returned from Iraq, declaring that there is now a low-grade civil war happening on the ground in Iraq.

More on Pipeline, by the way, in case you want to continue watching that line of questioning, CNN.com.

KERRY: Absolutely, CNN.com pipeline.

Semantics on Capitol Hill. Thank you, Carol.

As attacks are escalating, the tensions are rising. Fighting intensifies between Israel and Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. An update on breaking news from the Middle East is ahead on CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KERRY: The tensions are rising and the rockets are flying between Israel and Lebanon. Let's update you on what we know and some of the pictures that we have for you. First to the northern Israeli town of Safed. This is where Hezbollah rockets have flown and exploded into that town. This is a northern command for the Israeli military, some collateral damage done there.

Then the Israelis have bombed the Beirut Airport. They've hit all three of the runways. And you can see that. There we go. We have that picture (INAUDIBLE) for you. Beirut Airport not usable at this time because all three of those runways have been hit.

And then Israel also firing into other parts of Lebanon. We're going to take a live picture now and look over into the town of Kiryat Shmona. If you Look at the right-hand -- well, it's kind of hard to see with the clouds in the background. But with the clouds, there's also some smoke on the horizon, probably a result of earlier hits which were about one to five kilometers outside of the town. Tensions rising. Israeli soldiers that are still in captivity with Hezbollah. We will keep an eye out for it. And we are live from the border and from Beirut at the top of the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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