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The Situation Room

Man Arrested After Knife Attack in London Jewish Neighborhood; Gas Prices Hit Four-Year High; Hegseth and Caine on Capitol Hill. Aired 10:30-11a ET

Aired April 29, 2026 - 10:30   ET

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

[10:30:00]

PAMELA BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking news this morning out of London where police are investigating what's now being called a terror incident in one of the city's Jewish neighborhoods. Surveillance video right here shows the suspect walking down the street before attacking a man with a knife. This happened in the Golders Green neighborhood, which is predominantly Jewish.

Police said the two men injured in the attack are in stable condition. And video from the scene shows the moment officers arrested the man. You see it right here. It is the latest of several incidents targeting Jewish areas in London, including an arson attack last month that destroyed several ambulances belonging to a Jewish volunteer group.

CNN Correspondent Jomana Karadsheh was among the first journalists on the scene of this latest attack. And she has more from North London.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: About a couple of hours ago, we were driving back from an interview with a rabbi at a synagogue close by. His synagogue was attacked recently. And as we were driving up towards Golders Green, this predominantly Jewish area in North London, we could hear choppers up in the sky. We could hear and see the police sirens and the emergency response. So, our team just got out of the cabin, ran over to see what was going on.

And since then, of course, we have had those statements coming out from the Jewish charity, the Shomrim, that runs the neighborhood watch patrols, as well as the MEC police in the last few minutes as well. Saying that two Jewish people were stabbed in this attack. They were a 30-year-old and a 70-year-old man, according to the police. They are in stable condition.

The suspect, according to the MEC, tried to also stab police officers. He was tasered and he was taken into custody. They say that he's a 45- year-old man. They are working to establish his nationality, his background, any links he might have. This is being led by the counterterrorism police as this investigation is ongoing.

[10:35:00]

I mean, the Shomrim were saying, Becky, that the attacker was running down Golders Green Road with a knife, looking to stab Jewish members of the public. And keeping in mind, this is coming after that spate of attacks that we have seen around London since the end of March that has very much put the Jewish community on edge, to say the least.

Those attacks, we don't know, again, if this is linked to what is going on here, what has happened here. Those attacks were claimed by a group that we've not heard of before. The British authorities have said that they're investigating its possible links to Iran and whether Iranian proxies may have been used to carry out those arson attacks.

Speaking with members of the Jewish community, speaking with the rabbi earlier, you know, he was saying they're shocked by what is going on, but not surprised. And the fear that we've heard from people here is that this sort of violence is becoming normalized.

You know, after the arson attacks, everyone was saying, thankfully, no one was hurt. Today, two people were stabbed here.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BROWN: In London. And just ahead here in the Situation Room, paying more at the pump -- they're high and they could keep going up. What we're watching for next.

[10:40:00]

BROWN: Happening now, gas prices are on the rise again, heading a four-year high this morning. According to AAA, the national average price for a gallon of gas is $4.23. That's up more than 20 cents from a week ago. And this comes as oil prices are climbing as well amid ongoing concerns over the Strait of Hormuz.

So, let's go live now to CNN Business and Politics Correspondent Vanessa Yurkevich. Vanessa, prices are up 42 percent since the start of the war in Iran. Any relief in sight?

VANESSA YURKEVICH, CNN BUSINESS AND POLITICS CORRESPONDENT: No. Unfortunately, no. Not as long as things stand right now, which is essentially the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. And investors believing that there is not a lot of progress between the U.S. and Iran to move things forward.

So, gas prices, as you mentioned, $4.23 a gallon currently. And normally we do the week ago, month ago, day ago. But we actually wanted to show you just in the last three days what gas prices looked like. So, you're talking about a $0.5 cent jump in just the last day. And then you're talking about a $0.12 jump in just about the last two days. That is significant for consumers. And you can just see the dramatic rise since before the war began. 42 percent increase. Look at that line graph just moving straight up vertically.

Now, this is because the Strait of Hormuz, that critical passageway for oil, has been offline essentially. And that takes 15 million barrels offline every single day. And that accounts for one-fifth of the world's oil trade. And that has a dramatic effect on oil markets. Oil markets today, look at this, Brent Crude up more than 5 percent. So, trading closer to $120 a barrel. Look at U.S. crude up more than $100 a barrel. There was some relief during the announcement of the initial ceasefire. But as it stands right now, if you have oil trading at that level on a global scale, gas prices are surely going to increase because of this.

BROWN: And a White House official is telling us that President Trump and some of his top aides met with energy executives at the White House yesterday. Clearly, they're concerned about this, right? What more can you tell us about the meeting?

YURKEVICH: Yes, so a White House official telling us that President Trump held a meeting with oil executives, including Mike Wirth from Chevron and some of his key aides, his chief of staff, Susie Wiles, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. And they did talk about the oil impact that's happening right now. The strain on prices. They also talked about progress with oil markets in Venezuela and what this war was doing to natural gas and shipping.

The president does meet with executives from key industries like autos or tech or the oil industry. However, of course, this is coming at a time when oil and gas is very much front and center. Oil companies are obviously benefiting, Pamela, from these higher prices, but consumers are certainly not. And there is starting to become concern about supply, particularly, though, in Europe. We know that the head of the International Energy Agency forecasted that airlines could be impacted by the lack of jet fuel in just the next couple of weeks.

Obviously, a lot was probably discussed, more than, of course, we know. But a significant moment as U.S. consumers are really feeling the pain from this war and obviously these rising gas prices every single day, Pamela.

BROWN: All right. Vanessa Yurkevich, thank you so much. And happening now, Hegseth in the hot seat. Lawmakers are questioning the defense secretary and the Joint Chiefs chairman. We'll bring that to you live. Stay with us.

[10:45:00]

BROWN: Welcome back. Let's listen in to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who was testifying publicly on Capitol Hill for the first time since the Iran War.

REP. ADAM SMITH (D-WA), RANKING MEMBER, ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE: Now, you're saying that it was completely obliterated?

PETE HEGSETH, U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY: They had not given up their nuclear ambitions and they had a conventional shield of thousands of --

SMITH: So, Operation Midnight Hammer accomplished nothing of substance. It left us at exactly the same place we were before. So, much so that we had to start a war.

HEGSETH: Their facilities were bombed and obliterated, their ambitions continued, and they're building a conventional shield --

SMITH: All right. Let me try again.

HEGSETH: It's the North Korea strategy. You know this very well. The North Korea strategy was use conventional missiles to prevent anybody from challenging them so they could slow walk their way to a weapon. President Trump saw Iran at its weakest moment, took an action to ensure in a way that only the United States of America could do with our Israeli partners to ensure --

SMITH: And yet, they still haven't given up their nuclear. All right.

HEGSETH: -- was brought to --

SMITH: All right. One other question. If I could get to it. So, on Ukraine, a year plus ago, your advice, the president's advice was Ukraine had no cards to play. They should go -- cut the best possible deal they could. Clearly that was wrong. What did you miss? What did you miss about the conflict between Russia and Ukraine that you didn't see that Ukraine was going to be capable of doing what they've done in the last 14 months?

[10:50:00]

HEGSETH: Well, we didn't miss and we're hearing this committee is that Joe Biden with no accountability gave hundreds of billions of dollars of our weapons to Ukraine to an outcome that never would have happened if President Trump was president.

SMITH: So, you're not going to answer the question.

HEGSETH: So, he pulled out our -- you guys don't talk about that. Ultimately, President Trump believes there should be a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine that --

SMITH: But you didn't expect Ukraine to be where they're at right now. I'm asking you just from a strategic standpoint what do you --

HEGSETH: I think the Ukrainians have shown great courage and I appreciate that Europe is now paying for the weapons -- any weapons that we provide.

SMITH: All right. I yield back. Thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right. Now, I want to remind everybody, everybody wants to get their questions. So, we are going to be sticking strictly to the five-minute rule today. So, with that, I recognize the gentleman from South Carolina, Mr. Wilson.

REP. JOE WILSON (R-SC): Thank you, Chairman Mike Rogers, for your leadership working with President Donald Trump. As the grateful father of four sons who served overseas in Iraq, Egypt and Afghanistan, I especially appreciate War Secretary Hegseth and Chief of Staff Caine for your competence, service and success. Military families have never been more appreciated than today. And our enemies of dictators now understand peace through strength. Dictators historically are on the run.

With your leadership, President Trump has given Syria a chance, with President Al-Shawar replacing dictator Assad from Damascus, who now lives in Moscow. Dictator Maduro is correctly in a Manhattan jail, as you successfully revealed in Caracas that the war criminal Putin air defenses do not work. The Chinese Communist Party radar failed and Cuban mercenaries were expendable. The Cuban dictatorship is failing and the ultimate mass murderer. Dictator Khomeini is dead in Tehran -- Iran, joining the 3,500 people he murdered this year.

With your leadership, American morale has never been higher and hopes for freedom of the oppressed people of Iran, Cuba, Russia and China have never been higher. And it's just an exciting time to be here with you. And Mr. Secretary, we continue to see the growing nuclear threat of our adversaries as they expand their capabilities with the largest military buildup in peacetime in world history by the Chinese Communist Party.

How critical is it that we continue as at the Savannah River site in South Carolina to develop the plutonium pit processing so that we have modernization?

HEGSETH: Well, Congressman, I appreciate that question on nuclear modernization. This budget funds $71 billion to modernize the triad in ways that we had neglected to do. And our nuclear triad underwrites everything.

But I really appreciate your opening statement. I think something that obviously the media doesn't want to cover and doesn't want to talk about is the historic record-breaking surge in recruiting in our ranks. Thirty-year record in recruiting of Americans wanting to join our joint force, wanting to put the uniform on. We're meeting recruiting goals halfway through the year. We couldn't meet our recruiting goals under the previous administration.

Under Joe Biden, Americans didn't want to join the military. We couldn't get it. Now, we have to turn people away and push them to the next fiscal year. That's why this budget grows our force by almost 50,000, ultimately. Additional troops into the force that we believe we can recruit. That's the best vote of confidence I can imagine.

WILSON: Well, hey, even better -- hey, Mr. Secretary, you're really understating, leaving, leaving no airmen behind. What an inspiration on Easter Day. God bless you all and what you've achieved. With that in mind to General Caine, with your VMI military perspective, war criminal Putin is losing in Ukraine as his 30-day special mission is now four years of as the secretary has identified courageous Ukrainian success led by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. I appreciate that NATO and the E.U. have unified for Ukraine as the U.S. ranked 17th per GDP in assistance for Ukraine.

Ukraine is frontline stopping war criminal Putin from resurrecting the failed Soviet Union, rigging elections in Belarus, invading Ukraine, keeping troops in Moldova and with the invites really invading and rigging elections in the Republic of Georgia. As we're transitioning greater responsibility to our NATO allies, how do we ensure seamless integration to deterrence during this shift?

GEN. DAN CAINE, JOINT CHIEFS CHAIRMAN: Congressman, we're very fortunate to have great leaders out in the European theater right now. General Grynkewich and his leadership team are committed to ensuring that that integration and transition takes place in a most combat capable and effective way. Very entrepreneurial leaders out there across the components and with General Grynkewich, and he's doing a great job out there as the committee knows.

[10:55:00]

WILSON: And indeed, as we conclude, historically, President Trump, Mr. Secretary, General, you have united the Middle East nations unprecedented to ally with the United States. You have united Latin America unprecedented to ally with the United States. You've united the Indo-Pacific unprecedented to ally with the United States and united NATO and E.U. unprecedented to ally with the United States. You're achieving peace and deterrence through strength. I yield back.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The gentleman yields back. Chair now I recognizes the gentleman from Connecticut, Mr. Courtney.

REP. JOE COURTNEY (D-CT): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Secretary and General Caine, this morning's Wall Street Journal's lead headline reads, quote, "Trump tells aides to prepare for an extended blockade of Iran." It goes on to describe, again, the thinking behind the strategy, but also talks about how prolonging the blockade is going to continue to drive up energy costs all over the world.

Given the ever-changing messages from this administration on the war strategy and timeline, I really honestly don't expect you to confirm or deny the journal's story. But one thing is clear. The number of transits across the Strait of Hormuz has dropped to the lowest level since the war began. And commodity markets have stopped listening to the happy talk. And crude oil prices this morning have risen to the highest level since the war in Ukraine started in 2022.

AAA reported this morning that the average price of gas is $4.30 a gallon, up $0.30 in one week. Diesel's average is $5.45. My friend Mr. Garamendi says in California it's closer to $8 a gallon. And fertilizer prices have also hammered farmers at exactly the same time they're beginning planting all across the country. Aside from the damage this war has done to American consumers, farmers, and small businesses, I want to focus for a minute on the cost of the war and our military readiness, particularly to other combatant commands.

Mr. Secretary, you put out a national defense strategy in January which listed the threat assessment facing our country. China was number one with the second largest, most powerful military in the world, of course. Russia's nuclear force clearly was number two in terms of the threat they posed to the homeland. North Korea, which has missiles that actually can reach U.S. territory, was ranked number three. And Iran was described as, quote -- and accurately, after midnight hammer, that Iran's regime is "weaker and more vulnerable than it has been in decades." Again, this was before February 28th when the decision was made to go into the military strikes on Iran. So, today, we have three carrier strike forces in central command. The Indo-Pekin, which is where Russia and China are operating their navies, 52 percent of the globe. We have one carrier strike group in Japan, George Washington. And the imbalance in terms of just, you know, what our commitments and frankly, you know, what our national defense strategy, I mean, is just blindingly obvious in terms of what this is doing.

Gerald Ford is on day 312 of its deployment. They've gone through fires, plumbing problems, and again, an extended deployment, which in my opinion is hitting readiness as hard as anything I've seen in the time that I've been on this committee.

So, General Caine, I mean, in terms of, again, the carrier strike groups that are over there, I mean, assuming that we get to some end game here, Ford is not going over to the Indo-Pacific to buttress the gap that exists there today. They've got to go back into pretty heavy repair and availability in terms of trying to recover from their deployment.

So, again, in terms of just, you know, the decisions about where we're putting people and putting really the most powerful part of our navy, you know, can you explain, again, what that means in terms of the situation in Indo-Pacific where China is watching? We saw Mr. Rogers' pretty powerful presentation in terms of the buildup that's happening in that part of the world. How does that align with the national defense strategy which was just put out by this administration in January?

CAINE: Well, sir, first, I want to echo your comments on the Ford strike group. Fantastic work by incredible sailors, not just the Ford herself, but the other ships as well on a historic cruise doing incredible work for the nation.

COURTNEY: But excuse me, how does that balance with the national defense strategy?

CAINE: Yes, sir, happy to answer. The way I think about this, the national security strategy and national defense strategy are frameworks, but a president will employ national force and power based on the political and security situations that a president deems appropriate to use that military force. There's always trade-offs in all of these things.

[11:00:00]