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The Story Is with Elex Michaelson

Trump Says He Pushed Israel to Renew Ceasefire in Lebanon; 25 Ships Crossed Strait of Hormuz Thursday, Most Since April; Analysis Shows Massive Losses to Oil Supply Amid Iran War; Huge Challenges Even as Some Traffic Moves Through Hormuz; Israel-Hezbollah Tensions Threaten to Derail U.S.-Iran Talks; USA Advance to Knockout After Second Straight Win. Aired 1-2a ET

Aired June 20, 2026 - 01:00   ET

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

[01:00:00]

PAULA NEWTON, CNN HOST, THE STORY IS: "The Story is" a push for peace. Israel and Hezbollah again agree to stop fighting as U.S. negotiators head to Switzerland to see if they can restart talks. "The Story is" diplomatic disaster. Italy's Prime Minister calling out Trump, accusing him of making up a story about her begging for a photo.

And "The Story is" the beautiful game how taking to the soccer pitch is helping men tackle grief. The U.S. and Iran are working to get talks back on track, with the clock now ticking to reach a final peace deal. U.S. official tells CNN, President Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, are headed to Switzerland for potential negotiations.

It's still unclear when those talks will actually happen. U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, meantime, scrapped his plans to travel to Switzerland at the last minute after a flare-up in violence between Israel and Hezbollah threatened to derail the talks. But both sides have now agreed to renew a ceasefire.

President Trump praised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and said he urged Israel to support a truce with Hezbollah.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: We've had a great relationship with Israel. We're very formidable. And Bibi Netanyahu is a warrior prime minister. Now we have an agreement that was signed last night, and it's 60 days after, make a deal.

Otherwise, we will do things that won't make them happy, but I don't think it's going to get to that. I think it's going to be very good. Remember, if we do that, then all of a sudden, you're not going to have the oil flowing out of the strait too quickly, because people that own billion-dollar ships don't love missiles flying over them, don't love mines all over the water.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: CNN's Oren Liebermann gives us a closer look now at what's happening on the ground in Lebanon?

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF: A ceasefire once again in place in Lebanon, as sources tell CNN that Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to a renewal of the ceasefire after an intense morning of fighting from Friday at about midnight into the hours of the morning.

Shortly after midnight, the Israeli military says a Hezbollah explosive device, either an explosive drone or an anti-tank missile, struck an Israeli tank in southern Lebanon and killed four soldiers. Israel then carried out a wave of strikes across southern Lebanon and the Beqaa Valley, killing at least 47 people, including women and children, according to Lebanon's Ministry of Public Health.

That's where mediators stepped in the U.S., Qatar, Pakistan, and Iran to renew that ceasefire. And it came at a critical moment, because Iran made clear that it wouldn't participate in the negotiations towards the ceasefire under the brand-new memorandum of understanding if there wasn't a cessation of hostilities in Lebanon.

They used the pressure on the negotiations to get the U.S. and to get President Donald Trump to put a ceasefire back in place in Lebanon, and it was Israel's Ambassador to the U.S., Yechiel Leiter, who acknowledged that ceasefire and said Israel was firmly committed to an immediate ceasefire, effectively mirroring the Hezbollah statement from earlier in the day, which said we'll abide by the ceasefire if the other side abides by it.

So that's where the situation leaves us right now. The problem, of course, is that we've seen ceasefires before over the past several months and even years that are supposed to take place between Israel and Hezbollah, and yet they have fallen apart within days. Now that has far bigger consequences, since it can derail the negotiations between the U.S. and Iran, which are already ticking down with a 60- day window until they need to be extended or until they need to either reach a conclusion or fall apart.

So, in addition to the very complex diplomacy around trying to maintain a ceasefire along the Israel-Lebanon border, there are the U.S.-Iran negotiations as well. Oren Liebermann, CNN in Jerusalem.

NEWTON: The man who could potentially replace Keir Starmer as British Prime Minister is expected to travel to Westminster on Monday. The outgoing Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, won a local by- election, making him a member of Parliament. The victory gives Burnham a path to formally challenge Keir Starmer is leader of the ruling Labor Party, but Starmer says he won't back down without a fight.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KEIR STARMER, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: If there is a contest, just to be clear with you, then yes, I will run, I will stand, and I have said repeatedly I am not going to walk away from that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: A comment reportedly made by U.S. President Donald Trump at the G7 summit has led to a diplomatic rift with Italy. An Italian media outlet reported that President Trump said Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni begged him to take a photo with her. The prime minister has vehemently denied this. CNN's Barbie Latza Nadeau has our report.

[01:05:00]

BARBIE LATZA NADEAU, CNN REPORTER: We're hearing very strong words between U.S. President Donald Trump and the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Now this is not the first time the two have exchanged barbs, which is especially surprising because Giorgia Meloni was at one time Trump's best friend in Europe.

She was his strongest ally. Many people called her the Trump whisperer. She flew to Mar-a-Lago after his election to his second term, but everything started to go drastically wrong back in April when Italy denied the use of the Sigonella air base in Sicily for military operations in Iran.

Shortly after that, the U.S. President, Donald Trump, criticized the American pope, Pope Leo, about his anti-war stance. At that time, Giorgia Meloni stood up for the pope and called those comments unacceptable. Donald Trump returned the criticism and called her unacceptable, and thought that she had courage, but that she didn't.

So, all eyes were on the two leaders as they headed into the G7 in France, and everything looked at least on the surface, that went well. There was a picture taken. They were seen speaking to each other quite cordially. Then an Italian media outlet got hold of the U.S. President after he returned to the United States and asked him how things went between the two leaders.

And he said that he didn't really want to take the picture, but he felt sorry for her, and that she begged for the picture, and that's what elicited a very strong response from Giorgia Meloni, who went on to her social media and basically said that wasn't -- that was fabricated, that wasn't how it went down, and that she doesn't beg, neither does Italy. Let's listen to what she had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GIORGIA MELONI, ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER: Well, some things deserve an immediate response. Donald Trump's statements are completely made up. I am frankly astonished. I don't know why the President of the United States behaves like this toward his allies.

It's not the first time moreover. I can only say it is disappointing that he does not show the same determination with the enemies of the West and of the United States, whose leaders he instead treats with far greater indulgence. There is one thing he should remember. Neither I nor Italy ever beg.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NADEAU: Now, all of this is becoming a diplomatic incident, because the Italian Foreign Minister was supposed to go to the United States this weekend on an official visit, but he canceled over the comments. Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN, Rome.

NEWTON: Joining us now is CNN's Dominic Thomas. Good to see you. It has been a minute, and so much is happening, even just in the last 24 hours. I mean, I have to say Meloni's social media post was quite cunning, I thought Trump is not popular in Italy right now.

She certainly showed that she would stand up to him, but with her foreign minister now backing out of this summit. I mean, what's at risk here? Because it really was quite a strident response.

DOMINIC THOMAS, CNN EUROPEAN AFFAIRS COMMENTATOR: It was. And it was a very, very targeted response, as pointed out in the lead up here is she went after him on a point of vulnerability, which has been his position on an unambiguous commitment to say Putin and other leaders.

And in this particular case unwillingness to be consistent over Ukraine and solve that particular issue, and moving back and forth on what was going to happen in Iran, and so on, so she targeted him at a sort of real point of vulnerability. I think ultimately her words express a level of exasperation with working with President Trump.

And this came right after the G7 meeting, which, as I said previously, was very much a kind of G6 plus President Trump, because everybody was eager to placate him, to keep him there on the ground, and to have meaningful conversations with him about the future of Ukraine, about questions pertaining to the global economy, how to deal with Russia, and also to find out a little bit more from him about this Iran deal.

And so at the end of the day, she's simply saying not only allowed what Italians believe at this moment, but also I think what other leaders after this meeting with President Trump are feeling as well, and I think that's why it was ramped up to this level right after the meeting, and that in this particular case she did not hold back.

NEWTON: A couple of things here, though, and there could be collateral damage to the U.S.-Italian relationship, and also, though conversely, it likely will help her politically inside Italy, won't it?

THOMAS: It's absolutely helping her politically, and the number one reason, of course, is you just simply don't insult the pope, right? That's just it doesn't matter what political party you're in there, and she's -- that's a red line that's crossed, and clearly, she's elected domestically, not internationally.

Now, having said that, this back and forth between European leaders, to name just one region of the world and the American President, is a long-standing pattern. At one moment, there's a trade deal. At the moment, there are threats of tariffs.

[01:10:00]

He either supports the G7 or doesn't, and repeatedly makes comments that undermine not just the multilateral order, but also the European Union. So, this is just set another sort of moment of tension, but I think people are also frustrated. They want this Ukraine problem solved. The Iran situation has been catastrophic for Europe, and there's also

deep frustration over the micro things that crop up, for example, taking over Greenland, and then distracting EU attention. So, the frustration levels are elevated, but I expect them to dissipate as time moves on, and for some sort of order to return.

NEWTON: Yeah, we shall see about that. On to the UK, speaking of order to return, obviously quite an eventful by-election there, in terms of what happens next. Were you surprised that Keir Starmer was so emphatic that he will battle on?

THOMAS: I think that at this moment he's just simply not found the path forward to accept that his days at number 10, in other words, as leader of the Labor Party, and therefore as prime minister, are over. And I still would be extremely surprised if he was to run in any kind of leadership challenge, because people around him will tell him that they will no longer support him.

And I do not see a path forward unless there is some sort of scandal around Andy Burnham in the days to come, where he would be able to survive this, you know.

NEWTON: Understood.

THOMAS: And there's a deep irony, of course, in all of this process, right, Paula, is that you know this by-election was more than just an election to elect a new Labor representative for that region. It was very much to elect a future replacement of Keir Starmer. And I think that's why constituents supported so overwhelmingly Burnham in that by-election.

NEWTON: Yeah, so overwhelming that you know Reform UK really was completely trampled in this by-election. I want you to listen now to Nigel Farage.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NIGEL FARAGE, LEADER OF REFORM UK: What really happened here is it was vote Burnham, get Starmer out, which of course was our campaign message leading up to the locals on the seventh of May.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: So, he's almost taking credit there for what happened. Dominic, can you kind of break up the mystery here as to where this will go after, and let's assume that Andy Burnham is very likely now to be the next British Prime Minister?

THOMAS: Yeah. Well, I think first of all, Farage is not being honest here. What happened to them at by-election was a kind of fracturing of the far stroke extreme right over this Restore Party that run and took away some of their votes, their lack of organization, and the fact that they did not have a good candidate.

I think at the end of the day they would have loved to win that particular by-election and cause disruption and chaos within the Labor Party that could have accelerated the path to a general election or even to another kind of leadership challenge that would have not involved Burnham.

So, I think he's being disingenuous there. What I do think was doubly important for Labor is that ultimately people were being asked to vote for a new Labor leader in this election, and also to show that this leader could take on Reform, and he achieved both those objectives.

Now, of course, because Labor Party control their destiny right now with this massive majority and can elect a new leader, it's not a national election. So, Burnham will, like so many of the previous Conservative prime minister be a selected prime minister, not an elected one.

And I think at the end of the day, after those local by-elections, or those local elections, sorry, that revealed these kinds of deep fractures in British politics. I think there is a genuine hope that once at the helm, Burnham will to consolidate his position, call for a general election, that all of the political parties, including the Green, including the Conservatives, believe will better reflect the current pulse of the nation and also the breakdown of a new parliament that has changed dramatically since Starmer came to the helm two years ago.

NEWTON: Yeah, you are certainly pointing to turbulent times ahead in British politics, which you will continue to follow. Dominic Thomas, good to see you. Thanks so much.

THOMAS: Thank you, Paula.

NEWTON: Now, Cuba approves sweeping economic reforms as the U.S. continues its pressure campaign. Still ahead, how Cubans are reacting to the changes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:15:00]

NEWTON: So, there's mixed reaction across Cuba after the government signed off on sweeping economic reforms. Cuban lawmakers on Thursday approved more than 175 measures that would open the door to real estate development and private banking.

The changes would also allow companies to hire more than 100 employees for the first time. It marks the biggest shift in Cuba's socialist economic model since the 1959 revolution. The measures were approved as the country grapples with U.S. sanctions and a deep economic crisis.

Some Cubans welcomed the reforms, while others were skeptical, it would bring any meaningful change.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEONARDO BENITEZ, PRIVATE SECTOR WORKER: -- could expand the private sector and collect taxes as they should be collected, and don't create a commission of inspectors who will later find them and take away their money. It means the measures are good, they are positive.

OLIAN VALDES, HAVANA RESIDENT: Ordinary Cuban doesn't care whether they do it or not, because they have nowhere to invest, nothing to do, and they open it at the minimum, because more resources may enter the country, but the prices with the salary are going to be the same.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: Joining me now is Former State Department Official Eric Farnsworth. He's a Partner at Continental Strategy and Senior Associate with the Center for Strategic and International Studies. And good to have you on the program. Some of the statements coming out of Cuba in the last few days, really, they encapsulate decades of history into one document in terms of how they want to transform the country.

[01:20:00]

These are ambitious reforms. What do you make of them? And is there any way this Cuban regime can pull this off, especially given that so much depends on the U.S. blockade?

ERIC FARNSWORTH, FORMER STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL FOR LATIN AMERICA: Yeah, absolutely right. Paula, so good to join you again. And this is a seismic shift in some way from the Cuban regime that's ruled since 1959 under a very strong hand of the Communist Party in Cuba, for the first time in memory since the beginning of the revolution, really.

There are steps that are going to be taken, perhaps to open up the energy sector, the banking sector to foreign capital to liberalize the agriculture sector to bring real opportunity according to the regime for foreign investors on the island, but we have to be very clear about a couple points.

One is this is tactical, this is an effort by the Cuban regime to survive, not to open up to become newly capitalist. It's not because they've had a change of heart. It's because they're looking to try to maintain their power and control on the island. The second thing is, it depends very much, as you indicated, on the United States, in terms of some of the provisions and things that the U.S. government would allow.

And in fact, investors will have to make their determinations based on what they're allowed to do, and frankly, what market conditions would encourage them to do. So, this is the first of -- first step, but by no means is it going to be the transformation, perhaps in the immediate term, that the Cuban government is looking for.

NEWTON: Right. But the other open question is whether or not it will satisfy the United States. I mean, apparently what they put out there, trying to model China or Vietnam, you know, communist countries that have market economies. Never mind, will or -- will that or won't it work, because that would take literally decades.

But would the United States accept something like that?

FARNSWORTH: Well, it remains to be seen. Certainly, we're just in very early hours, not just days of having had the announcement, but there are a couple things to think about. One is that the humanitarian situation on the island is so urgent that even by the time these reforms would work through the system, even if they do, it's not clear that the Cuban people themselves are going to be that patient to allow that to happen, point number one.

Point number two, U.S. law maintains under the Helms-Burton provisions certain things that the executive branch doesn't have authority over, doesn't have jurisdiction, doesn't have the ability to change without Congress changing the law. So, there's going to be a period of time in evaluation where the United States will have to see if indeed this is -- this response to U.S. legal requirements as well.

There, as I said, there's a lot of steps going forward. It's not clear how this will ultimately end up.

NEWTON: I found the president's speech about this just absolutely startling. Diaz-Canel's details were also, I think, puzzling, and I'm going to quote him now. In our effort to correct errors and shortcomings while facing the external blockade, he's talking about the U.S. there.

We have agreed to undertake the always delicate mission of further opening the economy, prioritizing Cubans, whether residing in the country or abroad. I do wonder what you make of that statement, given that the diaspora, the dissident community, have been the ones that have been the loudest about wanting reform in Cuba, but clear here, not wanting it to come from this regime.

FARNSWORTH: It's a really important point that you're making, and this is more than just a rhetorical shift, because traditionally Cuban regime has actually despised Cubans who have left the island, Fidel Castro actually called them gusanos, worms, and he disdains them.

He didn't want anything to do with them. And now it appears as if Diaz-Canel is seeking re-engagement from members of the Cuban diaspora, those who are outside of the island. And there's one reason for that, and probably one reason only, and that's because that's where a lot of the money is.

And the idea that some of folks in the diaspora would come back to Cuba, would invest, would try to recapitalize portions of the Cuban economy. And again, it just shows you how desperate things are on the islands that you're having this sort of consideration, even being considered by the Cuban government.

Will it occur again early days? We don't know, but there are a lot of steps that have to be that have to occur before I would anticipate that you're going to see much investment, if any, really flow to the island.

NEWTON: Yeah, as I said, it's been a fascinating week in Cuba, and we will wait to see the new developments there as the days progress. Eric Farnsworth for us. Thanks so much. Appreciate it.

FARNSWORTH: Thanks for having me. Good to join you. NEWTON: OK, after the break, we will dive into the latest World Cup

results as Team USA score another win, thrilling fans and securing their spot in the upcoming knockout stage.

[01:25:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NEWTON: There's been a sharp increase in traffic moving through the Strait of Hormuz. Marine intelligence shows that 25 commercial vessels crossed the strait on Thursday, the most since April, but the number remains far below pre-war levels, when more than 100 ships would pass through the waterway daily.

Analysis shows that the world has missed out on more than 8 billion barrels of oil due to the Iran war. David Goldman has more.

DAVID GOLDMAN, CNN BUSINESS SENIOR REPORTER: I think a big question on everyone's minds is when are we going to get back to normal in the oil market?

[01:30:00]

When are those prices going to start to come back down to normal? Well, there's a lot that you need to understand before that can happen. And the first is that we have lost 1.15 billion barrels of oil over the past four months, billion barrels of oil supply, and that has significant consequences.

How significant? Well, President Trump was talking about this just the other day, and said, in about four weeks, well, you want to see Bedlam, we're going to run out of oil, he said. Well, it might not be that simple, but he is right that there is a significant consequence to losing a billion barrels of oil supply over four months.

And you need to look no further than the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which is the emergency stockpiles of oil that we have, that's at the lowest level globally since 1990. And in the United States, even worse, 1983 was the last time we saw levels this low, that's when I was born, that's when we were starting to fill the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

And that puts us in a precarious spot, because what happens if there's a hurricane, what happens if the war restarts, right? So, you need to have these at adequate levels. It's not only the emergency reserves, though. Look at this in Cushing, Oklahoma, that's where the pipelines of the crossroads of America happen, where all the oil is brought in and then piped out.

Well, it has a capacity of 75 million barrels, that's a lot. But what is it at right now? 20 million barrels, and that is at the operational minimum. What does that mean? It's like when you have a coffee urn and you hit the spigot and nothing comes out. That's my nightmare, by the way.

But when that happens, you kind of tip the urn toward you to get the sludge out. That's what's going on in America's oil market right now. It's at operational minimums. That is what Trump is talking about. That's significant. Now the Strait of Hormuz is reopened, so problem solved, right?

Not quite. So, all of this needs to happen before we get back to normal. First of all, you got to get all those tankers out, and then crucially, you need to demine the strait. That's about a month's work alone. And then once that happens, you have enough space to bring the tankers back in, the empty tankers, and then bring that oil.

Once that happens, then you can produce more oil in the Middle East, and then ship it out to its destination, but that doesn't happen that fast. Oil tankers travel as fast as well, an oil tanker about as fast as I can ride a bicycle, not very fast. So, what does all of this mean in terms of the timing.

Well, if we over produce by 5 million barrels a day, which is what the International Energy Agency says we will do, it will take to get 1.15 billion barrels back 230 days just to get back to normal, but that can't even start to happen until all the other stuff happens, which is another several months.

We are looking into 2027, just to get the sand out of the gears. So, if you're wondering when your oil prices and when your gas prices are going to start to fall, well, they've certainly started, but it might take a long time for them to get back to normal. All right. Back to you.

NEWTON: Joining us now, live from Tel Aviv, is Ronen Bergman. He is Staff Writer for "The New York Times Magazine". He's also the author of "Rise and Kill First: The Secret History of Israel's Targeted Assassinations". Ronen, good to be with you this morning. As I'm sure it will be another day of developments.

You know, a few weeks ago I read that the majority of Israelis didn't like the idea of this ceasefire with Iran, and now we have this draft agreement, which is much more deferential than many in Israel were believed possible. I mean, what is shaping public opinion there right now?

Because I have to believe, given the electoral climate, that will be having a huge influence over what the prime minister does next.

RONEN BERGMAN, STAFF WRITER FOR NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE: Yeah, and some would say this could be a devastating blow to Prime Minister Netanyahu campaign, even to the extent of getting him to a position where he will prefer to take a plea bargain on his trial, where he is being sentenced for bribe and other families, and not run for the elections.

The calculus is that as much as long as he's prime minister is in a much better stand to negotiate the plea bargain. When you come to the Israeli public, I think that there is a differentiation. First of all, most, it's not what I'm saying is not based on scientific polls.

[01:35:00] But what you see in many of the reports, in -- when you, what you get

from speaking with a lot of people, is that a lot of people are accusing Netanyahu, Prime Minister Netanyahu, in what is happening in leading the partnership with America to a point where America, where the U.S., where the U.S. President has taken a different shift and different turn on the negotiation.

And also, and this is what is making the -- you predicted another day of -- another Saturday of developments, which I assume it will be. What is making the negotiation being also always on the brink of collapse, is what is happening in Lebanon. And also a lot of people are accusing the Netanyahu government in leading opening another front in Lebanon.

And basically, taking the IDF, the Israeli Defense Forces, into in confrontation with Hezbollah that has no end, that it's impossible to win and not losing, but in order to win, they need to conquer all of Lebanon before this is something that Israel will not do.

NEWTON: You know what the White House, what Donald Trump will be saying to that immediately. And Donald Trump has been quite blunt about what he wants Prime Minister Netanyahu to do. You know, consequently, what will he do now? Will he continue to defy Donald Trump on this?

BERGMAN: I think that Hezbollah and Iran understand that he's there in win-win. Netanyahu is in a lose-lose situation, because if he -- if the idea forces are entangling, entrenched into some kind of fighting in Lebanon, if Netanyahu decides to order fighting back, fighting back with massive force, then, of course, he is defying President Trump.

He, if he's not, then he's looking weak to his own constituency in Israel, and we are looking towards the coming election in October. I think that Netanyahu, Prime Minister Netanyahu, is trying not to get into full confrontation with the president, fearing that if he does, then the president will enforce on him and on the IDF forces to complete withdraw from Lebanon and coming back to the international line.

This is something that will make him look even weaker. I must say, I am surprised to the extent in which he defied President Trump until now, as much as I'm surprised, because, yeah, he has -- this is the last, the fourth week that he has been trying to use force in Lebanon.

And according to some Israeli high rank officials who are briefed in what is happening behind the scenes in the decision-making process, this is in order to sabotage the agreement to make the whole agreement between the U.S. and Iran to collapse. And of course, he will be the one to be accused in doing that. I think now he's already accused of being -- in being trying to do so.

I think that what we saw in the last 24 hours in Lebanon, still, by the way, not clear what led to the killing of the Israeli force soldiers. One of the investigations is looking into a few different assessments. One of them is that this was a technical mishap in the tank that led to the explosion. So, it was not even a Hezbollah attack that led to this war -- at

least this day of fighting that ended with yet another explosion, and the postponement of the signing in Geneva. We should expect, I think, another wave of rage from the White House. And I think Netanyahu is maybe on the cross the junction, the hardest junction in his political career so far, where he needs to make a really, really tough call, and each one of them is worse than the other, basically.

NEWTON: Yeah, on one hand he's going to risk the wrath of Israeli voters, on the other, he will risk the wrath of Donald Trump, and the president has been quite blunt about what the consequences of that will be. Ronen Bergman, thank you so much. It is just after 08:30 there in Tel Aviv.

And as we said, we are going to await more developments there from the region. And we'll be right back with more news in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:40:00]

NEWTON: And just into CNN, Lebanese state media reports an Israeli air strike in southern Lebanon has killed at least five people. That's despite Israel and Hezbollah agreeing to renew a ceasefire on Friday. Israeli war planes and drones reportedly carried out a series of strikes, destroying residential buildings and homes.

U.S. President Donald Trump has urged Israel to stop the fighting as it threatens to derail peace talks with Iran. Friday's group stage matches delivered another day of thrilling World Cup action. Morocco beat Scotland one-nil in Boston after scoring in the first two minutes of play.

Scotland tried for an equalizer, but couldn't break through Morocco's defenses. Brazil captured their first win of the tournament, beating Haiti three-nil in Philadelphia, despite an admirable effort from Haiti in that second half. And Paraguay defeats Turkey one-nil. That was minutes ago at their game in San Francisco.

That means Team USA has now won their group. CNN's Andy Scholes has a look at Team USA's exciting win over Australia as they continue their World Cup winning streak.

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Team USA is now on to the knockout rounds of this World Cup. After another incredible performance here in Seattle, this was a very physical game against Australia, but Team USA dominated possession, and for the first time since the World Cup moved to having three group stage matches, the U.S. has won their first two.

[01:45:00]

And the big question coming into this match was going to be, how would the team fare without star Christian Pulisic? He was ruled out with that injured calf, but no Pulisic, no problem for Team USA. Folarin Balogun was just awesome once again. He didn't score, but he did create the chance in the 11th minute that resulted in an own goal, the U.S., the first team ever to get own goals to start their first two matches at a World Cup.

Then Alex Freeman, the son of Former Packers wide receiver Antonio Freeman, he had an awesome header for a goal. It was originally called offsides, but then VAR said it was in fact a goal, which had the whole stadium just erupt and going nuts. Australia did have some chances in the second half of this one, but U.S. was able to put up a clean sheet and win two-nil, and the team is now riding high as they have advanced to those knockout stages.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FOLARIN BALOGUN, PLAYER OF TEAM USA: I'm confident, you know, you know, two games in the World Cup, you know, the fans are helping us to be confident as well, not just me, but the whole team, and yeah, you know, I'm delighted that I'm looking forward to each game, you know, just playing in front of the fans.

ALEX FREEMAN, PLAYER OF TEAM USA: We should be very proud of how we played, and, and to be able to get our first clean sheet, you know, in a while, especially our first one in the World Cup. I think it just means so much to us, and I think we're passionate about, you know, keeping the team sheets in that situation. So, I think for us, we'll be happy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: The atmosphere here in Seattle was just electric. The U.S. men are now a perfect 7 and 0 playing in this stadium, and it was just a party in the streets as everyone was leaving. And I spoke to a lot of those fans who are daring to dream after another impressive performance.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That was unbelievable. They look -- they're looking so good, man. They came out great today. They hit it, and Australia didn't know what had it coming.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm starting to believe. I think we're pretty dominant. I think we're dangerous.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think they have a really good chance of winning this whole thing.

SCHOLES: The whole thing?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The whole thing. Quarter finals for sure.

SCHOLES: OK.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- double stick.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I got to say all the way.

SCHOLES: All the way?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All the way.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: USA, all the way, red, white, and blue. You know what I'm saying, no matter what, let's go.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: Yeah, all those fans just so excited, and Coach Mauricio Pochettino, he actually credited those fans with helping the U.S. secure a victory here in Seattle. And now the next chance for those fans to root on Team USA is going to be when they close out group play against Turkey Thursday in Los Angeles.

NEWTON: Now, Cape Verde has become an unexpected fan favorite in this World Cup. In the tiny African nation's tournament debut, goalkeeper Vozinha earned player of the match after shutting out heavily favored Spain and making an incredible seven saves. That was days after his heroic effort on the pitch.

Vozinha got some good news. His mom arrived in Miami on Friday after finally receiving a U.S. visa, that allows her to watch her son play in the World Cup in Cape Verde's second game of the tournament on Sunday against Iroquois. OK, still to come for us, the beautiful game of football is helping some grieving fathers cope with unspeakable loss. We'll hear their stories after the break.

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[01:50:00]

NEWTON: Football or soccer is often called the beautiful game, whether it's the World Cup or just a local kick about it's part of the highs and lows of everyday life. And, as Christina Macfarlane reports, it's helping some fathers cope with one of life's most devastating losses, the death of a child. This is the story of Forget-Me-Knot FC.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTINA MACFARLANE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): This is Steve and the snow globe that got him through his darkest hour. The loss of his twins still born after years of IVF.

STEVE JACKSON, MEMBER OF FORGET-ME-KNOT FC (voice over): It says if tears could build a stairway and memories alone. I'd walk out to heaven and bring you home again.

MACFARLANE (voice over): Steve is one of dozens of men powerfully bonded here by the crippling pain of child loss. Twice a month in the north of England, they talk through their grief. It's a rare and remarkable safe space.

JACKSON: This is Teddy. This is something that my mother-in-law brought around on the day that she was born, and on the day that we lost her, and she said every little girl should have a teddy.

MACFARLANE (voice over): 10 years ago, Anthony's daughter, Poppy, died during pregnancy.

ANTHONY SUTCLIFFE, MEMBER OF FORGET-ME-KNOT FC: There is nothing more masculine than a group of lads sitting around crying, hugging each other, supporting each other. That's manly.

MACFARLANE (voice over): Football has given these men a reason to be here, perhaps a way in the door without admitting vulnerability or weakness.

NICK BAMFORD, MEMBER OF FORGET-ME-KNOT FC: I'll be honest with you, if it wasn't football, I never would have made the phone call, sent the message, kind of thing, but yeah, the football was our thing.

MACFARLANE (voice over): Nick's son, 10-year-old Jayden, died after a long battle with cancer 18 months ago.

MACFARLANE: What has it been like sharing your story with these guys?

BAMFORD: Them all hearing what I've been through, and me hearing what they've been through? Do you realize you're not alone with this.

MACFARLANE (voice over): That's exactly what Founder Sean Coleman hoped for when he started the club last year.

SEAN COLEMAN, FOUNDER OF FORGET-ME-KNOT FC: It's OK to grieve, it's no stigma, and that's what trying to break back the stigma of men's grief, men's mental health, and they've lost itself. It's all stigmas that need to be broken.

MACFARLANE (voice over): While we're there, the team receive a message from Premier League player and local Aaron Ramsdale. His wife, Georgina, miscarried on a flight home following England's 2022 World Cup campaign.

AARON RAMSDALE, SOUTHAMPTON FC GOALKEEPER: Yeah, I thought I'd give you a message and just say, well done, and we're all in different situations, but when things like this happen, we're all in the same boat.

[01:55:00]

MACFARLANE (voice over): Support from players like Aaron is a small step towards Forget-Me-Knot FC's new goal, expanding from Port Vale Football Club to other professional football clubs across the UK, something Aaron Way is trying to spearhead while navigating his own pain.

Last year, Aaron and his wife, Jemma, suffered the tragic loss of their baby girl during labor. Here in the place where Willow should have been. Precious memories spent with her are cherished.

JEMMA HALL, LOST BABY DURING LABOR: We haven't got Willow. We weren't able to watch her change or grow. The only things we have got are those memories from the time that we had with her. She is our daughter. She lives in everything that we do. MACFARLANE (voice over): In the darkest months of their lives, Aaron

said the club pulled him out of a spiral of gambling and depression and enabled them as a couple to try again for a baby.

AARON WAY, MEMBER OF FORGET-ME-KNOT FC: Without having Forget-Me-Knot and having the dads that are involved and especially like the likes of Sean who helped set it up. I don't actually think I'd be here in all honesty, but it's also to know that you're around like-minded men that have gone through exactly the same journey.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: And I want to thank you for watching. "The Story is", I'm Paula Newton. The news continues right here on CNN, after a quick break.

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