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U.S. Central Command: Kuwait Mistakenly Shot Down Three U.S. Fighter Jets; Iran Launches Deadly Retaliatory Strikes Across Middle East; Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) On Today's Gang Of 8 Briefing On Iran Strikes. Aired 7:30-8a ET

Aired March 02, 2026 - 07:30   ET

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

[07:30:00]

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: We have now learned this morning U.S. Central Command says all six crew members aboard those jets -- they ejected, they were safely recovered and are in stable condition.

CNN geo located this video that appears to show an F-15 falling from the sky. That aircraft -- those aircraft were F-15 Strike Eagle fighter jets. The cause of the incident, of course, continues to be looked at.

But those jets are just some of the assets that the U.S. is deploying in the air as this war expands. The military is also using remotely- piloted MQ-9 Reaper drones. They carry Hellfire missiles and guided bombs. They are also using B-2 Stealth bombers valued at, just so you know, more than $1 billion each. The bombers usually fly out from an air base in Missouri with a crew of two.

Now let's get the very latest from our correspondents stationed in key -- in key cities. Clarissa Ward is on the Iranian border in Eastern Iraq. Let's start with you, Clarissa. What's happening there?

CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kate. Well, we are here at the border, as you mentioned. Today is the first day that there's some traffic going in and out. They are allowing Iranian trucks and Iranian citizens to go back into Iran and for Iraqis who may be on the other side of the border to come back in.

But I just want to play you some video of something pretty extraordinary. We just saw an Iranian Shahed drone literally flew over our heads. Take a look. And now -- sorry, there was supposed to be more of that video, but we'll get that to you later.

But they closed the border for a little while, then they reopened it. And now if you turn over here you can see these trucks are starting to move again. We spoke to one Iranian truck driver who told us that he was very scared about what's happening inside Iran but that he wanted to get back home as quickly as possible to be sure that he could get back to his family -- Kate.

BOLDUAN: Well, that's understandable. That's some amazing video we're getting that -- all brought in to show

that more of that video you and your team were able to get, Clarissa. We're going to be showing that for sure once we can turn that around. I really appreciate it, Clarissa, standing by in Iraq for us at the Iranian border.

Let's now get to Paula Hancocks. She's in Dubai, another key place to be watching right now. What's the situation there?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well Kate, we have been hearing interceptions overhead. Monday morning there were at least two interceptions we heard here in Dubai, in Abu Dhabi. An hour down the roads it's a very similar situation. And just in the last several minutes we have been hearing a number of fighter jets in the air. So there's certainly at this point no let up in the retaliation from Iran when it comes to these Gulf nations.

Now it is interesting. We're having figures through from Ministries of Defense talking about how much is being thrown from Iran towards these Gulf nations.

The UAE (the United Arab Emirates) is by far the highest tally. We -- these are figures from Sunday, the latest that they have published, and we know for a fact there's been more than this since then. They say there have been 165 ballistic missiles, two cruise missiles, 541 drones that have been fired from Iran towards the UAE. Now according to the MOD, they have intercepted more than 90 percent -- more than 92 percent of those, in fact. There are some very good air defense systems here, many of them in conjunction with the United States.

And what we're seeing as well is -- you know, this is Dubai. This is a very glitzy city. It's full of expatriates, of tourists. It is usually filled with traffic and it's buzzing.

It is like a ghost city at the moment. People are taking this shelter- in-place warning very seriously. All schools are virtual at this point. We have seen a number of shops that are shut -- not all of them though. At this point doctors are shut, and people just aren't out and about.

We know that many people are trying to figure out how to get out of here. I was at breakfast in the hotel this morning. I walked past three tables -- a British, a Russian, and another British all with their computers open trying to figure out how they could leave -- Kate.

BOLDUAN: Quite a situation where oh so many that you're seeing. Paula, thank you very much.

Let's now get to London. Salma Abdelaziz is standing by there. Salma, we heard some strong statements coming from the British prime minister this weekend. What are you hearing now?

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, and Britian is absolutely feeling the repercussions of this. Just a short time ago we heard that two drones that were fired at a British Royal Air Force base in Cypress were intercepted. And it appears that this is the second time that the space was struck because just last night, overnight, a drone did hit that base causing minimal damage and no casualties.

[07:35:15]

Now after that base was struck by a drone British officials said that they would work to evacuate families. So it's unclear if families were quite literally trying to leave that base as drones continue to come in this morning.

What is Britain's position so far? Well, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said that Britain will not get involved in what he described as offensive strikes on Iran. He drew back on the lessons of Iraq and said that Britain does not want to repeat those. But then in a recent statement he said that he would allow British bases to be used by the U.S. military for its operations.

Now there is great controversy in this country as to what level of involvement Britain should have. Regardless though, you are hearing officials ringing the alarm because they see what's happening in the Gulf -- what you just heard from our colleague Paula there. That regardless of your degree of involvement, regardless of trying to maintain some neutrality as it is, it can still become a target for Iran. That's why you hear some officials here saying that personnel and citizens of Britain could be subject to indiscriminate attacks from Iran.

We also heard on Sunday that Britain did shoot down a drone. It says it was a defensive action. So very much a country here that's trying to toe the line, trying to maintain a neutral position, but that has offered up its bases to the United States and is feeling the brunt of those actions, particularly in Cypress where that base right now is reeling from those attacks.

BOLDUAN: Hmm. There's a lot -- a lot unfolding there. Salma, thank you so much.

We'll continue this -- Sara.

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: All right.

Sources are telling CNN that the Trump administration is expected to brief top lawmakers on Iran this afternoon and brief the full Congress tomorrow. Many Democrats and some Republicans are angry over President Trump launching these strikes in Iran without congressional approval. The House and Senate are set to vote this week.

Joining me now is Congresswoman Suzan DelBene of Washington. She is the chair of the House Democrat's campaign arm.

First to you. Look, the president has made many different statements in phone calls. He has not yet taken questions on camera publicly but in phone calls to different reports, and there are conflicting statements. He said in one that this might go on for two to three days of strikes. Now he's saying three to four weeks -- or four to five weeks. He said the strikes were about ending Iran's nuclear program and then he also said it's to free Iran, which is ultimately regime change.

What questions do you need answered when he comes to Congress?

REP. SUZAN DELBENE (D) WASHINGTON: There are many questions. I mean, this is a serious military escalation without justification or explanation, especially to Congress. He must come to Congress. The president himself has called this a war, and he needs to come to Congress to get approval for that. So many, many questions.

This is very serious and no one disputes that Iran was a violent and repressive regime spreading terrorism around the world, but our service members lives are at risk and four service member's lives have been lost already and my heart goes out to their families and to those who have been injured.

This is an incredibly serious issue, and it needs to be treated seriously. The president needs to come to Congress. And, you know, we're going to hear from him -- you know, we're going to hear from folks in the administration tomorrow. This has been going on for days.

SIDNER: Yeah, it's been going on for days. Already service members have been killed and there are many innocent lives that have been taken in the region.

But President Trump used the word "war." He has already launched a war. This is what war looks like -- I mean, I think that we can make no bones about that -- but it is Congress' purview to be the ones that declare this. That didn't happen.

So what can Congress do now because we're in it?

DELBENE: Well, let's be clear. The president also said no forever wars. He, himself, said that he was going to lower costs for the American people. He said over and over -- made these commitments and they've been broken promise after broken promise to the American people.

There will be a war powers resolution on the floor, and we will be voting on that later this week making it very clear that he must come to Congress. But this should be something that's bipartisan. This should be something that members of Congress stand up together because this is so serious there needs to be a plan. There need to be clear objectives. The president needs to come to Congress and we need to have hearings and make sure that we have all the information given the vast consequences here and impacts that we're going to see.

How long will this go on? What is the -- what is the exit strategy? We have none of those answers. But the American people also want those answers, and they want a Congress that's going to stand up and not be a rubberstamp for Donald Trump.

[07:40:00]

SIDNER: I do want to ask you about this. You mentioned it a bit earlier -- alluded to it. There are Iranian Americans who suffered through this absolutely brutal regime and some Iranians inside Iran are cheering what has happened, especially in the killing of the supreme leader.

And so I am curious if you think that in the end that Trump did the right thing in that specific area where he took out the ayatollah.

DELBENE: Again, there has to be plan. There has to be clarity. There is no dispute about the violence that we had seen from the Iranian government -- from the regime -- but there still has to be a long-term plan. We do not help anyone. We do not help the Iranian people. We do not help our service members or folks in the United States if there's not a clear plan with clear objectives going forward and we have a conversation about that with Congress.

SIDNER: Already, several Americans have been killed and the president is saying -- he's warning that there will be likely more casualties.

What do you make of that? What is your message to the president right now?

DELBENE: Every single life -- the four lives that have been lost already, the service members who are at risk, this is incredibly serious. We should take every single one of their lives seriously and make sure that we are doing everything possible to have clear objectives to make sure we're doing everything we can to make sure that they are safe. We don't see -- have any clear plans and no justification, again.

The president said he would never do something like this. That he would never go into -- start in these forever wars. These are things he's railed against, and he has broken a promise to the American people. And the president needs to be talking to the American people, talking to Congress. There needs to be transparency about how we're moving forward.

SIDNER: Understood. Congresswoman, thank you so much for coming on this morning. We are in the midst of very serious times here and we'll see what he says when he speaks to you and see if you get any of your answers -- your questions answered by the president. Appreciate it -- John.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, one bit of breaking news just in to CNN. U.S. CENTCOM on social media just posted that a fourth U.S. service member has been killed -- a fourth now. This is an individual they suggest was wounded in the first round of retaliatory attacks from Iran but has now passed as a result of those wounds. So now, four U.S. service members have been killed in this conflict.

With us now is the deputy foreign minister of Iran, Majid Takht- Ravanchi. Deputy Minister, thank you for being with us.

President Trump has suggested that he is open to negotiations with Iran at this point. What room for negotiations do you see?

MAJID TAKHT-RAVANCHI, IRANIAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER: Good morning, John.

As you are aware, we have been under the United States and Israeli aggression for the last couple of days and they have committed a big crime in the midst of negotiations while we were in Geneva just two days before the attack against Iran. We were having serious negotiations with our counterparts through the mediation of the Omani foreign minister and then everybody was satisfied at the end of the meeting. And, in fact, we were supposed to send our technical teams to Vienna today, and then at the end of this week, we agreed to meet again.

So all of a sudden after the end of the meeting, just on Saturday, we faced, you know, a naked aggression being committed by the United States and Israel. How can they justify this? Why did -- delegates were satisfied with the -- with the negotiations and two days after they committed a big crime? How can one talk about, you know, diplomacy? Why they betrayed the diplomacy? Why did they betray, you know, the trust needed for diplomacy?

BERMAN: Who is in charge in Iran this morning?

TAKHT-RAVANCHI: Uh, you know, the Constitution speaks for itself. We have a president. We have head of judiciary. We have the head of Parliament. The supreme leader was assassinated -- was murdered by Israeli and American aggression. And now a council is in charge comprised of three people who is doing his job until the -- you know, the new leader is going to be elected. So everybody -- everything is in order.

BERMAN: As you mentioned, the strikes against Iran are being carried out by Israel and the United States. Why then is Iran striking back against the United Arab Emirates, against Bahrain, against Qatar, against Kuwait, against Jordan? Why stage these attacks?

[07:45:00]

TAKHT-RAVANCHI: No. First of all, we have good relations with our neighbors. Our policy towards our neighbors is quite clear. We want the best of relations with our neighbors.

At the same time before the aggression we informed our neighbors that if America or Israel engages in animosity against Iran, definitely, we will be in self-defense mode and we will target the American assets, the American military bases in the region, wherever they are located, because they are legitimate targets in accordance with Article 51 of the U.N. Charter. Therefore, whatever we are doing is to act in self- defense against American targets and American assets in the region.

BERMAN: Why is a hotel in Dubai a legitimate target?

TAKHT-RAVANCHI: You know, our policy remains the same. As I said, we attack military bases and miliary assets. If they move from one base to another, that is not our problem.

BERMAN: How about the Saudi oil fields just across the Gulf? Why is that a target?

TAKHT-RAVANCHI: Well, we are not responsible for that. We have -- we have already been in touch with our Saudi brothers, and we have talked about this issue. Iran is not -- is not responsible for the attack against the oil installations in Saudi Arabia. We have made it clear -- we have officially announced today that was not one of the targets of the Iranian Armed Forces.

BERMAN: But these other nations in the region, whether it be Kuwait or the UAE or Oman or Qatar, should they continue to expect Iranian attacks?

TAKHT-RAVANCHI: You know, as long as the aggression persists, we will be in a self-defense mode and we will act accordingly.

BERMAN: We have seen pictures from inside Iran of people celebrating the death of Ayatollah Khomeini. What is your reaction to those celebrations?

TAKHT-RAVANCHI: I'm sure that you have -- you have already seen the people pouring in the streets immediately after the announcement in the Iranian media about the demise of the supreme leader. So the people are mourning today in Iran and they are very angry. The atmosphere is very angry today in Iran about the naked aggression against the leader of the Islamic Revolution who has many followers not only in Iran but also in other Islamic countries. He's -- he was, you know, the leader of -- a religious leader of many -- of millions of Shiites.

BERMAN: But how do you explain the celebrations that we have also seen?

TAKHT-RAVANCHI: I don't know what you are talking about. But, you know, if you compare those with the people who have poured into the streets -- into the streets, I mean, the comparison speaks for itself.

BERMAN: How long can Iran hold out against the U.S. and Israeli attacks, which President Trump now says could last four or five weeks?

TAKHT-RAVANCHI: No. We will -- we will -- we will defend ourselves to the best of our ability. And, I mean, time is not of the -- of the essence. We will do whatever necessary to protect our sovereignty and our people no matter what.

BERMAN: Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi, we appreciate your time this morning. Thank you very much.

All right. We just heard from the deputy foreign minister of Iran saying that country can hold out. That time is not of the essence.

Now we are standing by. You can see live pictures here. For the first time since the U.S. and Israel launched these attacks, we will hear a briefing from U.S. officials. This will be a briefing at the Pentagon. Standing by for that.

Also, smoke billowing from an oil tanker in the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz. This 20-mile stretch -- 20 percent of the world's oil passes through that and now this key shipping lane for oil all but shut down.

(COMMERCIAL)

[05:53:55]

BOLDUAN: There's a live look inside the briefing room at the Pentagon. As you can see, all the reporters are gathering and they're getting ready. Two podiums -- lecterns set up right there. We are moments away from this briefing. We're going to be standing by to hear from the Defense secretary and the Joint Chiefs chairman, Gen. Dan Caine.

This is also just as Congress is urgently going to be heading back to Washington now to debate and vote on President Trump's war powers and what role Congress will play, should play, will play amidst this ongoing operation against Iran.

Joining me right now is the top Democrat in the House, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Leader, thank you for being here today.

REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES (D-NY): Good morning.

BOLDUAN: Um, an incredible chain of events that have happened in the last 48 hours and where we are in this moment. One thing we know is you're going -- you're a member of the Gang of 8 and you're going to be getting a briefing later this morning.

What is the biggest question you have going in that you want to -- are going to say must have answered by the time you come out?

JEFFRIES: Well, the administration has failed to provide any justification for these preemptive strikes. And so we'll continue to look for information that they owe the American people to suggest that there was intelligence indicating that Iran was prepared to strike the United States. Nothing has been presented to justify what has taken place up until this point and the administration has an obligation to be able to prove that.

[07:55:15]

BOLDUAN: Officials on Saturday said that there was intelligence that Iran could be -- could be preparing for a possible preemptive strike. It was contradicted on Sunday by other intelligence as reported to our sources. What you are saying is you have heard no reason for why Donald Trump ordered this strike now versus six months from now.

JEFFRIES: There's no indication that Iran had reconstituted its nuclear program. There's no indication that Iran was prepared to strike the United States preemptively or to strike any of our interests in the region. And there certainly is no justification for a regime change war.

The American people want us to focus on making their life better and making their life more affordable; not getting involved in another endless war in the Middle East that is going to end in failure. This administration somehow found the resources -- has found billions of dollars for bombs but can't find any money to actually bring down the high cost of living here in the United States of America. BOLDUAN: A couple of quick things. Four -- we've now -- CENTCOM has

now reported four U.S. service members have been killed in action. Do you know anything about that?

JEFFRIES: Uh, other than the public reports, nothing has been presented to us. But we mourn with the families of those slain American heroes. And not another single American life should be lost before Congress has had the ability to actually weigh in, which is our plan this week.

BOLDUAN: I'm going to get to that in just one second.

Obviously, you are from New York. New York always a target and a concern. The governor had announced that police are increasing their presence at several places, including religious and diplomatic sites in the city.

Honestly, Congressman -- Leader, how concerned should New Yorkers be about retaliation now?

JEFFRIES: Well, we should all be concerned. That's part of the problem -- that Donald Trump has launched this unauthorized war in the Middle East -- a very --

BOLDUAN: You think it is more dangerous in New York today than it was 48 hours ago?

JEFFRIES: I think it's fair to say. We'll see what is presented to us in the Gang of 8 briefing, but that's certainly going to be a point that we're going to continue to make.

How does this make any of us safer here in the United States of America launching this preemptive war against Iran that apparently is a regime change war that has no justification for it connected to the threats that were directed at American interests?

BOLDUAN: Tom Cotton, Republican chairman of Senate Intelligence -- he is obviously supporting this action and supporting the president's moves. And he told Dana Bash yesterday he expects the military operation be limited to striking missiles, missiles launchers, and ultimately, its missile manufacturing capability.

If it is limited to that, are you OK with it?

JEFFRIES: Well, that remains to be seen whether it's to be limited or not. I don't even understand the justification for what is taking place.

What we do know is we're seeing the beginning of an all-out war in the Middle East at the same period of time where Donald Trump and his administration, and Republicans, have cut more than a trillion dollars from Medicaid. Ripped away food in terms of nutritional assistance from hungry children, seniors, and veterans. And they're spending our taxpayer dollars to start another war in the Middle East that we know is not going to end well for the American people and that has already cost the lives of four American servicemen or women. BOLDUAN: You mentioned war powers. OK, so votes on war powers -- the

war powers resolution are expected this week in the House, in the Senate. You want to constrain the president's -- the president here, very clearly.

There are Democrats that are though supporting Trump's operation here, including Sen. John Fetterman. Let me play his reasoning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN FETTERMAN (D-PA): I'm open to a better opportunity for more peace and prosperity for the Iranian people. For more security that Israel deserves. So that's a point. And, you know, this was not an illegal war based on terms of what the War Powers Act is.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: He says based on war powers this is not an illegal war. You saw what?

JEFFRIES: Well, John Fetterman knows better.

Article 1 of the Constitution explicitly provides Congress with the authority to declare war, period, full-stop. And the framers of the Constitution made that decision because they were concerned about kings throughout time getting their people into unnecessary wars, impoverishing them or imperiling their very well-being by sending them off to a foreign conflict. And that's why the power was given explicitly to the House and to the Senate.

And Donald Trump chose intentionally not come before Congress, which is why we're going to force this vote on a war powers resolution and make sure that we do everything we can to constrain him at this point in time.

BOLDUAN: You need to get Republicans to come on board in order to do this very clearly. If you don't get Republican support that means what for Congress' role as you watch this play out?

JEFFRIES: Well, we know it's a bipartisan resolution to begin with.