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Sources: U.S. Likely Hit Iranian School Due To Outdated Intel; Millions In Southeast Under Tornado Watch, Two Killed In Midwest; Energy Secretary Chris Wright On Iran War And Oil Prices. Aired 7:30- 8a ET

Aired March 12, 2026 - 07:30   ET

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

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[07:30:22]

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: All right, the breaking news this morning, oil prices on another rollercoaster ride after this brand new video just into CNN appearing to show the moment one of two tankers was struck by Iran in the Persian Gulf. At least four other ships are also attacked in just the past couple of days, and fuel depots in Bahrain and Oman on fire as Iran ramps up attacks on U.S. allies in the region.

The Strait of Hormuz, where about 20 million barrels of oil normally passes each day, effectively shut down. Oil prices topped $100 a barrel again overnight before easing down into the low 90s despite pledges from the U.S. and International Energy Agency members to tap into the reserves.

CNN's Oren Liebermann is live this morning in Tel Aviv. What can you tell us is the latest on these strikes on energy targets?

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF: Sara, this is very much Iran's asymmetric warfare playing out in real time. They have little capability to stop U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran itself, including in the capital of Tehran but this is what they can do, and this is what they've prepared for.

First, to the waters of Iraq where Iran carried out strikes on two oil tankers. And you can see the video there. Flames and smoke pouring out of what for Iran is a soft target -- something they can strike with either ballistic missiles or much more likely simply one-way attack drones targeting vessels, targeting oil tankers, so possible that we'll see more of these.

Then to Bahrain where a fuel depot is on fire. Firefighters there trying to douse the enormous flames that again you see in the video there from another one of these targets that Iran is lashing out at across the region. And then in Oman, the Salalah facility there -- another fuel facility where Iran was able to carry out a strike.

And this is what they have vowed to do using their arsenal of one-way attack drones to target these, not only going after U.S. facilities in the region but also these targets that have an immediate impact not only in the Gulf but across the region as we see the price of oil spiking -- again, not only in the Middle East but across the world here. This is what Iran has prepared, and this is what Iran vows will keep on coming as the price of oil goes higher and higher.

Meanwhile, U.S. Central Command, which governs U.S. military operations in the region, putting out a video of their own strikes, carrying out strikes against what you see an aircraft there on the tarmac in Iran.

So this is the U.S. and Iran working their way down an extensive target list but Iran responding and not only targeting U.S. facilities but also going after fuel facilities as well knowing full well the affect it will have on the world itself on the price of fuel, and on effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz which is again part of what's causing that spike in prices.

SIDNER: Yeah. Iran hitting the world where it hurts the most economically but also hurting itself in the process.

Thank you, Oren Liebermann, for your reporting there from Tel Aviv -- Kate.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Also new details coming in overnight on the deadly strike that hit an Iranian elementary school. Sources say that the U.S. was likely responsible, mistakenly hitting the school due to outdated intelligence about a nearby naval base.

President Trump was asked about this reporting by CNN's Kristen Holmes.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: You report that the military investigation has found it was the United States that struck the school.

DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I don't know about it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: Iranian state media says at least 168 children and 14 teachers were killed in that strike.

CNN's Jennifer Hansler has the very latest and has some very important reporting on this as well. Tell us more about what you're learning, Jennifer.

JENNIFER HANSLER, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT REPORTER: Well Kate, according to two sources who have been briefed on the preliminary findings of this ongoing investigation, U.S. Central Command seems to have used this outdated intel from the defense intelligence agency to compile its strike list, therefore leading to the U.S. hitting the school. Now these sources say that this was outdated intelligence that was provided as part of those strikes on February 28. This was the first day of that war where they were targeting an IRGC base on Iran.

Now back in 2013, satellite images showed that the school and the base were part of the same compound, but three years later images showed that a fence was constructed between the school and the base. And fast-forward Kate to 2025 and there was imagery showing dozens of people seemingly wandering around a courtyard on that school.

[07:35:00]

Now the defense intelligence agency said that there is an ongoing investigation. They pointed to the Pentagon. CENTCOM declined to comment due to that ongoing investigation. But all of this, Kate, points to this mounting evidence that the U.S. was behind this deadly strike that Iranian state media killed upwards of 200 civilians.

Now the president has obfuscated and pushed blame and suggested that Iran was behind this attack despite images showing U.S. tomahawks being behind that deadly attack. Take a listen to some of what he's said over the past couple of days.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: No. In my opinion and based on what I've seen, that was done by Iran. We think it was -- we think it was done by Iran because they are very inaccurate, as you know, with their munitions. They have no accuracy whatsoever. It was done by Iran.

I will say that the tomahawk, which is one of the most powerful weapons around, is used by -- you know, is sold and used by other countries. Numerous other nations have tomahawks. They buy them from us. But I will -- certainly whatever the report shows I'm willing to live with that report.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANSLER: Now, of course, Kate, the U.S. has not taken responsibility as this ongoing investigation plays out. But it if does bear out that the U.S. was behind it, as evidence seems to be pointing, this would be an incredibly deadly civilian accidental strike here, Kate.

BOLDUAN: Yeah.

Jennie Hansler, you're the best. Thank you for your reporting as always. I really appreciate it -- John.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, with us now is CNN political and global affairs commentator Sabrina Singh, and retired Army Brig. Gen. Steve Anderson.

And friends, I want to just bring people up to speed about what happened overnight. These are images of that tanker off of Iraq ablaze -- simply on fire. Iraq shut down its oil terminals as a result. And it's just one of several hits in the region. That was off the coast of Iraq right there in Bahrain. An oil depot on fire all night there. And on the southern coast of Oman there was a strike on the docks there during -- on a fuel facility. So General, my question to you. Obviously, this has to do with control of the Gulf, control of the Strait of Hormuz there. The United States -- President Trump has said the Navy could escort tankers in and out, could provide security, but why haven't they? Why haven't they helped ships get in and out of the Gulf? Is it safe to do that?

BRIG. GEN. STEVE ANDERSON, U.S. ARMY (RET.): Well, thank you, John, for having me. And the answer is no, it's not safe right now. I mean, buckle up because this is going to get worse before it gets better.

I mean, they have -- the Iranians have enormous asymmetric threats as Oren was reporting earlier. They've got all these mines they could put out there -- perhaps 5,000. They've got ballistic missiles they could fire still. They have 120 launchers now with cluster munitions that they demonstrated.

They have air, sea, and underwater drones. Remember what happened to the Russian fleet in the Black Sea by the Ukrainians. That was all drones.

They have home-built cruise missiles now. Again, back to the Ukrainians, they sunk the battleship the Moskva, the mighty Russian battleship.

They've got suicide speedboats. Think about the USS Cole 26 years ago in Yemen. I mean, just -- they ran a suicide speedboat loaded with explosives into the USS Cole and damn near sunk it.

There's -- so there's lot of things and that's why the insurance underwriters are very scared and that's why it's a very dangerous mission to conduct escorts right now in the oil -- in the Strait of Hormuz. And the United States needs to think about -- very, very hard about what they can do to degrade the asymmetric threats that are -- that are -- exist right now on the coastline.

BERMAN: And this is obviously the region we're talking about right here. We have another look -- basically, a more or less live look at what's going on in the strait. You can see this is a 20-mile stretch. The shipping lane is only two miles. But there's nothing here, right? You can see ships backed up here. And then if we expanded the map, you can see there are all kinds of ships back up here, but nothing really passing through.

And Sabrina, if we take another bigger step back here, we have these mixed messages from President Trump about the war is. He says it's very nearly complete, it's basically over, but then says there's still more work to do. And if it's basically over what happens if it ends with Iran basically shutting down the Gulf?

SABRINA SINGH, CNN POLITICAL AND GLOBAL AFFAIRS COMMENTATOR, FORMER PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY: I think that is a big fear. And so the president's messaging on this is really important. And unfortunately, this administration has been all over the place when it comes to is this about regime change? Is this about letting the Iranian people take control and their power back, or is this about, you know, a larger regional effort to dismantle the nuclear capabilities of Iran? At the end of the day Iran is trying to inflict as much pain in the region and you're seeing it right now play out with $100 a barrel of oil now. You know, the price is continuing to fluctuate. But I think Americans are seeing it here at home at the gas pump.

[07:40:00]

So how this war ends -- I mean, that strait not only is going to -- not just going to reopen right away.

But I think what's also important to note is you're having countries like Saudi, Oman, Bahrain actually have to turn off their oil production facilities and it's not easy to turn back on. It's not like water coming out of a faucet. It is wells that are going to take time to get back online. So even if this war ends tomorrow that does not mean that Americans are going to see their gas prices go down at the pump immediately. It's going to take a lot of time to bring those prices back down.

BERMAN: Yeah. Oil right now hovering a little bit above $90 a barrel. It had crossed that $100 a barrel plateau at one point overnight. Still, above $90 is a level that does tend to make politicians pretty nervous, to be sure.

I want to go back out to the regional map here. And again, we've seen all kinds of continued strikes, General, inside Iran still and on Lebanon. Hezbollah forces in Lebanon largely fueled by Israel, which gets to the question.

Again, if President Trump wants to wind down this war soon, and we're not 100 percent sure he does, are his objectives in line with Israel's objectives? Is Israel as intent on ending this soon as the United States might be?

ANDERSON: Well John, that's probably a very good question. I mean, there's going to be three components to ending this war. I mean, the United States -- I have no doubt that one day, no matter it be an hour from now or a week nor or a month from now, President Trump will declare total and complete victory no matter what the outcome. But the war is not going to end until the Israelis stop.

And, of course, the enemy has a vote, Iran. And as we've seen right now, they are doing everything they can to expand the war. Now it looks like there are threats that are existing now from some of their proxies. Hezbollah has fired over 1,000 missiles now at the -- at Israel.

The Houthis could very well get involved. They could shut down the strait Bab al-Mandab that -- where 12 percent of the world's commerce exists.

The Iraqis -- there's a large contingent of Iranian supporters in Iraq that could wreak havoc. They already have. They've attacked an oil refinery.

And, of course, there's a wildcard, the Russians. The Russians are now providing intel. They're helping out with the drone warfare. They could continue to provide assistance to Iran.

So this war is not getting smaller; it's getting bigger -- and any talk about ending soon I think is premature.

BERMAN: Gen. Steve Anderson, Sabrina Singh, thank you both this morning. I appreciate it -- Sara.

SIDNER: All right. Ahead, deadly storms shift east after tearing through the Midwest. What you need to watch out for.

And a would-be thief chose the wrong car. It was owned by a defensive tackle. You can imagine what happened next.

Those stories and more ahead.

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[07:47:00]

SIDNER: At this hour millions of people in parts of the southeast are now under a tornado watch.

A married couple in their 80s died in Indiana after a tornado swept through their home in Lake Village, Indiana. This is the path of destruction that the tornado caused in northeast Indiana.

Let's go to CNN meteorologist Allison Chinchar. What can you tell us is left of that storm and what are the dangers ahead?

ALLISON CHINCHAR, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Right. I mean, it's been a very potent last 36 hours as this whole line really kind of came together now. It kind of started off in really kind of chunks as it made its way east across the county, but there you really start to see that line develop as we head into the next few hours.

Here is a look at the last 36 hours -- over 400 total storm reports. That includes numerous wind and hail reports and several tornado reports as well. We still have ongoing tornado warnings at this moment -- five of them to be exact -- as you kind of slide up and down this line here extending from Macon all the way back down just east of Panama City.

This is also where we have tornado watches. Now they expire at different times. We've got this one in Alabama that will expire here in just a few moments, another hour or so for most of Georgia, and then we have a large section of South Carolina and portions of eastern Georgia that will go into 1:00 p.m. Eastern time this afternoon. And that's to follow that line of storms as it continues to move eastward over towards the Atlantic coast. And again, you've got some very strong to severe thunderstorms mixed in.

But yes, even notice a little bit pink on the northern side of that where we have that colder air that's really starting to push back in across the Appalachians. But it's not just there. Take a look farther north. You've got that western portion of that line all looking at that snow or even that wintry mix as we head through the rest of the day. It's going to be first of a series of waves. Another one comes in bringing snow this weekend and then another one sliding into the Midwest this weekend and into the northeast as we head into early next week.

So you've got multiple systems here. And because there is colder air coming in behind that system all of that moisture is really going to be in the form of snow. So you've actually got some pretty significant snow totals here across not just the northeast but the Great Lakes and even into the Midwestern region. You're looking at widespread totals of about three to six inches in a lot of these places. Those higher elevations going to certainly get more of that.

That cold air is really going to linger across much of the eastern half of the country. And look at how far south that cold air dips on Tuesday. All of the heat is really going to be central focused over much of the western U.S. where we could even end up seeing several record temperatures broken.

The one bit of good news though, that will put a halt, at least temporarily, to the severe weather.

SIDNER: It is almost mid-March, and we are still talking about snow. I can't believe it, Allison. Thank you so much for your reporting -- Kate.

BOLDUAN: Breaking news this morning. Oil prices shot back up to over $100 a barrel over the -- overnight as Iran focuses more of its attacks on fuel -- tankers, fuel depots, infrastructure across the region. Just take a look at this video from Bahrain.

[07:50:00]

This morning the International Energy Agency is sounding new alarms saying the war in the Middle East is causing the "largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market." The main reason, oil has been stuck in the Middle East for more than a week because of right there what you're looking at -- the Strait of Hormuz. The IAE -- the IEA says the flow of crude and oil products through the Strait of Hormuz has reduced to a trickle.

Now President Trump is trying to blunt the impacts of this authorizing the release of 172 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. That's part of a broader release of a record 400 million barrels agreed to by 30 -- the 32-nation International Energy Agency.

Joining us right now is the energy secretary of the United States to talk about this, Chris Wright. Secretary, thank you for coming in.

Does this announcement about the drawdown of SPR and with the IEA mean the problem is solved in your view?

CHRIS WRIGHT, U.S. ENERGY SECRETARY: Oh, no, this does not mean it's solved. The problem is Iran's behavior, Iran's military, Iran's threatening for American troops, their neighbors, energy markets for 47 years. But the disruption of oil -- temporary disruption of oil through the Straits of Hormuz, that's what the Strategic Petroleum Reserve is for. So as we have a shortage of market coming through that avenue, we're going to bring oil to market through other avenues to get through a few weeks of a short-term dislocation and to get to a much better place on the other side.

BOLDUAN: You say a few weeks. That might be -- that's the view from the United States and maybe the president but as we've seen overnight Iran has a say in how long this goes on. Israel has a say in how long this goes on as well.

With the IEA's announcement of releasing a third of emergency reserves yesterday reaction overnight was oil went up over $100 again, the message being then that the only thing that matters is Hormuz.

Can the United States declare victory and success with the Strait of Hormuz being reopened?

WRIGHT: Yeah, the Straits of Hormuz needs to be and will be reopened. The U.S. military is there for the -- is there to solve a long-term problem, which is Iran's had 47 years an ability to threaten the Straits of Hormuz. And not long from now Iran would have nuclear arms and a massive missile program surrounding that.

This was a can that could not be kicked down the road one more administration. We need to defang and we are defanging Iran's abilities to threaten American troops in the areas, its allies, its neighbors, and global energy markets.

So yes, you've got to go through short-term pain to solve a long-term problem. This is bold leadership of President Trump. This is what the world needs.

BOLDUAN: But understanding this going in, the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve was about half-ish, I'll say, full when the war started. The president had campaigned, Secretary, on refilling the strategic reserve right up to the top, his words.

Why go to war in the Middle East with a depleted emergency reserve?

WRIGHT: Well, number one, as we bring this oil out it will be exchanges. We'll pull out 170 million barrels and put over 200 barrels -- 200 million barrels back in at no cost to the taxpayer because the price of oil in the short-term is higher right now than the price of oil a year down the road. (INAUDIBLE).

BOLDUAN: But that doesn't alleviate the crisis today. You can only put back -- you can -- the flow rate can only be about two million, and that's being optimistic, barrels a day into the global system. So you've got a long time to untwist this problem no matter what.

WRIGHT: And, of course, this is in coordination with 30 countries.

The real issue right now is Asian refineries. That's where oil coming out of the Gulf goes to. So Japan is releasing at a much higher relative rate to their imports. It's the Asian refineries that we want to keep running and tamp down the price of oil to the extent we can through this few weeks' crisis.

President Trump's thinking long term. He's not thinking about next month, he's thinking about what's best for the American people, what's best for the American economy, and what brings safety to our troops in the region and brings prosperity to the Middle East. That is a troubled region that needs to have this one major problem fixed.

BOLDUAN: Secretary, the immediate focus is very clearly in some part and needs -- and likely becoming more a part of getting the Strait of Hormuz open.

The Biden administration -- when faced with threats to shipping in a different regard they formed a naval coalition with many countries to help protect shipping in the Red Sea when Iranian proxy -- when an Iranian proxy fired at ships.

Why aren't you doing the same here when success hinges on reopening the Strait of Hormuz?

[07:55:00]

WRIGHT: Well, we will and are doing the same thing. But right now all of our military assets are focused on degrading and destroying Iran's ability to threaten its neighbors, to threaten our troops. So we're destroying their ability to produce vessels, to produce a nuclear program, to produce weapons of all kinds. Not just their existing weapons, their ability to produce those weapons.

You will see the United States working with other nations to allow the return of traffic through the Straits of Hormuz. That's coming. We're less than two weeks into this 47-year-long conflict, so --

BOLDUAN: Yeah. But --

WRIGHT: -- yes, this --

BOLDUAN: -- I've heard from many a smart person that worked in previous administrations though if it was safe for the U.S. Navy to escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, they would be doing so right now.

WRIGHT: All of our military assets right now are focused on destroying Iran's ability to wage war and terrorize the neighborhood. When we can -- when we can afford some additional assets to move tankers through the Straits of Hormuz, we will do that. That's coming.

BOLDUAN: More ships were struck in the strait overnight. A tanker is on fire in the Port of Oman.

Added all up, are we in the midst of a severe global oil crisis, Secretary?

WRIGHT: We're in the midst of a significant disruption in the short term to fix the security of energy flow for the long term. BOLDUAN: We've seen Iran targeting refineries. Oil refineries -- oil

without refineries is basically worthless.

You mentioned China. Facing a global shortage, China is banning the export of refined products. Will the United States do the same in order to keep domestic prices down?

WRIGHT: Yeah. We have global markets in energy for products, for oil and all that. No discussion about doing that. No discussion about doing that.

BOLDUAN: The U.S. granted India a 30-day waiver to buy Russian oil because of the squeeze on global fuel supplies. At the same time we now know that Russia is providing Iran with intelligence about locations and movements of American troops, ships, air -- and aircraft.

Why does Russia deserve sanctions relief?

WRIGHT: Russia is not getting sanctions relief. All of that oil is oil on the water that's waiting in line to unload into China. All of that oil is going to be unloaded into China eventually; there's just a surplus of inventory. What does the world needs right now is oil in the short term. This is just expediting the flow of that oil into a refinery. It's going to an Indian refinery instead of a Chinese refinery.

These are the kind of pragmatic solutions we're using to get through these few weeks of tight energy supply.

BOLDUAN: And in these few weeks --

WRIGHT: The Trump administration is focused on results. Right.

BOLDUAN: And in these few weeks the question is how hard is the pain and how much are people going to have to endure? Gas prices are going up. Jet fuel prices are jumping and CEOs are threat -- saying that ticket prices are also going to go up.

Iran just said that the world should be ready for oil at $200 a barrel. We don't agree with Iran on anything, but do you agree that people need to be prepared for that?

WRIGHT: We're going through short-term energy disruption for just huge long-term gain. You're seeing Iran's behavior. They're attacking every country in the region.

BOLDUAN: Could that hit -- could short-term mean $200 a barrel?

WRIGHT: Um, could -- I -- um, I would say unlikely. But we are focused on the military operation and solving a problem. I'm not going to guess on short-term trading. That's based on psychology more than flows of oil. The world is very well-supplied with oil right now.

Thanks to President Trump's leadership we're by far and away the world's largest oil producer and by far and away the world's natural gas producer. Both of those are growing. We are --

BOLDUAN: But --

WRIGHT: We've been moving into an age of energy security and we're fixing the huge overhang on global energy security --

BOLDUAN: But --

WRIGHT: -- which is Iran's behavior and Iran's arsenal.

BOLDUAN: You talk about energy security. That's something you were talking about with me last time you were on here in September.

One focus of yours has been leading an effort to restart domestic uranium enrichment, which would help the U.S. break its dependence on Russia for that.

When you were here you said that the U.S. will have new enrichment capacity in the United States in two to three years. Do you stand by that timeline a new plant will be built in the next three years -- I guess, now 2 1/2 years?

WRIGHT: Well, we have a -- we have a plant right now in Ohio that's existing that's adding centrifuges. We have two new huge plants that will go under construction very soon. They may take more than three -- I mean, we'll have additional capacity coming on this year and a little more next year. Some bigger plants may be outside of that window.

But with our partners in Europe we will be able to move off Russian enriched uranium right in line with the law of Congress. We will no longer use Russian enriched uranium nor will Europe or most of the rest of the world.

So yes, America continues to strive ahead for energy independence certainly from our foes.

BOLDUAN: I'll be looking forward to seeing how that 2 1/2-year timeline looks and continue to cover your efforts on that front as well.

Secretary Chris Wright, thank you for coming in today -- John.