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Israeli Airstrikes Inside Beirut; At Least 95 Dead After Southeastern U.S. Ravaged by Helene; Hope in Gaza Fading as Attention Shifts to Lebanon. Aired 4:00-4:30a ET

Aired September 30, 2024 - 04:00   ET

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

[04:00:00]

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Israeli airstrikes inside the city center of Beirut, the closest to the city center so far.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There needs to be an effort to de-escalate here.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We've gone to stores, water's out, ice is out.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a devastating catastrophe of historic proportions. It's a life and death situation here.

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT, 2024 PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Crooked Joe Biden became mentally impaired. But Lion Kamala Harris, honestly, I believe she was born that way.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm not saying she's crazy. I'm saying your policies are batshit crazy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and a warm welcome to our viewers joining us from around the world. I'm Max Foster. It is Monday, September the 30th, 9 a.m. here in London.

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN ANCHOR: And it's 11 a.m. here in Tel Aviv. I'm Becky Anderson joining you from Israel. And we begin in the Middle East, where Israel says it has launched new airstrikes in eastern and southern Lebanon today.

The Israeli military says it targeted Hezbollah strongholds. Meanwhile, in Beirut, people are on edge after the first Israeli airstrikes overnight within the city limits. You can see the damage in this video from an attack near the city's Cola Bridge, which is a major intersection. CNN has reached out to the Israeli military for comment.

And this follows an intense barrage of strikes in Lebanon that began about a week ago. Lebanon's health ministry says the attacks on Sunday alone killed more than 100 people and wounded more than 350 others.

Israel confirms that it also carried out airstrikes more than 2,000 kilometers away in Yemen on Sunday. Video shot after a strike on a power station shows an inferno with emergency crews on the scene. Houthi-run television says at least four were killed there and 45 others wounded.

Israel's defense minister says the strikes in Yemen show that for Israel, quote, no place is too far. Well, senior international correspondent Ben Wedeman joining me now from Beirut. He is live at the scene of the airstrikes in the Lebanese capital -- Ben.

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Becky, those airstrikes took place at about 1 a.m. local time. The target was that flat in that building. And we understand that killed in that strike were three members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which is a Palestinian group that, frankly, hasn't been particularly active, certainly here in Lebanon in recent years. But they were three members of the group related to security and politics as well.

And we spoke to one of the people who lives in an adjacent building, who said he heard the missile come in and then heard the explosion. But he said he had no idea who was living in that particular flat and stressed that it's important at this point to know who's living in your building.

But, as you can see, there's still sort of the rubble spread all over the place. They have been trying to clean up the neighboring buildings. Now, yes, as we have pointed out, it is important to keep in mind that this is the first Israeli strike outside what is commonly known as a Dahiya. That's Arabic simply for suburb, but the southern suburbs in particular, where Hezbollah has a very strong presence.

This area, the Cola Bridge, is well known. It's a mixed area of various religious sects and others. So it does represent a broadening, or the first step, perhaps, in a broadening of Israel's campaign in Lebanon to not only include those who have been involved in hostilities in the border, but other groups, militant groups, Palestinian groups, who don't have a particularly active presence at this point in Lebanon -- Becky.

ANDERSON: These strikes described as targeted by the Israelis, can you describe firstly, very specifically, where you are? I think you've explained the significance of this very specific strike coming as it does within the city limits.

[04:05:02]

Can you just describe the impact on the Lebanese living in Beirut of these targeted attacks?

WEDEMAN: Well, what we've seen essentially since last Monday is that many people have left. In fact, almost all the inhabitants have left the southern suburbs of Beirut because the Israelis have put out specific warnings for certain buildings. And many people left those areas thinking that Dahiya, the southern suburbs, would be the target of Israel's airstrikes. Clearly, this is a message that they're going to spread those airstrikes beyond that area. And just to give you an idea where we are, this is right here, it's known as the Cola Bridge. Under it is a Lebanese army position.

This bridge takes you to the heart of Beirut, straight ahead. It's an overpass, normally very busy. And it's an area, as I said before, it is not, I think it has a Sunni Muslim majority, but there are Christians, there are others who actually live here.

So it's not an area affiliated or associated with any political group or activity. It's just sort of a normal area of a city that's very busy and has lots of traffic and shops and whatnot. But it is not of any sort of strategic, political or military significance, just significant, obviously, to the residents of Beirut, who fear that targets will be spreading to areas that, until now, they thought might be relatively safe -- Becky.

ANDERSON: Ben Wedeman at the site of that very latest attack there at the Cola intersection, as it is known. Thank you.

Well, U.S. President Joe Biden says he will speak with Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel soon. Biden says a wider war must be avoided and that the U.S. is taking precautions. This is some of what he said.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can an all-out war in the Middle East be avoided?

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It has to be. We really have to avoid it. We've already taken precautions relative to our embassies and personnel who want to leave. But we're not there yet, but we're working like hell with the French and many others to (INAUDIBLE). Thank you.

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ANDERSON: Meantime, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby says although the U.S. is not mourning the Hezbollah leader's death, they are mourning, quote, any loss of civilian life. The Pentagon says the U.S. will reinforce defensive air support capabilities in the region in the coming days. Kirby emphasizes the Biden administration believes de-escalation and a diplomatic path are the best way forward.

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JOHN KIRBY, WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COMMUNICATIONS ADVISER: I think what we would agree on is that there needs to be an effort to de-escalate here. Again, Israel has a right to defend itself and a responsibility to do so. I mean, Hezbollah under Mr. Netanyahu was a lethal threat to the Israeli people. They want to get their families back to those homes and kibbutz in the north. We want to see that, too. We believe and continue to believe that an all-out war with Hezbollah, certainly with Iran, is not the way to do that.

If you want to get those folks back home safely and sustainably, we believe that a diplomatic path is the right course.

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ANDERSON: Timour Azhari is the Iraq bureau chief for Reuters and reports on the entire region. Today, he is in Beirut and joins us from there. We've just been talking to Ben Wedeman, who is at the site of that latest strike. Targeted, it seems, against members of another militant group -- Palestinian militant group in Beirut.

Timour, just give us your assessment, firstly, of what you see very specifically going on in Lebanon at this point.

TIMOUR AZHARI, IRAQ BUREAU CHIEF, REUTERS: We've been going from one unprecedented situation to the other since the, you know, pager attacks that we had about two weeks ago. You know, a few days after that, the leader of Hezbollah came out and said that the group would continue fighting this battle, this support front with Gaza, no matter the consequences. And a week later, he was dead. He was killed in an Israeli airstrike on the Dahiya neighborhood.

And so, you know, we are in a completely unprecedented situation. This person, Secretary General Nasrallah, he was larger than life. He was larger than Lebanon. He turned this group from a scrappy resistance movement in the south to a regional force, and now he's gone. And I think there will be a reckoning, not just in Lebanon, but across the region as a result of this.

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This leaves a power vacuum in the group. It leaves a power vacuum in Lebanon. It leaves a power vacuum in Iran's network of regional allies that has worked so hard to craft over all the years. So I think we're at the beginning of this.

And again, we're going to see this unfolding over weeks. The Israelis say they're going to keep going. The U.S., while saying that it wants a ceasefire, also says it supports Israel's action in taking out Nasrallah, but also in defending itself. And it says, ultimately, it would like to see a ceasefire. And that statement from Joe Biden, I believe yesterday or the day before, well, ultimately means in the end. And I don't think we're at the end yet.

ANDERSON: Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that there is no place in the Middle East that the strong arm of the Israeli military cannot reach. That reflected by the strikes on Houthis, an Iran-backed or allied group that has got itself involved in attacks on Israel, a strike in Yemen by the Israelis overnight. There are units in Iraq, for example, who have threatened retaliation for the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah.

And you've seen claims of sympathy from groups around the region for the assassination of the Hezbollah leader.

At this point, as the Americans appeal for de-escalation and a diplomatic solution to what is going on, do you think there is any chance of that any time soon, as Israel in its defense says it is restoring its security?

AZHARI: Again, the Israeli prime minister says that they are continuing. We've seen these diplomatic efforts first in Gaza, international calls for a ceasefire, including in Washington. And here we are a year later and there is no ceasefire.

And I think we see a lot of echoes of Gaza currently emerging in Lebanon. This, you know, ceasefire process that critics say is essentially a fig leaf for an ongoing operation.

Meanwhile, the emphasis sort of turns to dealing with the humanitarian situation in Lebanon. We have a million people displaced. It's about a quarter of the population. Just by my house here, there are people sleeping in a park. They have been for days. The needs are incredible. The Lebanese state was already failing before any of this happened.

And so, yes, I mean, I think that the Israeli operation continues. We had airstrikes throughout yesterday, all across the country, dozens of people killed, many of them people who were already displaced from other locations and were seeking refuge in other locations. I think it continues.

ANDERSON: Timour, what is the risk of a further destabilized Lebanon at this point? A country already on the verge of collapse, neighboring Syria, which has undergone, you know, more than a decade of conflict, near collapse as well. Just for the benefit of our viewers, a further destabilized Lebanon means for the people of Lebanon and the wider region.

AZHARI: I mean, for the Lebanese, it means a huge amount more suffering. You know, after the economic crisis that happened a few years ago, the country was starting to pick itself up a little bit. You had a little bit of movement, a few businesses really just trying to eke it out, not due to any help from the government, which has been absent.

But they, you know, were trying to get back on their feet. And so, I think what we're seeing already is a new wave of displacement. People leaving, you know, people with kids in the country are putting them abroad. People are looking for options, looking for work. And you've also seen, incredibly, more than 50,000 people leave from Lebanon towards Syria. Again, not a stable country, a place that's been at war for a very long time.

But that just shows you the, you know, scale of the suffering here and of the fear that many people have. So, you're looking at a more destabilized Lebanon. And the question that comes out here is, can this Lebanese state that has failed for so long, can it rise out of this situation and craft a way forward?

You had a government meeting a couple days ago that I went to, and people were really expecting to see some kind of political decision, some kind of stance, some kind of measures that would address, you know, the scale of what the country is seeing, terrifying daily bombardment. And there were no decisions made. Till now, this is being treated as a humanitarian crisis. The Lebanese

government is getting aid from abroad. And that seems to be all it can do. All eyes are on Hezbollah, really, still, because it remains the most powerful force in Lebanon.

We will be looking to whether, you know, who leads the group in the future. And many people will also be looking to see how strong the group remains in the aftermath of this.

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ANDERSON: Yes, very much embedded in Lebanese politics and society, of course. Timour Azhari, thank you very much, indeed, joining us from Beirut today -- Max.

FOSTER: Becky, thank you.

U.S. President Joe Biden, meanwhile, planning to visit communities devastated by Hurricane Helene later this week. At least 95 people are dead after high winds, torrential rain and flash flooding ripped through the southeastern U.S..

Even more are missing or unaccounted for, which could be due to breakdowns in communication. Groups like the Florida National Guard are working quickly to rescue residents and animals alike and have made more than 300 rescues so far. The most pressing concern for residents in cities like Asheville, North Carolina, is where to find dwindling supplies.

Catastrophic flooding is still an issue there, with much of the city underwater. Justin Berger with our affiliate in Madison County, North Carolina, with more now on the destruction that Helene has left behind.

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JUSTIN BERGER, WLOS REPORTER: Madison County continues picking up the pieces following Helene's destructive path through western North Carolina. This is downtown Hot Springs behind me, and you can see crews working to remove debris. Roadway is completely buckled.

Downtown Marshall looks very similar to this. The devastation is almost indescribable. Hot Springs --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When I saw this, I broke out in tears, man.

[Speaker 11] BERGER (voice-over): -- and Marshall.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just takes my breath away. You know, it's been here for so long.

BERGER (voice-over): Two mountain towns destroyed.

DAVID WAGNER, HOT SPRINGS BUSINESS OWNER: We watched it from the edges happen. Watch the water come push through these walls, take out buildings and move them entire, like, areas over.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There are holes in the floors of buildings. City Hall, the floor is, it's buckled. Just all the buildings up and down the street are just destroyed.

BERGER (voice-over): Main Street in Marshall is covered in mud. The shoreline is unrecognizable.

AARON HAYNIE, MARSHALL, NORTH CAROLINA MAYOR: We'll build back and make things, make things better for our town.

BERGER (voice-over): One business owner tells us water rose seven feet high in her shop.

HAYNIE: It's been devastating to the town of Marshall. As many bad things as I have seen, I've seen a lot of good things in recent days with people helping people, strangers hugging strangers.

BERGER (voice-over): Robin Smith was running low on oxygen in Hot Springs. Her community came together.

ROBIN SMITH, HOT SPRINGS RESIDENT: Somebody actually hacked the bottle in. So I'm very thankful for that.

BERGER (voice-over): Marshall's Mayor Haynie says if you need resources in Madison County or want to drop off items for others, you can do so at Madison High School.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The face of Hot Springs is never going to be the same again, but that doesn't mean that Hot Springs will not be the same. Our community will be the same. We've come together and this is going to make us stronger.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Keep us in your thoughts. Don't forget Little Marshall. Build back.

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FOSTER: While some North Carolina residents have complained about the local government response, the state's Governor Roy Cooper told CNN his main concern is helping those in need.

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ROY COOPER, NORTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR: Our number one priority right now is getting people out and getting supplies in. The biggest problem is getting to them because more than 280 roads are closed. Many counties and areas where people are landlocked.

Cell phones and internet service is down. So we know there are a lot of families and friends that are worried about people and there have been about a thousand requests for that. Dial 2-1-1 to report if you are looking for someone.

But we've been pushing the cell phone companies and they've been working very hard. We've been finding ways to help them get in to get cell phone service back up. That is beginning to make progress and coming back.

The more of the cell phones come back, the more we will know where people are and what the situation is. The same with power. In the meantime, food and water is critical because people are cut off and it's very difficult and it's not impossible to get trucks into some of these places. So we're having to do it by air.

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FOSTER: Still to come, Kamala Harris's West Coast swing brings in millions, whilst Donald Trump hits key battleground states.

Plus, civilians in Gaza The world is forgetting their immense pain and suffering as the Israel-Hezbollah war ramps up.

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ANDERSON: Well, an update now on the situation in the Middle East. Israel has launched new airstrikes in eastern and southern Lebanon. The Israeli military says it targeted Hezbollah strongholds.

In the city of Beirut, the first Israeli airstrikes within city limits. This video is from an attack near the city's Cola Bridge, a major intersection there. CNN has reached out to the Israeli military for comment.

Well, CNN's Paula Hancocks live in Abu Dhabi with more on what is happening -- Paula.

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, we're certainly seeing the airstrikes in Beirut focusing further inwards towards the inner city of the capital, and that has many on edge.

Now, when we heard several weeks ago, earlier this month, from the Israeli defense minister that the shift of focus was going to be on the northern border, that the military pivot was going to be towards Lebanon and Hezbollah, many residents in Gaza can be forgiven for believing that that would mean that things on the ground there would be easing somewhat. It doesn't, though, appear to have been the case.

[04:25:02]

Now, in this report, I must warn you there are scenes which you may find disturbing.

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HANCOCKS (voice-over): Another week of hell in Gaza. A mother and her four children were killed when their home in Al Bureij was hit by an Israeli airstrike. Their uncle said it happened at 3 a.m. They were killed while they slept. Another strike at a school sheltering displaced in Nuseirat camp killed a couple and their five-year-old child. Israel said it was a precise strike targeting Hamas operatives.

A man staying nearby says these are the remains of the missile. They were innocent and displaced, sleeping in this little room.

The next day, a drone strike in Nuseirat killed two children and 20- year-old twin men. Their father says they were sitting by the front door looking at their phones. They were born together and killed together, he says.

Children playing in the street were rushed into hospital. We have asked the IDF what the target of this strike was.

One little boy is treated on the hospital floor next to the body of a deceased man. No dignity allowed in life or death for the residents of Gaza. Dozens lost their lives last week while thousands of miles away at the United Nations headquarters in New York, world leader after world leader called for the war in Gaza to end.

A U.S.-led proposal for a 21-day ceasefire on the Israel-Lebanon border is also intended to jolt a Gaza ceasefire if it happens. But it's a big if.

Families of hostages still held in Gaza worry the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah is overshadowing their cause. Residents of Gaza fear they're being forgotten by a world that has failed to end their suffering.

This man says, when the war on Beirut happened, we lost all hope. There's no focus on Gaza. It's barely mentioned.

This woman adds, Lebanon is full of our brothers and sisters. We stand in solidarity with them, but at the same time, we do not want the world to forget us.

This man says, I don't think Gaza is forgotten because of the war in Lebanon, because the two are connected. Hopefully, they'll be resolved together.

Since Hezbollah pagers started exploding in Lebanon two weeks ago, more than 360 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to the Ministry of Health. No breakdown of militants versus civilians, but hospitals filled with women and children tell its own story. Israel's shift in focus to its northern border feels no different on the ground in Gaza.

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HANCOCKS (on camera): Now Israel has in some ways been trying to decouple the two wars at this point, saying what is happening against Hezbollah is specifically to allow tens of thousands of residents to be allowed to move back to the border area, who had to leave back in October of last year. But many say it is impossible to decouple the two.

We've heard from Hezbollah in the past, over recent months, that if there is a ceasefire in Gaza, then there will be a ceasefire from Hezbollah as well -- Becky.

ANDERSON: Good to have you Paula, thank you. Paula Hancocks is in Abu Dhabi.

Well, still to come, Pope Francis is speaking out over Israel's mounting attacks on Lebanon, as fears of a wider war in the Middle East grow. More coming up. Stay with us.

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