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Biden Allows Ukraine To Use Long-Range U.S. Weapons In Russia; Attorney: Hegseth Paid Accuser But Still Denies Sexual Assault; Trump Determined To See Gaetz As Attorney General; Israeli Source: Some Progress Towards Lebanon Ceasefire. Aired 3-4p ET

Aired November 18, 2024 - 15:00   ET

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

[15:00:56]

ERICA HILL, CNN HOST: Top of the hour in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Erica Hill in for Jim Sciutto. Thanks for joining me this hour.

As we get you caught up on what is happening right now, let's look ahead. Nearly a thousand days now since Russia first launched its full scale invasion into Ukraine, and the terms and conditions of this war changing once again. President Biden has now authorized Ukraine to use American made weapons capable of striking deep inside Russia.

This is something, of course, that President Zelenskyy has long pleaded for. And while it has been under consideration for months, the decision comes as Biden prepares to of course, leave the presidency. Donald Trump will be taking over on January 20th, just 63 days from now.

The move also comes as Moscow has deployed 50,000 troops, including some North Korean forces, on the battlefield in Kursk. They're fighting to take back the Russian territory, which Ukraine seized over the summer. CNN senior international correspondent Fred Pleitgen joining us now from Moscow with more.

So how is the Kremlin responding to this decision from the U.S.?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Erica.

Yeah, yeah, pretty angrily as we're hearing from the Kremlin, but not just from the Kremlin. We've also been monitoring Kremlin controlled TV.

Some of the state TV networks, pretty angry reactions going on there as well. One of them accusing the Biden administration of extending the war in Ukraine, as they put it, a war they say that Trump wanted to end as quickly as possible. As one of the hosts put it, you also have the spokeswoman for the foreign ministry who actually just came out a couple of minutes ago and said this changes the very nature of the war in Ukraine, and that also the response from the Russians will be felt.

Now, we haven't heard any details as to what exactly the Russians plan to do, but from the Kremlin as well. The spokesman for the Kremlin, Dmitry Peskov, he came out earlier today and he accused the Biden administration of, as he put it pouring oil into the fire of the Ukraine conflict. Obviously, also accusing the Biden administration of allegedly extending the war in Ukraine. Of course, the administration itself says that it was the Russians who started that fire in the first place, as the administration put it.

But if we look at the arguments that the Russians are making, they really are twofold. On the one hand, they say that or Vladimir Putin has said, I should say, over the past couple of weeks that the Russians believe that strikes with the weapons, like the ones we've been talking about, those ATACMS surface to surface missile systems from the United States that we've been seeing launch on our screens right there from some of that video he believes that that would not be possible to launch those deep into Russia without the support of the country that provided those weapons, in this case of course, the United States.

And so therefore, the Russians have said that if these weapons are used to strike deep into Russian territory, that then the Russians will consider that to be a strike coming directly from NATO or directly from the United States. Now, of course, the Russians have drawn red lines in the past when new weapons systems were delivered to the Ukrainians, or they were allowed to use them in different ways.

But in this case, of course, we know Erica weeks ago changed the very nuclear doctrine of this country for such a scenario where they say that if Russia is attacked by a non-nuclear state with long distance weapons, but with the assistance of a nuclear state, like, for instance, the United States, that the Russians could then answer with nuclear weapons themselves. Of course, we're very far away from that right now. Nevertheless, the Russians certainly setting the stage for that they believe, could be a big escalation in this conflict -- Erica.

HILL: And does this change the war, then, Fred?

PLEITGEN: Well, the Russians say that it changes the very nature of the war. It's interesting, actually, that you asked that because the spokesman for the foreign ministry, and it's really a line that we've heard from many officials, has said this changes the very nature of the war, as she put it.

Vladimir Putin has also said it changes the very nature of the war because he feels that a kind of internationalizing the war and essentially pits Russia against the United States and against other NATO allies of the U.S., as well. Whether or not that is actually going to happen, obviously, depends what's going to happen on the battlefield. But also, of course, the way things shape up in the next couple of weeks, the next couple of months.

One of the things that, of course, everybody here is looking to like everybody in the U.S. is looking to as well, will be that change in administrations in the United States.

[15:05:02] I actually spoke to a Russian political analyst who believes that the Russians might not do anything massively escalatory or, in response to possible strikes against their territory, hoping that the Trump administration will be more favorable to Russia once it takes office.

Again, whether or not that's going to be the case, no one knows. However that definitely is one of those sort of waypoints that people are looking to as to where this war will go next -- Erica.

HILL: Yeah, absolutely, Frederik Pleitgen live for us in Moscow -- thank you.

America's allies in Europe are praising the decision from President Biden. Poland's president telling CNN it sends a powerful message to Putin.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDRZEJ DUDA, POLISH PRESIDENT (through translator): This decision is showing Russia that not only Ukraine, but also the countries of the West, the United States, which support Ukraine, do not give up they do not retreat. Quite on the contrary, they stand they adopt a very tough stance against this brutal Russian aggression. So this allowance to use missiles especially ATACMS missiles to attack targets inside Russia is, I believe, a very sensible decision.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HILL: CNN's Natasha Bertrand is at the Pentagon this hour.

So the administration had been debating this decision for months. This is something that President Zelenskyy has been asking for, for a very long time which, of course has a lot of people asking why now, in the waning days of the Biden administration?

NATASHA BERTRAND, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, Erica, the explanation that we're getting from officials is that really the entry of North Korea into this conflict has changed really, everything about this war. And that is what the United States is weighing here when they decide to allow Ukraine to use these long range missiles to primarily right now for -- for now, strike targets inside the Kursk region, which is in the south of Russia, right there on the border with Ukraine.

That is where Russia and North Korea, they have amassed tens of thousands of troops and they are conducting an offensive against the Ukrainians who occupied that territory, began to occupy it back in August. The U.S. does not want to see Ukraine lose that territory, because they know that when peace negotiations do ultimately begin, that is going to be a really important bargaining chip for the Ukrainians. And that is, of course something that the Russians do not want to see them hold on to.

But now with the entry of the North Koreans into the conflict, giving the Russians even more bodies to fight the Ukrainians with, then that really puts Kursk at risk here. And so we're told that this is really the grand reasoning behind the administration's decision to allow them to use these long range weapons, again which the Ukrainians have been asking for since back in August at least when they first invaded Russia. But this ultimately is unlikely to actually change the course of the war, according to the officials we spoke to. It's really not just one weapon or one system that's going to make the big difference here, but they do hope that at least in Kursk, it's going to give the Ukrainians some momentum that they can hang on to, to use as leverage for future talks if that happens, Erica.

HILL: Is there any discussion of sending more ATACMS in light of this development?

BERTRAND: Well, the big question is whether the U.S., even has additional ATACMS. They did start sending them back in February. Those were actually fully delivered in April. Does the U.S. still have additional inventory that they can provide? The argument for the last several months has been no, that the U.S. is really running low on these.

And so the question now is, are there more that they have discovered that they have produced that they can send over? We just don't know the answer to that yet.

HILL: Appreciate it, Natasha. Thank you.

Also joining me this hour former commanding general for the U.S. Army, Europe and Seventh Army, retired Lieutenant General Mark Hertling.

Always good to see you and to talk to you.

As we look at where things stand, the fact that President Biden has now given the okay for this, how do you see that changing the momentum potentially for Ukraine here?

LT. GEN. MARK HERTLING (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: There are a variety of ways it were trying to do is, is probably shove about a months worth of discussion on these weapons systems.

And the risk assessment and risk analysis and weapons delivery programs into about a three minute clip. What I tell you, it could potentially change the dynamics on the battlefield from a tactical perspective. Will it change it strategically?

A lot of people are saying, no, I'm not so sure about that. You've just talked to Fred and he talked about the reaction within Russia. What are they going to do differently when these missiles strike? And by the way these can strike in a bunch of different means.

And what I -- what I'm saying on that is there is the high explosive capability of the ATACMS. There is the dual purpose improved conventional munitions capability. And that means the cluster bombs that can cover a football field from one missile that that might affect a large assembly area or a logistics point or an air defense location.

So, again, there are so many things that go into this and your comment with Natasha just now is about how many more will be delivered in a in a full up -- full scale war there would the -- there would be the need for hundreds of these ATACMS in an area the size of Russia to really have an effect.

[15:10:09]

But just a few also have a significant -- could give Ukraine a significant tactical advantage as well. So again, there are so many things to talk about. It could certainly change the scope of the battlefield but it's also going to allow other NATO allies to give some of their ballistic missiles and cruise missiles, like the Storm Shadow to the Ukrainians to, to help them continue to keep off the Russian invasions.

HILL: So you read my mind with that in terms of does this essentially give other nations a little bit of cover?

HERTLING: It does -- it absolutely does. You know, I think they were waiting to see what we would do on this. And it's been the case every time when the United States says were finally going to deliver the other countries say, okay, we can do it now, it does give them cover.

And it's because the threats from Russia, the threats from Russia are not going to affect the United States in Europe. They are going to affect some of the other countries.

HILL: In terms of the threats from Russia, and, you know, Fred touched on this, but part of what we also heard from the foreign minister, from the spokesperson today talking about that while this changes the nature of the war, was also that the response will be, quote, adequate and tangible.

But there is this back and forth and you touched on it as well of whether Russia will respond or in what way Russia will actually respond because we are now 63 days out, right, from a change of administration. And there is a lot of focus on how different things may be under Donald Trump when it comes to the way the United States is dealing with Ukraine. What do you anticipate we see in the next two months or so?

HERTLINT: Yeah. Erica, that's the toughest of all questions. It could be a wide spectrum of anything from Russia reacting very quickly and very immensely. And we know from open source intelligence most recently, Bob Woodward's book that there was a continuing concern about the use of tactical nuclear weapons by Russia.

That -- I don't think that's been a risk that the administration can avoid addressing when they're talking about delivery of weapons that can strike inside of Russia. So there could be an immediate reaction by Russia in a very kinetic way, or as Natasha just said, and Fred said, you know, it could be a delayed reaction to see what kind of deal Mr. Putin thinks he can strike with Mr. Trump once he gets into office and how much will Zelenskyy play a part in that as well.

Germanys chancellor, Olaf Scholz, of course, had a call with Putin last week, did face some criticism for that. But the next day we heard from President Zelenskyy saying that in his

view, with Donald Trump in office, that this war will end sooner. You can't ignore the timing of those two events. So as we watch what is playing out here, it is. It is fascinating to watch the change in tone in many ways that we're hearing from world leaders, including President Zelenskyy.

HERTLING: Yeah. Well, one of the things id suggest is what I've been fearful of from the beginning is a ceasefire with a frozen -- another frozen conflict that Russia is involved in.

Russia is currently involved in five frozen conflicts in Europe, where they have invaded another country and then just stayed there and caused turmoil within that country. Moldova, Nagorno-Karabakh, Transnistria, you know, they've been in Georgia now for since 2008, and it causes a disruption in the government of those countries.

When you're talking about Russia on the border of Ukraine being there permanently and even with a peace settlement, there are going to continue to threaten the territorial integrity of -- and the sovereignty of Ukraine, that's a dangerous situation to be in, to have a 700-mile border or, excuse me, a 400-mile border where Russian troops are literally face to face with Ukrainians.

It's going to turn into a North Korea, South Korea type of environment. And that's going to be dangerous for the other nations in Europe as Russia reboots and Ukraine determines what they're going to do next.

HILL: I would like to get your take on one other piece of news of the day. The president-elect posting on social media in the wee hours this morning, he is prepared to declare a national emergency that would then unlock Pentagon resources to help implement his plan to deport large numbers of migrants. I'm just curious based on your experience, you know, you and I have talked about the dangers of politicizing the U.S. military.

So based on your experience, what does an announcement like that say to you?

HERTLING: It is a polarization and it implies that the president is immediately going to call out the Insurrection Act, because that is the only way you can have active duty forces participating in actions against American citizens and overriding posse comitatus, and the president actually has the capability of just on a whim, calling the Insurrection Act.

[15:15:03]

But the problem, Jessica, I'm interested in the plan. Having worked these kind of plans with the military, we're talking about a relatively small military to cover the entire United States, where immigrants live, and rounding them up and working with law enforcement and trying to get people into camps or deport them.

That is a massive operation and what I'd suggest is it would require all of the national guards from the various 50 states, as well as some U.S. military, to do this and it would just basically eliminate the capability of the United States military to do anything else for a long period of time, notwithstanding the fact that it's going to potentially affect the economy as well as doing some things to immigrants who are seeking asylum and dreamers and others.

So, you know, it'll be interesting to see who put this plan together, what it looks like, and the complexities of it before the president starts saying, hey, we're going to use the military that that falls on the ears of a lot of American citizens saying, oh, they're going to use the military. Oh, that should be easy. But when you're talking about the details, having done a whole lot of planning in my military career, the devil is where that is.

HILL: That is for sure. General Mark Hertling, always appreciate your insight. Thank you.

HERTLING: Thank you, Jessica.

HILL: Just ahead here after the break, President-elect Trump pressing forward with his support for Matt Gaetz as his attorney general, as pressure mounts on the House Ethics Committee to release their findings on that very divisive pick.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HILL: President-elect Donald Trump remains in Palm Beach today as he continues to fill out his ideal cabinet. And we're also learning more about some of those picks, including Pete Hegseth, his choice for secretary of defense.

We've learned Hegseth paid a settlement to a woman who accused him of sexual assault in 2017. Hegseth attorney tells CNN he denies the allegation.

Let's dive a little bit deeper.

CNN's Zach Cohen joining me now.

So this pick of Pete Hegseth was already surprising to a lot of Pentagon folks, because he does not have senior military or government experience, no experience running a large business or agency. Now, throw in this sexual assault allegation. What more do we know?

ZACH COHEN, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY & JUSTICE REPORTER: Yeah, definitely fueling more questions about whether or not Pete Hegseth can get confirmed to serve as Donald Trump's secretary of defense. And these new information, this new information relates to an incident that allegedly occurred back in 2017. A woman did accuse and did report an alleged sexual assault involving headsets back then in Monterey, California.

[15:20:05]

But three years later, we're now learning that Hegseth did make a payment to that woman effectively to keep the information from coming out publicly. His attorney, his attorney telling us in writing in a statement that Hegseth was worried that if that information about the accusation came to light, three years later in 2020, that he could potentially lose his job at Fox News because it was in, quote, the height of the #metoo movement.

And so, really, this payment which Hegseth attorney said was a significantly reduced amount from what she was asking, was effectively to keep her quiet and try to keep that information under wraps. But look, this is all coming to light again as Donald Trump's nominees for these key positions are facing a wave of criticism, both for their lack of experience and also for these revelations about their past.

And Hegseth in particular facing a tough road ahead for Senate confirmation. Lawyer, you know, we've heard from senators on both sides of the aisle who have questioned whether or not he is capable of serving in that role.

But, look, Donald Trump has been clear that he expects all of his cabinet nominees to be confirmed. And he expects the Republican led Senate to get in line and pass those nominees through, despite the revelations about their past and their perceived lack of experience.

So a tough road ahead for Donald Trump and his team to get these nominees confirmed. But look, this is not doing Pete Hegseth any favor, these revelations coming up from his past.

HILL: No. Zach Cohen, appreciate the reporting. Thank you.

Well, on Wednesday, the House Ethics Committee is expected to meet as they consider whether to release their report on another Trump cabinet pick, former congressman now potential attorney general, Matt Gaetz. That meeting, of course, had originally been scheduled for last week.

In June, the panel said it was investigating allegations that Gaetz had engaged in sexual misconduct and illicit drug use, and accepted improper gifts, dispensed special privileges and favors, and sought to obstruct government investigations of his conduct. Gaetz has denied the accusations.

CNN senior crime and justice reporter Katelyn Polantz joining me now.

So, there's been a lot of back and forth about this report because of course, he resigned as a congressman from Florida just ahead of us, learning that the committee was supposed to meet about releasing the report so where do things stand? What's in there?

KATELYN POLANTZ, CNN SENIOR CRIME & JUSTICE REPORTER: Well, Erica, were just getting glimpses right now. Not yet. The full story of what the House investigators have, because the full story would be in their report, supposedly. But what has built that report appears to include some details from still secret depositions of women who were at parties with Gaetz, including the female victim whom he allegedly had sex with when she was an underage girl.

So some of what the House Ethics Committee has comes from a lawsuit in Florida where these witnesses, these young women were making statements under oath in depositions these are the same women who also participated in the criminal inquiry into Gaetz that also has remained secret. He was never charged.

But these women, they were at a party in 2017 where an alleged sexual encounter with an underage girl took place. They've never spoken publicly about what happened but in a deposition of a man who brought this lawsuit, a friend of Gaetz, attorneys were asking him about what the women had to say under oath about a then underage girl having sex with Gaetz while his friend watched about an array of drugs at the party. And we know this all because we can see that friends transcript, but not the others.

So the friend of Gaetz, Christopher Dorworth, suggested in his testimony that the women made up their stories. And Gaetz obviously was never charged with any crime. But one source familiar with the congressional investigation has told CNN that if the House Ethics Committees work includes information from this lawsuit, this litigation presumably the part that's still secret, what the women were saying, it would be, quote, highly damaging for Gaetz.

So, now, there's pressure in Washington. That is mounting on the House Ethics Committee. The question is, do they release the report or does the Senate get access to it or to the other documents that are in this?

And if the House investigations work ended when Trump, when Gaetz was announced by Donald Trump as the nominee for the justice department and resigned, is there more they can do at that meeting on Wednesday? We're watching very closely what happens on Capitol Hill.

But, Erica, right now, Speaker Mike Johnson, he is in the corner of not releasing the report. Here's a little bit more from the House speaker.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: My understanding is that the report is not finished. It's in a rough draft form, was not yet ready to be released, and since Matt Gaetz left the Congress, I don't think it's appropriate to -- to do so. There have been, I understand, I think two exceptions to the rule over the whole history of Congress and the history of the ethics committee, but I don't -- I wasn't the speaker at that time. I'm the speaker now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

POLANTZ: He's the speaker now. But we're just going to have to watch to see what happens in the coming days. There's a lot of members of that committee.

HILL: Yeah, it'll be interesting to see. He told Jake in that interview he thought it would open a Pandora's box. But as even he admits, there is some precedent there. So we will be watching.

Katelyn, appreciate it.

Also with me this hour, former Democratic senator from Alabama, Doug Jones, who is a former U.S. attorney in this state.

[15:25:02]

It's good to have you here.

So when we look at where things stand I'm just curious, your take. So let's say we get to a Senate confirmation hearing for Matt Gaetz. What do you imagine that questioning would be like given what we do and do not know in terms of this house ethics investigation?

DOUG JONES (D), FORMER ALABAMA U.S. SENATOR: You know, and all due respect, Erica, I'm not sure the House ethics investigation and any sexual misconduct is going to really matter. I mean, he is being nominated by president elect who has been found liable by a jury for sexual misconduct. The American people voted to ignore that. All of the Republican United States senators have enthusiastically endorsed him.

I really don't believe that that is ultimately going to be anything but a red herring, because the issue that I'm hoping people will focus on is competence and character. And those kind of issues that I think will really tell the tale. That's what's going to be important, because Matt Gaetz is not a disrupter. He's a destroyer.

He is -- will absolutely destroy the office of the attorney general and likely the Department of Justice with him. If that's what Republican senators want to do, then they're going to vote to confirm him. But the sexual allegations about this and the ethics committee, when Donald Trump has been found liable for the, you know not the same thing, but certainly it has been overlooked. I just think competence, character, those kind of things are the things that everybody including you folks in the media ought to be focused on.

HILL: Well, character is related to those allegations. You can't really separate the two, right? Character certainly comes into play when were talking about such serious allegations. You talk about competency.

This is something we've had a number of conversations about since the nomination was announced. The fact that he has very little actually not really any prosecutorial experience going into a massive job, but we also know that the former president, the now president-elect, is very clear on what he wants from people and his son Don Jr., reiterating that over the weekend. I want to play a little bit of what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP JR., DONALD TRUMP'S SON: It's about surrounding my father with people who are both competent and loyal. They will deliver on his promises. They will deliver on his message. They are not people who think they know better as unelected bureaucrats.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HILL: We know that loyalty was going to be very important to Donald Trump, moving into a second Trump administration. Don Jr. confirming that, also saying that they know lot more now going into Washington, they know how it works.

To that point, do you believe that there even will be a Senate confirmation hearing or are you anticipating recess appointments?

JONES: You know, that's a really good question. And I think what Donald Trump is doing right now and everybody needs to connect these dots. He has laid down a marker early on that says, I want recess appointments. Everyone that was running for the Republican Senate leadership position, all three said, I will be open to do that. That is basically saying, I'm going to blow up the Senate if you don't bend to my will and he can do that.

Whether or not he pushes for recess appointments with a recess that the majority leader calls, or whether he actually invokes a rarely in fact, I don't think its ever been invoked where the president of the United States can call a recess of Congress. He will do that, and he's at least threatening that he is essentially telling these senators bend to my will, or else I'm going to blow up your Senate. I'm going to blow up the institution that you want because having my loyalty test is far greater than the Constitution, and your role as United States senators.

So we'll see whether or not they, in fact do that. I think a lot of Republican senators will succumb to that. Hopefully not everybody, and hopefully people will give more than lip service to their duty under the Constitution for Advice and Consent.

HILL: After you left the Senate, you returned to work with the Biden administration on judicial appointments. I'm curious, have you been in touch with any of your former Senate colleagues, what is the conversation that is happening about what Washington is moving into?

JONES: You know, I've talked to a couple of my former colleagues on the Democratic side of the aisle. Everyone I think is up there is concerned. No one knows. That's the biggest problem that we're facing right now. We're seeing Donald Trump put down his markers, essentially starting what it amounts to a bullying campaign for the Senate of the United States.

He doesn't have to do that in the House because Speaker Johnson has already been in that camp. So I think there's so much uncertainty right now among members of the -- of the U.S. Senate, really to some extent on both sides of the aisle. But particularly Democrats who are going to be in a position of really playing defense rather than trying to get an agenda.

But they, you know, look, there's still things that they would love to be able to work with their Senate colleagues on. We'll just see if that happens or not.

HILL: You said no one knows, but the reality is no one knows exactly how it's going to play out, absolutely.

[15:30:05] But Donald Trump has been signaling for years exactly what he wants to do. The chaos, the disruption, the destruction, this has all been out there. So do you think there's been enough planning on the part of your former colleagues in the Senate and even on the part of Democrats to deal with an incoming Trump administration, given there were plenty of signals ahead of time as to what this might look like sure.

JONES: Sure. I think that there are some things that they've been doing. I think the Biden administration has been doing things to try to harden government a little bit to try to tamp down that chaos. But the fact is, when you're talking about chaos, you really are not sure exactly where all it's going to go.

And the president has incredible authorities, and the Supreme Court of the United States has given them more, given the president more authority. So in terms of immigration, mass deportations, the president can do a lot of that with a very little that Congress can do especially if there's no appetite with the majority to try to stop them.

That's the problem. Democrats are in the minority in the House. They're in the minority in the Senate. And there is limited that they can do other than just complain. They will do everything that they can. But there are still I'm telling you, Erica, there's still a lot of uncertainty because Donald Trump is Donald Trump and he may say one thing, but yet do another.

I still think there's a lot of head fakes going on, as to what will actually happen. Terrorists may see we may see going up. We may not we may see more focused on immigration. It is going to be interesting. And we've got to fund the budget. We've got to fund government at some point very soon, including a debt ceiling. And that is going to be some real test for former Republican colleagues.

HILL: Yeah, that pesky matter of funding the government. It never goes away.

Former Senator Doug Jones, always appreciate your insight. Thank you.

JONES: Thanks.

HILL: Still ahead here, world leaders gathering in Brazil for a meeting of the G20 group of nations as uncertainty looms in the face of a new U.S. administration. We'll take you live to Rio, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:35:08]

HILL: Turning now to the Middle East, an Israeli source telling CNN progress is being made to end the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. A key obstacle is a clause that would allow Israel to take direct action in Lebanon if the terms of the ceasefire deer -- ceasefire deal rather were to be violated.

Meantime, authorities say at least four people were killed when an Israeli strike hit the center of Beirut just hours ago.

CNN's international diplomatic editor Nic Robertson is live this hour for us in Jerusalem.

So, new details as well about a rocket attack in northern Israel. Nic, can you tell us just about the developing situations in both areas?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yeah, and indeed in central Israel, just on the outskirts of Tel Aviv, a few miles from the center of Tel Aviv, in fact, falling rocket debris -- intercept rocket debris according to police, caused a number of injuries there.

One person seriously injured two moderately injured, according to medical officials on the ground. A large fire seen burning on the sort of outside of a shopping mall there, electricity impacted in the area, in the north of Israel, a little bit earlier on in the day. Another impact from a strike appeared to have been coming from Lebanon, Hezbollah missile strike there, killing one person and injuring a number of other people who were taken to hospital.

And that in the background of course, as the energy around the talks between mediated, if you will or brokered by the United States between Israel and Lebanon that continues. The State Department saying that they've heard back now from both Lebanese and Israeli officials. There seems to be a little bit of a disconnect, and this is what the U.S. is working to try to try to try to smooth out and bridge those gaps.

And the disconnect really is around the full operational freedom, which is what Israel says it needs to have if there's going to be a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah, full operational freedom meaning it has the right to strike back if there's a violation of the ceasefire.

Now, the Lebanese prime minister, the speaker of the Lebanese parliament, both who have had oversight of the deal as submitted to Lebanese officials and onwards to Hezbollah say they're not aware of that sort of clause or they haven't seen that sort of language.

But coming from Israeli officials today telling CNN that that clause, that ability to strike back if the ceasefire is violated that is vital for Israeli officials. And we've certainly heard that being echoed by some right wing members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition. So that's where the talks are. And missiles again, strikes in the center of Beirut by the IDF and impacts of missiles and fatalities here in Israel, too, today.

HILL: Yeah. Nic, really appreciate it. Thank you. Well, President Biden is attending the G20 summit in Brazil as part of what is likely his final hot lap on the world stage as president. It is yet another summit, though, being overshadowed by Donald Trump's impending return to the White House in January.

Biden making history on Sunday as the first sitting U.S. president to visit the Amazon rainforest.

CNN's Kayla Tausche is traveling with the president and joins us from Rio with more. So President Biden also spoke at the G20 earlier. What are we hearing

in terms of his --his messaging? I mean, this is this is a moment for him, but again, we can't overstate the shadow that looms in Donald Trump.

KAYLA TAUSCHE, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's exactly right, Erica. And earlier today, President Joe Biden delivered some very brief remarks to the G20 delegations here gathered in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.

And he talked about two priorities in particular. Number one, to continue defending Ukraine's sovereignty. This coming, of course, just after his administration had a change of policy to allow Ukraine to use longer range missiles to fire inside, deeper inside, Russian territory.

And his second priority for world leaders was to pressure Hamas to get a ceasefire deal in Gaza, to end the humanitarian, humanitarian suffering there and to essentially provide for more stability and security across the broader Middle East. But he also in those remarks, Erica, acknowledged that this was his last G20, that there was change coming both in the United States and around the world, even as he sought to vigorously defend his record and that of his administration.

Earlier today, we heard from the principal deputy national security advisor, Jon Finer, who told reporters that in their view, the U.S. is on much stronger footing on the world stage than it was four years ago, when Biden took office. But he acknowledged that there is going to be a challenge to the status quo. There is going to be a new administration that pursues its own path and its own policy.

But when asked specifically by CNN's Kevin Liptak whether there was a fear that some of these world leaders were seeking to essentially do an end run around Biden to deal directly with Trump even before he takes office, Finer said simply, there's only one president at a time.

[15:40:06]

Even so, nearly every single G20 leader has picked up the phone and called Trump to congratulate him to try to smooth over ties that had been very tense between the U.S. and many nations during Trump's first term. Some of those leaders have even extended invitations for Trump to come visit them in their country or offer to come to U.S. soil to meet him in person on his terms -- Erica.

HILL: And it does really give you a sense of how these other world leaders are already responding to that transition as you laid out, and certainly what were seeing on the ground there also, an interesting moment when it comes to the family photo there at the G20.

TAUSCHE: Yes, one of the major themes of this year's summit is the eradication of poverty and hunger. And there was a photo that was taken this afternoon that was essentially a photo for the Poverty and Hunger alliance, a group of nations committing new funding through the World Bank, whose president, Ajay Banga, was there on stage to take a photo to essentially signal the support around that effort. President Biden and Prime Minister Trudeau of Canada, and also Italy's

leader Giorgia Meloni, did not make it onto the stage for that family photo. They were discussing amongst themselves and due to logistical issues, we are told that the photo was taken before they could get there, but there's expected to be one more G20 photo that takes place tomorrow before the summit closes, Erica.

HILL: There we go. So well see that one.

Kayla, always appreciate it. Thank you.

TAUSCHE: Sure.

HILL: Still to come here, Spirit -- Spirit Airlines filing for bankruptcy protection. So what does it mean for the future of the low cost carrier, and for all those holiday flight plans? That's next.

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