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Trump: Iran 'For the Most Part' Has Accepted 15-Point Plan; Iran Accuses U.S. of 'Secretly Planning a Ground Invasion'; More U.S. Troops Arrive in the Middle East Amid Iran Conflict; Ukraine Sharing Expertise on Drone Defense with Gulf Allies; Israel Suspends Battalion Involved in Detaining CNN Crew; NASA Prepares 1st Fly-by to the Moon in 50 Years; Pope Leo Delivers Message to World Leaders Amid Iran War. Aired 12-1a ET
Aired March 30, 2026 - 00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
POLO SANDOVAL, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, and thank you so much for starting your workweek with us. I'm Polo Sandoval, live in New York, and here's what's coming your way here on CNN NEWSROOM.
[00:00:47]
A cautious hope for peace. President Trump says the negotiations with Iran are moving forward, even as he weighs deploying American troops on the ground.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: You never know with Iran, because we negotiate with them, and then we always have to blow them up.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANDOVAL: Also, a violent encounter between Israeli soldiers, a group of Palestinians, and our own CNN reporting team. A closer look at what happened and how the IDF is now responding.
And for the first time in more than 50 years, NASA getting ready to send astronauts on a journey around the Moon. Hear what makes this upcoming lunar mission so significant.
ANNOUNCER: Live from New York, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Polo Sandoval
SANDOVAL: And we do want to begin this hour of CNN NEWSROOM in Tehran, where the Israeli military says that it is currently striking Iranian terror regime military infrastructure across the capital.
Meanwhile, the U.S. claims that it's making diplomatic headway in ending the war with Iran. Tehran however, it is accusing the U.S. of secretly planning a ground invasion amid ongoing negotiations.
Here's what President Donald Trump said aboard Air Force One just a few hours ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: So, we -- we've had very good negotiations today with Iran, getting a lot of the things that we -- they should have given us a long time ago. We'll see how it works out.
But they're very good. Moving along very nicely.
They're agreeing with us on -- on the plan. I mean, we asked for 15 things. And for the most part, we're going to be asking for a couple of other things.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANDOVAL: So, here's what we know so far about that 15-point plan that was just referred to by the president.
Pakistan, a key mediator in this conflict, delivered the plan to Tehran. And President Trump says that it would ban Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
Meanwhile, Pakistan now says that it's prepared to host negotiations between the U.S. and Iran this week after holding what it called productive talks with Egypt, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia on Sunday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ISHAQ DAR, PAKISTANI FOREIGN MINISTER: Pakistan is very happy that both Iran and the U.S. have expressed their confidence in Pakistan to facilitate the talks.
Pakistan will be honored to host and facilitate meaningful talks between the two sides in the coming days for a comprehensive and lasting settlement of the ongoing conflict.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANDOVAL: While President Trump is claiming diplomatic progress, he also sounded more forceful in a new interview with "The Financial Times."
He said that he wants to, quote, "take the oil in Iran" and once again debated seizing Kharg Island, which is Iran's vital oil export hub.
Let's begin our coverage with CNN's Julia Benbrook, who has more on what the White House is saying at this stage of the war.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JULIA BENBROOK, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: There is some hope for talks to take place in the coming days.
BENBROOK (voice-over): Special envoy Steve Witkoff said that he thinks that there will be talks with the Iranians this week.
And of course, Witkoff has been heavily involved in this process. He led multiple rounds of talks about Iran's nuclear program prior to those first joint U.S.-Israel strikes against Iran --
BENBROOK: -- the start of Operation Epic Fury. In a recent statement, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said that the president's first instinct is always diplomacy.
But she also left open the door for other next steps --
BENBROOK (voice-over): -- writing this, in part: "Now that the regime's ballistic missile capacity and navy is getting annihilated by the United States, they are begging to make a deal. The president is willing to listen, but if they fail to accept the reality of the current moment, they will be hit harder than ever before."
Now, Trump has laid out various timelines throughout this. He's repeatedly said that this will come to an end soon. Very soon. He has predicted that this could last 4 to 6 weeks in total.
We are now one month into the conflict, though, and there are still a lot of questions. One big question is will we see U.S. troops on the ground? And according to recent polling, 62 percent of Americans oppose that idea.
[00:05:02]
Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently said that he believes the Trump administration can achieve its objectives without troops on the ground.
BENBROOK: But when it comes to the service members being sent to the Middle East, he said that the president has to prepare for all contingencies.
Traveling with the president in Florida, Julia Benbrook, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANDOVAL: CNN's Kristie Lu Stout now joining me live from Hong Kong as she continues to follow developments in the region.
Kristie, the conflict pretty much now in its fifth week. There's talk of peace.
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR/CORRESPONDENT: Yes.
SANDOVAL: But at the same time, there also seems to be yet another wave of fighting. So, tell us a little bit more about the current situation.
STOUT: Yes, Polo, believe it or not, the conflict is now entering its second month. And during this critical time, we have Iran accusing the United States of a secret ground assault planning that's underway.
And we also have Pakistan being a host to a number of regional leaders as they try to broker some sort of negotiated end to this ongoing conflict.
Now, this is what we heard from Iran's parliamentary speaker over the weekend, who has been the significant voice throughout the war.
He said that Iranian troops are, quote, "waiting for U.S. forces." And he also said and accused the U.S. of secretly planning a ground assault. This is what he said. He said, "The enemy publicly sends messages of negotiation while secretly planning a ground invasion, unaware that our men are waiting for American troops to enter on the ground, ready to unleash devastation upon them, and punish their regional allies permanently," unquote.
And this comes as Pakistan is holding talks to somehow de-escalate this conflict with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey all present.
This also comes as more U.S. forces arrive in the region. The USS Tripoli is now in the Middle East, with 3,500 service members on board.
And the U.S. president, Donald Trump, is now facing this very stark choice: a choice between either escalation or embracing a negotiated exit from the ongoing war with Iran.
Now, Israel is continuing with the strikes against various targets across Iran. According to the IDF, it said that within a 24-hour time period that ended on Sunday, it launched some 140 strikes across Iran.
Iran is firing back, including a strike on a chemicals factory in the Southern part of Israel.
Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, also announced plans in regards to Lebanon, saying that Israel plans to expand the Israeli buffer zone in Lebanon as it goes after Hezbollah targets there. I want you to listen to what Netanyahu said about that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): We are in a multi-arena campaign. We are striking with immense force against Iran and its proxies. We are achieving great accomplishments, achievements that are creating visible cracks in the terrorist regime in Tehran, in Lebanon.
I have now instructed to further expand the existing security zone in order to finally thwart the threat of invasion and to push the anti- tank missile fire away from our border.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STOUT: The war is now in its fifth week. It has taken the lives of thousands of people across the Middle East. And on Saturday, Houthi rebels from Yemen entered the fray, launching airstrikes against Israel for the first time in this conflict, raising fears of another front opening up in this conflict.
Back to you.
SANDOVAL: Yes, it is certainly a significant development over the weekend.
Kristie, I understand you're also closely watching markets. I wonder if you can give us a sense of how they're reacting as we begin yet another trading week, as this conflict shows no signs of stopping.
STOUT: Yes. As the conflict grinds on, the price of Brent crude -- this is the international oil benchmark -- just keeps on rising and rising. We'll show you where it's trading at the moment.
It continues to rise. In fact, it has soared over 50 percent since the war began over five weeks ago. You can see the price of Brent crude there, as well, on your screen.
And we're also tracking Asian markets: markets in particular in major oil importing nations, industrial nations like South Korea, like Japan, under pressure. You're seeing losses there. The Nikkei down three and a third. The KOSPI in Seoul down 2.8 percent. Losses in Hong Kong, as well. The Shanghai Composite is gaining about a quarter of 1 percent.
Look, what's happening here is the biggest oil shock in history. The cost of energy is soaring as the world's supply is facing this shortfall.
It has been estimated that the world is losing up to 20 million barrels a day from Middle East producers, and the effects here are profound.
It's not just the oil that's unable to cross the Strait of Hormuz because of that selective blockade by Iran that's in place. It's also jet fuel. It's also liquefied petroleum gas. It's also fertilizer.
It's also the components that go into plastics. And that means plastic bags and plastic containers, as well.
So, this is having far-reaching effects that's affecting market prices. It's affecting energy. It's affecting livelihoods. It's affecting food security, as well.
[00:10:09]
The effects, the scope, and scale here are immense, and it's painful for many people, especially across here in Asia.
Back to you.
SANDOVAL: Painful. And as you lay out, extremely far-reaching.
Kristie Lu Stout, as always, thank you so much for that full wrap-up.
And as Kristie just mentioned, Iran says that the U.S. is sending a message of diplomacy while, quote, "secretly planning a ground invasion."
Iran is now reportedly allowing participants as young as 12 years old to sign up for security and support roles. Iran's parliament speaker is now warning that the country's forces are, quote, "ready to unleash devastation" if there are American boots on the ground.
The White House has been deploying already thousands of troops to the region, and that includes an assault ship that carries about 3,500 service members. Another 1,000 troops have been alerted to possibly deploy to the Middle East.
But a new A.P. poll is highlighting just how deeply unpopular these possible deployments truly are. Sixty-two percent of Americans opposing the current deployment of ground troops to Iran.
Let's head now to Rob Wooldridge. He's a retired brigadier general with the California Army National Guard. He's also an officer -- he was also an officer in the 82nd Airborne Division. He joins me now from Arroyo Grande, California.
General, it's wonderful to see you. Thank you so much for taking the time.
BRIG. GEN. ROB WOOLDRIDGE (RET.), CALIFORNIA ARMY NATIONAL GUARD: Good evening, Polo. Good to speak to you.
SANDOVAL: Yes, likewise. I'll get you to fill us in on -- on just the Army's 82nd Airborne in just a few moments. And maybe what they will potentially offer to the situation overseas.
But I'm curious if I could get your thoughts on -- on this latest arrival of U.S. military personnel. It now brings the deployment in the immediate region to about 10,000, with more in the vicinity.
As the Trump administration contemplates its next move, do you think a ground invasion is possible with the current personnel and the assets that are already there?
WOOLDRIDGE: I mean, it's possible, but that doesn't mean it will be successful. So, I think that the president is going to get his best military advice from, you know, his secretary of war and the chairman, joint chiefs of staff. And they're going to try and make sure that whatever assets they -- they have available are enough to do the job.
So, again, it depends on the mission. So, there are some limited missions, some limited ground missions that we can talk about that they might have enough people to do right now. So, it's just -- it's a range of options.
SANDOVAL: Well, right, General. So, let's actually pick up on -- on that and the range of options, the possible missions that we could potentially see, just based on your assessment,
I mean, could we see, perhaps, continued aerial strikes, maybe even the seizing of Kharg Island?
WOOLRIDGE: So, I've thought about a couple different -- about three different scenarios where the president would employ the particular types of troops you called me on to talk about, which are paratroops.
So, Kharg Island, that would probably be a joint operation with the Marines, because it's amphibious. But there are reports there's significant mining around the beaches of that.
So, they would likely do some sort of airborne or air assault, meaning jumping out of planes or coming in via helicopters to try and seize targets on Kharg Island first, and then clear the beaches so that the heavier marine artillery and -- and the heavier forces could come on there.
But thinking about Kharg Island, you know, they're going to -- they're using it as a bargaining chip. First of all, just to be clear, Kharg Island is hundreds and hundreds of miles away from the Strait of Hormuz. That's not going to -- you know, seizing Kharg Island is not going to help you tactically reopen the Straits [SIC] of Hormuz.
The only point to seizing that island would be to use it as a bargaining chip for, you know, Iranian -- to twist the Iranian regime's arm, to get it to do something that you want it to do, because you hold the island where 90 percent of its oil goes out through.
The problem is, is that forces have to hold onto that. And that's about 10 to 12 miles away from the Iranian mainland. So, you're within range of everything that the Iranians have to throw at you.
So, a difficult job to -- to get ahold of it, difficult job to not break the thing -- you know, not break the island and all its oil infrastructure when you jump onto it or when you assault it.
So, you have to hold onto that stuff. You have to protect it. And there's a thousand Iranian civilians on there. You've got to figure out what to do with them, as well. All -- all the while, Iran is throwing missiles, rockets, unmanned aerial systems, drones. Right? And they're throwing everything they have at you and the people that are trying to reinforce and supply you.
So, that's a very difficult mission. And you've got to hold onto it until the Iranian regime capitulates or does what you want it to do, which we've seen, they're not very cooperative.
SANDOVAL: Yes, I've heard from -- from multiple experts here on the program, such as yourself, who really also make that similar point.
It's one thing to take Kharg Island, and then that comes with the other challenge of holding Kharg Island, especially with the regime still in power.
[00:15:10]
Let me tap into your specific skill set here, General. Talk to us about the unique skills that the Army's 82nd Airborne Division now will bring to the Middle East with them. They're in position.
WOOLDRIDGE: So, the -- that brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division, that's my old brigade. As a matter of fact, it's the first brigade, the 82nd. Their nickname is the Devils in Baggy Pants, which was given to them by their opponents, their German opponents in World War Two. But they're moving. They're in the process of moving towards their
bases in the -- in the Middle East, wherever they're going to base out of.
And what that really gives the CENTCOM commander is a flexible tool that he can use. But what it's really doing is sending a message, I think, is what it's sending a message to the Iranian regime. And what it's -- what they're saying is, hey, you need to put your forces, your -- the IRGC and the army, the Iranian Army, you need to put these over everything that you think is a military asset that you want to protect, because these paratroopers can jump anywhere in the middle of the night, jump on top of basically anywhere in the country, and either take that thing away from you or break it and then leave.
So, that's the thing that the -- the 82nd and some other units in the United States Army. And I'll talk about those in a second. That's what they do, is the forcible entry, right? This is not -- they don't need any other forces around. They're designed to jump in, in the middle of nowhere, or to jump in on a target, doesn't have any American forces around, and do what they have to do.
Some of the other units that do that are the 75th Ranger Regiment. That's their specialty. The Ranger regiment is also airborne-capable, and they're very good at direct action raids, jumping in and taking care of high-value targets.
So, the -- there's also -- 82nd is the only brigade that has that. So, there's the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Italy and then the 2nd Brigade of the 11th Airborne Division in Alaska.
So total, there's -- in addition to the Ranger regiment, there's -- well, including the Ranger regiment, there's six brigades of paratroopers that can jump in anywhere in the Iranian -- anywhere in the -- anywhere in Iran, anywhere that the Iranian regime has something that they want to hold close. So --
SANDOVAL: Yes.
WOOLDRIDGE: I can talk a little bit about what the airborne brigade looks like, kind of its combat capabilities. If you want.
SANDOVAL: No, we do have to leave it there, General. But it is -- you just had some absolutely fascinating insight on some of -- on multiple units that are there already or on their way, as you point out, that certainly would be assets now available to the Pentagon as they continue to consider what their next move will be.
But as always, I really appreciate it, General: your time, your insight, and your service.
WOOLDRIDGE: Thank you, Polo. Good night.
SANDOVAL: Have a good night.
Well, as Moscow benefits from higher crude oil prices due to the war with Iran, Ukraine is now ramping up its attacks on Russia's oil industry. We'll have a full report in moments.
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[00:22:37]
SANDOVAL: Protesters backing Nepal's former prime minister clashed with police this weekend in Kathmandu. K.P. Sharma Oli was arrested on Saturday after Nepal's newly sworn-in administration launched an investigation into possible criminal negligence.
More than 75 people were killed last year in a massive Gen Z-led anti- corruption protest. Oli resigned as a result of that, his party calling his arrest an act of revenge and also are demanding his immediate release.
Relatives of people detained under El Salvador's State of Exception Decree marched in the capital city on Sunday. They were demanding justice and also the release of their loved ones, who they say were arbitrarily detained.
The State of -- of Exception Decree, it was imposed back in 2022 as an emergency measure to crack down on gang violence in that country. It makes it easier for authorities to detain suspected gang members by expanding law enforcement powers.
But critics and victims' advocates say that the measure is punitive and no longer justifiable.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SAMUEL RAMIREZ, VICTIM ASSOCIATION DIRECTOR, MOVIR (through translator): We want justice, and we want the truth. And the state of exception no longer has any reason to continue. It made sense in the first days when gangs had total control and were terrorizing people. But not anymore.
Now the president himself says we are the safest country in the world, so why keep a state of exception that affects all Salvadorans, not just gangs?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANDOVAL: As Cuba faces an energy crisis amid the U.S. blockade, President Donald Trump says that the United States will be allowing a Russian-flagged oil tanker to reach the island.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: We have a tanker out there. We don't mind having somebody get a boatload, because they need -- they have to survive. It wouldn't bother me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That report is true, as far as you know?
TRUMP: Well, I would say I told them, if a country wants to send some oil into Cuba right now, I have no problem with it. (END VIDEO CLIP)
SANDOVAL: President Trump dismissed the suggestion that letting the tanker through may help Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Experts have previously said that the tanker was approaching Cuba and could arrive in the coming days.
The fuel shortage in Cuba, it has increased blackouts that are becoming longer.
Ukraine stepping up attacks on Russian oil facilities. Kyiv's military says that it struck a major oil refinery just Northeast of Moscow over the weekend.
In a statement on Saturday, Ukrainian general staff said that the attack caused a fire at the site, which is critical for Russian Army logistics.
[00:25:07]
And meanwhile, President -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy continues his bid for defense cooperation in the Middle East.
He says that he arrived in Jordan on Sunday for, quote, "important meetings on security." Kyiv is advising several Middle Eastern countries on how to intercept drone attacks.
Here's CNN's Ben Hunte with more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BEN HUNTE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR/CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Ukraine's port city, Odessa, struck again by Russian drones. It's a frequent target of Russian attacks because of its shipping lanes and energy infrastructure, and some residents say they know all too well the dangers flying overhead.
OLENA KUDRIASHOVA, ODESSA RESIDENT (through translator): When you're scared and Shahed drones are flying, you start to believe in anything and everything. Last night, I had the thought that God had blessed us.
On the right, left, front, back, windows and doors were smashed. Our window survived. We're so happy we made it through the night.
HUNTE (voice-over): Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, says Russia has launched more than 3,000 attack drones against his country in the past week, many of them Iranian-made Shahed drones, which are some of the same drones Iran is using against Gulf nations.
And Zelenskyy is trying to capitalize on what Ukraine has learned on the battlefield, making deals with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE to share its expertise on low-cost interceptors and other drone defenses.
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): We are talking about a ten-year partnership. We have already signed the agreement with Saudi Arabia, and we have just signed a similar ten- year agreement with Qatar. We will also sign a ten-year agreement with the UAE.
HUNTE (voice-over): The agreements come at a critical time for Ukraine, which is facing a spring offensive from Russia as fuel prices skyrocket and Russian oil flows more freely on the market, after the U.S. eased some sanctions on it.
It's been a windfall for Russia, but it's also made Russia's energy sector a target: Ukraine hitting several Russian refineries and oil export terminals in the past week as part of a stepped-up campaign against Moscow's revenue stream.
Ukraine is also accusing Russia of sharing intelligence with Iran, including satellite images of U.S. assets in the region. CNN has asked the Kremlin for comment.
It's a further blurring of the lines of two separate wars, with overlapping interests and alliances.
Ben Hunte, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANDOVAL: Our CNN team covering settler violence in the West Bank, was aggressively detained by an Israeli military battalion there last week. After the break, we'll tell you how the Israeli military is responding and also give you an opportunity to watch the original report on this incident.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[00:32:37]
SANDOVAL: And welcome back. I'm Polo Sandoval in New York, and these are today's top stories.
President Trump says that the -- that Iran has agreed to most of the 15-point list of demands from the U.S. to end the war. He also claims that Iran has been given the U.S. oil that will be shipped in the coming hours to, quote, "prove they're serious."
And this comes as Pakistan says that it's ready to host talks between Washington and Tehran in the coming days.
Iran is warning that the U.S. is secretly planning a ground invasion as it makes a show of diplomacy. Iranian leaders say that their forces will rain fire upon American soldiers who enter the country.
The U.S. has sent thousands of troops to the region in recent days, and hundreds more are on alert for possible deployment.
U.S. President Donald Trump says that the United States will be allowing a Russian-flagged oil tanker to reach Cuban shores. The island is facing a fuel shortage amid a U.S. blockade -- a U.S. blockade, and is experiencing increasing blackouts. Trump says that he has, quote, "no problem" letting any country send
oil into Cuba right now.
Israel's prime minister says that he has ordered the expansion of a security buffer zone in Southern Lebanon to repel cross-border attacks.
Israeli forces, they have been pushing further into Southern Lebanon in recent weeks, forcing many residents to evacuate the Israeli military has also blown up several bridges over a river that bisects Lebanon.
Human rights workers are warning that that will cut off tens of thousands of people from essential lifelines.
Israel also says that it's continuing to target Iranian proxies in Lebanon with, quote, "tremendous force." Smoke rose over Southern Beirut from an Israeli strike on Sunday.
And in the next hour, UNICEF's representative in Lebanon joins me live to discuss how this is all having an impact on children in this war zone.
And the Israeli military, it is suspending a reserve battalion that detained a CNN crew in the West Bank just 48 hours after our report of the incident initially aired.
Officials said that the group would be immediately withdrawn from the region and reassigned to receive training until further notice. They added that the additional steps will be taken against individual soldiers who were involved.
At the time of the incident, CNN was covering a new wave of violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank.
[00:35:04]
Here's Jeremy Diamond's original report. And we do want to warn you that it does include some images that you may find disturbing.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Seventy- five-year-old Abdullah Dhahran (ph) moans in pain. His breathing is labored, his face bloodied, bruised, and swollen.
ABDULLAH DHAHRAN (PH): (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
DIAMOND: Bones broken.
DHAHRAN (ph): (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
DIAMOND (voice-over): His family and multiple eyewitnesses say Israeli settlers stormed into his home in the middle of the night and beat him to a pulp.
In his West Bank village of Tayasir, those same settlers have now established an outpost, considered illegal even under Israeli law.
Soldiers standing idly by until something else draws their attention.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
DIAMOND (voice-over): Producer Abeer Salman identifies us as journalists before translating the soldiers' commands.
ABEER SALMAN, CNN PRODUCER: Sit down, sit down, sit down, sit down.
DIAMOND: So, the soldiers just immediately came up and started pointing their weapons directly at us, telling everyone to sit down immediately.
Obviously, we're not posing any threat here.
DIAMOND (voice-over): The commander comes straight for our camera, and within seconds --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
DIAMOND (voice-over): -- a soldier has just put photojournalist Cyril Theophilus in a chokehold, forcing him to the ground.
DIAMOND: Don't touch him like that. Don't touch him like that. Give me my phone.
DIAMOND (voice-over): The soldier who assaulted Theophilus continues to demand he turn off his camera before another smacks my phone.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't understand, I don't understand.
DIAMOND: So, as you can see, what we have seen happen in the last 24 hours is that settlers came to this area. They settled that hilltop.
And now you have a lot of soldiers coming to this area with the Palestinians in this area. They're on top of the home of Ahmad (ph), the man that we were just speaking to.
And we're seeing the soldiers treat the Palestinians in the area as a threat, when really what started this problem was, obviously, the settlers who came in the middle of the night and took over land that's not theirs.
DIAMOND (voice-over): The Palestinians here are detained and questioned. Soldiers detain us, too, and walk us back to our vehicle. They say they're trying to establish order between settlers and Palestinians.
But as the cameras keep rolling, it becomes clear these soldiers are here in service of the settler movement.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
GRAPHIC: IDF soldier: We are here because this is our place.
DIAMOND: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
GRAPHIC: Diamond: Is this your village?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
GRAPHIC: ISF soldier: The land is ours.
DIAMOND: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
GRAPHIC: So, all the West Bank is yours?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
GRAPHIC: Of course! And not just for the soldiers, for the Jews!
DIAMOND (voice-over): They also say it's personal. These soldiers tell me they were friends with the 18-year-old settler who authorities say was killed last week by a Palestinian driver. Palestinians dispute that account.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
GRAPHIC: If you had a brother and they kill him, what would you have done?
DIAMOND: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
GRAPHIC: So, that's revenge? You're talking about revenge. But you're a soldier. Is this normal to carry out revenge, as a soldier?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
GRAPHIC: Listen, at the end of the day, if the State doesn't address what they did, those who murdered the youth, the settler last week, remember? What do you expect us to do?
DIAMOND: So, we're currently detained by the Israeli military. They've told us to sit in our cars and wait. As you can see, one of them is right here.
And you know, what's -- what's really quite striking is the fact that so many of these soldiers are clearly manifesting the same kind of settler ideology.
DIAMOND (voice-over): This soldier, Meir (ph), makes that crystal- clear.
MEIR (ph), SOLDIER: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
DIAMOND: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
GRAPHIC: They don't have permission to be here even under Israeli law.
MEIR (ph): (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
DIAMOND: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE) GRAPHIC: Even under Israeli law, this isn't a settlement. This isn't a legal settlement.
MEIR (ph): (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
GRAPHIC: That's right. But it will be a legal settlement.
DIAMOND: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
GRAPHIC: Ah, it will be.
MEIR (ph): Yes.
DIAMOND: OK. (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
GRAPHIC: How do you know this?
MEIR (ph): (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
GRAPHIC: Slowly, slowly.
DIAMOND: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
GRAPHIC: Thanks to your help, right?
MEIR (ph): (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
GRAPHIC: Of course. I help my people.
DIAMOND (voice-over): Meir (ph) is describing the settler playbook and the role Israeli soldiers often play in propping it up.
The Israeli military did not respond to CNN's questions about soldiers' conduct in the West Bank, including our detention.
Amid the war with Iran, those efforts are intensifying, with at least four outposts established this week alone. Land often taken with the blood of Palestinians.
"I didn't expect this," Abdullah's son says. "This is not normal."
DIAMOND: So, just as we're visiting one patient in the hospital from a settler attack, we've just learned that there have been multiple other settler attacks in the area, and one of the patients is at the same hospital.
DIAMOND (voice-over): Twenty-nine-year-old Sakr Suleiman (ph) says a scuffle broke out after settlers came onto his land, and one of them clubbed him in the back of the head.
When soldiers arrived, he says they arrested him and beat him with the butt of their guns.
SAKR SULEIMAN (PH), WEST BANK RESIDENT (through translator): The soldiers are a protection for the settlers. I would tell the soldiers that they stole my sheep, and they would say that I'm lying and that I'm the one who attacked them. And every time I'd try to say something, the soldiers would beat me.
[00:40:09]
DIAMOND: "Settlers," he says, "always go free."
Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Tayasir, the West Bank.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANDOVAL: Our thanks to Jeremy and his whole team for that report.
And after that report first aired, the Israeli military told CNN, quote, "The actions and behavior of the soldiers in the incident are incompatible with what is expected of IDF soldiers operating in the Judea and Samaria area."
The military also said that the incident would be thoroughly reviewed, but they did not respond to CNN's questions about the settler outpost that was featured in that report. And they also did not address the increase of settler violence in the West Bank.
We still have a lot more to get to in the coming next few minutes. We are just days away from NASA's big launch to send humans to circle the Moon. Just how is that going to work? Don't go anywhere.
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[00:45:41]
SANDOVAL: Welcome back. As the countdown begins, in just over two days, NASA plans to return four astronauts to the Moon's orbit for the first time in more than half a century.
The Artemis II mission is expected to take about ten days in total to fly around the Moon and then back towards Earth. They'll be creating a figure eight, extending more than 200,000 miles from Earth.
The journey will be a major test for NASA's rocket and spacecraft system, as they push to explore deep space and also pave the way for long-term space exploration.
NASA plans -- NASA's current plan is to land astronauts back on the Moon in a couple of years.
The crew's diversity will also be making history with the first woman and also the first person of color, as well as the first Canadian all on board.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRISTINA KOCH, ARTEMIS II MISSION SPECIALIST: Really, the question is not should we go, but should we lead or should we follow? That's how I see it.
Because everyone -- many, many countries have recognized the value that there is in exploring further into the solar system, to the Moon and onto Mars.
They recognized that not only can we gain all these extremely tangible benefits, but that we have the opportunity to answer the question that could be the question of our lifetime, which is, are we alone?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANDOVAL: Joining us now is science writer Sarah Treadwell, who also serves as a solar system ambassador for NASA.
Sarah, welcome to CNN.
SARAH TREADWELL, SOLAR SYSTEM AMBASSADOR: Thank you. Thank you for having me.
SANDOVAL: So, I want to tackle one of the questions that I get quite a bit, especially when I'm talking about this with other folks, you know, especially those who perhaps don't have a complete knowledge of what's happening.
Why has it taken this long to return to the vicinity of the Moon, some -- about five and a half decades now?
TREADWELL: Oh, gosh. Yes. I get a lot of, interestingly enough, a lot of Moon landing conspiracy people that comment on things for me. And it's for that reason. They're like, well, why is it taking this long?
It's so politically tied to Congress and, you know, the flop-- the flip-flop of administrations. It honestly kind of boils down to politics and the priority of NASA as a space agency.
So, when people ask me, why is it taking this long? It's not because we haven't wanted to. It's just because there's been a lot of congressional ties to different plans and -- and different things that we've -- we've had objectives, too, that has just kind of slowed us down over the years.
SANDOVAL: Yes. And just based on my understanding here, which is -- please keep me honest here, but the whole point of this is it's a test flight, correct? It's to get as close as possible without actually landing on the lunar surface, at least not this time. We could expect that, potentially, in 2028.
TREADWELL: Yes, absolutely. So, when we had the Apollo missions, we had Apollo 8, which went around the Moon first, and that was to test all the systems.
So, this is a whole new rocket, a whole new capsule that's going to take astronauts to the Moon. And it's kind of the same thing, right? We're going to take the whole capsule and the rocket system around the Moon to see that everything works, right? First. And -- and that's the first stepping stone to getting people back onto the Moon.
SANDOVAL: Got it. Answered my next question, which is why not land this time around? Also, just talk to us a little bit about the importance of this
mission, especially when it -- when you look at it as a -- as a stepping stone for future travel to Mars.
TREADWELL: I -- yes, there are so many important stepping stones to this.
First of all, like I said, you know, it's a new system. Whether that's going to be the -- forever going through the Artemis program system is kind of to -- to be determined.
But, you know, it's a new system. We're going back, which is so exciting. And then something that I think has been under-highlighted is that we're also sending the first woman and the first person of color out to the Moon. You know, like that's never happened before. And that to me is so exciting.
SANDOVAL: Tell us about the planning also that goes into this.
[00:50:04]
I mean, I assume, just like any other major project, it may hit a few challenges, a few obstacles; engineers having to go around that.
As you've been following this closely, how has this mission evolved as we lead up to the launch?
TREADWELL: Well, again, it's kind of politically tied into what's happening with the politics. It's -- it's been -- it's been interesting.
Artemis has been an interesting thing to follow. Especially because, like I said, of the politics and how things have kind of switched, especially recently. We've had a lot of changes into what the future plans of Artemis is going to do compared to what it was originally set to do.
And also, the -- the capsule has had some challenges. And so, I think that that has also delayed some things at some times.
And that is just all kind of tying into the complexity of space. It's so cliche, but space is really hard. And -- and so I think that especially when you're putting people, sending people that far out into space, that's really hard.
And so, you know, that's -- it's being reflected in the timeline and -- and the technology of what we're doing.
SANDOVAL: I have a few more seconds with you, Sarah. Just let's end on an exciting note here. What is it that has you the most excited about this as you're watching this launch? What will you be watching the closest?
TREADWELL: You know, I'm almost going to cry when I say this. I -- you know, I'm sure you're of the same kind of generation as I am. I've never seen anyone go to the Moon, and my children have never seen anyone go to the Moon.
And I am so excited to see people go back to the Moon with my kids. I think that that's going to be such a special moment.
SANDOVAL: Yes, just the -- I can only imagine what that will be like, especially as we look ahead to 2028. Seeing it in the world of social media and Lord knows what kind of technology we'll have at our disposal in just a couple of years' time.
We will be watching very closely. Thank you so much, as always. Sarah Treadwell, thank you for all your time.
TREADWELL: Thank you.
SANDOVAL: And this actually looks more like the surface of Mars, but it's actually Western Australia where a powerful -- a powerful weather system actually stirred up dust storms that turned the skies this eerie red.
The system, it also produced a -- an ex-tropical cyclone that left a trail of destruction. The storm leaving the area completely cut off from water supplies and power.
Just amazing video. Almost looks like it has a filter. It doesn't, though.
Still to come on CNN NEWSROOM, Pope Leo celebrating the first Palm Sunday since his election as pontiff and also has a message for world leaders amid the war in the Middle East. Stay with us.
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SANDOVAL: Israel has now reversed course on preventing a Catholic cardinal who is the Latin patriarch from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem.
And this follows widespread backlash after the Latin official in Jerusalem said that church leaders were not allowed to enter to celebrate mass.
CNN's Christopher Lamb is in London with more Palm Sunday developments, including developments out of the Vatican.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRISTOPHER LAMB, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Leo's first Palm Sunday since his election as pope comes at a time of growing conflict --
LAMB (voice-over): -- in the Middle East. And during the mass in St. Peter's, presided over by the pope, he had a strong message to those leaders seeking to co-opt God to justify wars and conflicts. This is what he had to say.
[00:55:18] POPE LEO XIV, LEADER OF CATHOLIC CHURCH (through translator): brothers and sisters, this is our God. Jesus, prince of peace, who rejects war, whom no one can use to justify war. He does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them, saying, "Even though you make many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood."
LAMB (voice-over): Now Leo didn't name any names, but his remarks do come after U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has quoted scriptures to suggest that God is on the side of the U.S. military intervention in Iran.
Now, of course, Palm Sunday recalls Jesus's procession into Jerusalem. That took place at the Vatican today. But it couldn't happen in Jerusalem itself.
The traditional Palm Sunday procession was canceled, and the Catholic leaders in Jerusalem said that they were prevented from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem for the Palm Sunday mass.
However, the Israeli police have said that those leaders were informed that it wasn't possible for them to enter the church, as the holy sites in Jerusalem are off-limits at the moment.
Now, Leo made mention of the fact that Christians in the Middle East are unable to --
LAMB: -- celebrate the liturgies as they would normally do at this time of year. He appealed for reconciliation, peace, and dialogue.
That is something that is likely to be repeated by the pope as he celebrates this sacred week of the church's year in the lead-up to Easter.
Christopher Lamb, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANDOVAL: Thank you so much for watching. I'm Polo Sandoval in New York. I'll be right back with you in just a few moments with more CNN NEWSROOM after a short break.
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