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U.S. Launches Strikes To Swiftly Punish Iran For Two Us Troop Deaths; Interview With Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-PA); ACLU Report Says ICE Uses Force As Default Tool. Aired 3-4p ET

Aired July 19, 2026 - 15:00   ET

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

[15:00:00]

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN Breaking News!

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: Hello again, everyone! Thank you so much for joining us this Sunday. I am Fredricka Whitfield in New York today and we begin with the U.S. response to the deaths of two American troops killed by an Iranian attack.

Overnight, U.S. forces carried out strikes against a range of targets inside Iran. Those strikes according to U.S. Central Command aimed squarely at burning the country's ability to block shipping in the vital Strait of Hormuz. But Iran claims, those attacks went even further. The country's Atomic Energy Organization is accusing the U.S. of striking a nuclear power plant currently under construction.

While the U.S. has not yet responded to those allegations, Iran is lashing out, issuing strikes against U.S. allies across the Gulf amid growing fears of an all-out regional war.

We are covering this quickly developing story from all angles. CNN's Nic Robertson is in Jerusalem and CNN's Julia Benbrook is in New Jersey where President Trump has been spending the weekend.

Nic, let's go to you first. How is Iran retaliating? What is its strategy continue to be?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Its strategy seems to be to try to target the U.S. allies in the region. And today, those crosshairs fell on Jordan, again, targeting the south of the country, Aqaba, an area that is not known to be near any U.S. Military assets inside of the country at a time of peak tourism in that area.

The message that the U.S. Embassy of Jordan put out earlier in the day, barely an hour or so before this targeting happened, they warned American citizens not to go to the international airport in Aqaba, not to go to the to the international seaport in Aqaba either because of specific credible threats.

But those launches that were intercepted by air defense systems over the south of Jordan, of course, had a knock-on effect here in Israel, putting in the south of Israel, which of course lies right next to the Jordanian border, Aqaba on one side of the border, almost contiguous on the other side of the border, the Israeli city of Eilat, also a place popular at this time of the year with holiday makers.

The IDF said that their defense systems were put on alert. They remain ready for any threats coming from Iran. Israel has not been attacked by Iran yet, but by attacking the southern end of Jordan, that has made Israel sort of go on a higher state of readiness, if you will, and elsewhere in the region.

The Kuwaitis saying that it was a water desalination and power plant that was struck for the second night by the Iranians. We know that the air defense systems were going off in Kuwait earlier on today, the same in Bahrain as well. Those two countries as well as Jordan bearing the brunt of a lot of Iran's attacks recently.

The United States targeting, again, not just that civil nuclear power facility that's still being built in the very south west of Iran, but more targeting around the Strait of Hormuz in the town -- city, rather, of Bandar Abbas, a key city for the Iranians on that vital waterway, and as well targeting Qeshm Island, which sits just out in the Strait of Hormuz.

This is a place that has been targeted many times by the U.S. recently as really the focus of U.S. efforts are to disrupt Iran's ability to try to control that vital waterway.

WHITFIELD: All right, Nic Robertson, thank you so much out of Jerusalem. We will check back with you.

All right, Julia, how is The White House responding? We know the President is now, you know, in attendance at the World Cup. But what is he saying after the death of these U.S. troops in Jordan?

JULIA BENBROOK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, he has been spending his weekend here in New Jersey, and he has yet to release a public statement on these deaths, specifically. He has, though, given a few brief phone interviews like we've seen him do throughout this conflict. He told "The New York Post" that of course, he will speak with the family members of those who were killed. And he told NewsNation that this is a sad thing. It is in service to our country. And then he reiterated something he has been saying for weeks now that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.

But overnight, the United States launched another round of strikes against Iran and this makes this the eighth consecutive night of strikes. That also comes as Iran has launched drones and missiles at a widening number of targets in countries with U.S. bases.

U.S. Central Command had said that it would swiftly punish, swiftly respond after two American service members were killed in an attack in Jordan; another service member is still currently missing. CENTCOM is withholding some information at this time as they work to notify next of kin. But they did say that another four American service members were medically evacuated. They were sent to Jordanian hospitals and have since been discharged.

[15:05:10] Now, in an interview earlier today, Energy Secretary Chris Wright was speaking about this conflict as a whole, the Strait of Hormuz, how it is impacting shipping. He said that Trump wants to see a diplomatic solution, a diplomatic off ramp, but added that the mission here remains unchanged. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRIS WRIGHT, U.S. SECRETARY OF ENERGY: It is tragic to lose American lives, but this is a mission that will save countless lives going forward. His focus is on degrading the Iranian ability to terrorize the world, to hold world commerce hostage, as they are doing right now, and to prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons. That is unchanged.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BENBROOK: But it is clear, at least so far, that these diplomatic efforts have not been successful. It was just about a month ago that the Memorandum of Understanding was signed. It was supposed to kick off this 60-day time period for technical talks, but Trump has said recently that, in his opinion, the Memorandum of Understanding is "over." So there are a lot of questions about the strategy going forward here -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, Julia Benbrook in New Jersey, thanks so much.

All right, let's get some congressional reaction to this escalation with Iran. We are joined now by Democratic Congresswoman Madeleine Dean of Pennsylvania. She is a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Congresswoman, great to see you.

So I am wondering --

REP. MADELEINE DEAN (D-PA): Good to be with you.

WHITFIELD: Thank you. I wonder have the deaths of the two U.S. troops in Jordan and one still missing, change your view on the U.S.-Iran conflict or even, I guess, intimate where it might be going, in your view?

DEAN: Well, it is hard to say where it is going. On this Sunday, I just lift up the service members who have been killed, the one who is missing, Please God, may he or she be found.

What it shows is just we are not in an area of a Memorandum of Understanding. That 14-point memorandum so poorly drafted. We are not in a ceasefire, sadly. And what looks like is happening is a lack of an understanding by the President of exactly what his ambitions here are.

We don't have clear policy. And I say this all with extraordinary respect for our men and women of the military. I happen to be in the Pacific, in Hawaii observing alongside our extraordinary servicemen and women, particularly of the Navy, but also Marines and others, RIMPAC, which is a set of exercises among 30 nations for preparedness.

I cannot tell you how impressive these folks are. I cannot tell you their excellence. It is awe-inspiring. And I say that even as we were watching these exercises, learning so much about it, knowing that two more of our service members are dead.

I think that makes the toll 16 without a clear policy, without ever having come to the American people and not coming to Congress.

WHITFIELD: Yes, that does bring the number to 16 now, U.S. troops, and service people lost in this conflict since it began in February.

So what kind of impact now do you think this is also having on U.S. relations with Gulf allies, since Iran is targeting Gulf states that have -- and allow U.S. installations, military installations on their soil?

DEAN: I've had the opportunity, along with others, Republicans and Democrats, and then most recently last week, a roundtable with just Democrats and the GCC plus Jordan, the Gulf Coalition. What I do see in them is the gravity of what is going on.

This was the United States influenced by Mr. Netanyahu to go to war with Iran in an unplanned, reckless way; in an unconstitutional way and yet these folks in the Gulf, the ambassadors in the Gulf, they want us to know that this is impacting them very obviously.

Their countries are being struck. Their people are being injured, their infrastructure being injured, people being killed. So this is not just a war with Iran, it is obviously more regional.

There is opportunity in it as the ambassadors talked to us about. There is opportunity because it is pulling them closer together and understanding that we must do this together, that there must be a joint diplomatic effort for there to be a resolution of this.

But there is also an extraordinary understanding of the danger. We must never get to a larger war. We must get the President and the State Department to come together with the Gulf states, to come to a resolution, a ceasefire, get the Strait back open. Take a look at that Memorandum of Understanding, imagine that the Strait is still under the control in many ways of Iran.

[15:10:14]

WHITFIELD: President Trump is at the World Cup this afternoon, and there is a possibility that he will address cameras at some point this afternoon. What are you hoping he can or is willing to say that will help Americans get a clearer picture about what is going on and answer the questions that is on many people's minds about whether this is going to be a long term all-out war with Iran.

DEAN: Sadly, Fredricka, I don't have hopes for the President to, with clarity offer extraordinary sympathy to the families who have just lost their loved ones and to the family who is awaiting word on their loved one. I don't have hope for the President in that way. And what you saw this week with the President's 25-minute rambling madness about elections is the President is not adequately paying attention or having a straight line policy about what we are doing here.

I was reading the book, Timothy Snyder's "On Tyranny," and the first two chapters are, number one, don't obey in advance. I say that to my colleagues in the House. Don't obey in advance. And number two, defend institutions. This President is doing everything he can to downgrade our institutions. His rambling madness around the election that he lost, and everyone knows it reveals that he just wants to tear down institutions for two reasons. One, because he is a sore loser, but two, because he wants to do that again come this November.

I ask my colleagues, don't obey in advance. Hold this President to account, and let us demand a diplomatic resolution to this conflict.

WHITFIELD: All right, Congresswoman Madeleine Dean, we will leave it there for now. Thanks so much for being with us and safe travels there while you are in Hawaii with the many troops there.

DEAN: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right, still to come, there is new scrutiny into the tactics employed by ICE agents. What critics say following the latest fatal shootings.

And up next, the search for a senate nominee in Maine. A look ahead to a critical week for Democratic voters seeking to replace Graham Platner and unseat, potentially, Republican Senator Susan Collins.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:17:16]

WHITFIELD: All right, welcome back.

Democrats in Maine appear to be on the verge of picking a Senate candidate to replace former nominee, Graham Platner. On Saturday, Troy Jackson dominated the first day of Maine's two-day delegate selection process.

The logger and former State Senate President captured a large majority of the delegates with his progressive message. One of Jackson's rivals, Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, announced this morning that she was dropping out of the race.

CNN's Patrick Svitek is joining us right now.

Patrick, I mean, where do things stand? Does it seem that Democratic voters there will like Jackson, who was once in the company of once nominee, Graham Platner on the campaign trail.

PATRICK SVITEK, CNN POLITICS REPORTER: Yes, Maine Democrats are still voting at these county level meetings today for the delegates they want to send to the nominating convention next weekend. But so far, one thing is clear, and that's that Troy Jackson has an overwhelming lead in the delegate chase here out of the delegate slots that have been elected so far. Almost all of them have gone to members of the Jackson delegate slate.

And so right now, it looks like so far that this is his race to lose. The only real caveat here is that these delegates that are getting elected for the convention are not legally or formally bound to support one candidate so that their loyalties in the coming days could shift. There could be some fluidity there.

But what is happening this weekend at these county level meetings is a real testament to the strength of the organization of the Jackson campaign. As you mentioned, he is the former Maine Senate President. And so, you know, he is like Graham Platner in that he has run on this kind of blue collar, progressive platform. He is talking about things like Medicare-for-All, abolishing ICE. He is critical of the Israeli government, but he is also, unlike Graham Platner in that he is not a political outsider.

He has been involved in Maine politics for over two decades. He served in the Maine Legislature for a long part of that period, and so he is someone who would bring to this race a lot more formal political experience than Graham Platner did.

WHITFIELD: All right, very fascinating stuff. Patrick Svitek, thank you so much.

SVITEK: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: And a reminder, CNN will host a Maine Democratic Senate Debate with the candidates on Thursday night at 8:00 P.M. Eastern.

All right, straight ahead, new calls for investigation and oversight of ICE as a new report by a civil liberties group accuses agents of widespread and unchecked abuses.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:24:17]

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN Breaking News!

WHITFIELD: All right, this breaking news now just in to CNN.

U.S. Central Command just issuing an update on the two troops killed and the missing service member in Iran, or actually, there in Jordan as a result of the conflict with Iran.

CNN's Julia Benbrook is joining us now with the very latest -- Julia.

BENBROOK: We are getting new information from U.S. Central Command, starting with that recent attack in Jordan that left two U.S. service members killed and one missing in action.

They now say that they have found remains in that area. They are still looking to determine exactly who is there. There is an examination process going on, they said, specifically, "After a thorough search, U.S. Military personnel found unidentified remains at the location earlier today, an examination process to verify those remains is still ongoing."

[15:25:17]

Now then, more information related to this ongoing conflict, CENTCOM said "Separately, a U.S. service member in Northern Iraq was killed in action on July 18th," so the day after, "... during a controlled detonation of unexploded ordinance from a downed Iranian one-way attack drone. A second service member was wounded and continues to receive medical treatment for a minor injury."

CENTCOM is withholding some information as they work to notify next of kin. These obviously devastating updates, and this comes as the United States has launched eight consecutive nights of strikes against Iran. There have also been waves of Iranian drones and missiles fired at a widening number of targets in countries with U.S. bases.

President Donald Trump, he has been spending his weekend here in New Jersey. He is at the World Cup Final right now. We have reached out to The White House for comment, for any more information on these recent developments -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, Julia Benbrook, of course, that breaking news information when you get more, we will come back to you. And of course, if we learn any more about these circumstances, we will bring it to our audience.

All right, and let's take a closer look at the use of force by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.

This past week, a 25-year-old Colombian immigrant was shot to death in his car in Maine after ICE agents confronted him on his way to work. And in Houston, a 52-year-old Mexican immigrant was shot and killed during a traffic stop, though Homeland Security officials say he was not the target of the ICE operation.

The incidents occurred days before the American Civil Liberties Union released a report that says ICE agents use force and the threat of force as default tactics.

For more on all of this, were joined by Naureen Shah. She is Director of Immigration Policy and Government Affairs at the ACLU. Thanks so much for being with us.

NAUREEN SHAH, DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION POLICY AND GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, ACLU: Thanks, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: So, Naureen, your report says the use of force has become a default tool for ICE officers. What are you basing that conclusion on?

SHAH: We looked at more than 1,200 incidents around eight states in 2025, and the pattern was unmistakable. Immigration agents are using violence against our communities. We found 400 -- more than 400 cases where they were using force. They were pressing on people's necks. They were putting people in chokeholds 81 times. We found that they were using tactics that are so dangerous to human life, so dangerous to breathing, that law enforcement agencies around the country have severely curtailed those uses of tactics. They have even prohibited them. But ICE and other Immigration agents continue to use them, and they are using them at places like playgrounds, at bus stops, in traffic intersections. And it is scaring people.

WHITFIELD: And your data spans eight states last year, too, I understand and the report is saying that there were dozens of instances where officers used potentially deadly tactics that many local police forces restrict.

SHAH: Absolutely. I mean, they are tactics that we all know are dangerous to human life. There is also a kind of cruelty to it, but there is carelessness as well and we've seen this again and again.

Let me give you an example. You've got an intersection in Hyattsville, Maryland, not far from where I live, where agents have pulled somebody from their car. They're pinning him down by the neck. One of the agents fumbles his gun while he is doing that, pulls up the gun and aims it at a crowd that had gathered nearby. Then a second agent starts to move in on that crowd with his gun raised.

Now, that's not the kind of behavior that we expect from a professional law enforcement agency, but this one is under strict orders to deport as many people as possible, arrest as many people as possible, and they have even been told that the most senior levels of The White House, that they have immunity in what they do, that's not true.

We are trying to hold these agents accountable, but what we have here is a White House that is deploying ICE again and again into our communities. It is causing chaos. It is putting people at risk.

WHITFIELD: Is it your hope that this report might help influence The White House or DHS policies?

SHAH: We hope it influences Congress to pull the funding from this agency. Congress just gave $240 billion to ICE and other Immigration agencies to go into our communities. That is why we are seeing these arrests. It is not a coincidence. It is because of the funding that they have to go in.

Now, we need ICE to stand down to feel real pressure from Congress to pull back on this quota, which is just putting lives at risk, putting kids at risk.

[15:30:10]

One of the things we document in the report is 214 kids we identified, including more than 30 U.S. citizen kids who have been targeted or subjected to misconduct by ICE. We are talking about a kid in a backpack waiting for the school bus, being chased by ICE and Border Patrol, being tackled to the ground in Illinois last year.

So, this is just too much. Enough is enough. WHITFIELD: Yes, all right, lots of disturbing details in your report.

Naureen shah of the ACLU, thank you so much.

SHAH: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: And we've got more on our breaking news.

The U.S. Military announcing that another service member has been killed in action, this time in Northern Iraq. The number of service members killed during the war with Iran now rising to 17. More on this right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:36:38]

WHITFIELD: All right, we've got breaking news.

U.S. Central Command says a U.S. service member was killed in Northern Iraq yesterday. CENTCOM says the service member died during a controlled detonation of an unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian drone. The U.S. Military also announced that unidentified remains were found at the same location, where two U.S. service members were killed Friday in Jordan. CENTCOM did not say if the remains were that of the missing service member from that Friday attack.

We will continue to update you as we get more information on that.

All right, with us now, CNN global affairs analyst, Kim Dozier. So, Kim, I mean, how do we expect the U.S. might now respond and react to this tragic news of two U.S. service members killed in Jordan, remains of possibly that missing a service person found and then now we are talking about in Northern Iraq, a service member who died during a detonation process of an Iranian drone in Northern Iraq.

KIMBERLY DOZIER, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: Well, I can definitely assure you that Central Command is going to be issuing orders across the region to step up security. The State Department has also issued a warning to Americans across the region to take care, be aware of their surroundings and heed warnings and sirens, et cetera. So they definitely are going on a very defensive footing.

Central Command also announced that they had completed a series of strikes, yet another night of strikes, this time aimed at air defense systems within Iran. Things --

WHITFIELD: All right, it looks like we've just lost our signal there with Kim. We will try to reestablish that and hopefully pick up our conversation.

Oh, look, I think Kim, you're back. All right, good.

All right, I see you moving. Let's see if we can hear you as well now, if you can continue your thought. DOZIER: Yes. I was just saying that Central Command said that it had completed strikes overnight that were aimed at Iran's air defenses and also trying to beat back Iranian control around the Strait of Hormuz in the city that overlooks that and some of the mountain locations overlooking the Strait.

WHITFIELD: Okay. And then, you know, Kim, just a short time ago, I spoke with Congresswoman Madeleine Dean, who is on the Foreign Affairs Committee and this is what she said about U.S. allies in the Gulf region.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DEAN: We must never get to a larger war. We must get the President and the State Department to come together with the Gulf states to come to a resolution, a ceasefire, get the Strait back open.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right, I wanted to get Kim's reaction to what is being said there, but we are having some signal problems. Let's see. All right, no Kim.

All right, we are going to take a short break for now.

We will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:43:40]

WHITFIELD: It has been so much fun. The FIFA World Cup 2026 Final is finally here, and underway. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania arrived at the New York-New Jersey Stadium, where fans filled the place with Spain red and Argentina sky blue.

The opening ceremony it didn't disappoint. Jennifer Hudson performing the National Anthem. And after five weeks and 104 matches, it all comes down to Spain and Argentina.

Right now, the teams are scoreless and while we are waiting to find out who just might take it all, let's check in at all the like watch parties taking place, particularly in Manhattan.

Maria Santana and Gloria Pazmino are with us.

Maria, you're in Central Park. So, what are you seeing? It is supposed to be like, what -- the biggest watch party ever.

MARIA SANTANA, CNN ESPANOL: Yes, well, what I see right now Fredricka, is a bunch of happy people that the weather cooperated. And you're right, there are about 50,000 people here in the city's biggest watch party, Global Citizen and the city gave away 50,000 tickets through a lottery.

And right now, from what I've seen, the crowd is pretty divided between Spain and Argentina. But I have some fans here. You know, these guys are from Belgium, but they are going for Spain. What do you think? How is the game going so far for Spain?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They almost scored. They almost scored. But it is going great. The defense and the midfield are breaking them down. So it is going to be a matter of time until they get a goal.

SANTANA: Now my friend over here is from Tennessee and he came all the way here to see the game. No tickets to the game. But he is in New York City. Why?

[15:45:18]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am here, it is the biggest city in the world, biggest occasion. I wanted to be here just for it. So --

SANTANA: How is Argentina doing?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not great, but they've got the best player of all time, so anything is possible.

SANTANA: Well, you know, they come back. That's their secret. It is coming back. That's right.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is looking good.

SANTANA: It is looking good. It is looking good. I mean he said he didn't have $10,000.00 to spare. I don't think a lot of us do. But you know, this is the second best place to be if you're not at the Stadium right now -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: I have to agree with you on that one. I mean, I think that was a great gamble that he took. Just come to New York anyway and look, he did score a ticket because not everyone got a ticket there to the big Central Park party. So hey, victory for him! All right, thanks, Maria.

All right, and you know what? In Times Square, it is always a party. But today, it is being elevated even more. So, Gloria Pazmino is in the middle of all of it. So what's happening?

GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Fred.

You know, there are thousands of people that have been coming in through Times Square throughout the day and a lot of fans showed up here hoping that the game would be shown in all of these giant screens in Times Square, but they were sadly disappointed.

But Fred, I want to show you what people are doing to make up for that because they are here and they want to watch this game. Take a look at what is happening all around me.

We have these spontaneous watch parties, everybody stuck to their screens and their devices watching this game, not missing a single minute. So what we have here is an impromptu watch party, just, you know, people on their devices, they have brought their chairs, they are watching on their phones.

Everybody is head down just watching every minute of the game. I want to show you over these -- everyone has taken a seat on the floor and everyone is glued to their screens, so they're not missing a single beat of this game.

And I think this is really a perfect encapsulation of what this World Cup has been for New York City, right? Community and people coming together and making the best of it, even in a moment where they thought they were going to be able to watch it on the big screen, and they weren't able to. They are still here, coming together, cheering their team on.

I would say Argentina is definitely the majority here in Times Square, and I have a feeling that if they do well and everyone here is telling me that they will, we are going to see a much bigger party in the next hour or so, right here in Times Square.

WHITFIELD: I think so, I mean, its eerily quiet because everyone is like concentrating on their little screens there.

PAZMINO: Yes.

WHITFIELD: But come on, whoever owns a big screen up there, they've got to look at this and let's flip the switch and you know, put the game on for goodness sakes. They are die hard.

PAZMINO: I know. I know.

WHITFIELD: All right, Gloria, we will check back with you. Thank you so much there in Times Square.

All right, Spain's team decided to base themselves at the private Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennessee for their first two World Cup matches in Atlanta. And CNN's Patrick Snell looked at how it paid off for the team and the school and the city.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As soon as you put one foot on Baylor School, it is amazing because you have everything the players are going to have everything to train, to recover, to have fun.

SAMANTHA GREEN, DIRECTOR BAYLOR SCHOOL OPERATIONS AND SYSTEMS: They are very complimentary of the space. You know, we've worked really well together to figure out what their needs are and what exactly we can offer them as a practice facility, but also as a partner to help them be successful through the World Cup.

PATRICK SNELL, CNN WORLD SPORT ANCHOR (voice over): The Spaniards are embarking on their quest for a second World crown to add to their triumph in South Africa 16 years ago.

Privacy and security are very much front and center for La Rojas' star studded squad. Two key reasons this private school in Chattanooga was selected. GREEN: We have a big city feel, small town as well. So we offer them an opportunity to remain focused and have a secured environment so they can kind of keep their eye on the prize.

TIM MORGAN, PRESIDENT, SPORTS AND EVENTS CORPORATION: This is the largest international sporting event in the world, and we've been having communications with the federal government, the state government and our local government to make sure were all in sync. We all are aligned. And we are, you know, marching to the same drum.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In Chattanooga, we are going to find the privacy and the training ground. And in the other hand, we are going to be in the hotel in the middle of the city, which is also good for the players to go for a walk or to meet the people there.

MORGAN: The energy that we've seen so far has been absolutely amazing and they are not even here yet.

SNELL (voice over): At Baylor, these teenage boys on the school's football team train amid a feeling of disbelief that Spain's La Roja are actually heading to their school.

[15:50:10]

SNELL (on camera): There really is so much excitement here at the school. After all, 2010 World Champions Spain are coming to town. They are also the reigning European champions as well, and on their side they have a remarkable superstar by the name of Lamine Yamal, pretty much the same age as the kids here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am 16 years old myself and seeing Lamine Yamal, that's like a generational talent, seeing him win the Euros, turning from 16 to 17 is a big motivation for me.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is kind of humbling knowing that we are playing for a State Championship and Lamine is playing for a World Cup.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is an unbelievable experience. No other high schooler gets to brag that they got the best player in the world right now playing at their campus.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am really trying to figure out how he has eligibility so we can keep him here for next year.

SNELL (voice over): The school and its students aren't the only ones excited about Spain's arrival. The community as a whole is fully embracing the Spaniard's time in Chattanooga, well aware the European champions are hungry for more success.

AMANDA TROTTER, CO-OWNER OF AMANDA'S TAPAS & WINE: We plan to offer a couple of different traditional paellas throughout the month of June and into July while the team is here. I want to have the most authentic paella or like when somebody visiting from Spain tries our chargrilled octopus that they are maybe transported back for a second.

SNELL (on camera): And what is going to happen if, I don't know, some superstar like Lamine Yamal walks in for dinner one night? What is going to happen?

TROTTER: The pressure is on, and we are going to offer the best five star experience possible.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: All so much fun! A few days in the Atlanta and Tennessee areas, it has been. All right, now, the big game right here in the New York-New Jersey area.

All right, thank you so much, Patrick Snell.

All right, tracking the storm system that is forecast to become Tropical Storm Bertha and soak the Gulf Coast this week.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:56:34]

WHITFIELD: All right, a second tropical depression of the season has formed off Florida's West Coast. It is expected to bring heavy rain and tropical storm force gusts to parts of the Northern and Eastern Gulf Coast in the coming days. Forecasters say it could strengthen into Tropical Storm Bertha as soon as tonight or Monday.

A hurricane hunter plane will fly into the system today to measure its winds, pressure and surrounding conditions.

All right, this year marks the 20th anniversary of CNN Heroes and in honor of that, we have an update on last year's hero of the year.

Quilen Blackwell employs young people in Chicago to grow flowers on vacant lots and then sell arrangements through his nonprofit, Southside Blooms.

Now, new opportunities are blooming, and Blackwell is teaming up with a fellow CNN Hero.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Quilen Blackwell.

QUILEN BLACKWELL, CNN HERO OF THE YEAR: I was stunned. Absolutely stunned! It has just given us like that massive stamp of credibility.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST, "ANDERSON COOPER: 360": Being named "CNN Hero of the Year" brought new opportunities to Quilen Blackwell and his nonprofit flower shop, Southside Blooms.

HILLARY COHEN, CNN HERO: It's so good to see you.

COOPER (voice over): It also led to a collaboration with a fellow CNN hero, Hillary Cohen. Her nonprofit, Every Day Action, rescues leftover food from film sets and delivers it to those in need.

BLACKWELL: Hillary and I hit off, like, instantly. To have that moment to meet people who really are passionate about compassion is absolutely phenomenal.

COOPER (voice over): In April, Quilen and his wife, Hannah, brought a team to Los Angeles to help with Hillary's annual fundraising gala.

COHEN: It's so cool that he came with his entire team, and it's like my friends here.

COOPER (voice over): He turned her workspace into a temporary flower shop, a step that also helped with Quilen's big plans for the future.

BLACKWELL: We are kind of looking at this as, like, a dry run of what it would look like to have an L.A. Southside Blooms location.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I never imagined I would be able to go to L.A., Los Angeles. That's crazy. I feel like I'm dreaming.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You can have that kind of thrill around.

BLACKWELL: Galas are your lifeblood, you know, for any nonprofit. It means the world that Hillary and her team is putting so much faith in us. Hopefully, she's not disappointed.

COOPER (voice over): The flowers and the gala were both a huge success. At the end of the night, Hillary invited Quilen onstage to announce a new initiative they developed together.

BLACKWELL: We had a conversation that turned into our collaboration, which is Flowers for Good.

COOPER (voice over): The program gives nonprofits 20 percent of purchases made by their supporters. Quilen hopes that Hillary's group is just the first of many to benefit.

BLACKWELL: It's a way to really help share the bounty of flowers. Shop at Southside Blooms, sign up for Flowers for Good, and help support your favorite charity in the process.

COHEN: I think that two nonprofits coming together to help each other on this really big level, that's so beautiful.

COOPER (voice over): For Quilen, it's another example of the power of flowers.

BLACKWELL: It just really makes me feel good to see Southside Blooms blossom.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: That does feel good!

All right, to learn more about Quilen's work or to nominate your hero, go to cnn.com/heroes.

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN Breaking News!

WHITFIELD: Hello again, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me. I am Fredricka Whitfield in New York and we begin with breaking news.

Moments ago, the U.S. Military confirming the death of the 17th U.S. service member in the U.S.-Iran conflict.

In a statement, U.S. Central Command says the service member was killed in action on Saturday in Northern Iraq. The death, which Central Command says occurred after the detonation of a downed Iranian drone comes less than a day after the U.S. announced two other troops died in Jordan following an Iranian strike.

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