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Trump's Top General Looking for Off-Ramp from Iran War; Russia Hits Back after Ukraine's Strikes on Wildberries; Thai Teen Kills Five Teachers in School Shooting; New U.S. Sanctions against Cuba; Volvo Tests Autonomous Semis, Truckers Fear for Their Jobs. Aired 4-4:30a ET

Aired August 08, 2026 - 04:00   ET

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

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SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Hello and a very warm welcome to our viewers joining us from around the world. I'm Salma Abdelaziz in London. Let's go straight to those headlines.

Donald Trump's top general is reportedly looking for an off-ramp from the war in Iran. Why a former Trump administration official says that's not going to be easy.

And entrenched in Ukraine, there are new concerns that Russian president Vladimir Putin is planning to test NATO's resolve. We're going to tell you what U.S. intelligence says.

And Thailand is in mourning. This after one of the country's deadliest mass shootings in recent years. What we're learning about that tragedy.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Live from London, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Salma Abdelaziz.

ABDELAZIZ: I want to start with what is a frank and startling assessment from America's top general, whose very job it is to fight the war with Iran.

General Dan Caine, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, is looking for an off-ramp in the conflict.

This is as U.S. military options remain limited. Caine has privately made clear to other Trump cabinet members -- and this is according to three sources familiar with the matter -- and top advisers over the last few weeks that military options on the table to escalate the conflict could backfire.

And that airpower alone is unlikely to achieve President Trump's stated objectives for the war. This is, of course, very significant that Trump's most senior general is privately arguing there is no military solution to end a war that the president chose to enter. Meanwhile, Iran is showing off some of the U.S. and Israeli aircraft

it brought down during the nearly six-month conflict. State-run media shared the pictures you see there of the wreckage of a U.S. Air Force F-15 fighter jet, plus several drones and what appear to be the engines of a commando Special Operations aircraft.

This is as the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan signed a NATO-style mutual defense pact in Mecca on Friday as the Iran war looms over the region. Now the agreement says that an attack against any of them will be regarded as an attack against all of them.

That means Turkiye and Pakistan could now potentially be drawn into the U.S. with Iran -- the U.S. war with Iran, that is, of course, if Saudi Arabia comes under attack. Pakistan and Turkiye each share a border with Iran and both have strong reasons to prevent the conflict from spiraling.

The pact gave Saudi Arabia a very powerful new layer of protection amid doubts, of course, over whether the U.S. can still be relied upon to protect its allies. Riyadh's relations with the United Arab Emirates have also been frayed.

And all of this comes as Israel expands its military reach across the region. Joining me now on all of this is CNN's Nada Bashir. She joins us here in London.

Good morning to you, Nada. We haven't seen any airstrikes for a few days now.

Is this because airpower has simply reached its limits in achieving president Trump's stated goals?

And is that part of the reason why we're hearing America's top general looking for an off-ramp?

NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, clearly what we are seeing is this attempt by U.S. officials, regional officials, to try to corner all mediators, all involved parties, into some sort of restarting of negotiations.

And this is coming, of course, as we are seeing Iranian officials and Omani officials working together on an agreement over the Strait of Hormuz, a key stumbling block in any past attempts at a peace agreement between the U.S. and Iran.

But, of course, there are questions around the U.S.' military capabilities.

As you mentioned, reports of dwindling airpower as well as, according to officials and sources, warnings from the U.S.' top Gulf allies that they may not be able to sustain these air defenses that have protected civilian infrastructure in the Gulf region from the outset of this war, to an extent, without further support.

And, of course, if this war continues to drag on and that is the fear, of course, when the U.S. entered this war. [04:05:00]

President Trump boasted the military's ability to bring an end to the conflict in a matter of weeks. Clearly, that has not been the case.

Now, as you mentioned, we are hearing, according to three sources, warnings from the Trump administration's top general, General Dan Caine, essentially communicating with senior cabinet officials, including the secretary of state, Marco Rubio, including vice president JD Vance.

Communicating the need for the Trump administration to find an off- ramp in this conflict. Now according to three sources who have communicated with CNN and who are familiar with the communications taking place within the Trump administration.

The reasons behind the need to look for an off-ramp include, of course, military options on the table to escalate the conflict in Iran, potentially backfiring. That is a key concern.

And, of course, then the other key concern, as you mentioned, is that airpower alone would not be in achieving president Trump's end goals or expressed end goals in this conflict.

And, of course, again, from the outset of this war, we had heard from both the Trump administration and the Israeli government that much of the Iranian regime's military capabilities had been decimated, including some nuclear capabilities as well.

But given how long this war has dragged out, that clearly is not the case. And, of course, now all eyes are really focused on this potential agreement between Iran and Oman on establishing a route of passage through the Strait of Hormuz for shipping to enter through this passage safely and securely.

And whether that might push the needle somewhat and offer a new staging ground for negotiations between Iran and the United States.

ABDELAZIZ: Nada Bashir there on the U.S. military and reports that options are becoming increasingly limited as diplomacy stalls. Thank you so much.

Now John Bolton served as the U.S. national security adviser during president Trump's first term. He is also a former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. And he tells CNN that finding an off-ramp for the Iran war is going to require not just military decisions but a political direction as well.

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JOHN BOLTON, FORMER TRUMP NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: I'd be cautious about exactly what Caine is looking for.

He may just be looking for alternatives to the utter vacuum and strategy that we now see, that the on again-off again ceasefire memorandum of understanding, threats of retaliation have done nothing for the past several months to advance whatever Trump's objective is, which still has not been made clear.

I think that there is -- there is a route here that Trump could follow. He doesn't seem to be interested in it. But I would keep the blockade against Iran and use force, if necessary, to open the Gulf Arab side of the Strait of Hormuz, to let Gulf Arab oil out.

I think that's doable. I think trying to negotiate with the government of Iran is fruitless, because I don't think there is a functioning government of Iran that can give a commitment that's worth anything.

So in that circumstance, looking for an off-ramp really requires political direction. It's not a military call as such.

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ABDELAZIZ: In and around Kyiv, fires are burning. This is following a new wave of Russian strikes in recent hours. Ukraine says at least three people were killed, including one child, and three others are wounded.

The fires broke out at multiple locations. As the footage shows there, firefighters are scrambling to contain large blazes. Russia has been ramping up its strikes as Ukraine faces a chronic shortage of U.S. Patriot missile interceptors.

Now U.S. intelligence believes that Russian president Vladimir Putin could try to test NATO's resolve in the years ahead. Three sources familiar with the matter say that U.S. officials believe he could launch a limited hostile action against a NATO country.

Now this could range from a cyber attack to a small scale incursion without necessarily crossing that threshold for a full throated response. The goal would be to test NATO's commitment to Article V, which says an attack on one member is an attack on all. One source says the most likely targets would be Baltic countries or Poland.

Ukrainian drones have been zeroing in on Russia's top online retailer in recent weeks, as Kyiv tries to bring those hostilities closer to home for Russia. As Fred Pleitgen reports, Moscow is responding with what appears to be a tit-for-tat approach.

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FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): Russian drones allegedly hitting a warehouse in Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, as well as a railway facility Moscow claims is linked to Ukraine's military.

Russia's army is drastically expanding drone strike on Ukraine's logistics and infrastructure. In Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin trying to regain battlefield momentum shaking up his general staff.

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For the first time ever, appointing a coordinator for drone warfare. Everybody knows well that we decided to create a new branch of the

armed forces, the unmanned systems forces, he says. The goal was to find a person who had proven himself in the best possible way in this role.

Putin also ramping up missile strikes. A recent nighttime aerial blitz targeting Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, killing 17 people and destroying several warehouses.

Ukraine's President saying a shortage of U.S. made Patriot interceptors, exacerbated by extensive U.S. Patriot use during President Trump's war against Iran, has seriously weakened Ukraine's ability to defend against ballistic missiles.

Since the beginning of 2026, Zelenskyy said at a meeting with his General Staff, Ukraine started receiving just a third of the anti- ballistic missiles.

Russia's expanded air campaign comes just as Ukraine believed it was turning the tide in the 4.5 year war. Near daily, Ukrainian long distance drone attacks against Russian energy sites and Russia's largest online retailer have taken a toll, Moscow acknowledges.

Russian law severely restricts media from showing the aftermath of Ukrainian drone strikes but these are some of the places where Kyiv's drones have hit energy sites and warehouses in just the past five days.

PLEITGEN: The war certainly feels a lot closer to home for many Russians these days. A lot of them, quite frankly, are concerned about their safety amid the ongoing Ukrainian drone attacks. But there is also big fear about the state of this country's economy and whether it could sustain long-term damage.

PLEITGEN (voice-over): Thousands of small Russian businesses use online retailer Wildberries for sales. And those sales have often dipped so dramatically, some pickup points are shutting down, one owner says.

In order to break even, we need to make 250,000 rubles in profits but now we don't do it, he says. The last month has been entirely loss making. But so far, the Kremlin is showing no sign of changing course, instead, vowing to continue what it still called its special military operation in Ukraine -- Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Moscow.

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ABDELAZIZ: People in Thailand are in mourning. This is a day after the country's deadliest school shooting in years. Police say the 14- year-old suspect stormed the school, where he was also a student, and opened fire on Friday.

Five teachers were killed and 30 other people were injured. The boy then shot himself and he later died. Police say the shooter allegedly killed his grandparents in the home that he shared with them before he went to the school. Thailand's prime minister says stress-related schoolwork might have

been a motive in the shooting. CNN's Gage Goulding is live for us in Hong Kong with the latest.

This is a story that is, of course, developing by the hour, Gage. But we understand seven people have been killed.

What are you learning about those victims and the investigation and motive behind this shooting?

GAGE GOULDING, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, you raised a really great point. It is developing by the hour. It's in the afternoon now, local time, in Bangkok, where we're already learning more about those five teachers that were killed there at the high school.

Mind you, this is a 14-year old, a 14-year-old student that is alleged to have done all of this. These are the five teachers. You're seeing them here on your screen, the school releasing this photo just this morning, you know, less than 24 hours from the onset of this shooting.

But these are the five teachers, varying in different ranks, from what we're understanding, that were killed in this incident. I want to show you and read a full statement here that the school issued along with this photo here.

The school, the Debsirin Nonthaburi school, would like to express its deepest condolences over the shooting incident at the school and extend its support to the families.

Going on to saying that this tragedy has impacted a number of folks here. Remember, this is a school, about 3,000 students attend this school, including one of our very own CNN producers that had a son that attends this school. Thankfully, he was not on campus that day.

But what my point is, is that this is a very large school community, one that's going to need a segment of help here. The Thai ministry actually offering some mental health support, some emotional support in an interview that we received here just a little bit ago. Take a listen.

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PATTANA PROMPHAT, THAI MINISTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH: I have talked, I've talked with the parents of the victims. They are all -- the most of the victims are all children and their parents are in the very shocking (sic).

[04:15:04]

And I already put the department of mental health into action, sending staff 16 team, 60 of them, 60 of the people go into each houses and each of the families who get affected from this situation.

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GOULDING: And you know, the big looming question is why. The gunman himself took his own life right after this carnage played out. We understand that there may have been some school stress.

But his father speaking with CNN saying that his son is guilty. He did do this harm to people. He hurt people. But he has no idea. He does not understand why he would have done this.

ABDELAZIZ: CNN's Gage Goulding there as Thailand is reeling from a horrific school shooting. Thank you so much.

The U.S. hit Cuba with a fresh round of sanctions this week ahead. The reason behind those new measures and why some at the U.N. are demanding the U.S. stop its actions against the island. This story and more next on CNN.

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ABDELAZIZ: Some United Nations human rights experts are condemning U.S. sanctions on Cuba, demanding the Trump administration and the, quote, "energy starvation" of the island through a fuel embargo that has led to widespread blackouts and hardships.

Now the Trump administration hit 13 Cuban entities and individuals with sanctions, alleging they've been helping the island secure weapons. CNN's Patrick Oppmann has more on this from Havana.

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PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN HAVANA BUREAU CHIEF: The Trump administration has hit the Cuban government with a new round of sanctions targeting Cuban government entities and officials, some of the military officers.

This may be largely symbolic because these are not entities or officials that have any kind of presence in the U.S. any essence in the U.S.

But it's a further sign that the Trump administration, specifically secretary of state Marco Rubio, who is Cuban American, continue to up the pressure campaign against this government, which has included an oil embargo on this island.

There are very few tourists, if any, on the streets at this moment. The island's economy is basically grinding to a halt every day. It's getting harder and harder, many Cubans tell me, to live here, to feed themselves.

Power's off most of the time at this moment. The Cuban government has said that they plan, to continue, that they are willing to negotiate with U.S. But they're not make -- going to make any major concessions. And so that is the standoff we're experiencing at the moment. But Marco Rubio, in a new interview with Axios, has said that he will continue to double down on these sanctions to up the pressure campaign, do whatever it is necessary for Cuba to make political and economic changes and the harsher sanctions may be on the way -- Patrick Oppmann, CNN, Havana.

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ABDELAZIZ: We're starting to see more driverless cars on American roads. And enormous semi trucks with no one behind the wheel could be coming up right behind them. They go long distances without the danger of driver fatigue. But some people are worried they could push truckers into the unemployment line.

CNN's Ed Lavandera took a ride aboard an autonomous big rig in Texas.

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ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): We are climbing into the cabin of a 55,000-pound time machine and the question at the heart of the ride we're about to take is how far into the future are we really going?

LAVANDERA: So we're going to take a drive?

TERRY WALKER, DRIVER: We're going to take a drive.

JENS HOLTINGER, CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER, VOLVO GROUP: That's right.

LAVANDERA: None of us are driving, apparently.

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HOLTINGER: No, none of us are driving.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): This trailer rig was built by Volvo. And a company called Aurora develops the computer system which drives the vehicle.

HOLTINGER: There is double steering system.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): Inside the cabin with me is Jens Holtinger. He's Volvo's chief technology officer. And in the safety driver's seat but not touching the steering wheel, is Terry Walker.

We've been invited to take a test drive in this autonomous truck down Interstate 45 south of Dallas. The steering wheel has a jittery start as it pulls out of the truck yard but it quickly settles down.

HOLTINGER: So what you see here is actually what the vehicle is seeing. So vehicle is in the constant surveillance.

LAVANDERA: Now we're on the interstate. Starting to pick up some speed.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): The multiple cameras and radar systems detect all the cars and objects around the truck. They tell me the Volvo truck is designed to cruise in the right lane at 10 miles per hour under the speed limit.

LAVANDERA: Oh, this is interesting. They just switched lanes. There's a police officer has someone pulled over.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): With good weather and long open highways, Texas has become ground zero for several companies testing and refining autonomous trucks.

But more of these trucks are expected to be on the highways in the years ahead without safety guides in the driver's seat.

As we cruise down the road, there's debris on the highway. The truck changes lanes.

LAVANDERA: Oh, it's picking up the tire debris on the road. You see it?

WALKER: So now it's going to straddle it out.

LAVANDERA: So it was navigating between the tire debris on the road?

WALKER: Yes.

LAVANDERA: So here's a truck with its hazards on. We've slowed down to about 45 miles an hour.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): This time the Volvo truck changes lanes and passes the slower rig.

LAVANDERA: What do you tell people who don't like the idea of being next to a massive truck like this with no driver inside?

HOLTINGER; It's a driver that has constant surveillance, 360 degrees, 500 meters ahead, never gets tired, never gets distracted. We are quite confident that we have a very safe setup.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): That is a concern for people like Michael Perez with the Teamsters Union representing drivers in Texas.

LAVANDERA: Do you view these trucks as a threat or do you view them as a benefit?

MICHAEL PEREZ, BUSINESS AGENT, TEAMSTERS LOCAL 745: I do look at them as a threat.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): We met Perez at his union hall in Dallas. For 22 years, he drove short haul distances. He worries autonomous trucks will put lots of people out of work and he's skeptical these trucks are as safe as the companies claim.

PEREZ: Humans and especially trained CDL truck drivers, they make decisions in real time where a machine is all computerized.

[04:25:05] And we feel that the technology is not there for them to be safe and be able to make decisions the way a human can.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): Volvo says it plans to deploy at least 300 of these trucks without a safety driver early next year.

We put the concerns to some of the top executives at Volvo and Aurora.

CHRIS URMSON, CEO AND CHAIRMAN, AURORA: I really think if you are a truck driver today, you're going to be able to retire a truck driver. Skepticism is rational.

This is something new. It is game changing and people should have questions. The fact that it can operate indefinitely and it doesn't get distracted, it doesn't get confused, it doesn't get tired. means that it's paying attention to everything around it and it's really going to be a big benefit in driving those accidents toward zero over time.

LAVANDERA: So you think it's a fundamental economic disruption?

NILS JAEGER, PRESIDENT, VOLVO AUTONOMOUS SOLUTIONS: This truck doesn't need, you know, a lunch break, doesn't need a coffee break, doesn't have, you know, mandatory break times. You can go much further, you can go faster and that is, of course, super valuable.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): Before our drive comes to an end, we came across one last test.

While we were focused on our interview in the cabin, a woman walking on the shoulder of the highway comes into view.

LAVANDERA: There's someone on the road right there.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): The Volvo truck changes lanes briefly until it passes the woman safely.

LAVANDERA: We spent about an hour riding in the truck. It was a controlled set route but it did give you a sense of how the truck generally operates. And we also spoke with a number of experts to talk about where this industry is headed.

And they all told us that, for the foreseeable future, you're going to see these autonomous trucks in the Southwest and in the Sunbelt states, where there's generally good weather and wide open highways.

Where it gets much more complicated will be in urban areas as well as mountainous states like in the Rocky Mountains, as well as the Northeast and Midwest, where there's severe winter weather to contend with.

But the bottom line is there are a number of companies, not just Volvo, pushing to put more of these autonomous trucks on the highways -- Ed Lavandera, CNN, Dallas.

(END VIDEOTAPE) ABDELAZIZ: Thank you for watching. I'm Salma Abdelaziz. "CNN CREATORS" is next and I'll be back with more news right at the top of the hour.