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CNN This Morning

Heavy Strikes Pound Beirut Overnight, Israel Issues New Evacuation Orders; IDF Surrounds Gaza Camp, Launches Anti-Hamas Operation; Mideast On Edge As Fighting Intensifies On Multiple Fronts; Region Braces For Israel's Response To Iran's Missile Barrage; Harris, Trump Focus On Swing States With One Month Left; Harris Campaign Targets Voters With Major Media Blitz; Trump Returns To Site Of First Assassination Attempt; Trump Falsely Suggests Political Rivals "Tried To Kill Me"; Elon Musk Joins Trump At Rally In Butler, Pennsylvania. New Tropical Storm Targets Florida As Possible Cat 3 Hurricane; FEMA: $110+ Million In Aid, 6400+ Federal Workers Deployed To Help With Hurricane Aftermath; U.S. Synagogues On High Alert For Possible October 7 Observance Attacks; Upset Saturday In College Football. Aired 6-7a ET

Aired October 06, 2024 - 06:00   ET

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

[06:00:40]

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Victor Blackwell.

AMARA WALKER, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Amara Walker. We start with breaking news out of the Middle East this morning. Tensions are high across the region with growing fears of a wider conflict.

BLACKWELL: New video from overnight of a Beirut suburb. CNN crews are there reporting in that area that there are constant blasts around the city overnight into this morning. Israel says it targeted Hezbollah weapons, the facilities there, and issued new evacuation orders for parts of Beirut, and suggests that more strikes could be on the way.

WALKER: Hezbollah has continued to launch rockets into Israel. Israel's military says about 30 projectiles were fired into Israel this morning. And Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu struck a defiant tone and a message late Saturday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: Today, Israel is defending itself on seven fronts against the enemies of civilization. For in defending ourselves against this barbarism, Israel is defending civilization against those who seek to impose a dark age of fanaticism on all of us. Rest assured, Israel will fight until the battle is won, for our sake and for the sake of the peace and security of the entire world.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BLACKWELL: While in Gaza, Israel's military has reportedly surrounded the Jabalia refugee camp there. The IDF says they detected Hamas operatives trying to rebuild operational capabilities. This is an overnight airstrike on a mosque in Gaza. The latest death toll there, 21.

CNN is covering this from all angles. Ben Wedeman is in Beirut. Jeremy Diamond is in Tel Aviv. CNN national security analyst David Sanger is standing by.

We want to start with Ben Wedeman in Beirut. Ben, tell us what you've been seeing there this morning.

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Basically, since just past midnight we have seen steady bombardment by Israeli warplanes. They seem to have taken a bit of a respite for the moment. But basically, in about an hour and 10 minutes ago, we saw another strike. Perhaps this has been the most intense night of strikes since the night that Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli strike. Perhaps as many as 25 individual strikes, taking place.

We don't have any word on casualties from these strikes, but we know that the hospitals here apparently are struggling at this point with the number of casualties that they're getting. Now there's continued speculation about the whereabouts of Hashem Safieddine, who was believed to be a possible successor to Hassan Nasrallah.

The other night, there was a massive Israeli strike. The Israeli said the target was Safieddine. But CNN has -- we haven't -- for one thing, we haven't heard anything from Hezbollah itself. However, a Lebanese security source tells CNN that Hezbollah has lost contact with this individual.

Meanwhile, the minister of education here came out and declared that government schools will not open until the 4th of November. It's important to keep in mind that many of the schools in Lebanon are now shelters for the more than 1 million people who have fled their homes from the south of the country, from the Beqaa valley in the east, and also from the southern suburbs behind us, Victor.

WALKER: All right. Ben Wedeman, thank you so much live for us there in Beirut. Let's go now to Jeremy Diamond in Tel Aviv. Jeremy, amid the strikes in Lebanon, we're also seeing intensifying Israeli activity in Gaza. What can you tell us about this escalation?

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's right. For the fourth time over the course of the last year the Israeli military now appears poised for another major offensive into the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza. Israeli -- the Israeli military says that its troops have encircled that area of Jabalia. And overnight, we know that they conducted intense air and artillery strikes on Hamas positions in that area.

And in addition to that, the Israeli military is now issuing new evacuation orders for the majority of northern Gaza where hundreds of thousands of civilians are believed to be living, directing them to head south.

[06:05:07]

That could, of course, direct humanitarian aid that has been flowing into northern Gaza, but also of course field hospitals that have been set up there to treat civilians. They are instead being directed to go to an expanded humanitarian zone. But of course, we know that that area has been hit by the Israeli military in the past as well.

And so today as we saw hundreds of people beginning to flee northern Gaza, many of them expressing uncertainty and fear about what awaits them in that humanitarian zone and whether or not they will truly be safer. And it is, of course, notable that this is happening on the eve of the one-year anniversary of October 7th, one year of the war in Gaza, as the Israeli military is clearly still battling Hamas militants one year later.

Hamas -- Hamas' Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing say -- confirming that they are engaged in firefights with Israeli troops in the Jabalia area. And so just notable that a year later these battles are still very much happening as Israel not only intensifies its activity in Gaza but also, of course, now fighting a multi-front war with intense airstrikes and ground operations now happening in southern Lebanon as well. And of course, still waiting Israel's response to that ballistic missile barrage by Iran earlier this week.

BLACKWELL: Jeremy Diamond for us in Tel Aviv, thank you so much. Joining me now CNN political and national security analyst, David Sanger. David, good morning to you. On the eve of the one-year mark of the October 7th attacks by Hamas, more than 1,200 people killed. Still, so many more than 90 alive and dead hostages in Gaza.

We're hearing this from French President Emmanuel Macron, that countries should stop sending arms to Israel to use in Gaza. And he added this. This is a reporting from the "Washington Post." If we call for a ceasefire, consistency is not to provide weapons of war. And I think that those who provide them cannot every day call for a ceasefire alongside us and continue to supply them.

Clearly a critique to the U.S. What's the significance of this, especially from such a close U.S. ally?

DAVID SANGER, CNN POLITICAL AND NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Well, good morning, Victor. You know a year out tomorrow from the October 7th terror attack, we're exactly where we didn't want to be. I mean, we wanted to make sure the United States did -- and I suspect many in Israel did that there was a counter attack on Hamas, but that the world which gathered around Israel after that attack would stay united. And then they would, you know, a year later be a move on to sort of a longer-term solution, whether it was a two-state solution or the deal that President Biden was trying to put together with Saudi Arabia and so forth.

Instead, we are in what you heard the prime minister called a seven front war Gaza, now Lebanon. I suspect that within days we're going to see pretty significant military action against Iran by Israel. And we don't know what form that's going to take.

And the U.S. efforts first to negotiate a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza. And then just 10 days ago, a ceasefire in Lebanon basically kept completely falling apart. And I think you see the Israelis now, basically, taking the position that they're going to go use this moment to deal with the whole range of their -- of their enemies whether it's Hamas, or Hezbollah, or Iran.

BLACKWELL: So, Ben mentioned this Hezbollah leader Hashem Safieddine who, according to Lebanese sources, has lost contact with Hezbollah -- Hezbollah has lost contact with him. You said that we are waiting for this retaliation from Israel on Iran because of the ballistic missiles. What's the likelihood based on what we saw overnight this missing or lack of contact with one of its leaders that instead we might see more from Iran before we see a retaliatory attack from Israel on Iran?

SANGER: Entirely possible, I suspect. Unlikely given right now what we see to be some set of disarray in Iran itself. I mean, what's happening in Lebanon is that the Israelis are moving to basically decapitate every level of the Hezbollah leadership. And they've been, you know, pretty clear about that and that really started with the pager and walkie-talkie explosions. And you've seen it accelerate now. I suspect that the Iranians are more in defensive mode at this point.

[06:10:02]

And the negotiation that's taking place back-and-forth between Washington and Israel is what kind of targets is real good, legitimately, and wisely target. And I think at this point, we're probably going to see military targets first. But, I think, there is a ladder up to energy targets and eventually some of the nuclear sites, depending on how the Iranians react.

BLACKWELL: On the communications between the U.S. and Israel, we heard from President Biden for the first time in the briefing room on Friday. How influential do you believe or even relevant to go to that level with Netanyahu is the president's advice, guidance on what to hit, and what not to hit considering what we've seen in the exchange between the two over the last year?

SANGER: Well, he hasn't listened to President Biden very much. I mean, President Biden on his first trip to Israel, after the October 7th terror attack, urged the prime minister not to do the kind of overreach that the U.S. did after 9-11. Since that time, we've seen the prime minister routinely dismiss the president's advice.

But in the case of Iran, it takes on a different nature. Because there are elements of the attacks, especially the attacks on the nuclear sites, that it seems as if Israel cannot do without American help. And, of course, if Iran responds the Israelis have to calculate the degree to which the United States is going to, you know, come in and help Israel out.

Now, the president said he will always defend Israel's right to exist and defend itself. But he is urging them not to get into a war with Iran at the very moment that they are wrapped up, obviously, in Lebanon with Hezbollah and back in Gaza with Hamas. I don't think there's a lot of communication between these two at this point, Victor.

BLACKWELL: Yes.

SANGER: In fact, we don't have any evidence that they've even spoken since this latest round began two weeks ago.

BLACKWELL: Which is remarkable when you consider how close the two were at the very start, immediately after the Hamas attack. We've got the live pictures up here of Beirut. And I want to ask you, as we approach this one-year mark, and now we see these attacks on Lebanon, 1,400 -- more than 1,400 Lebanese killed in the last month. More than 1 million displaced since these strikes from the IDF have begun.

Are there enough distinctions between the two fronts, and I'm talking with Hezbollah and Hamas, that the Lebanese should expect that their fate will be different than the Palestinians as this fighting continues?

SANGER: Well, there is some difference in that Gaza is, obviously, much more packed operation. And they are, of course, the Israelis were simultaneously trying to dismantle Hamas and get back their hostages.

I think, at this point, you don't hear the Israelis talking all that much about the remaining hostages, the Israeli leadership. Obviously, the families, in their anguish, are talking about them all the time.

I think that you could see Lebanon look increasingly like Gaza. But I suspect it will not reach that level of intensity. I certainly hope not. The pictures we're seeing are scary enough as it is, and the misery of the people.

And of course, many Lebanese are not in support of Hezbollah. But Hezbollah is stronger than the state. And so, separating the two out is a really hard thing to do. And the Israelis at this point seem to be following a campaign in which they're saying they will strike any location they believe Hezbollah leadership is at. And of course, Hezbollah leadership is integrated with the rest of the population.

BLACKWELL: David Sanger, thank you so much.

WALKER: All right. Still to come, just 30 days left until Election Day, and the race for the White House still appears a deadlocked. Could an October surprise change the game?

Plus, another potential hurricane is heading towards Florida just days after Hurricane Helene made landfall in the state. How people there are preparing.

And Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin plans to debut a new spacecraft tomorrow. How it's expected to help the company's space program.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:19:36]

BLACKWELL: So, yesterday when we came on the big banner was one month until Election Day. Now, less than one month from Election Day.

The Trump and Harris campaigns are zeroing in on the key battleground states. Early in-person voting begins this week in a number of states, including Arizona. That's where Vice President Harris is expected to campaign later this week.

WALKER: Yes, the vice president is also taking her message to voters in a major media blitz this week.

[06:20:01]

In addition to the previously announced "60 Minutes" interview, Harris will make appearances on "The Howard Stern Show," "The View," and the "Call Her Daddy" podcast. If you don't know what that is, that is the number one podcast for women, particularly younger women in the U.S.

The media blitz follows a trip by Harris to North Carolina yesterday to survey hurricane relief efforts. She met with volunteers at a primary care facility. And she also helped them pack essentials for hurricane victims. She also thanked members of the Air National Guard for the work they have been doing in disaster relief.

Now, former President Trump returned to Butler, Pennsylvania, for a rally yesterday. That is the site of his first assassination attempt. He honored the victims of the shooting at first.

BLACKWELL: But he also suggested that his political rivals may have tried to kill him without providing any evidence. CNN's Alayna Treene reports.

ALAYNA TREENE, CNN CAPITOL HILL REPORTER: Well, Victor and Amara, former President Donald Trump returned to Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, exactly 12 weeks after that first assassination attempt on his life on July 13.

Now, he came back to the exact same venue. Many people in the crowd had actually been at that first rally. Some of them had not, they told me, but they weren't too worried about security, particularly because -- and we know this as well, that Secret Service and local law enforcement had really ramped up the protocol in place for Saturday.

But I want to focus on what Donald Trump came to Butler to do. And that was, in large part, to honor some of the victims and -- specifically Corey Comperatore. He is the man who was killed on July 13 by that spray of bullets.

Corey Comperatore's family was in the audience. And Donald Trump spoke about him at length, talking about the type of man that he was and how he had shielded his family members, and that is how he died. He died dying a hero.

Donald Trump also thanked some of the other victims who were injured that day, as well as Secret Service, and Butler law enforcement, and Pennsylvania law enforcement overall. Now, I will say he spent probably the first 30 minutes or so of his speech doing what his campaign had said he would do, which is make this a remembrance.

However, after that his speech became very political and it reminded me of his speech at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee just days after his first Butler appearance, where he had promised a speech about unity. And he did give one until he quickly turned the speech into an attack on some of his allies.

It was very similar on Saturday. I want you to take a listen to what he and both his running mate, J.D. Vance, had said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Over the past eight years, those who want to stop us from achieving this future have slandered me, impeached me, indicted me, tried to throw me off the ballot, and who knows, maybe even tried to kill me.

SEN. J.D. VANCE (R), VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: First, they tried to silence him. When that didn't work, they tried to bankrupt him. When that didn't work, they tried to jail him. And with all the hatred they have spewed at President Trump, it was only a matter of time before somebody tried to kill him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TREENE: Now, Victor and Amara, we know that both Trump and J.D. Vance have tried to argue in the past that perhaps Democrats -- Democrats' rhetoric about Donald Trump, particularly arguing that he may be a threat to democracy, may have been what had led to that first assassination attempt, or even the second assassination attempt on Donald Trump's life. Of course, there is no evidence to support that but that was the case that they were making.

I also want to just note that we saw someone at this rally on Saturday that we hadn't seen at Donald Trump's rallies before, and that is Elon Musk. Of course -- remember, Musk actually endorsed Donald Trump just moments after the gunman had opened fire in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July. It was almost a full circle moment.

Musk came on stage and said that he believes that the 2024 election is the most important election of our lifetimes. He praised Donald Trump. And really, Musk has become a top surrogate for the Trump campaign. I think it was very clear that they were making that even more official on Saturday, Victor, Amara.

WALKER: All right. Alayna Treene, thank you very much. Joining me now is Mychael Schnell, congressional reporter for "The Hill." Mychael, good to see you this morning.

So, what do you think of the imagery there of Trump's return to Butler, Pennsylvania? As you heard from Alayna, it didn't take long before he turned what started out as a solemn moment into some finger pointing at Harris and Biden for these assassination attempts. MYCHAEL SCHNELL, CONGRESSIONAL REPORTER, THE HILL: Yes. I mean, it's a pretty striking image, Amara. Just the idea of former President Trump traveling back to the site of the assassination attempt despite, you know, the concerns that Secret Service -- the concerns around Secret Service and law enforcement with the security apparatus at that site.

[06:25:04]

Obviously, still questions looming about how a gunman was able to get so close to the former president and get shots off. But nonetheless, Trump returning to that site to have this rally, it was a very striking image. And I think it shows how close we are to Election Day. Because the assassination attempt against former President Trump was his rally around the flag moment for Republicans.

We saw Republicans really coalesce around former President Trump. In some sense, of course, there are still some detractors, but that led into his essentially coronation at the Republican National Convention.

It was -- it was -- it was -- in terms of momentum and enthusiasm for Trump, it was a positive stretch right there. So, to have that -- bring that image back and bring back the importance of that moment in terms of what it meant for the country and going forward for the election, having it so close to Election Day, just 30 days out, I think, it shows that -- how close we are to the election that the campaign is really in this full-court press as we get so close to when voters officially head to the ballot box.

WALKER: Yes, they sure are. And as you mentioned enthusiasm, we saw a lot of it when Elon Musk literally jumped up there on stage right behind Trump, and he was introduced there. And fittingly, you know, this was his first appearance at a Trump rally as he ended up publicly endorsing Trump right after that first assassination attempt in Butler.

Here is some of what Elon Musk, the world's richest man, had to say up there.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ELON MUSK, TESLA AND SPACEX FOUNDER: The other side wants to take away your freedom of speech, they want to take away your right to bear arms, they want to take away your right to vote, effectively.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALKER: Let's not forget that Elon Musk is the owner of X, and it's a platform that he has used for his 200 million plus followers to retweet or, you know, repeat or, you know, post conspiracy theories and spread false information. How significant is Elon Musk's support of Trump?

SCHNELL: Well, just for starters I think that his rhetoric and what Elon Musk was saying right there is pretty similar to what we've heard from Trump and his surrogates and campaign allies throughout this entire stretch of the election. It's something that the former president really articulates himself saying, they're not coming after me, they're coming after you. I'm just in the way. I'm just standing in between those two things.

The former president is trying to show to Americans and trying to make the case to his voters that they have stake in this election. And it's a way to try to galvanize them to head to the polls. Now, hearing that messaging from such a large messenger like Elon Musk is significant. Also, noting that he has become such a controversial figure in the political atmosphere.

But will Elon Musk flip any votes? I'm not exactly sure. As you mentioned, this is not a new endorsement. It came right after the assassination attempt, though, it's one that we're seeing now him stump on the campaign trail himself. So again, it shows this full- court press as we get so close to Election Day.

WALKER: Mychael, I'm being wrapped. We didn't even get a chance to talk about Vice President Kamala Harris, but we appreciate your time. Thank you so much, Mychael.

BLACKWELL: The number of people killed by Hurricane Helene is still rising. But search and rescue efforts are still ongoing. How FEMA is scrambling to help those impacted by the storm.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:32:54]

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: All right headlines for you this morning. The Supreme Court begins its new term on Monday added 15 new cases Friday to the docket for the 2024-2025 term.

Part of these new list a lawsuit by the Mexican government against the U.S. gun manufacturers arguing that they added aided and abetted the illegal sale of guns to cartels and traffickers in Mexico. Also look at the execution case of Ruben Gutierrez, granting him an appeal against a Texas law that governs post-conviction DNA testing.

Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin is preparing to debut and launch a new spacecraft on Monday if all goes according to plan. The RSS Carmen crew capsules first launch will not have any people on it and will instead fly 12 research payloads into space. It'll be the first mission for this particular vehicle, and if successful it will help Blue Origin reach its goal of becoming a real SpaceX competitor.

More than 500 students were forced to relocate from their college dorm at Northern, Arizona University after several bats including one that tested positive for rabies found their way inside. Move out started Friday with students beginning to being placed rather in nearby housing until the end of the semester. No injuries have been reported, but school officials say that several beds have been seen in the building including five sightings in the past few days.

AMARA WALKER, CNN ANCHOR: It's quite spooky right before Halloween. Well, this morning, Florida, yes, Florida once again is on high alert as another major hurricane could make landfall there in the next few days. Governor Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency for 35 counties ahead of impacts from what is now Tropical Storm Milton.

CNN meteorologist Allison Chinchar is here to track it all. We're talking about Florida again. Poor -- poor Floridians.

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST (on-camera): I think the thing is you have to understand some of these people just got power back. Maybe a couple days ago.

WALKER: Yes.

CHINCHAR (on-camera): And now they could lose it all over again in just a few days. This may make the third storm to make landfall in Florida just this year.

WALKER: Gosh.

CHINCHAR (on-camera): So again, we take a look at where it stands right now. You've got those sustained winds at 50 miles per hour, it's moving east at about 5 miles per hour. So it's not very fast at the moment. But it is going to pick up in speed and also intensity as we go through the next 24 to 48 hours.

[06:35:10]

If we can put this into motion, you'll see that that graphic is going to continue to push the storm well into the Gulf of Mexico. And when it does, it's going to start to show that we've got the track that's going to make its way into portions of the Gulf of Mexico. And we in fact expect this storm to get up to a major hurricane. That's a category three or stronger at some point in the next 48 hours before taking aim at Florida, somewhere between the big bend, which is exactly where Helene made landfall or possibly all the way down south towards Naples.

So anywhere in this realm here, this area, that's where the expected landfall is supposed to be sometime on Wednesday.

Now, the reason for the intensification is because it's going to go over these very warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. That's what's going to allow that storm to intensify rather quickly. But a lot of the models are very honed in on where this storm is expected to go. That's why, even though it's so far out, we know at this point in time it's going to hit somewhere likely between Cedar Key and Naples on Wednesday.

Regardless, however, of where it makes the landfall, it's going to bring heavy rainfall pretty much to the entire peninsula. You're looking at widespread rainfall totals of four to six inches, but some of these areas could end up getting as much as a foot of rain.

So, you've got that flood watch in effect. We're going to expect guys storm surge watches and possibly hurricane watches as early as later today for the state of Florida.

WALKER: All right, Allison Chinchar. Thank you. BLACKWELL: Hurricane Helene has claimed the lives of at least 227 people across six states. In the wake of the devastation, Vice President Harris visited North Carolina to get a briefing on relief efforts. First responders continuing their rescue and recovery efforts there.

FEMA is also reporting on its work on the ground, including providing meals and water for those affected.

CNN national correspondent Rafael Romo has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Victor and Amara, the Federal Emergency Management Agency released the latest information on Saturday regarding the response to this unprecedented disaster in the southeast.

According to FEMA, the federal government has already provided more than $110 million in assistance for the affected states. FEMA also says that 6,400 personnel from across the federal workforce are deployed and that 13.2 million meals and 13.4 million liters of water have been distributed in the aftermath of Helene. There are also teams from across the nation there, including the New York Fire Department and of course the North Carolina National Guard. The FEMA official in charge of the response in North Carolina said search and rescue efforts are still ongoing.

Vice President Kamala Harris traveled Saturday to North Carolina to survey the aftermath of Helene in the southeastern state. She landed in Charlotte where she got on, on the ground briefing of storm recovery efforts.

She later thanked all those helping people in need.

KAMALA HARRIS (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: These moments of crisis bring out some of the best of who we can be and who we are. I've been seeing and hearing the stories from here in North Carolina about strangers who are helping each other out, giving people assistance in every way that they need, including shelter, food and friendship and fellowship.

And so, I thank everyone for all the work that they've been doing, those who are in the room and those who are out there.

ROMO: Despite the efforts of the local state and federal government, the crisis is far from over. According to Buncombe County officials, as of Saturday, there were still more than 74,000 customers without power in their area alone in western North Carolina.

Buncombe County officials are still asking people to reuse water as much as they can, even if they have set up several food and water distribution centers across the area.

Victor, Amara back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLACKWELL: All right, Rafael Romo, thanks so much.

And for information about how you can help Hurricane Helene victims go to CNN.com/impact.

WALKER: All right, still to come. The one-year anniversary of the October 7th Hamas attack is tomorrow. How police departments across the U.S. are preparing to keep Jewish places of worship safe.

And in case you missed it, "HAVE I GOT NEWS FOR YOU" with Roy Wood Jr. Amber Ruffin and Michael Ian Black with guests, political commentator Ana Navarro and comedian Andy Richter will replay tonight 9:00 p.m. Eastern on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:44:09]

WALKER: Tomorrow marks the one-year anniversary of the Hamas terror attack on Israel.

BLACKWELL: And Jewish holidays coincide with the ongoing war in the Middle East. So, security is a major focus at houses of worship and in Jewish neighborhoods all across the country.

CNN's Gloria Pazmino reports from New York.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Victor, Amara. It is really important to emphasize that although there were several bomb threats that were called into synagogues across the state, none of those threats have been deemed credible.

However, Governor Kathy Hochul did deploy state police across the state to partner up with local law enforcement to make sure that communities are safe over the next several days.

Now, we are approaching the first-year anniversary of the October 7th attacks, and we're also in the middle of the high Jewish holidays. And law enforcement officials have said that the combination of the anniversary, the holidays, and the ongoing turmoil in the Middle East could serve as a motivator for extremists to take violent action.

[06:45:15]

Now, again, there have been no credible threats here in New York or in other parts of the country where law enforcement agencies remain on high alert.

We're here at Temple Emanuel. This is one of the largest synagogues in New York City, a really important symbol for the Jewish community. And New York is home to one of the largest Jewish populations in the world outside of Israel. Now, both the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security said that given the one-year anniversary on Monday, the holidays, the tensions in the Middle East, it could create an elevated threat environment. And that is what the law enforcement response is all about.

The NYPD is expected to be out here for at least the next two weeks as we approach the anniversary on Monday and then the Yom Kippur holiday later in the week. But for now, still no credible threats. And although law enforcement is alert, we do expect celebrations and the observance of the holidays as well as the anniversary next week to go as planned.

Victor, Amara.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLACKWELL: All right, Gloria Pazmino for us in New York. Thanks so much.

WALKER: All right. It was a Saturday for the ages in college football. Top teams losing left and right, one of them even prompting a police escort for the fans celebrating.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:51:01]

BLACKWELL: College football was crazy yesterday. Five of the top 11 -- why is everybody laughing when I say that?

WALKER: Because you were supposed to read something else.

BLACKWELL: All right, so here it is. They wrote in the intro here for me. I'm going to read it to you as they wrote it. College football done lost its mind yesterday.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There we go.

WALKER: There, see? Sounded better.

BLACKWELL: You're welcome. Five of the top 11 teams in the country got upset.

WALKER: The biggest of them all, Vanderbilt taking down number one, Alabama.

Coy Wire is here.

Look, Coy actually had a full head of hair this weekend when all that stress got to you, didn't it?

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR (on-camera): Yes. I mean, incredible stuff. It's like, totally upset Saturday, but four of those top 5-11 teams were unranked to unranked opponents.

So, I mean, it was just awesome. And maybe this is the perfect time to have this new 12-team playoff unveiled this season. Alabama, remember, they're coming fresh off of beating number one Georgia last week. Well, last night, they're on the other end of it. The top-ranked Crimson Tide going down on the road at unranked Vandy, 40-35. (INAUDIBLE) was favored by 22.5 points in this one.

The Commodores end a 40-year drought against the Crimson Tide. Fans were rushing the field. First-ever win over a top-five team in Vanderbilt's history, let alone the number one. Quarterback Diego Pavia completed 16 of 20 passes for 252 yards.

Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DIEGO PAVIA, VANDERBILT QUARTERBACK: They say in all God's timing, literally from the jump. God gave me a vision when I was a little kid and he don't let back (INAUDIBLE) any promises. It's God's timeline. I'm super thankful, super thankful for guys like Eli Stowers. Man, that kid's incredible. The rest of our team. Look at this. Look at this. Vandy we're (INAUDIBLE) turnt (ph).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WIRE (on-camera): Oh my. Absolutely (INAUDIBLE).

In Nashville afterwards, look at this. Students toward out on a goalpost and a (INAUDIBLE) goalpost for a ride. They paraded them down Broadway and they eventually ended up in the Cumberland River. Nashville Fire Department had to go in and fish him out later.

Oh, my goodness. They didn't sleep all night. You know that.

All right. MLB playoffs. Now divisional series underway. New stage, same old Shohei. After seven years in the major, Shohei Ohtani making his postseason debut, says he dreamed of this as a kid. Well, dreams come true.

Second inning, a three-run homer. So, his first career postseason hit is a home run tie in the game at three. And he wasn't done. Fourth inning, L.A. was trailing again. Broken bat. Ohtani gets this knock here. It's a single, but he's on base now. And three batters later, Teoscar Hernandez brings him home on what would end up being the game- winning hit.

Dodgers beat the Padres 7-5 in game one. Over in the American League, the Yankees getting all they could handle from the Royals. The pinstripes trailing on three separate occasions. Each time they took the lead, Kansas City would answer right back.

But then in the seventh, Alex Verdugo put the Yanks up for good. The single to left. Watch Jazz Chisholm running right up out of his helmet. Beating the throw. New York wins game one of the best of five series, 6-5.

Now today we have NFL Sunday kicking off in London for the 16th time in 17 years. And it's the undefeated Vikings. They're 4-0 facing the future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers and the Jets. They're 2-2. Morning kickoff here. It's at 9:30 Eastern. So, get your popcorn ready early.

We also have game four. So, the WNBA playoffs semi-finals. The Liberty can book their spot in the finals with a win over the Aces. And the Lynx can clinch as well if they can take down the Sun.

BLACKWELL: OK. All right.

WALKER: Awesome, Coy. Good to see you.

WIRE (on-camera): Good to be.

WALKER: Thank you.

WIRE (on-camera): All right.

WALKER: Well, despite a new escalation of fighting in the Middle East ahead of the anniversary of the October 7th attacks, the Israeli nonprofit Road to Recovery is more determined than ever to bring Israelis and Palestinians together.

Anderson Cooper shares how their work may be as important as ever.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[06:55:00]

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: The day after Hamas's brutal attacks on Israel, Road to Recovery continued its work transporting sick Palestinians from checkpoints in the West Bank to Israeli hospitals.

Today, they're helping 40 to 50 patients a day.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's an opportunity for us, the Israelis, to meet the Palestinians and to make what I call a small hour of peace. Each trip is one hour of peace, and we are doing every day a lot of one hour of peace.

If we really want one day normal life for us and for the Palestinians, we should make an effort to achieve it. In the Bible, there is a phrase, bakesh shalom verodfehu. It means that you ask for peace and you have to run after the peace in order that it will happen.

This is our mission.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALKER: To see the full update on Road to Recovery's ongoing efforts, you can go to cnnheroes.com.

We'll be right back.

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