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Hurricane Dorian Devastates Bahamas on Way to Florida; Hurricane Dorian Takes Aim at Florida as Powerful Category 4 Storm; Boris Johnson Meets with Cabinet, Parliament Set to Return; Students Boycott School in Hong Kong's Pro-Democracy Rally; Chinese State Media: The End is Coming: Situation at Lebanon Border Calm After Sunday Flare-Up; Israel Defense Forces Say It's Time to Stand Up to Hezbollah; Israeli Army Seems to Stage Medical Evacuation. Aired 11a-12p ET

Aired September 02, 2019 - 11:00   ET

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

[11:00:00] VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT AND ANCHOR: Welcome to our viewers here in the U.S. and around the world. I'm Victor Blackwell on an

increasingly windy beach Jensen Beach here on Hutchinson Island in Florida, continuing CNN's live special coverage of hurricane Dorian.

Now we just received the 11:00 a.m. update from the national hurricane center. Our Chad Myers will have that for you in just a moment. But

first, let's go to DC and our Ryan Nobles has an update on the breaking news. This boat fire off the coast of southern California -- Ryan.

RYAN NOBLES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Victor, that's right. We are watching for that breaking news out of Los Angeles. Keeping an eye on an

unfolding rescue operation off the coast of Southern California. A number of people dead after a dive boat catches fire near Santa Cruz Island. Some

of them have been rescued, but dozens are still missing. We'll hear from a local fire official in just a moment, but first let's get back to Victor

with the latest on the track of hurricane Dorian -- Victor.

BLACKWELL: All right, Ryan, thank you so much. Listen, the surf is really kicking up here. We're in between those extreme outer bands of hurricane

Dorian. There were people on this beach. This is under a mandatory evacuation, but people are taking advantage of those dry moments to come

out and take pictures. But neither me, nor any of these other people, will be able to stand on this beach in about an hour and a half, as high tied

comes in, as we send it in to meteorologist Chad Myers for the 11:00 update. Chad, what they're seeing now we understand is mild compared to

what they will see and nothing compared to what the people in the Bahamas have seen for the last 12 to 24 hours.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: A storm, Victor, that just will not move off of Grand Bahama Island. So really pounding the Freeport and still

pounding great Abaco, which got hit so hard yesterday. Which is only about 40 miles away.

Right now though, the breaking news, it is at 155. You need to be over 157 to be category five. We have now finally come down to a category four. I

know that's splitting hairs, but that's where we are. Still moving to the west at 1 mile per hour. The center -- the circulation is still just about

20 miles east of Freeport.

But here's what's happened. We had a high pressure here all week with winds like this, and that pushed the storm like this. This high is now

gone. It's completely it's lost its power to push the storm. So now all of a sudden, we have a storm without a direction. We're waiting for the

next direction and that next direction will be a low that's going to try to pull it up from the west and push it on up toward the north. When that

finally happens, this stopped hurricane will begin to move again. But that still could be another 12 or more hours before that happens and the people

here are getting pounded. One storm after another rotating around the eye wall. High Rock here, Freeport there, back will be here to Sweetings Cay,

has just been in the eastern part of the eye wall now for I think 16 hours. 16 hours equal to about an F-2 tornado, usually lasts 3 minutes. But this

has been now 16 hours of what could be equal to the wind of an F-2 tornado.

Here we go. Stewart, Florida by Tuesday, we get winds that are around 70. Melbourne up to 76, this is 10:00 p.m. tomorrow. So that's 36 hours and

were still not even to the space coast yet that's how slow this is going to lumber to the north. Daytona right around 67 and that's on Wednesday

morning and then it finally turns to the northeast and does affect the Carolinas.

But all you have to do is move this storm ten miles to the left and those numbers go from 70 to 90, 10 miles to the right, those wind speeds go from

70 to 50. So that's what we're really dealing with. We're really on this borderline of where the storm is. And if we get the eye wall on land, all

of a sudden, our winds are going to be 120. So we just need this thing to stay in the ocean for sure, even though it won't die when it's in the ocean

because the water is warm, the Gulfstream, we are really just needing this thing to stay offshore.

Watches and warnings have been posted. They've been changing a little bit hour by hour, but for the most part we are expecting some hurricane

conditions along the Florida east coach.

[11:05:03]

MYERS: And I think the closest approach, Victor, is probably just north of you where the space coast kind of sticks out. Cape Canaveral sticks out

into the ocean. That's maybe only about 15 miles just to the east of there for the center of the eye. I suspect the space coast will have the

greatest winds of all of Florida if it does turn away to the right.

BLACKWELL: All right, Chad, we're expecting an update from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on conditions and preparations for hurricane Dorian

as it comes closer to the East Coast of Florida throughout this hour. We'll bring you the highlights of that.

But in just the last couple of minutes as Chad was giving us the update from the National Hurricane Center, there have been dozens of people who

have come back onto this beach. Now, again, Hutchinson Island is under a mandatory evacuation, as are most of the barrier islands along Florida's

coast. But what most counties agree upon is that no matter which areas leave those in the manufactured homes, the mobile homes, those will take

the worst or show the worst signs of damage when those stronger winds come through.

Now, many of the communities have cleared out. But we've met a couple of people who have decided in Port St. Lucie to wait a little longer. I want

you to listen to what Jack and Violet Honey in Port St. Lucie are waiting for to determine if they will evacuate.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLACKWELL: You're sitting here and Dorian is about 100 miles off the coast. Have you made the decision to stay or go?

JACK HONEY, PORT ST. LUCIE RESIDENT: No, I'm going to depend on what the storm does yet. If the storm comes closer, we're leaving. If it turns and

goes towards north, we're going to stick it out.

BLACKWELL: Do you think it will be too late to make that move when you see the change in direction?

JACK HONEY: Personally, no, I don't.

BLACKWELL: Are you prepared to move?

JACK HONEY: Yes, car is packed. The only thing I'm going to put in the car is the wife and the cat and we're out of here. Very quick.

BLACKWELL: Where would you go?

JACK HONEY: West. Probably over near Punta Gorda, which I southwest which the storm has not come near yet.

VIOLET HONEY, PORT ST. LUCIE RESIDENT: I have a gut feeling that everything is going to be all right.

BLACKWELL: How many people in this community have you been driving around, have you seen that are out walking the dogs who are staying?

VIOLET HONEY: I don't know. It seems like quite a few if you go by the automobiles under the car ports, who are staying. I don't know. I really

haven't been out talking to anybody.

BLACKWELL: St. Lucie county says in a manufactured home like this you are under a mandatory evacuation, you've got to get out. You hear that and

think what?

VIOLET HONEY: Well, maybe we should think about it. But I leave it up to him because he makes good decisions.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLACKWELL: Now Jack and Violet Honey have given me their cell phone number. I've given them mine. When they make that call, of course, we'll

let you know. But there are a lot of people here who in the context of a storm even off the coast measure everything by 2004. Within two weeks in

September of 2004, hurricanes Francis and Jean caused a lot of damage here on the Treasure Coast.

And let's stay in this area and go along the coast to Vero Beach where my colleague Martin Savidge is. And, Martin, I've been watching your live

shots throughout the morning. There have been people there near where you were -- at least the earlier shots -- much like where I am, who have come

here to the shore to take pictures. But as soon as one of those quick bands comes through, it clears out. But then they come back. So how

seriously are people taking this storm where you are in Vero Beach?

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, it's a really good question and I'm beginning to wonder that myself. I mean, take a look. This is

like a typical day here. In fact, even atypical because there are just so many people. Now the police have been going by and they're doing it right

now actually. There's a squad car that's going through the parking lot and they are announcing that this area is under a mandatory evacuation order.

That started three hours ago but the crowds have only grown since then. In fact, there were foot patrols that went up to people and went up

individually to people and tell them the very same thing. The fact that the weather has been so nice is part of the reason I think people are

hanging around. The other part is they truly believe the forecast however, the warning is -- and we know from officials here -- that the winds could

get to hurricane force and that the storm surge could be 7 feet, which could overtop some of the dunes.

So the barrier island is not going to be a safe place when this weather closes in, which is expected in about 12 to 24 hours. A lot of these

people say, look, they'll head back to the mainland before that happens. But remember there are bridges and those bridges are controlled by the

county and the state. If the weather and the wind get too strong, they will shut them down. If you aren't over those bridges, then you will be

here and first responders can't come out in that kind of weather as you well know.

[11:10:00]

So you talk to people here and they're not that concerned. Everybody is boarded up, filled up ask gassed up. They're just waiting for a storm.

And right now it feels like they don't take it seriously enough -- Victor.

BLACKWELL: Martin, you mentioned those bridges. The topography of this part of the state, this community relies upon bridges with the intercoastal

and the inlets that those people who are on the outer barriers have to make a decision pretty soon. The wind is picking up. Chad Myers says they have

a little bit of time. Our Martin Savidge for us there in Vero Beach.

Let me talk now to Linda Hudson, she's the mayor of Fort Pierce the coastal community here. I was just talking with Martin Savidge about the bridges

and when those will be shut down. Your expectation of when that will be, just for people who are making last-minute decisions if they're going to

evacuate?

MAYOR LYNDA HUDSON, (R-FORT PIERCE, FL.): When the winds get to be 45 miles per hour. So with that hurricane -- isn't it stalled some place? We

don't know when those winds will. But I'd say sometime late tonight or maybe the middle of the day tomorrow.

BLACKWELL: You know, every person I've spoken with about Dorian, they bring up Francis and Jean in 2004. Of course those two storms that hit

back-to-back within two weeks of one another. Dorian is off the coast, Francis came ashore. Are you concerned that that's giving people this

false sense of complacency that there won't be, or at least there is not expected to be -- according to the latest forecast -- a U.S. or Florida

landfall?

HUDSON: I'm a little concerned about that, but not majorly concerned. Because we are very experienced in Fort Pierce with hurricanes. And so we

prepare for them. We prepare for the worst. And if the storm surge comes, we're prepared for that. And in Francis -- I believe it was Francis -- it

did flood. The storm surge was really great. So people remember that.

BLACKWELL: Yes, of course the storm surge is, for any coastal community, a major concern. But on the drive along A1A coming down to this location,

the intercoastal was really close to a A1A, the major road here on the island. You're expecting that to flood pretty quickly if this storm gets

closer.

HUDSON: I think so, because especially if it lingers because it will go over more than one tide. And so the tides will make a difference too.

It's king tide time, so I think that that is a real concern.

BLACKWELL: What's your concern about all these people who are coming out? There are dozens of people. You can't see them in this shot. Standing

around us and every time one of those outer bands come through it clears out but then they come back.

HUDSON: Right. Well, I think we're in Martin County right now, which is not my County. I'm in St. Lucie County and St. Lucie County I think we're

going to be a little bit smarter and a little bit wiser.

BLACKWELL: I just got a text alert through Twitter. Actually it was an alert through Twitter that St. Lucie is going to stop the rides to the

shelters. They stopped at 10:00 a.m. Eastern. Are there people in shelters? Have people taken advantage of that?

HUDSON: Oh, yes, we've been advertising for days and the shelter opened on Saturday. They're special needs shelters, and pet-friendly shelters. They

opened on Saturday. So people have had a lot of time to get there.

BLACKWELL: In addition to the storm surge, there's a concern of the rainfall. I mean, this area was not in drought conditions before Dorian

came. You're saturated already.

HUDSON: We've had a lot of rain and that concerns me very much because the ponds are full, the canals are full, the Indian River is high, as you

noticed. So, yes, that is a concern.

BLACKWELL: OK. Are people heeding the warning that you're sending out?

HUDSON: Yes. Yes. In St. Lucie County, they are. We have an emergency operation center and they give briefings at 8:00 a.m. 12:00 noon and then

5:00 p.m. And they are feeding all that information to the city's and then we defeated to our citizens. So everybody has been informed and they are

heeding it. Yes, they are.

BLACKWELL: Now, I guess the changing forecast here has been touch and go for all of Florida. At some point this area was near the center of the

bull's eye, then it kind of switched around. Has that made it difficult to plan for it?

HUDSON: No, actually we've been planning and planning and we've had plenty of time to plan for every eventuality. I think what has been difficult is

it's getting kind of tedious. It's been a long time and now it's hovering still, so it's going to be a long time. And I think people get inpatient.

I think that's a big concern.

BLACKWELL: That preparation fatigue. What is your degree of concern? I met a waitress at a restaurant last night who wanted to leave but thought

it's just too expensive to board up and to pay for gas. People who live on pretty tight incomes and budgets can't afford to do it. Your degree of

concern for these who just think they can't afford to leave although they want to?

HUDSON: Well, I'm concerned but at least in Fort Pierce, we have older housing stock, we're an old city. Where Fort Pierce 1901 we were

incorporated. So those older buildings have withstood a lot of hurricanes.

[11:15:00]

So I think that people, if they stay in place and don't leave and stay patient and don't leave too soon, I think they'll be fine.

BLACKWELL: All right, Linda Hudson, Mayor of Fort Pierce. Thank you so much for spending a couple of minutes with me. I know you are busy today

with Dorian off the coast. Thank you so much.

HUDSON: Thank you.

BLACKWELL: Of course, we will continue our live special coverage of hurricane Dorian, now a category four, a strong category four, continuing

to pummel the Bahamas. But we'll have more after the break on the breaking news off the southern coast of California, the boat fire and dozens of

people unaccounted for. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST: Hello and welcome. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD with me Becky Anderson live from Abu Dhabi. You've been watching our

continuing coverage of the onslaught of hurricane Dorian, which is now a category four hurricane. Now a reminder of the very latest for you.

The Prime Minister of the Bahamas calling the devastation there unprecedented. Dorian is the strongest storm on earth so far this year.

The electric utility there reporting what it calls an island wide power outage, and there are reports of casualties on the Abaco Islands.

Meanwhile, the U.S. bracing for impact. Evacuations being ordered in three states, Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida. More than is1,000 flights

have been canceled. Do keep an eye on the bottom right of your screen on how that storm is moving. We'll keep you bang up to date with the latest

as we get it.

Meantime, let's get you caught up on some of the other stories we are following for you.

Set for a showdown as the clock ticks towards the October 31st Brexit deadline, the political chaos in Britain may be coming to a head. Prime

Minister Boris Johnson should be meeting with his cabinet right now, and he'll talk with Tory lawmakers later today. He's trying to fend off rebels

within his own party and Labour calls for a new election.

Parliament returns for a shortened session on Tuesday, and the fireworks could start straight away. Some Conservatives are expected to join with

the opposition to unveil a plan to keep the U.K. from crashing out of the EU. That would be a no-deal Brexit as it's known.

Bianca Nobilo is on Brexit watch. She's in our London Bureau. She's here to help sort all of this out. And as we understand it, the Prime Minister

is now meeting with his cabinet amid speculation that Boris Johnson may be considering a snap general election. Explain how that would complicate

what is an already confusing and disturbing time for Brits.

BIANCA NOBILO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it would complicate it in the immediate term, but it would hopefully clarify things in the longer term.

And that's how those who would espouse that it's a good idea would be seeing things.

[11:20:00] So the reason why Boris Johnson and his government are toying with this idea, it's because potentially when Parliament returns and there

is a move -- a unity move from the Labour Party using the other minor opposition parties as well as some rebels within the Conservative Party --

to try and block Boris Johnson's approach to Brexit. To either force him in terms of passing a bill, which would stop him from a no-deal Brexit or

would make him ask the EU for another extension.

Then Boris Johnson and his government is left with no other options really short of an election to try and change what has been the fundamental issue

all along, Becky, and that is the Parliamentary arithmetic. Which you've heard all of us keep talking about. So the idea being is that if he can

change that and then have a majority to actually effect the kind of Brexit that his government is pushing for that it would be a good idea.

But I would caution, we need to be careful when we talk about him calling an election. Because since the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act was passed back

in 2011, either Boris Johnson would need to get a 2/3 majority in the House of Commons to agree to hold an election earlier than when it's supposed to

end, when this term is supposed to end, or there would be a vote of no confident called by Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of the opposition. And then

if Boris Johnson lost that vote of no confidence, then that could precipitate a general election. So it's not really up to him. There are

more people, more actors involved in this than just Boris Johnson and his government alone if he does want an election.

ANDERSON: Well, likely or potentially after this meeting we could find out whether indeed he is prepared to call a snap election. And you will be

back to sort it out for us as you have done so well today and over the last three years. Thank you.

Well the knives may be out, but we know Boris Johnson has at least one friend on Downing Street. Meet Dylan, a 15-week-old Jack Russell mix.

This heartbreaker arrived today from Wales where he's been rescued from a puppy farm. Mr. Johnson's partner Kari Simmons is an animal welfare

advocate. No word yet on how he gets on with the U.K.'s other first pet, Larry the cat.

I want to get you to Hong Kong now where thousands of students boycotted their first day of school as part of the latest pro-democracy protests.

Rallies have been held across the city once again today. This comes after a weekend filled with some of the worst clashes, we've seen in the past

three months. Yes, folks we are 13 weeks into this. 159 people were arrested and police fired hundreds of rounds of tear gas over the weekend.

For more, let's go to our Paula Hancocks who is live for us in Hong Kong -- Paula.

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, we have been seeing some scenes on the streets of Hong Kong this evening. Some protesters being

chased down the street by riot police, and unfortunately, this is becoming par for the course on the streets of Hong Kong. Not just over the weekends

but also on the weekdays now.

But we did have a peaceful protest earlier on. It was the first day back at school. Students were supposed to be back at university, but they

decided -- many of them, thousands of them -- decided to boycott their classes to show support for the pro-democracy movement.

Now, we've also just heard also a Reuters report saying that they have heard an audio recording of a meeting with business leaders last week and

the Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam. In which she said that if she had the choice that she would quit saying that she caused unforgivable

havoc by igniting the crisis.

Now, it was Carrie Lam introducing or trying to intro introduce that controversial extradition bill which started all these protests many, many

weeks ago. We also spoke to Carrie Lam's office and they said that she did indeed have two meetings last week, but they were private and so they are

unable to comment on that. She does have her weekly press conference tomorrow, on Tuesday. It's likely she will be asked about this quite a lot

-- Becky.

ANDERSON: Paula, in commentary published over the weekend, Chinese state media warns that -- and I quote -- the end is coming. They stated that the

three bottom lines, which must not be crossed are the following. No one should harm the national sovereignty and security. No one should challenge

the power of the essential authorities and the authority of the basic law of the Hong Kong special administrative region. And no one should use Hong

Kong to infiltrate and undermine the mainland.

Briefly, what do you make of this?

HANCOCKS: Well, this is what we're hearing from state run media more and more, and also from officials in Beijing, Becky, this pointing out that

they have had enough, that they may be forced to intervene or to do something. It's definitely a message to Hong Kong.

[11:25:00]

It's a message to the domestic audience as well. And it also goes to what this Reuters report says that the chief executive Carrie Lam said that she

said that it's very limited room to resolve the crisis for her because it has now become a national security and sovereignty issue for China. Now,

also, if this recording is in fact accurate, it also plays into what protesters believe, which is that Beijing are pulling the strings -- Becky.

ANDERSON: Paula Hancocks in Hong Kong for you.

Let's get you up to speed on some of the other stories that are on radar right now. Searchers are looking for around 30 people missing after a

scuba diving boat caught fire off California. Officials say there are numerous fatalities. Five crew members were rescued. Authorities say the

passengers were sleeping below deck and became trapped by the flames.

The U.S. special representative for Afghanistan says he is at the threshold of a deal to end the 18-year war with the Taliban. One component would be

U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan in exchange for security guarantees. The latest talks came amid new violence including a large-scale Taliban

attack that the Afghans repelled.

The Red Cross says more than 100 people are dead after multiple air strikes by the Saudi led coalition hit a detention center in Yemen. A website that

tracks the war says the attack is the deadliest so far this year. A spokesperson for the Saudi coalition denies it hit a prison, instead saying

it struck a legitimate military target.

Still to come on CONNECT THE WORLD, we are keeping one eye on hurricane Dorian as it continues to batter the Bahamas and could yet make landfall on

the U.S. East Coast. Also this hour, does this soldier look hurt to you? Well it seems Israel may have staged a medical evacuation after a Hezbollah

attack, but why? Details on that after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: You're watching CNN. This is CONNECT THE WORLD with me Becky Anderson. Welcome back.

The Bahamian Prime Minister says the devastation caused by hurricane Dorian in his country is unprecedented. It's the second strongest storm ever

recorded in the Atlantic with winds of up to 250 kilometers per hour, still battering the Bahamas.

[11:30:03]

There are reports of casualties on the Abaco Islands, including an 8-year- old boy who was believed to have drowned in rising waters. There was a total power outage across the Bahamas whose efforts to restore electricity

hampered by floods. The hurricane is virtually stalled on its way towards Florida. It remains unclear when or even if it will reach the U.S. East

Coast. Keeping an eye on your right-hand side of your screen there, we will keep you bang up to days on exactly what is going on with this storm.

Now this hour, as the smoke of battle clears, the fog of uncertainty rolls in. Two of the Middle East's most fervent sworn enemies are calculating

what to do next after their most serious exchange in years.

You're looking at smoke, the smoke from antitank missiles, Hezbollah, Iran's most powerful regional proxy, launching them across the Lebanese

border on Sunday to attack the Israeli army. And of course, Israel, of course, is the region's preeminent military power not letting that go

unanswered . Lunching the strikes you are seeing now. And its Prime Minister boasting about the country's resilience.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): We responded with 100 shells, aerial fire, and various measures. We are in

consultations about what's to come. We have no casualties, no wounded, not even a scratch.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Well as you'd expect from us, we are connecting your world on the ground on both sides of the border for you. CNN's Ben Wedeman in

southern Lebanon and Oren Liebermann out in northern Israel. Let me start with you, Ben. It seems to be a carefully contained and choreographed as

will hit you exchange of fire. How are people reacting in Lebanon?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Initially when the strike took place in the Israeli counter strikes occurred, there was a

certain amount of alarm among the inhabitants of southern Lebanon. We were seeing people lining up at gas stations, others it appears stocking up on

supplies.

But that alarm didn't last very long, and in fact, we were here just a little earlier than now yesterday afternoon and by then people were already

out here taking pictures. In fact, on the phone with relatives telling them everything was fine, praising Hezbollah in some instances. And now of

course, the situation seems to have been completely gone back to normal.

In fact, on one of the hills below me, there was a variety of satellite trucks for local news stations. Now only one of them is left. So it

appears that the impression is of most people here that this was a one-off thing and that life is getting back to normal.

Now, I can tell you, we've just lived that Al-Manar TV, which is the TV station run by Hezbollah, has just now broadcast video they have of the

attack on the Israeli military vehicle that happened yesterday at about 4:15 p.m. local time. Because I'm on air I haven't actually had a chance

to look at that video. We also know that Nasrallah, the Secretary General of Hezbollah, will be making a speech this evening at 8:30. That's in

exactly two hours' time in which he will probably have more to say about the incidents of the last 24 hours and certainly what is to come next --

Becky.

ANDERSON: The story there in southern Lebanon. Oren, just two weeks out from its election rerun, what is the Israeli position?

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has always portrayed himself as Mr. Security, and he is doing so once again.

In the past we've seen much more rhetoric than bullets or shells fly back and forth across this border. Now her back to that rhetoric after a couple

of hours of fighting.

Netanyahu put out a statement just a short time ago saying the person in the bunker knows exactly why he is in that bunker, referring to the

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. People here are used to living across a tense border. We spoke to one in the community of Avivim where those

antitank missiles hit, who says, look, this is something we have been accustomed to even if the border has been quiet for years.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHIMON BITON, RESIDENT OF AVIVIM (through translator): You can't say it was a big surprise. Because during the past week we've seen all sorts of

army activities and movements that were not routine. The surprise was the hour which it happened and the location. That was the surprise because no

one knew it would be in Avivim or in the other villages along the fence.

[11:35:00]

But after 57 years, we've seen dozens of surprises like this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIEBERMANN: At this point Netanyahu and some of the other high-ranking members of his Likud party are using the opportunity to attack Hezbollah

and to say Hezbollah needs to stick to U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701 which governs the relations between Israel and Lebanon essentially.

So they're still on the political attack now, as you point out two weeks until the elections. Netanyahu once again will try to show himself as

acting responsibly on behalf of the citizens and soldiers of Israel so close to an incredibly important day obviously in his political life.

ANDERSON: Yes, Ben, there's always the prospect, the situations like this can get out of hand and spiral into a much more devastating fight, even a

war. Almost everyone watching I'm sure will remember the last time that happened back in 2006, where Hezbollah and Israel launched into a brutal

month-long war. You were there as that happened. Are people worried about a repeat?

WEDEMAN: People are always worried about the possibility of a repeat of that 33-day war, but things have changed since then. For one thing, back

in 2006, the relationship between the Lebanese government and Hezbollah was not a very good one. It was fairly tense. Now Hezbollah has three people

affiliated with it who are ministers in the government. It has cross sectarian political alliances. It has very close political relationship

with Michel Aoun, the Lebanese President. And therefore it's so invested in the Lebanese political scene it probably would not like to repeat the

kind of war we saw in 2006, which saw such destruction in this area.

I was in this area. These towns all around me were in rubble more than a thousand civilians were killed. What I'm seeing today is a completely

transformed part of the country. There's been a building boom, everything's been rebuilt. There are new businesses here. They're unlike

other parts of Lebanon, there is a sense of progress in this part of the country, and therefore even among those on the ground here in southern

Lebanon who support Hezbollah politically, there is not a lot of enthusiasm for anything that might lead to a repeat of the nightmare of 2006 -- Becky.

ANDERSON: Oren briefly -- thank you, Ben -- briefly there seems to be a little confusion around this video. I just want to show our videos. The

Israeli army some are saying faking a medical evacuation. What's your reporting on this?

LIEBERMANN: So this is quite a strange way to end the situation because Israel claiming their first big statement that no soldiers have been

injured, and yet you see the video. People here saw medevac helicopters and what it seems is that Israel staged a medical evacuation of two

soldiers. We know the hospital where they were taken then put out a statement saying two soldiers arrived at the hospital and were released

without injury and without treatment.

Now, Israel or the military hasn't commented but it seems Israel may have staged a medical evacuation to let Hezbollah believe they had injured,

perhaps even killed two Israeli soldiers. Why is that important? Because then Hezbollah could walk away claiming its own victory. Israel has

already carried out strikes and carried out its response. Therefore both sides could claim victory and walk away giving people both an offramp to

both sides there, an offramp to de-escalation, which is so critical in situations like this. So even if the military hasn't commented it seems

that may be an explanation for this strange medevac video we see when Israel claimed no one was injured.

ANDERSON: Fascinating. Oren, Ben, many thanks.

Live from Abu Dhabi, you're watching CONNECT THE WORLD.

Coming up, catastrophic damage in the Bahamas as hurricane Dorian crawls closer to the United States. That after this.

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ANDERSON: You are watching CNN. This is CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Becky Anderson. Welcome back. We are out of Abu Dhabi for you.

Before we go, an update on hurricane Dorian. The storm has just been downgraded to a category four, but the damage in the Bahamas is being

called catastrophic and unprecedented. But it's not clear whether Dorian will make landfall on the U.S. east coast. Forecasters say it will creep

dangerously close over the next day and a half.

Tropical storm watch and a hurricane warning are in effect in Florida along with storm surge watches and warnings. Some people are being told to

evacuate from Florida and from South Carolina and Georgia further up the coast. Right now the storm practically stalled over the Bahamas and there

are reports of casualties. Let's get to Patrick Oppmann who is in the Bahamas for us. Patrick, what can you tell us at this point?

PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, hours after this storm has arrived on the island of Freeport, we are still getting battered, Becky.

It just does not end. I never covered her hurricane where it went on with such strength for so long. While it is now just a category four storm, and

it's still very, very powerful. It's a strong category four, and it's having a major impact.

I'm going to step out of the frame while Jose will show you this which is a really troubling thing. There is wall of water growing behind us. It

usually does not look like that. But the hurricane is pushing the water that eventually will be storm surge. It's pushing the water out further

and further. So to creating this bulge of water and when the hurricane leaves, which we expect it to this evening or tomorrow, that water will

have no place to go but back in, and it will begin to flood already here on the Grand Bahamas.

We have heard -- another gust here -- we've heard of the houses that have been swept away. We have heard of people who have lost their roofs. We

have heard of people whose entire neighborhoods are under water. We've not heard much from the hardest hit areas because they are still underneath

this very devastating hurricane. So in the hours ahead, we hope to hear more reports of this devastating damage that is still going on here.

ANDERSON: Yes and stay with CNN for that. Patrick, thank you. Patrick's in Grand Bahama.

I'm Becky Anderson. That was CONNECT THE WORLD. Thank you for watching.

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