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The Situation Room

U.S. and Iran Trade Attacks in First Major Escalation in a Month; 1 Dead, 15 Feared Missing After Grand Canyon Flashflood; Jurors Resume Deliberations in Clancy Triple-Murder Trial. Aired 10-10:30a ET

Aired August 31, 2026 - 10:00   ET

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

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WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Happening now, Grand Canyon catastrophe. The search is on for more than a dozen people right now after deadly flashfloods swept through campgrounds and trails over at the national park.

Plus, war escalation. After a month of relative calm, the U.S. trades strikes with Iran one week after the president said he'd switch to economic warfare.

Attack on the press. President Trump calls for a news anchor to be punished over a segment that he didn't like. His latest attempt to weaponize another federal agency for his personal vendettas.

And to eat or not to eat. Is it safe to have lettuce yet?

Welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. I'm Wolf Blitzer. Pamela Brown is off. You're in The Situation Room.

Happening now, the uneasy calm in the Iran war collapses. For the first time in a month, the U.S. and Iran are trading attacks. This video was released by Iran state broadcaster and claims to show ballistic missiles fired at U.S. military installations inside Jordan. Iran says it also targeted a U.S. base inside the United Arab Emirates.

It was in retaliation for U.S. forces striking two Iranian rocket launchers on the Larak Island. A U.S. official tells CNN that Iranian forces were seen preparing to launch rockets with sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz.

CNN's Alayna Treene is over at the White House for us. Alayna, what are you learning, first of all, this morning?

ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Look, Wolf, I mean, I think there are key questions about whether or not this is going to be a major escalation beyond the strikes we saw exchanged between the U.S. and Iran overnight. And it comes, as you mentioned, Wolf, this is the first U.S. strikes on Iranian military targets since July 29th, more than a month. And also comes as we know that the president has really directed his administration to shift the war in recent weeks from a military one to an economic one.

But I do want to get into what we saw. U.S. officials said that the U.S. military launched strikes against Iranian military targets to prevent the deployment of sea mines being laid in the Strait of Hormuz. We heard from U.S. Central Command saying that they struck two Iranian launchers on Iran's Larak Island after IRG forces were seen preparing to launch rockets carrying those sea mines into the strait.

Now, we also heard from Tasnim, a news agency that is affiliated with Iran's IRGC, and they reported that a drone conducted the strike and two people have been killed, and two others were wounded. We also heard that Iran said that they fired missiles into Jordan and into the UAE. Jordan saying that they intercepted and destroyed eight missiles that entered the country's airspace.

What I think is notable about a lot of this is that the president had said just last week, a couple days ago that the U.S. had finished and completed its efforts to try and remove all mines from the Strait of Hormuz. At the time, this was last Tuesday, the president said Iran has been notified that any ship or boat placing new mines will be immediately and systematically destroyed.

And then we get to what we heard from U.S. Central Command in their statement about these strikes, making clear it was of trying to prevent Iran from placing these mines into that key waterway. They said U.S. forces took limited, precise action against IRGC mine-laying forces, posing an imminent threat in the Strait of Hormuz. In essence, Iran created the threat, and the U.S. military eliminated it to protect civilian mariners, commercial shipping, and the free flow of global commerce. And then, of course, we saw Iran retaliate to those strikes.

But the question I said at the top of this, Wolf, was, you know, whether or not this could be an escalation. Well, the president, and just today he spoke with Fox News in an interview. He said that they will respond to the Iranians' response on those strikes. He said, quote, we're going to hit them hard. There will be a response.

I think we have to see what that actually looks like because, clearly, if in that U.S. Central Command statement I just read to you, Wolf, they're trying to argue that this was a precise and limited strike in scope, and that they -- it really was about these potential sea mines that could be laid. But now the president is saying they might respond again to the Iranian retaliation.

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So, a key question is, are we looking at more strikes to come, and could this be a further escalation in this war? We'll have to wait and see.

BLITZER: And I just want to be precise, Alayna. So, the Iranian rockets and missiles coming into Jordan to attack U.S. installations there, and the United Arab Emirates, for that matter, all of them what were destroyed coming in by anti-aircraft missile batteries, is that right? TREENE: Yes. So, let me be clear on that. Jordan's Army Forces says that their air defense systems intercepted eight different missiles. So, they were able to intercept all of the drones that were coming in from Iran targeting U.S. military sites.

There were also drones that the UAE said that they intercepted. However, we did hear from the president, part of that Fox News interview I mentioned. He said that one of the drones, one of the attacks was left to kind of, pass by. They said that they had calculated that the missile was not going to be hitting any certain target, and so they didn't feel the need to intercept that.

But all to say they did not hit their targets in Jordan or the UAE. That's Iran, I mean. Iran, however, saying that the U.S. military did kill two people and wounded two others. Wolf?

BLITZER: All right. Alayna Treene over at the White House for us. Thank you very much.

Also happening now, a search is underway over at the Grand Canyon, where flashfloods have ripped through the national park in Arizona. One person is confirmed dead, and about 15 people may be missing. Park officials say dozens of hikers and campers have been evacuated after a series of storms swept through the area beginning on Saturday.

CNN's Ed Lavandera is joining us live from the Grand Canyon National Park right now. What else can you tell us about today's search efforts, Ed?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, here in the last couple of hours the weather has cleared up. As we arrived here this morning, there was a violent round of rain and lightning in the area. Obviously, that kind of weather would complicate search and rescue efforts, which are once again underway here in the Grand Canyon area as well. So, this is a situation that is still ongoing.

As you mentioned, at least 15 people unaccounted for or missing. It's not clear -- you know, you imagine at the very depths of this canyon where all of this is unfolding, there is no real form of telephone communication, anything like that. And we do know that from witnesses and people who have been evacuated from these hardest hit areas that there were a number of bridges that would essentially be able to connect trails and get people out of there, have been wiped out.

Witnesses, Wolf, describe this wall of mud and debris and boulders barreling down through some of the canyons into the Colorado River. And that was some of the more treacherous sites and, and scenes that, that we had seen after a weekend of intense rainfall that triggered this flash flooding.

Now, all of this could be complicated once again today by there is still a flashflood warning in effect, and more rain is possible. Right now it look, the weather is looking really nice, so that will give the search and rescue teams a, a chance to get to work and try to assess the situation and figure out where these missing people might be. But so far, officials have already confirmed the death of one person, a 46-year-old man, and we await news on the fate of the rest. Wolf?

BLITZER: Ed Lavandera over at the Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, thank you very much for that report.

And still ahead, a staggering spike in the missing after the devastating floods in Nepal. Nearly 5,000 people are unaccounted for as the death toll climbs and climbs. Our team is on the ground.

And at any moment now the jury could deliver a verdict in Lindsay Clancy's triple murder trial. Our Jean Casarez is live just outside the court. Jean?

JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And the jurors are deliberating now, starting a new week Monday morning right here in Plymouth County, Massachusetts. I will have all the latest right after this.

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BLITZER: Happening now, deliberations in Lindsay Clancy's triple murder trial. The former Massachusetts nurse, who tried to take her own life after she killed her three little children, pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder. Clancy was prescribed about a dozen different medications back in 2022 and 2023 to treat her mental illness and disorders. Her defense team argues she's not criminally responsible because she was suffering from postpartum psychosis.

Let's go live right now to CNN Correspondent Jean Casarez in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Jean, Clancy faces, what, life in prison if she's found guilty of murder. What are the next step steps if she is not found criminally responsible or if there's a hung jury?

CASAREZ: That's a great question. We haven't gotten into this, Wolf. If she is found not guilty based on lack of criminal responsibility, which is that she didn't understand the criminality of her act you could also call it because of mental insanity, here's exactly what will happen, according to the law here in Massachusetts. The judge, number one, will order her to be hospitalized in a mental health facility, which is where she is now, actually, for a full assessment and observation of her.

Secondly, the prosecution, in 60 days, they can ask the judge to have her committed to the mental health facility, and the judge can order that. Then six months after that, which would be one year from this time period, there would be an assessment as to whether she still has a mental disease or defect, number one.

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Number two, is she a danger to the community? Because remember, three children were killed at her hands.

And so that assessment, is mental disease or defect, is she a danger to the community, if the answer is yes, then every year there will be that actual assessment. At some point, if they believe there is no mental disease or defect, she's controlled by medication at this point, she's good, and she's not a danger, she could be released into the community.

Now, hung jury, you asked me about hung jury. If there's a hung jury, Wolf, the prosecution then has the option to retry the case, to try it again, and they would probably ask that she continue to be hospitalized in the state hospital, and they would move for then a second trial, a retrial.

BLITZER: Jean Casarez in Plymouth, Massachusetts doing an excellent job watching this trial unfold, thank you very, very much and we're going to stay in constant touch with you for updates. We expect several in the course of this day.

And you can also follow Jean and our complete coverage of the Lindsay Clancy trial on CNN All Access at cnn.com/watch.

Coming up, President Trump demanding, quote, rebuke or punishment for an NBC journalist calling on the FCC to step in. We have details on what triggered his latest threat against the news media.

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BLITZER: Happening now, a sharp jump in the number of missing in the Nepal floods. Nearly 4,000 people are unaccounted for, including at least 85 Americans. New video shows devastated areas still surrounded by fast-flowing waters.

The hope for finding more survivors is turning to desperation as search and rescue efforts are now in their sixth day. Officials are also warning that glaciers in the area could collapse and create new flooding.

CNN's Anderson Cooper is in Nepal, where he spoke to an official overseeing search and rescue operations.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The multi forces here from APF, Nepal Police, Nepali Army, and special force, and even the sniffer dogs here.

So, you can see here, this is a cable tunnel. So, 170 meters inside there's a powerhouse. So, I think there are about 45 to 50 people inside the powerhouse.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: That many? 45 to 50?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Because they are the working team inside the powerhouse.

COOPER: And they were here when the flood came.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, sir. When the flood hit this area, they were inside, right? So, we are trying now to excavate all this along the way. And you can see the guys there, they are drilling there.

COOPER: So, you're going to carve just a trench here for any water that's inside to get back out?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, and even a bigger trench to get those sludge outside.

COOPER: Do you have any sign that they're alive?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, earlier we tried the -- we tried a vertical drilling there so that there might be some presence of oxygen so that we can send some oxygen there. I hope they're --

COOPER: But you haven't had signs of life?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have nothing yet. So, we are trying our best to get in through.

COOPER: So, this was completely submerged. This tunnel was completely --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So, you can, see, you can see this, it's about 10 to 15 meters. It's all debris there just been on top of the tunnel. So, you can see the road was there, and it's all -- so we have to -- it was all this massive -- you know, it came down rolling through the downstream, yes? So, it just buried all the whole damn thing.

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COOPER: It's remarkable though what they are doing. I mean, they have not had any signs of life from that group, but they are still trying to hold onto hope and trying to hold onto optimism that there are air pockets in there and that if they have access to water, they could still be alive.

And we hear that from a number of army personnel I have talked to, both Nepal army and also there's Indian army tunnel experts who are helping as well. I talked to some of those today as well.

And, you know, you talked about the death toll rising and the number of missing rising as well. That's not completely unexpected. You know, there have been a number of just incidental reports from people saying they didn't report somebody missing because they didn't want to think this person was gone, and they were hoping, they were optimistic that they might find this person. And as the days have gone by, and we're now on day six they file missing person reports that they list this person as missing.

So -- and also as more excavation is done, there's no telling what this sludge that has buried so many towns and so many towns along the river, what it holds and that will be revealed in the coming days and weeks.

BLITZER: Anderson Cooper reporting from Kathmandu in Nepal for us, thank you very, very much.

Among those missing are hundreds of workers who may be trapped in those tunnels in the flood zone. CNN's Hanako Montgomery has that part of the story.

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HANAKO MONTGOMERY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): In Nepal's mud- filled tunnels, desperate rescues are unfolding, helicopters lifting survivors to safety, some too weak to walk.

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These tunnels were built to harness Nepal's rivers and fuel its booming hydropower industry. But now they're the focus of a frantic search. More than 900 are still missing, many of them workers trapped inside when the flood hit.

BHAKTI RAM BOHARA, FLOOD SUVIVOR: Me and my brother-in-law were working in the same tunnel. I lost him. His wife is my sister, and she is pregnant.

MONTGOMERY: Amar Bista helped rescue these men. He and his team of volunteers trekked through dangerous terrain carrying medical supplies. And with the help of the Nepali army, they flew to the worst-hit areas, where they used picks and shovels to find signs of life. Sometimes they found the dead instead.

The rescued men we spoke to say the tunnels were filled with bodies. The flood stripped them of everything they had, including their clothes.

AMAR BISTA, TOUR GUIDE AND VOLUNTEER: All the clothes, they lost all the -- whatever they have, like they lost their phones, they lost their, like, you know -- everything they lost, you know.

MONTGOMERY: What about these men? Have they lost family members?

BISTA: (INAUDIBLE) Yes like they lost their nephew. They lost their uncles, brothers, you know, like cousins, you know.

MONTGOMERY: Everyone's lost someone.

Four days in the mountains have left Amar haunted by what he's seen.

BISTA: Like hundreds of people out there, and no food. Everybody got diarrhea. You know, like nothing. So, you know, I didn't have a word for this because they're all out from my area, you know, like I don't -- nothing to tell because a lot of people here doesn't know the reality. When I entered there, like the reality is deep. We cannot tell, you know -- the reality is way different.

MONTGOMERY: For survivors, now comes the reckoning with what they endured and the enormity of what they've lost.

Hanako Montgomery, CNN, Nepal. (END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: And a special thanks to Hanako for that report.

And for more information about how you, our viewers, can help Nepal flood victims, go to cnn.com/impact.

And don't miss a special edition of Anderson Cooper 360 later tonight. He's reporting live on the ground in Nepal tonight, 8:00 P.M. Eastern.

And just ahead, a piece of Yosemite National Park could soon belong to a private developer. The growing backlash to a highly controversial Trump administration plan.

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