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The Brief with Jim Sciutto
CNN International: Trump: U.S. Getting Close to meeting Objectives in Iran; Middle Eastern Countries Report New Drone Strikes; Israel Orders More Evacuations in Southern Lebanon; Inside Iran: CNN in Tehran During Early Days of War; Action Hero Chuck Norris Dies at 86; BTS to Make Comeback After Military Service. Aired 6-7p ET
Aired March 20, 2026 - 18:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[18:00:00]
LYNDA KINKADE, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Linda Kincaid in Atlanta. Jim is off today.
You are watching "The Brief."
Plenty of news this hour. President Trump just posted that the U.S. is getting very close to meeting its objectives in Iran. As he considers
winding down military efforts, it comes after he deployed U.S. Marines to the region. A CNN team led by Fred Pleitgen reported from Tehran during the
first days of the war. He explains why it was the most challenging in a decade of all his visits to Iran. And K-pop superstars BTS making their
highly anticipated full group comeback after completing military service. These stories and much more coming up.
President Trump indicating in the last hour that he's considering winding down the U.S. military efforts in the Middle East. On a post on Truth
Social, the president wrote that the U.S. is getting close to meeting its objectives, ticking through a list of goals, including degrading Iran's
missile capability and eliminating its Air Force and Navy. And earlier at the White House, President Trump said the war was militarily won.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: Oh, I think we've won. We've knocked out their Navy, their Air Force. We've knocked out their anti-aircraft. We've
knocked out everything. We're roaming free from a military standpoint. All they're doing is clogging up the Strait. But from a military standpoint,
they're finished.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Well, the U.S. officials are said to be working, quote, "furiously" to avoid a worst-case scenario, a month's long closure of the
Strait of Hormuz shipping channel. An assessment determined that Iran could potentially keep the passage shut up for six months, according to four
sources familiar with the document. But White House and Pentagon officials insist that assessment, including that six-month time frame, was not being
seriously considered.
Iran is not only firing more missiles and drones at Israel. Gulf nations are reporting more attacks. An oil refinery is burning in Kuwait. And state
media says it was hit by Iranian drones on Thursday and again today. Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain also say they have been targeted by in strikes
on Friday.
But the impact of the war is being felt far beyond those countries. Pakistan has closed schools for two weeks. India is rationing natural gas
supplies. South Korea has imposed its first fuel price cap in 30 years. And the Philippines is instituting a four-day work week.
Well, joining me now is Alex Vatanka, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, who joins us now live. Thanks so much for your time.
ALEX VATANKA, SENIOR FELLOW, MIDDLE EAST INSTITUTE: Good to be with you, Linda.
KINKADE: So, Alex, I want to get your perspective first from the comments we just heard from Donald Trump, who said, we think we've won the war in
Iran. These comments coming despite the fact that he and his department are asking the Pentagon for another $200 billion in funding for this war. And
of course, the fact that they've just deployed Marines to the region. What do you make of those comments?
VATANKA: Linda, going back to the beginning of this war, President Trump had the opportunity within hours to declare victory because he really never
told us exactly what the metric for success would be. You know, as soon as the Iranian supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, was assassinated, that could have
been the moment that the President of the United States could have said, I've achieved victory and he could have moved on. He didn't. He has now
stayed in this fight. We're now in the third week. The costs, both economically and politically, are rising. That is clearly having an impact
on his calculations.
But I would also say, it's not really, as far as I'm concerned, you know, a done deal that he is winding things down. This could still go on for weeks.
I think he might still be tempted to see how far more the Islamic Republic, what's left of the regime, might stand on its two feet, if you will. And it
might be worth the gamble for another couple of weeks.
But obviously, the president is shaped by economic and political news, and they have just been piling on, as we all know, in the last few days and
weeks as this war has raged on.
KINKADE: And Alex, you recently suggested that this war could, in fact, empower the Islamic Revolutionary Guard, in fact, strengthening hardline
factions. Will Iran become more emboldened as a result of this war?
[18:05:00]
VATANKA: It remains to be seen, Linda. What I suggested is, if you look at who runs Iran today as a country, with the supreme leader and the clerical
part of the regime essentially being parked on the sidelines, it's the Revolutionary Guards. They're traditionally the ones that we call the
hardliners. They're the ones in the region. They're the ones in charge of the missiles, the nuclear program, and so forth, and repression against
their own people at home, I should add.
And they are clearly in the driver's seat right now. But if this war, say, ends in the next few days, weeks, and they're still in power, then I'm not
sure if they necessarily will calculate being hardline going forward is their best bet in terms of surviving as an organization. Because, you know,
they're not just fighting the United States and Israel, they're fighting, and that's a much tougher fight for them, the Iranian people.
So, they could make the decision. It won't happen in a short -- in a quick matter, but it could be a decision that maybe we should meet our people, if
you will, halfway. Instead of being Islamist and ideological, tone it down when it comes to that Islamist ideology, and listen to the aspirations of
the Iranian people.
Now, I know a lot of people say I'm engaging in wishful thinking, but fundamentally, I say that because I think they're not suicidal. They do
want to survive. And even if they survive this war with the U.S. and Israel, they still have to survive, you know, when it comes to the Iranian
public opinion. And it's really difficult for me to say now that they're going to continue being hardliners going forward, because they might make a
decision, actually, that's not in their best interest.
KINKADE: I want to get more of your perspective on Donald Trump's next moves, given that Iran is saying they will show zero restraint in the way
they're going to continue to hit energy infrastructure, and Israel certainly signaling a possible ground offensive. I mean, the next move, of
course, has to be weighed upon what both Israel and Iran do, right?
VATANKA: Right, in many ways. I mean, that's a big question. Even if the United States tomorrow declares victory and moves out, the Iranians and the
Israelis could decide that they want to keep fighting. And that means, in terms of the Strait of Hormuz, that nothing changes, that Iran will
continue to play that, what they call the asymmetric card, you know, to keep the global economy hostage, if you will, to put pressure on not just
Israel, but again, even if Donald Trump wants to walk away from it, Iran can keep the pressure on, because the Iranians know that Trump is very
sensitive to the price of energy.
So, I should also add, Linda, when it comes to, because you mentioned special or ground troops, that's something that could happen. But frankly,
I can't see the Israelis putting ground forces on the ground inside of Iran, even their special forces, without the United States being on their
side. I just can't see that happening. And again, if that was the sort of scenario we could see happen, that means the United States is not winding
down. In fact, it's going to escalate and double down on -- in this fight against the Islamic Republic.
KINKADE: And you do wonder whether this is a bit of a poker move, a chess move by Donald Trump, given that he has tried to pressure allies over the
last few days to get involved to secure the Strait of Hormuz. And in just the last couple of hours, he said, you know, opening the Strait of Hormuz
is simple, but you need a lot of help.
Do you think this threat of walking away at this point in time, given that he said the U.S. doesn't need the Strait of Hormuz, Asia and Europe rely
more heavily on that Strait being open for oil supply? Do you think it's a way of trying to back allies into a corner to say you better help or we'll
leave?
VATANKA: It could well be. Donald Trump has surprised the Iranians and engaged in numerous rounds of deception when it comes to Iran, and
including pursuing diplomacy when he, by most accounts, really didn't have diplomacy in mind all along. He wanted to bring the regime down. He tried
so far. He hasn't succeeded, but he certainly has weakened this regime for many years to come.
But in terms of whether this sort of game of deception, if you will, trying to bluff his way into getting the Europeans, the Japanese, the South
Koreans to sort of send forces to keep the Strait open, it's perhaps worth it. But I think what would really help to mobilize, if you will,
international support for such a campaign is if people around the world, particularly Europeans, had a much clearer sense of what it is the United
States has in mind as the end game. Because I don't think the Europeans will come on board if regime change is the end game.
But if the end game is keep the flow of energy going out of the Persian Gulf open, well, that's a whole different proposition. But that clarity
isn't there. And that's why so many countries, including the Europeans, are so hesitant to sort of sign up in a big way to do as Donald Trump is asking
them to do.
KINKADE: And when you look at the days and months ahead, how might the internal power struggles within Iran shape the next moves from their
perspective and their calculus when it comes to escalation?
[18:10:00]
VATANKA: We really don't have a good sense of that, Linda. What we do know is obviously they're in survival mode, they want revenge, they feel that
this was not a war that they deserve from their point of view and they want to obviously inflict as much pain as many countries as they can because,
and I'm just telling you what they're saying publicly, we want to make sure as many are hurting as we are, Iran, so this doesn't happen to Iran again
in six months' time, in a year's time. That's what they're trying to do.
It's a high-risk strategy, but apparently the Iranians feel that, you know, they can take the pain, that time is on their side, they have less to lose
than the rest of the world, but going forward to your point about the political dynamics in that country.
We have to assume with a new leadership, new ideas might come about. It could be more along the lines that we have seen in the last 47 years from
the Islamic Republic, or it might be a reflection of the new reality that they're facing because they've never been here before as a regime. They've
never had to fight for existence the way they are and whether they want to sort of go all the way out and fight to the very end or maybe look for off-
ramp, that remains to be seen, but I think we have to wait a few weeks for that sort of thing to show itself because right now, as I said, they're in
survival mode and seeking revenge and then perhaps they get to a point where they can have those serious, deeper political conversations in terms
of the long-term trajectory of whatever is left of the Islamic Republic.
KINKADE: Alex Vatanka, great to get your analysis. Thanks for joining us.
VATANKA: Thank you, Lynda.
KINKADE: And we are going to stay on this story. I want to go to Alayna Treene who is outside the White House. Alayna, great to see you. So, we
just heard from Donald Trump moments ago saying that essentially the U.S. has won the war. It's not the first time he's said that, but he has posted
on Truth Social saying that they are planning to wind down this -- you know, the offensive in the Middle East. Give us some perspective on what
the White House is saying, given just days ago they were asking for $200 billion in additional spending on this war.
ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it's hard to know exactly what he means when he says they are going to wind down. I'd also
remind you of the reporting that we have, which is that the United States is sending thousands more U.S. Marines and sailors to the Middle East and
that they're on their way to the Middle East to help with the war with Iran. And so, there are mixed signals.
I will say a lot of this is the president knowing that a lot of American people are wary of this conflict continuing much longer. I had actually
reported, and this was over a week ago now, but I think the sentiment holds true, that the president was hearing from advisors inside that building
behind me, but also allies outside of the White House, essentially saying that you need to communicate that so much of this operation has been
successful, that you think that the military is acting decisively and is victorious thus far, and also that you plan to get out soon. And so, some
of this is also very much messaging, which is really my point.
But I do want to get into as well some of the reporting we have today, because I think part of the reason that the war is going to be a bit longer
and more complicated than many people in the administration had previously anticipated is because of Iran's success thus far in keeping the Strait of
Hormuz shut. And from one, some of the reporting that my colleagues and I did today is there's one assessment that has been circulating around the
Pentagon in recent days, it's from the Defense Intelligence Agency, Linda, and it essentially says that they are predicting that Iran has the ability
to keep the Strait shut for at least another month, but potentially as long as six months. And that is, of course, an alarming figure.
I will note the White House has been arguing that this is just one assessment, that this is a worst-case scenario, the idea that it could be
closed for six months and it is not one the president or the Pentagon is currently seriously considering as something that could happen.
But granted, from all of the conversations I've had with intelligence officials and others throughout the administration, many of them say that
trying to reopen that key waterway, which provides 20 percent of the world's crude oil, it's so much more complicated than many had anticipated.
And also, there is really no easy solution for it.
KINKADE: Yes. Some great perspective from you there, Alayna Treene outside the White House. Thanks to you.
Well, Israel is ordering more evacuations in southern Lebanon, even as it says it has vastly depleted Hezbollah's missile stocks. The IDF is ordering
people south of the Zahrani River to leave their homes immediately and head north. The Norwegian Refugee Council says a million people have now been
displaced in Lebanon. And the Lebanese government says more than a thousand people have been killed.
Seven suspects are under arrest in an alleged brutal attack in the West Bank. A Palestinian man says dozens of masked Israeli settlers cornered him
one night, ripped his clothes off and sexually assaulted him. The alleged attack appears to be part of a new troubling tactic to force West Bank
residents from their homes. More now from CNN's Jeremy Diamond.
[18:15:00]
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): His eyes still bloody and bruised, Qusai Abu al-Kebash is determined to tell his harrowing
story. An Israeli settler attack unlike any other.
I was standing here. The settlers came. They attacked me. They dragged me in here. He says, these are the zip ties they used to bind my hands. They
cut my trousers and belts. And here are my boxers. They took them off me.
Abu al-Kebash says the masked and armed settlers then sexually assaulted him.
They zip tied my genitals and squeezed tight on them while continuing to beat me. They dragged me from there and then poured water over me and then
dirt. They were dragging me while I was undressed with my hands and legs bound, my genitals bound all the way up the hill.
DIAMOND: What was going through your mind when that was happening?
DIAMOND (voice-over): I thought they were going to kill me, beat me to death.
Abu al-Kebash's relatives who were present at the time also corroborated his account. So, did two foreign activists, volunteers with the
International Solidarity Movement, who told us they were beaten and violently dragged by the settlers.
Abu al-Kebash said the settlers also stole his livelihood, hundreds of sheep that once filled these pens. He says the settlers also beat his
father, wife and even his children. Threatening to return if the family doesn't leave their land.
They said we're going to steal your sheep, we're going to steal your women, we're going to rape your women, we're going to take your girls. There
wasn't a single ill phrase that wasn't uttered.
Israeli settler violence against Palestinians has skyrocketed since October 7th. But sexual assault appears to be a new weapon in the settler arsenal
of intimidation. The assault came days after prosecutors dropped charges against five soldiers accused of sexually assaulting a Palestinian prisoner
inside a notorious detention facility, drawing uproar from Israeli human rights organizations.
Israeli police are now investigating the attack on Abu al-Kebash and his family, telling CNN they've arrested seven suspects. Police said the case
is under a court-issued gag order. But there is little faith here in Israeli investigations. Settler attacks in the West Bank are rarely
prosecuted. And Abu al-Kebash's wait for justice is filled with fear.
I'm worried they'll come back, that they'll kill us in the middle of the night, beat us to death or burn our village like they said they would.
DIAMOND: What will you do if they come back?
DIAMOND (voice-over): What can I do? We'll get beaten once again. What can we do, he asks? He'll beat us and burn us and finish us once and for all.
Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Khirbet Humsa, the West Bank.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:20:00]
KINKADE: Welcome back in today's Business Breakout. Another weekday on Wall Street with all major averages falling to their lowest levels of the
year once again. Tech stocks were the big losers, down 2 percent. All this as oil prices continue to push higher. Brent crude finishing Friday's
session up more than 3 percent to $112 a barrel, the highest closing price since the Iran war began.
Goldman Sachs now warning that oil could remain above $100 a barrel till the end of next year. As oil prices rise, so does the pain at the pump. The
average price of gas here in the U.S. fast approaching $4 a gallon. In a new Reuters-IPSOS poll, 55 percent of Americans say their finances have
taken a hit since gas prices began spiking. 21 percent say they've been affected a great deal and most believe things will get worse.
The International Energy Agency is taking the extraordinary step of issuing guidelines on how to weather the energy crisis, including working from home
when possible, reducing driving speeds, using public transportation and ride-sharing, and avoiding air travel where possible.
On Wall Street, U.S. stocks have wrapped a fourth straight losing week amid the Iran war. The small cap, Russell 2000, became the first major U.S.
stock index to fall into correction territory on Friday. That's a 10 percent drop from its most recent highs. And to make matters worse, bond
yields have risen sharply too, which means it's getting more expensive to borrow.
Our Paul La Monica is joining us now live. He's a senior markets analyst writer for Barron's. I still want to say our Paul La Monica after you
worked here. Good to see you, Paul.
PAUL R. LA MONICA, SENIOR MARKS ANALYSIS WRITER, BARRON'S: Thank you.
KINKADE: I mean, we started the show talking about President Trump saying that he's going to wind up this war in Iran, potentially raising questions
that the market movements might be influencing his decisions. Just which stocks are doing poorly?
LA MONICA: Yes. I mean, consumer stocks have been hit particularly hard. There are obviously worries about what the rise in oil prices is going to
mean for consumer spending. Travel's actually been a little bit more mixed. You would expect that airlines would be hit harder while they were down
today. Companies like Delta and United, they're still saying that the summer travel outlook seems pretty robust. So, I think that's helping them
a little bit more.
Even defense stocks have been mixed. I think defense stocks got so much of a bump heading into this war. And also, obviously, after President Trump
won his second term that some of those stocks are now cooling off a little bit. The defense stocks that are doing well are the ones that really have a
heavy focus on the kind of tech drone angle as opposed to, you know, classic weapons.
KINKADE: It's interesting. Brent crude surged above one hundred and twelve dollars a barrel. That's the highest closing since the start of the Iran
war. How are traders and analysts interpreting the sustainability of these prices, especially given what we've heard from Goldman Sachs saying, you
know, these prices of above one hundred dollars could remain throughout the end of the year?
LA MONICA: Yes. When you look at what, you know, Wall Street's expecting, you know, Exxon Mobil and Chevron both hit new all-time highs today. I
think that tells you what investors think about the outlook for oil and energy stocks, even though that's obviously bad news for consumers. What's
potentially even more bad news is that the Federal Reserve, remember they met earlier this week. Jerome Powell, who's almost at the end of his term,
did not cut interest rates again.
And here is the crazy thing. It would seem almost inconceivable just a few months ago. Analysts and investors are now pricing in the possibility that
the Fed may have to raise interest rates because of this spike in oil prices and what it means for inflation.
It wasn't that long ago we were expecting a lot of interest rate cuts this year, especially once Powell's term is over. And assuming Kevin Warsh does
get confirmed by the Senate could come in and want to cut rates further. But all bets are off with that now.
[18:25:00]
KINKADE: Yes, certainly. Paul La Monica, great to have you with us as always. Have a good weekend. Thank you.
LA MONICA: Thank you.
KINKADE: Well, I want to check some of today's other business headlines. The staffing crisis at U.S. airports continues to get worse. Transport
officials now warning that smaller airports may soon be forced to shut down at Houston's George Bush Airport Friday. The line to get through security
reached nearly three hours long at some points. Travelers are being warned of hours long wait times throughout the weekend. Staff shortages are
growing as workers continue to go unpaid because of the ongoing partial U.S. government shutdown.
The co-founder of U.S. tech firm Supermicro has been charged with smuggling high end NVIDIA chips to China. The U.S. says that along with two others,
he took part in a complex scheme to send to China $2.5 billion worth of U.S. made servers containing NVIDIA A.I. chips, something banned by U.S.
export laws. Shares of Supermicro computer, which was not named in the indictment, tumbled more than 30 percent on the news.
The CEO of Pinterest wants world leaders to ban social media for children under the age of 16. Bill Ready says the ban should be backed by real
enforcement and accountability. He says Australia's restrictions on social media for children should be used as an example. Ready's plea comes as a
jury in California continues deliberations in the trial against Google and Meta.
Well, straight ahead, a look at the first 21 days of the U.S. and Israel's war with Iran from the first international news team on the ground.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KINKADE: Welcome back to "The Brief." I'm Linda Kincaid. Here are the international headlines we're watching today.
In a social media post, President Trump said the United States is considering winding down military efforts in the Middle East.
[18:30:00]
He said the U.S. is getting very close to meeting its objectives, ticking through a list of goals, including degrading Iran's missile capability and
eliminating its Air Force and Navy. The post came after the deployment of U.S. Marines to the Middle East and the request for an additional $200
billion in defense spending.
A federal judge has ruled the U.S. Defense Department's policy limiting press access is unlawful. The policy let the Pentagon revoke credentials
based on reporting. CNN and the New York Times are among the organizations that refused to agree. The Pentagon then refused to issue them press
badges. The judge has now voided parts of that policy, ruling that it trampled on reporters' constitutional rights.
Evacuations have been ordered on Hawaii's Oahu Island with a risk of imminent failure of a dam. It's feared that Wahiawa Dam may collapse or
breach at any time, according to an official emergency alert. Residents in nearby towns have been told to evacuate immediately. It's estimated that up
to 5,000 people are in the dam risk area.
The war with Iran is now in its 21st day, and it's had a major impact on day-to-day life for everyday Iranians. State media says more than 18,000
Iranian civilians have been injured since the conflict began. CNN's Frederik Pleitgen reflects on his decade of visits to Iran and why his
latest trip has been proven to be more difficult than others.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: OK, we're hearing jets overhead. There's anti-aircraft going out. They told us to get
out of here as fast as possible.
PLEITGEN (voice-over): For more than a decade, my colleague Claudia Otto and I have been coming to Iran. Reporting from the Islamic Republic is
never easy. But facing an open-ended American and Israeli military campaign, the Iranian government is now up against maybe its biggest
challenge since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, and maybe even the Iran- Iraq War starting in 1980. This trip in the opening days of America and Israel's war would prove to be harder than most.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We should go.
PLEITGEN: Yes, we should go.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We go, we go, we go.
PLEITGEN: It looks like a chimney, though, doesn't it? Anyway, something was hit.
PLEITGEN (voice-over): With Iran's airspace closed, we drive for two days from Armenia, approaching Tehran in the early morning hours. CNN was the
first Western broadcast media outlet granted visas since the war began.
Reporting in Iran during a time of war is complicated. We have full editorial control over what we publish, but need permission any time we
want to film. We're almost certainly being monitored, and so getting the perspective of everyday Iranians can be complicated.
PLEITGEN: There are a lot of bombings, and, of course, it's also quite scary. When you hear jets going overhead, you hear bombs dropping, and you
hope that you're not in the vicinity of something that's getting hit. Certainly, a very difficult situation for the folks who live here in
Tehran, and many are telling us that they're basically just trying to get by.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Of course there is fear. Anyone saying they're not afraid is lying. Human beings cherish their lives. So,
many people have lost their children and their families. Civilians on the other side are dying too. That isn't right either.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Attack on Mehrabad Airport was terrifying. I'm terrified to drive here every day. We're concerned because
there's an IRGC base nearby. We're especially worried about the Mosalla Mosque. If it's bombed this whole area would be devastated.
PLEITGEN (voice-over): The Mosalla Mosque is where, after Friday prayers, hardline Iranians gather to rally in support of the government.
CROWD (through translator): Khamenei, the martyr.
PLEITGEN: There are thousands of people here, but, of course, we also have to keep in mind this is just a small snapshot of Iran's society, and many
of the people who come here are, of course, political and religious hardliners.
CROWD (through translator): Jewish army, this will be your last breath.
PLEITGEN (voice-over): Religious Shia Muslims strike their heads in ritual mourning for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's late supreme leader, killed in
an Israeli airstrike.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We kill Trump. We kill Netanyahu. We kill all of them.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): We will come dressed in shrouds and stand by the future leader, and we will protect them. Even if, God
forbid, they manage to harm the new leader who is announced, we will again stand by the next leader as well. God will, this government will continue
with strength.
[18:35:00]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's a -- massive airstrike, man.
PLEITGEN: What was in there? Police station?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Police station, yes.
PLEITGEN (voice-over): But it's not just America and Israel that threaten the theocratic rule. This war comes just months after the government
crushed massive nationwide demonstrations, leaving thousands of protesters dead, as even the authorities themselves acknowledge.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): It's absolutely terrifying here. It feels like the end of the world.
PLEITGEN (voice-over): As night sets in, a black cloud rises over the city. By daybreak, oily water rains down on Tehran. Israel has struck
several major oil depots on the edge of the city.
PLEITGEN: There were air raids going on, I would say, for about an hour and a half last night, and you could really hear big impacts in various
parts of the city, especially the south, the east, and the west. And then we saw that thick smoke in the night sky.
And I'm going to show you above us, you can see that there is black cloud still going overhead. And one other thing I want to show you as well. We
have a white car here, so you can really see it. It rained this morning in Tehran, and the rain seemed to be saturated with oil as well. You can see
there's this black soot that's inside the rainwater.
PLEITGEN (voice-over): The strikes turn day into night.
PLEITGEN: It's an absolutely apocalyptic scene here. We've just made it to the Shahran oil depot, which was attacked last night in a massive wave of
airstrikes. We heard those going on for about an hour and a half with massive thuds and then explosions that we could hear. And that thick black
plume of smoke, we saw that last night, and now we're actually seeing it up close. And what we're also seeing is that some of those destroyed storage
tanks are still on fire. There's still flames originating from them.
You can also see here that the area around here is also completely destroyed. There's people here actually working on this electricity pole to
try and get the electricity back.
PLEITGEN (voice-over): Israel says it struck the oil depot to, quote, "deepen the damage to Iran's military infrastructure." In the hours after
the attack, the Trump administration expressed dismay at the bombing. Health authorities say the acid rain we were also subjected to can cause
skin and lung damage.
We meet the former foreign minister and now foreign policy advisor to the office of the supreme leader, Kamal Kharazi.
KAMAL KHARAZI, FOREIGN POLICY ADVISER TO OFFICE OF IRANIAN SUPREME LEADER: I don't see any room for diplomacy anymore because Donald Trump has been
deceiving others and not keeping his promises. And we experienced this in two times of negotiations that while we were engaged in negotiation, they
struck us.
PLEITGEN: Do you consider this an existential threat to the Islamic Republic?
KHARAZI: It is an existential threat to the Islamic Republic, and therefore we have to stay with full might. The proof is in the pudding.
What is important for us is the end of this game, and we are ready to continue that game.
PLEITGEN (voice-over): Every night, the sound of warplanes reverberates across the city, followed by explosions that shake the windows of our
hotel.
PLEITGEN: Where we are right now is the east of Tehran, and the authorities say there was a massive airstrike that hit a residential
building now. And the reason why the authorities have told us to actually wear masks when we're here on the ground is they say that obviously this is
kicking up a lot of dust, and so it's better to wear a mask just to be protected.
The blasts from the bombs that hit this area were so strong that it not only destroyed these buildings, but that it also damaged severely a lot of
the buildings on the other side of the street and, in fact, in that larger block.
PLEITGEN (voice-over): As the bombing campaign drags on, day by day, airstrike by airstrike, we can feel and hear the anger among those affected
build up, also directed at us, as we're viewed as media from Iran's enemy state, the U.S.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Death to the U.S.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I was in the basement, I kept bumping into the walls. Then I was under the rubble.
PLEITGEN (voice-over): Some of the survivors of this airstrike are clearly still in a state of shock.
As we continue filming, we hear the roar of a jet overhead, then anti- aircraft fire too close for comfort.
[18:40:00]
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We should go.
PLEITGEN: Yes, we should go.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We go, we go, we go.
PLEITGEN: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Go, go, go, go.
PLEITGEN: Go which way?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That way to the right.
PLEITGEN: OK. We're hearing jets overhead. There's anti-aircraft fire going out. They told us we've got to get out of here as fast as possible.
And there was just a big explosion around here. Let's go. So, that just goes to show how fast things can turn bad here.
PLEITGEN (voice-over): Reports on social media suggest the airstrikes we witnessed targeted a base of the besieged paramilitary group impacting
surrounding civilian housing. For the first time in more than 40 years, the future of the Islamic Republic seems deeply uncertain.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Death to the U.S.
PLEITGEN (voice-over): There is longstanding and widespread discontent with government corruption and mismanagement. But if President Trump hoped
that his airstrikes would lead to a quick and easy transition of power, a pro-American revolution from the streets, it seems he'll be disappointed.
CROWD (through translator): Death to the U.S.
PLEITGEN (voice-over): Meanwhile, Iranians on those streets are hoping for a respite and for President Trump to focus elsewhere.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Better look to the U.S. population, because you, your country, more than our country, have a problem about economy, about
anything. We are strong. We have more than 7,000 years' history. We don't want to war any countries.
PLEITGEN (voice-over): Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Tehran.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Well, still ahead, remembering Chuck Norris, the beloved actor known for his tough-guy roles in movies and TV has passed away. We're going
to look back at his decades-long career.
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KINKADE: Welcome back. News just in, a big legal setback for Elon Musk. A U.S. jury has ruled that the billionaire defrauded Twitter investors by
disparaging the company during takeover negotiations back in 2022. The jury found Musk made misleading statements about Twitter in an effort to lower
the $44 billion price tag of the social media firm, which he later named X. Total damages in the securities fraud case could top $2.5 billion.
[18:45:00]
Well, the entertainment world is remembering the extraordinary life and career of Chuck Norris, who died at the age of 86. Norris was a larger-
than-life figure who rose to fame in the 1970s to become one of the top action movie stars of all time. Stephanie Elam takes a look back at his
prolific and action-packed career.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHUCK NORRIS, ACTOR: I was a very shy, introverted kid growing up.
STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Chuck Norris didn't stay that way for long, thanks to the martial arts.
NORRIS: I was sent to Korea when I was in the Air Force. And I started training over there, and then I came back and got out of the service and
started teaching. And to get students in my school, I became a karate fighter.
ELAM (voice-over): Some of those students were stars, like Steve McQueen, who encouraged him to become an actor.
NORRIS: I retired as the world karate champion, and I was looking for something to get involved in, a new goal for myself, and I thought about
acting. I talked to Steve McQueen about it, and he encouraged me to pursue it. He said if I would apply myself like I did to the martial arts, then I
would maybe have a chance at it.
ELAM (voice-over): Norris' first memorable part was Bruce Lee's furry and formidable opponent in 1972's "Way of the Dragon."
Five years later, he landed his first leading role as a truck driver searching for his missing brother in "Breaker! Breaker!" Throughout the
'70s and '80s, Norris made a name for himself as a rugged action hero in movies like "Lone Wolf McQuade," "Missing in Action," and "Delta Force."
With his film career cooling off in the '90s, Norris made the switch to television. The tough guy won new fans with his long running series,
"Walker Texas Ranger."
NORRIS: You have the right to remain silent.
ELAM (voice-over): Off-screen, Norris was a supporter of conservative causes and candidates, like former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee.
NORRIS: This race is extremely important for all of us.
ELAM (voice-over): A Born-Again Christian, Norris expressed his faith as an author and columnist and advocated for religious education in public
schools.
In later years, he became an internet sensation as the subject of humorous Chuck Norris facts, which satirized his tougher-than-tough image. He read a
few of his favorites on "The Best Damn Sports Show, Period."
NORRIS: When the Boogeyman goes to sleep every night, he checks his closet for Chuck Norris.
ELAM (voice-over): Norris kept poking fun at himself when he returned to the big screen in The Expendables 2.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I heard another rumor that you were bitten by a king cobra.
NORRIS: Yes, I was. But after five days of agonizing pain, the cobra died.
ELAM (voice-over): Online, on screen, and on the mat, Chuck Norris struck a chord with the public and left his mark as a performer and an athlete.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: And we're going to take a quick break. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:50:00]
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KINKADE: The faces of BTS lit up the night sky of Seoul with drones, marking one of the biggest comebacks in K-pop history. The singers took a
hiatus due to military service in South Korea and have been working on solo projects. But now they've released the group's first album in nearly four
years and are getting ready for a world tour, as Hanako Montgomery reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HANAKO MONTGOMERY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): BTS just dropped their long-awaited album, "Arirang," and fans here in Seoul are celebrating this
historic moment.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I cannot put it in words. Like we waited for them for almost four years.
MARTIN: Now, remember, before members' mandatory military service and solo ventures, this seven-member K-pop powerhouse dominated the globe, selling
out stadiums, making headline appearances, and building one of the most passionate fanbases on the planet, called ARMY.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're happy and so, so proud of them. We're just, like, happy to see them come back as seven.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: As seven again, yes.
MONTGOMERY: And this is just the beginning of a series of highly anticipated comeback activities. On Saturday night, the group will be
staging a concert at Seoul's landmark Gwanghwamun Square, in front of the palace where kings once lived. And the city of Seoul has tightened up
security measures to gear up for this major event, deploying thousands of police and even raising the terror alert.
And starting next month, the group will embark on a world tour with stops in Asia, Europe, the Americas, and Australia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Well, for more, I want to welcome Jeff Benjamin, K-pop columnist at Billboard magazine. Great to see you again, Jeff. How are you doing?
JEFF BENJAMIN, K-POP COLUMNIST, BILLBOARD: Doing great. It's an exciting day, so happy to be here.
KINKADE: It is. So, after four years of a hiatus, BTS is officially back. They've left the ARMY, they've returned to their ARMY of fans. Take us
through the reaction.
BENJAMIN: I mean, you don't get bigger pop comebacks than BTS at this point in 2026. And I think the reaction is really being well-received,
because this album in particular, its name is Arirang. That is the name of a traditional Korean folk song that many people in South Korea and North
Korea, for that matter, definitely know and have grown up with.
This is an album that represents their Korean identity. It's a sense of coming home, not just to, you know, the fans, to their music careers as a
group, but also, you know, coming back to their roots as musicians. For a long time, they were doing their solo projects, doing music around the
world, many English singles. Now, they're really back doing what they do best and doing it as BTS and really making sure that that emphasis around
Korea and their homeland is really emphasized, especially in this album.
KINKADE: So, the comeback concert is scheduled for Saturday night in Seoul, which is 7:00 a.m. Eastern. BTS, of course, is known for blending
music with high-concept visuals and immersive fan experiences. What can we expect from this show?
BENJAMIN: You know, this is actually, I'm a little stumped to tell you what to expect, just because this really is the very first time that we're
going to see them all back on stage in so many years. And it just goes to show how bold they're being with this comeback, right? Because they haven't
any live performances of the new music, any sort of indication of where they're at. They're doing it all on this live stream concert on Netflix in
the middle of Seoul, right in front of the palace, as the report mentioned. There's really no place to hide.
But as you can expect from really any BTS performance, you know that there's going to be really intricate and intense choreography, some crazy
vocals, crazy rapping. And I think it's just going to be such a special moment to see just all the fans around them, see them in the middle of
Seoul like that, with this new music.
But all that to be said, no one really knows what to expect and what kind of stage performance they're going to be creating. We will unfortunately
see a leader RM take it a little easier when it comes to choreography, because he did have an ankle injury. But other than that, really, you know,
all bets are off. The fact that we saw that huge drone display earlier just goes to show, I think, how big this performance is about to be.
KINKADE: Yes. And of course, they have also announced a world tour. And some estimate that it could beat Taylor Swift's $2 billion record-topping
tour. As a Taylor Swift fan, I find that hard to believe. Just how realistic is that, given ticket sales and global demand for BTS?
BENJAMIN: I mean, you know, all due respect to Taylor Swift, but I do think she might have some competition here in BTS, just because there has
been that demand. Some of the members did go on solo tours during this brief hiatus when they weren't together as a group.
[18:55:00]
But the group is really making sure to say that they're going to come back and they're really going around the world. It's going to be their first
really true all-stadium tour in that way. And it's already extended into 2027. I believe there's 80-plus shows already announced already, and more
to be announced in more territories, including territories that they haven't visited yet.
So, you know, that demand and being able to see not just, you know, the fact that BTS kind of got a bit of their momentum when they -- actually, I
was previously here to talk about their 2020 album, Map of the Soul 7. That was supposed to be a big stadium tour. It, of course, got canceled due to
the COVID-19 pandemic. So, fans have been really waiting for, like, a large world tour, stadium tour in that way.
So, I think this demand has been growing for years and years and years. So, again, all due respect to Taylor Swift, but I think the ARMY might really
prove that they are just as eager, if not more eager, to come out and really support BTS at their live shows.
KINKADE: And of course, the concert tonight will be streamed live on Netflix. So, certainly a test for Netflix and its live broadcasting
capacity, right?
BENJAMIN: Oh, yes. And I mean, BTS and Netflix, for that matter, haven't done anything like this in that sense. It's been really cool to see, you
know, really great-they did a really great interview about how the guys really leaned into this moment, how they really spent a lot of time with
the directors.
KINKADE: Well, we will be tuning in, I'm sure. I have to leave it there for now. We are getting the hard wrap. Jeff Benjamin, appreciate your time.
Have a great weekend.
BENJAMIN: You too.
KINKADE: And thanks so much for your company.
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[19:00:00]
END
