President Trump announces U.S. strikes against Iranian nuclear sites
NOT NATURALLY GIVEN TO IMMEDIATELY ACQUIESCING TO FOREIGN INTERVENTION, TO FOREIGN BOMBING. IN MANY SENSES, IT CAN ACT AS A RALLYING CALL FOR THE NATION TO GET BEHIND THE LEADER, IN THIS CASE, THIS THEOCRACY THAT HAS RUN IRAN SINCE, SINCE THE 1980S. AND SO WE HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT THE REACTION IS. I THEY HAD THREATENED IN BLOODCURDLING LANGUAGE, AYATOLLAH AND OTHERS THAT THERE WOULD BE DIRECT RETALIATION AGAINST AMERICAN INTERESTS IN THE REGION. AND WE HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE WHETHER THAT WAS JUST RHETORIC OR WHETHER THAT WAS A GENUINE THREAT THAT WOULD BE FOLLOWED THROUGH ON. WE HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT THE BOMB DAMAGE ASSESSMENT IS. IS ISRAEL GOING TO BE CONTENT TO SAY, WE’VE LOOKED AT THE DAMAGE AND WE’VE DEGRADED IRAN’S NUCLEAR CAPABILITY ENOUGH TO BE ACCEPTABLE? AND AGAIN, SPEAKING TO A SENIOR MILITARY OFFICIAL JUST TWO DAYS AGO, HE MADE IT CLEAR WE NEVER SAID WE’D GET RID OF ALL OF IRAN’S NUCLEAR CAPABILITY. WE JUST SAID THAT WE WOULD DEGRADE IT. SO IT WAS NOT AN IMMINENT THREAT. >> IAN PANNELL, STAND BY FOR US. WE’RE GOING TO GO TO RACHEL SCOTT. NOW, WHO’S ON THE PHONE JOINING US FROM WASHINGTON, OUR SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT RACHEL. WE ARE GETTING WORD THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP IS GOING TO SPEAK TONIGHT AT 10:00, ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF FROM NOW. BUT AGAIN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP PROMISED GOING INTO THE ELECTION THAT HE WAS NOT GOING TO BE THE PRESIDENT OF FOREVER WARS. HE WAS GOING TO END U.S. INVOLVEMENT IN SOME OF THESE WARS OVERSEAS. NOW, HERE HE IS INITIATING THIS ATTACK ON IRAN, A COUNTRY OF 90 MILLION PEOPLE, AND BIG QUESTIONS NOT ONLY ABOUT WHAT COMES NEXT, BUT DIVISIONS WITHIN HIS OWN PARTY AND SUPPORT. >> ABSOLUTELY. AND WE ARE ALREADY HEARING FROM A NUMBER OF LAWMAKERS TONIGHT, INCLUDING SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM, WHO IS A REPUBLICAN SENATOR ON CAPITOL HILL WHO HAD DIRECT CONVERSATIONS WITH THE PRESIDENT MULTIPLE TIMES OVER THE LAST SEVERAL DAYS, IN WHICH HE URGED PRESIDENT TRUMP TO PARTICIPATE, TO JOIN ISRAEL AND STRIKE IRAN’S NUCLEAR SITES DIRECTLY. AND WE HAVE HEARD FROM SENATOR GRAHAM TONIGHT ALREADY. HE SAID THAT THIS WAS THE RIGHT CALL, THAT THE REGIME DESERVES IT, SAYING, WELL DONE, PRESIDENT TRUMP. BUT THERE ARE PLENTY OF REPUBLICANS WHO HAVE CLEARLY STATED THAT THEY DID NOT BELIEVE THAT THE PRESIDENT SHOULD BE GETTING INVOLVED. AND FOR THAT PRIMARY REASON. THIS IS WHAT THE PRESIDENT RAN ON BEING A PEACEMAKER, PULLING THE UNITED STATES AWAY FROM ONGOING CONFLICT, NOT GETTING THE UNITED STATES EVEN MORE INVOLVED IN ONGOING CONFLICTS. THE PRESIDENT WAS ASKED DIRECTLY ABOUT SOME OF THOSE WORDS FROM REPUBLICANS, AND HE SAID, LOOK, THE BOTTOM LINE HERE IS THAT IRAN CANNOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. HE BELIEVES VERY STRONGLY IN THAT. BUT UNDOUBTEDLY THIS IS GOING TO DIVIDE THE PARTY. AND THE QUESTION NOW IS, DO REPUBLICANS RALLY BEHIND THE PRESIDENT AS HE MOVES FORWARD WITH THIS ACTION, OR DO THEY SPEAK OUT AGAINST IT? WE KNOW A FEW DID HAVE A FEW WARNING SIGNS LEADING UP TO IT. WE ARE LEARNING TONIGHT, AS YOU SAID, WITH THE PRESIDENT IS EXPECTED TO ADDRESS THE NATION AT 10 P.M. TONIGHT. AND AS IAN CLEARLY NOTED, IT CANNOT REALLY BE UNDERSTATED HERE, JUST THE IMMENSE PRESSURE THAT THE PRESIDENT WAS UNDER FROM THE ISRAELIS. I WAS TOLD HE WAS UNDER IMMENSE PRESSURE FROM ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU HIMSELF. THE PRESIDENT, WE KNOW, WAS IN VERY CLOSE CONTACT WITH HIM. THEY STAYED VERY CLOSE OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS, I’M TOLD, TALKING SOMETIMES EVEN MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY. THE PRESIDENT A WEEK AGO, IN A REMARKABLE TURN OF EVENTS, SAID THAT THIS WAS POSSIBLE, BUT THAT THE US AT THAT POINT WAS NOT GOING TO BE INVOLVED. AND WE SAW HIM LEAVE THE G7 SUMMIT EARLY TO RUSH BACK TO THE WHITE HOUSE. AND THAT KICKED OFF A SERIES OF MEETINGS THAT THE PRESIDENT WAS HAVING WITH HIS NATIONAL SECURITY TEAM IN THE WHITE HOUSE, DAY AFTER DAY. ULTIMATELY, NOW LEADING UP TO THIS DECISION, WE KNOW THE PRESIDENT WAS WARMING UP TO THE IDEA. AND TONIGHT HE ANNOUNCED IT VIA SOCIAL. AND HE WILL ADDRESS THE NATION AT 10 P.M. TONIGHT EASTERN WITH. >> RACHEL SCOTT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. LET’S GO TO OUR CHIEF WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT, JON KARL. JON, YOU’VE ACTUALLY BEEN IN TOUCH WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP, SPEAKING WITH HIM OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS ABOUT A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT ISSUES. THIS IDEA OF THE PRESIDENT WARMING UP TO THE CONCEPT, THE POSSIBILITY OF STRIKING IRAN DIRECTLY. DO YOU HAVE ANY SENSE OF HOW QUICKLY THAT DEVELOPED AND WHERE IT CAME FROM? >> WELL, HE TOLD US THAT HE WAS GOING TO MAKE THIS DECISION AT THE LAST SECOND. I DON’T THINK THAT WAS QUITE WHAT HAPPENED HERE. BUT THIS CAME TOGETHER INCREDIBLY QUICKLY. AND THIS IS, WITHOUT QUESTION, THE MOST CONSEQUENTIAL DECISION DONALD TRUMP HAS EVER MADE. AND WHERE THIS GOES, WILL THIS BE CONSISTENT WITH THE PROMISE THAT HE MADE WHEN HE FIRST GOT IN TO POLITICS, WHEN HE FIRST BECAME A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, AND HE TALKED ABOUT ENDING FOREVER WARS? THE QUESTION NOW IS, DID HE JUST POSSIBLY TAKE THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS ENDING WHAT HAS EFFECTIVELY BEEN A FOREVER WAR, WHICH IS UNITED STATES ADVERSITY WITH IRAN, SOMETHING THAT GOES BACK TO THE HOSTAGE CRISIS AND THE SEIZING OF OUR EMBASSY IN 1979. IRAN HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE FOR EVERY AMERICAN PRESIDENT SINCE JIMMY CARTER. IN MANY WAYS OVERSHADOWING OTHER, OTHER INITIATIVES, OTHER EFFORTS TO GET OBJECTIVES IN THE MIDDLE EAST. SO DID HE DID HE, YOU KNOW, EFFECTIVELY PUT AN END TO THE IRANIAN THREAT? OR WAS THIS THE FIRST SALVO IN YET ANOTHER FOREVER WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST? I REACHED OUT TO A PROMINENT ARAB DIPLOMAT FROM A COUNTRY THAT’S ALLIED WITH THE UNITED STATES, WITH A SIMPLE QUESTION. I THINK THIS IS THE QUESTION THAT WE SHOULD ALL BE ASKING. WHAT NOW? WHAT NEXT? AND THIS THIS DIPLOMAT SAID HONESTLY, NO CLUE. THE IRANIANS HAVE A VOTE NOW. SO WHAT HAPPENS? WE HAVE 40,000 TROOPS ROUGHLY IN THE MIDDLE EAST. THAT’S A THAT’S A FORCE. AND IT’S A IT’S A IT’S A FORCE THAT CAN BE USED TO, TO PROTECT AMERICAN ASSETS, TO ATTACK THE IRANIANS. BUT IT’S ALSO A TARGET WITH AND THE IRANIANS. THEIR NUCLEAR PROGRAM MAY NOW EFFECTIVELY BE GONE, BUT THE THOUSANDS OF MID-RANGE MISSILES, IT HAS, SHORT RANGE MISSILES IT HAS CAN BE USED TO TARGET NOT JUST AMERICAN TROOPS AND AMERICAN ASSETS IN THE REGION, BUT AMERICAN ALLIES. I DON’T KNOW WHICH WAY THIS IS GOING TO GO, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THIS. THIS HAS THE FEEL OF A DECISION THAT IS FAR WEIGHTIER THAN ANY DONALD TRUMP HAS HAD TO MAKE IN HIS TIME AS A POLITICAL FIGURE IN HIS TIME AS PRESIDENT. >> YEAH, AND NOBODY STARTS A FOREVER WAR THINKING IT’S GOING TO BE A FOREVER WAR. YOU LOOK BACK AT IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN. THE INTENTION WAS THINGS WERE GOING TO BE WRAPPED UP MUCH, MUCH QUICKER THAN WHAT ENDED UP HAPPENING. AND HERE YOU HAVE A COUNTRY, 90 MILLION PEOPLE. WE HAVE ALREADY STARTED TO SEE SOME DEMONSTRATIONS IN THE STREETS IN RECENT DAYS AGAINST THE UNITED STATES, AGAINST ISRAEL, AND WHAT ALL OF THIS COULD MEAN GOING FORWARD. THE AYATOLLAH KHOMEINI, WE’RE TOLD THAT HE WAS HUNKERING DOWN IN SOME UNDISCLOSED LOCATION, BUT HAD ALREADY NAMED THREE POTENTIAL SUCCESSORS. SO WHAT HAPPENS TO HIM? HOW DOES ISRAEL MOVE FORWARD? HOW DO THEY GO AND VERIFY WHAT HAPPENED AT SOME OF THESE SITES THAT WERE ATTACKED? LET’S GO AHEAD AND BRING IN OUR MATT GUTMAN, OUR CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT. MATT, YOU’VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME THROUGHOUT THIS REGION. I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A LOT OF SOURCES IN ISRAEL AND BEYOND. WHAT ARE YOU HEARING? WHAT’S THE REACTION YOU’RE GETTING TONIGHT? >> I THINK I JUST WANT TO JUMP ON THE POINT THAT JON KARL MADE JUST NOW WITH AND ABOUT HOW HISTORICAL THIS MOMENT IS AND HOW WEIGHTY IT IS FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP. YOU KNOW, ARE WE ENTERING INTO A NEW FOREVER WAR? WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT IRAN IS THE WORLD CHAMPION OF THE FOREVER WAR, WAGING A CLOAK AND DAGGER DAGGER WAR AGAINST THE U.S. AND ISRAEL, THE GREAT SATAN AND LITTLE SATAN FOR OVER 40 YEARS NOW. RIGHT. THEY HAVE HAD TERRORIST ATTACKS BEHIND THE SCENES. THEY HAVE LAUNCHED SMALL SCALE ATTACKS. THEY HAVE BUILT ARMIES AROUND THAT. IAN REFERRED TO EARLIER THAT SHIA CRESCENT OR THE RING OF FIRE IN LEBANON, HEZBOLLAH IN YEMEN, THE HOUTHIS IN IRAQ, ANOTHER GROUP CALLED HEZBOLLAH. THEY HAVE EFFECTIVELY SURROUNDED ISRAEL OVER THE PAST 40 YEARS AND CREATED THIS BULWARK, AND ISRAEL HAS ESSENTIALLY DISMANTLED IT. BUT IRAN IS NOT GOING TO LET THIS GO. AND THEY ARE ALSO KEEN OBSERVERS OF HISTORY. RIGHT. IN 1981, ISRAEL, IN ONE FELL SWOOP WITH 8 OR 9 WARPLANES, MANAGED TO DESTROY IRAQ’S NUCLEAR WEAPONS PROGRAM IN OSIRAK, AND THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. IN 2007, ISRAEL DID THE SAME THING IN SYRIA, AND THERE WAS EFFECTIVELY NO RESPONSE, DESTROYING ITS NUCLEAR CAPABILITY. THIS IS DIFFERENT. IRAN IS A NATION OF 90 PLUS MILLION PEOPLE, AND THEY SHOWED THEIR INCREDIBLE FORTITUDE IN THE 1980 TO 1988 WAR AGAINST IRAQ. THEY LOST A MILLION PEOPLE. AND FOR THE IMAM, THEN THE KHOMEINI AND KHOMEINI, WHO WAS THE SUCCESSOR, MAKING A CEASE FIRE WITH IRAQ AND ENDING THAT WAR WAS CALLED DRINKING FROM THE POISONED CHALICE. AND BASICALLY THEY’RE AT THAT PRECIPICE AGAIN. ARE THEY GOING TO MAKE A CEASE FIRE OR WILL THEY CONTINUE FIGHTING? AT THIS POINT? I THINK IT’S UNDERSTOOD, AGAIN, LOOKING AT RECENT HISTORY, WHEN YOU GIVE UP YOUR WMD, THAT IS ALL YOU HAVE. GADDAFI GAVE IT UP, AND WE SAW HOW HE WAS ESSENTIALLY BUTCHERED IN THE STREETS. AFTER HE WAS CAPTURED, HE WAS OVERTHROWN. SO IT SEEMS IF HISTORY IS ANY INDICATOR THAT THE REGIME IS GOING TO TRY TO HOLD ON AS LONG AS POSSIBLE. YOU MENTIONED KHAMENEI ALREADY HAS APPOINTED THREE SUCCESSORS. I IMAGINE THEY’RE GOING TO GO UNDERGROUND AND THEY’RE GOING TO KEEP FIGHTING IN ANY WAY THEY CAN, LASHING OUT AT THE UNITED STATES AND ISRAEL WITH WHATEVER CAPABILITIES THEY HAVE LEFT. AND I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY DANGEROUS FOR ANYBODY TO UNDERESTIMATE THE CAPABILITIES THAT IRAN HAS AT THIS MOMENT, EVEN THOUGH THEY MAY BE SIGNIFICANTLY DEGRADED. THEY HAVE BEEN STOCKPILING THEM FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. THEY ARE A VERY, VERY POTENT AND CAPABLE ADVERSARY. >> AND MATT, THANK YOU. AND SOMETHING ELSE TO WATCH HERE IS THE TERROR THREAT IN THE U.S. AND AROUND THE WORLD. AND WHAT THIS ATTACK BY THE UNITED STATES ON IRAN POTENTIALLY DOES TO THAT? DOES IT DOES IT ELEVATE HERE? I THINK THAT MANY WOULD EXPECT THAT IT LIKELY WOULD. AND WE KNOW THAT IRAN HAS BEEN A SPONSOR OF TERROR ALL ACROSS NOT ONLY THE REGION BUT AROUND THE WORLD. AND WE’LL SEE HOW THAT PLAYS OUT, TOO. I DO WANT TO GO BACK TO THE WHITE HOUSE. I’M TOLD OUR SELINA WANG IS THERE RIGHT NOW. SELINA, YOU WERE THERE EARLIER AS THE PRESIDENT ARRIVED FOR THIS MEETING WITH HIS NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISERS. WHAT MORE ARE YOU LEARNING ABOUT THE DISCUSSIONS AND WHAT PLAYED OUT IN THOSE MEETINGS? >> WELL, YOU AND I WERE ACTUALLY ON THE AIR TOGETHER AS THAT MEETING WITH HIS NATIONAL SECURITY TEAM WAS UNDERWAY. AND THE PRESIDENT FOR DAYS NOW, HE’S BEEN SPEAKING TO A WIDE ARRAY OF HIS ADVISERS AND ALLIES. IN FACT, RIGHT NOW, HIS SECRETARY OF STATE, MARCO RUBIO, IS HERE STILL AT THE WHITE HOUSE. AND THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN WEIGHING A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT FACTIONS. ON THE ONE HAND, YOU HAVE A GROUP OF REPUBLICANS, MORE TRADITIONAL CONSERVATIVES LIKE SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM, WHO HAD BEEN URGING THE PRESIDENT TO TAKE FORCEFUL, SWIFT MILITARY ACTION. THEN, ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU REALLY HAD FRUSTRATED MEMBERS OF HIS MAGA BASE WHO WERE URGING THE PRESIDENT TO HOLD BACK, ARGUING THAT ANY U.S. MILITARY INTERVENTION OR ACTION WOULD DAMAGE THE PRESIDENT’S REPUTATION IN HIS CAMPAIGN PROMISE TO END ALL FOREVER WARS. IN FACT, WE HAD LEARNED FROM SOURCES THAT AN ALLY LIKE STEVE BANNON, THE MAGA PODCASTER, HAD ACTUALLY BEEN PLAYING AN OUTSIZED ROLE, DESPITE THE FACT THAT HE HAS NO OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT POSITION, AND THAT HE HAD THIS WEEK SPOKEN ON THE PHONE WITH THE PRESIDENT. HE HAD ALSO MET THE PRESIDENT FOR LUNCH. HE WAS SOMEONE WHO WAS URGING FOR RESTRAINT. AND WHEN IT COMES TO THE TIMELINE HERE, THE PRESIDENT WAS CLEARLY PUTTING POSITIONS IN PLACE IN CASE HE WERE TO STRIKE. WE KNOW THAT AMERICANS HAD BEEN EVACUATED OUT OF ISRAEL. THE U.S. MILITARY ALSO PRE-POSITIONING TO DEFEND U.S. INTERESTS IN CASE IRAN WERE TO RETALIATE. BUT JUST DAYS AGO, PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID THAT HE WAS GOING TO GIVE HIMSELF TWO WEEKS TO MAKE THIS DECISION. THE THINKING WAS THAT HE WAS GOING TO BUY SOME TIME, HOPING THAT THE IRANIANS WOULD COME BACK TO THE TABLE TO NEGOTIATE. THE EUROPEANS HAD BEEN ALSO PRESSING FOR DIPLOMACY, BUT THE PRESIDENT ALSO SAID THAT HE WANTED TO MAKE HIS DECISION AT THE LAST SECOND BEFORE IT WAS DUE. AND SO WHAT WE ARE SEEING TONIGHT IS THE DECISION THAT CAME TOGETHER VERY QUICKLY. BUT WIT AS JON KARL MENTIONED EARLIER, THIS IS POTENTIALLY THE MOST CONSEQUENTIAL DECISION THE PRESIDENT HAS MADE. AND THE BIG QUESTION IS WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? WE KNOW FROM SOURCES THAT THE PRESIDENT WANTS THIS TO BE WRAPPED UP NICELY, THAT HE WANTS THIS TO BE CONTAINED. BUT THE QUESTION IS, TO WHAT DEGREE DID WE DEGRADE IRAN’S NUCLEAR CAPABILITIES? AND IS IRAN GOING TO RETALIATE? PRESIDENT TRUMP AND HIS TRUE SOCIAL POST TONIGHT, HE WROTE THAT QUOTE, NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE. THE QUESTION IS, IF HE WAS ABLE TO ACHIEVE THE TWO GOALS THAT HE WANTED, WHICH WAS NUMBER ONE, TO BOTH END IRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM AND NUMBER TWO, TO ALSO HAVE THIS BE A PEACEFUL RESOLUTION, AN END TO THE WAR. >> SELINA WANG, FOR US. THANK YOU. AND JUST A REMINDER TO OUR VIEWERS HERE. PRESIDENT TRUMP IS EXPECTED TO SPEAK IN JUST OVER AN HOUR AT 10 P.M. LATER TONIGHT FROM THE WHITE HOUSE. WE’LL BRING THOSE COMMENTS LIVE AS THEY HAPPEN, BUT I DO WANT TO BRING IN OUR ABC NEWS CONTRIBUTOR, FORMER STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL STEVE GANYARD. STEVE, ALSO AN AVIATION EXPERT AS WELL, AND A PILOT. STEVE, I’D LIKE TO ASK YOU MORE ABOUT THESE B-2 BOMBERS THAT WE WERE GETTING WORD THAT THEY WERE ON THE MOVE, THAT THERE WERE ALSO TANKER AIRCRAFT THAT WERE FOLLOWING THEM. WE THOUGHT THEY WERE GOING TO GUAM. WAS THIS JUST ONE BIG DIVERSION OR IS THERE MORE TO THIS? >> YEAH. THE REAL KEY TO THEIR DECEPTION IS A BIG PART OF WAR AND WELL PLAYED BY THE ADMINISTRATION. TO BE ABLE TO HAVE EVERYBODY LOOKING OVER TOWARDS HAWAII AND TOWARDS GUAM, THAT’S WHERE THE B-2S ARE COMING FROM. AND MAYBE WHAT WE SAW TONIGHT WERE B-2S THAT ACTUALLY FLEW ALL THE WAY FROM WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE IN MISSOURI. SO WE ALSO KNOW THAT THERE WERE B-52S. LAST OPEN SOURCE INTELLIGENCE SHOWED THAT THERE WERE AT LEAST FOUR ON THE RAMP IN DIEGO GARCIA, THE ISLAND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INDIAN OCEAN. SO THE B-52S COULD HAVE PARTICIPATED AS WELL, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THERE’S A VERY BENIGN AIR THREAT OVER IRAN. SO WHY THE B-2S WITH THE B-2 IS THE ONLY AIRCRAFT THAT CAN CARRY WHAT’S CALLED THIS MASSIVE ORDNANCE PENETRATOR, WHICH IS THE ONLY WEAPON THAT THE UNITED STATES OR ANY COUNTRY HAS THAT CAN GET DOWN TO INTO THE DEPTHS OF WHERE THOSE CENTRIFUGE HALLS ARE WITHIN THE FORDO MOUNTAIN. SO WE KNOW THAT THIS WEAPON, AT LEAST UNCLASSIFIED, CAN PENETRATE 200FT. FORDOW IS A MOUNTAIN. WE DON’T KNOW HOW DEEP SOME OF THE THOSE HALLS WERE MAYBE UP TO 300FT. AND SO IT MIGHT TAKE SEVERAL STRIKES. IT MAY TAKE SEVERAL WAVES OF B-2S OVER 4 TO 0 TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THOSE CENTRIFUGE HALLS ARE TAKEN OUT. SO THAT’S REALLY INTERESTING THE WAY THAT THE THAT THE WAY THAT THE ADMINISTRATION DID IT, THE WAY THAT THE PENTAGON DID IT SORT OF LOOK OVER HERE, LOOK AT THE BIRDIE OVER HERE AND THEN COME AROUND THE BACKSIDE. BUT I THINK THERE’S ALSO THERE WAS ALSO SOME SOME TIP OFF HERE WHERE WE SAW THAT THE DISCUSSIONS THAT THE EUROPEANS HAD WITH, WITH THE IRANIANS DID NOT GO WELL. THE IRANIANS CAME OUT SAYING, WELL, WE’RE WILLING TO TALK ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT MORE. THAT MUST HAVE INFURIATED TRUMP. SURELY IT INFURIATED THE ISRAELIS BECAUSE IT JUST SHOWED THAT THE IRANIANS ARE NOT INTERESTED IN A DIPLOMATIC APPROACH HERE. WE ALSO HAD ONE IRANIAN OFFICIAL SAY, IF IT’S A CHOICE BETWEEN GIVING UP OUR ENRICHMENT CAPABILITY AND WAR, WE PICK WAR. AND SO IT’S BEEN MADE VERY CLEAR THAT THE DECISION THAT THE IRANIANS HAVE HAVE TAKEN. AND SO IT WAS VERY INTERESTING THAT THE PRESIDENT CALLED A MEETING OF HIS NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER WITHIN THE ADVISERS WITHIN THE WHITE HOUSE TONIGHT ON A SATURDAY NIGHT. WE ALSO NOTICED THAT HE HAD THREE STOPS ALONG THE WAY COMING BACK TO THE WHITE HOUSE. AND GENERALLY, THIS IS A VERY TALKATIVE PRESIDENT. AND WE NOTED THAT HE DIDN’T TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO PRESS AT ANY ONE OF THOSE THREE. AND SO THERE WERE SUSPICIONS RAISED THAT SOMETHING MIGHT BE GOING ON, EVEN THOUGH HE’D GIVEN US THAT TWO WEEK WINDOW PREVIOUSLY. >> YEAH, WE DEFINITELY TOOK NOTE OF THAT WHEN THE PRESIDENT DID NOT SPEAK. GOING INTO THAT MEETING. STEVE JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP, THOUGH. HOW DO WE NOW VERIFY THESE THREE DIFFERENT NUCLEAR SITES AND THAT THE DAMAGE WAS DONE AND THAT THESE MATERIALS WERE ALL DESTROYED? >> THAT’S A GOOD QUESTION, WHIT. NOW THERE’S VERY GOOD OVERHEAD INTELLIGENCE COMING FROM SPACE BASED ASSETS THAT WILL GIVE US VERY ACCURATE, VERY DETAILED LOOKS FROM A GOD’S EYE VIEW. AND FROM THAT THEY’LL BE ABLE TO DETERMINE HOW FAR, HOW DEEP THE CRATERING WENT AND WHETHER THEY THINK THAT IT ACTUALLY TOOK OUT THE SITE. BUT THE REAL ANSWER IS WE CAN’T KNOW UNLESS SOMEBODY GETS ON THE GROUND. NOW, CONSIDERING HOW MOSSAD HAS BEEN OPERATING WITH IMPUNITY INSIDE OF IRAN IN AN EXTRAORDINARY WAY, MAYBE THE ISRAELIS HAVE THE ABILITY TO GO IN AND TO FIND WAYS TO AT LEAST MAKE SURE THAT THAT THOSE BUNKERS AT FORDO HAVE BEEN TAKEN OUT. REMEMBER, WITH THIS ALSO, THE PRESIDENT SAID THAT THREE SITES WERE HIT, THREE NUCLEAR SITES FORDO, NATANZ AND THE NUCLEAR DEVELOPMENT AREAS AROUND ISFAHAN. SO THIS IS NOT JUST ONE STRIKE. WE’LL SEE IF THE PRESIDENT BELIEVES THAT THIS WILL TAKE MORE THAN ONE DAY, MORE THAN ONE PASS. THEY’LL DO WHAT’S CALLED A BOMB DAMAGE ASSESSMENT. THEY’LL HAVE ALL SORTS OF WAYS TO DO THAT WITH SOME VERY CLEVER AND HIGHLY TECHNICAL CAPABILITIES. BUT TO MAKE THAT FINAL DETERMINATION, WHETHER THIS IS IT, WHETHER THIS WILL ACTUALLY TAKE THE NUCLEAR PROGRAM THAT THE IRANIANS HAVE BEEN WORKING ON FOR DECADES, AND SETTING IT BACK TO A PLACE WHERE IT CANNOT BE RECONSTITUTED. >> STEVE GANYARD ALWAYS APPRECIATE YOUR INSIGHTS. WANT TO GO BACK TO IAN PANNELL IN TEL AVIV? IAN, I UNDERSTAND YOU’RE GETTING SOME NEW INFORMATION FROM SOURCES THERE IN ISRAEL ABOUT HOW THESE B-2S CARRIED OUT THEIR ATTACKS. >> YEAH, I MEAN, CERTAINLY CONFIRMATION FROM AN OFFICIAL WHO SAYS THAT THEY ARE NOT AUTHORIZED TO TALK, CONFIRMING THAT US B-2 BOMBERS WERE INVOLVED IN THIS OPERATION, WHICH I THINK MANY OF US HAD ASSUMED ANYWAY, ESPECIALLY THE ATTACK ON FORDO. IT’S THE MOST HEAVILY FORTIFIED AND BEST PROTECTED FACILITY IN IRAN. IT’S LITERALLY DUG INTO A MOUNTAIN 60 MILES SOUTHWEST OF TEHRAN, WAS BELIEVED TO CONTAIN CLOSE TO 3000 CENTRIFUGES. REMEMBER, THAT’S THE EQUIPMENT THAT YOU THAT YOU USE TO ENRICH URANIUM. AND WHAT MATTERS WITH URANIUM ENRICHMENT IS TO WHAT PERCENTAGE IT IS ENRICHED, AND WHAT THE INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY HAD RECENTLY REPORTED, REALLY, JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, WAS THEY FOUND THAT IRAN’S ENRICHMENT OF URANIUM, UP TO 60% WAS ALMOST DOUBLE WHAT THE PREVIOUS ASSESSMENT HAD SAID. WHY DOES THAT MATTER? WELL, IT TAKES A RELATIVELY SHORT PERIOD TO GET FROM 60% TO 90%. AND THAT IS THE CRUNCH POINT AT WHICH YOU CAN POTENTIALLY USE IT FOR A NUCLEAR WEAPON. THAT’S PART OF THE REASON THAT ISRAEL HAS BEEN GOING AFTER IRAN’S BALLISTIC MISSILE CAPABILITY, BECAUSE ONCE YOU’VE PRODUCED THE MATERIAL, IT’S A QUESTION OF HOW YOU’RE GOING TO DELIVER IT. NOW, WE SHOULD RESTATE AND WE SHOULD NOT FORGET, THAT IRAN HAS CONSISTENTLY INSISTED THAT ITS NUCLEAR PROGRAM IS PURELY FOR PEACEFUL CIVILIAN PURPOSES. ISRAEL CERTAINLY FELT THAT THAT THAT WHILE IT DIDN’T SHOW EVIDENCE THAT IRAN WAS TRYING TO MAKE A BOMB, THERE HAD BEEN SOME EARLIER SUGGESTION A FEW YEARS AGO THAT WAS THE CASE, THAT THEY WOULD HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DO SO IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, AND BY THAT POINT IT MIGHT BE TOO LATE TO ACT. NOW, I THINK WE’RE GOING TO EXPECT TO HEAR FROM ISRAELI OFFICIALS, BUT ONE IMAGINES THAT THAT WILL TAKE PLACE AFTER PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS SPOKEN. IT’S 4:00 IN THE MORNING HERE, SO PEOPLE ARE JUST GATHERING. THE NEWS AT THE MOMENT. WERE ISRAELI JETS INVOLVED? I THINK BASED ON A REALISTIC ASSESSMENT, IT’S HARD TO IMAGINE THAT THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT ISRAELI ASSETS OF SOME SORT. AS STEVE GANYARD MENTIONED, MOSSAD AGENTS HAVE BEEN ON THE GROUND. THEY OPERATED DRONE ACTION ON THE GROUND. WE KNOW THEY’VE HAD PERSONNEL THERE. THEY’VE BEEN CAGEY ABOUT SOME OF THEIR RESOURCES THAT THEY’VE USED TO CARRY OUT THAT INITIAL LIGHTNING SHOCKING ATTACK WHERE THEY ESSENTIALLY DECAPITATED THE SCIENTIFIC AND MILITARY LEADERSHIP OF IRAN. NOT NOT THE SUPREME LEADER, OF COURSE, BUT A KEY DECISION MAKERS OF KEY MILITARY PEOPLE AND KEY SCIENTISTS WHO ARE ALL INVOLVED IN IRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM. SO I’M CERTAINLY SPEAKING OFF THE RECORD. ISRAELI OFFICIALS ARE VERY PLEASED WITH WHAT THEY’VE DONE. THEY THEY EVEN INTIMATED TO ME JUST A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO THAT THEY COULD ALMOST DECLARE THIS AS AS VICTORY AT THE MOMENT, BUT THEY STILL WANTED TO FEEL THAT THEY HAD DEGRADED IRAN’S CAPACITY TO PRODUCE URANIUM TO A POINT WHERE IT NO LONGER REPRESENTED A CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER. AND THAT’S CERTAINLY WHAT THESE THREE OPERATIONS ARE ABOUT. SO WE NEED TO WAIT TO HEAR FROM THE ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER. NETANYAHU PRESUMABLY WILL WAIT UNTIL PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS SPOKEN. WE NEED TO WAIT AND HEAR FROM THE ISRAELI DEFENSE FORCES ABOUT WHAT EXACTLY THEIR ROLE WAS. BUT I THINK THE KEY QUESTION FOR ALL OF US, AS WE GET CAUGHT UP IN THE MINUTIAE OF THESE KINDS OF OPERATIONS, IS WHAT DOES IT MEAN? IS THIS A ONE OFF FOR THE UNITED STATES? PRESIDENT TRUMP’S POST ON TRUTH SOCIAL WOULD SEEM TO INDICATE BECAUSE HE REFERS TO NOW LET’S HAVE PEACE, THAT HE HOPES THAT THAT IS A ONE OFF. THAT MAY WELL BE WISHFUL THINKING, BUT WE DON’T KNOW WHAT WILL THE REACTION OF THE IRANIAN REGIME BE? WILL THEY HAVE BOMBED THEM INTO SUBMISSION? I THINK THERE ARE MANY VOICES IN THE REGION, PEOPLE WHO KNOW IRAN, WHO WILL BE HIGHLY SKEPTICAL THAT THAT WILL BE THE CASE. WHAT WILL THE REACTION BE AGAINST? NOT JUST ISRAEL. AND EVERYBODY HERE IS POISED THAT THE SIRENS WILL GO OFF AND THERE WILL BE AN INCOMING BARRAGE, BUT WHAT WILL THE REACTION BE AGAINST US INTERESTS IN THE REGION, DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS, US COMMERCIAL INTERESTS, US CIVILIANS? THERE’S A LARGE SCALE US MILITARY PRESENCE THROUGHOUT IRAQ. NOW. IRAQ HAS THESE POPULAR MOBILIZATION UNITS. THESE ARE THE IRANIAN SPONSORED MILITIAS WHO WERE INSTRUMENTAL FIGHTING ALONGSIDE IRAQI FORCES AGAINST ISIS. BUT MANY OF THEM, LIKE KATA’IB HEZBOLLAH, NOT PART OF HEZBOLLAH IN LEBANON, TAKES ITS ORDERS DIRECT FROM TEHRAN. AND I THINK PARTICULARLY US FORCES IN IN IRAQ WILL BE SEEN AS POTENTIALLY VULNERABLE. THEY WILL BE ON A STATE OF HIGH ALERT, PREPARING FOR SOME KIND OF RESPONSE. I REMEMBER WHEN GENERAL SULEIMANI, WHO WAS AT THAT TIME THE COMMANDER OF THE IRANIAN REVOLUTIONARY GUARD COMMAND, WAS WAS KILLED BY THE UNITED STATES. WE WERE WE FLEW TO IRAQ AT THE TIME AND THE RESPONSE CAME. THERE WAS A MASSIVE BARRAGE AGAINST US MILITARY BASES THROUGHOUT THE REGION. SO WE HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE HERE FROM THE PRESIDENT. BUT CRUCIALLY, HAS THIS BEEN ENOUGH AND WHAT’S THE REACTION GOING TO BE? >> IAN PANNELL THANK YOU. LET’S GO BACK TO JON KARL, OUR CHIEF WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT, WHO’S BEEN FOLLOWING ALL OF THIS TOO. AND JOHN, FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP, WHO PROMISED TO END FOREVER WARS AND WAS GOING TO GET US OUT OF THE REGION. NOW HE HAS INITIATED ATTACKS, JOINING A WAR AGAINST IRAN, ONE OF OUR BIGGEST AND MOST FEARED ADVERSARIES. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR TRUMP AND HIS PRESIDENCY? >> THE ARGUMENT YOU’RE HEARING FROM TRUMP’S SUPPORTERS TONIGHT IS THAT WHAT HE DID HERE WAS ACT TO END A FOREVER WAR, THAT THE IRAN HAS BEEN A THREAT TO THE UNITED STATES, A THREAT TO OUR ALLIES FOR ALMOST A HALF A CENTURY. ITS NUCLEAR THREAT, A POTENTIALLY EXISTENTIAL THREAT TO ISRAEL AND BEYOND. AND THAT WHAT TRUMP HAS DONE HERE IS ACTED TO TAKE OUT THAT THREAT. IF YOU LOOK ACROSS THE REPUBLICAN POLITICAL SPECTRUM SO FAR, WHAT YOU ARE HEARING TONIGHT IS GENERALLY PRAISE FOR DONALD TRUMP SAYING THAT HE BRAVELY ACTED AND DID WHAT PRESIDENTS BEFORE HIM WANTED TO DO, WHICH WAS END THE IRAN NUCLEAR THREAT. YOU’RE HEARING THIS. THE CONGRESSIONAL LEADERSHIP WAS BRIEFED ON THIS OPERATION. TOP CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE HAVE COME OUT AND PRAISED DONALD TRUMP. THERE’S BEEN VERY LITTLE FROM THE DEMOCRATS YET. WE’VE HEARD SOME AND WE’VE HEARD, YOU KNOW, SMATTERING OF ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE, REPUBLICAN TOM MASSIE, WHO WAS VERY OPPOSED TO THIS EFFORT, SAYING THAT THIS IS ILLEGAL. YOU KNOW, CONGRESS NEEDED TO AUTHORIZE THE WAR. YOU’RE HEARING SOME OF THAT FROM DEMOCRATS. BUT DEMOCRATS HAVE BEEN AMAZINGLY QUIET IN THIS TIME SINCE WE, YOU KNOW, STRUCK IRAN. BUT BUT THE BIG QUESTION HERE IS WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT BEFORE, WHICH IS WHAT HAPPENS NEXT. DID THIS REALLY ELIMINATE THE IRANIAN THREAT, OR DID IT IGNITE A NEW THREAT FROM IRAN? IRAN HAS ITS NUCLEAR PROGRAM. WE WILL SEE IN THE DAYS AHEAD, WEEKS AHEAD, MAYBE MONTHS AHEAD, WHETHER THIS ACTION IS REALLY TAKEN OUT, THE NUCLEAR THREAT. BUT IRAN ALSO HAS A VAST ARSENAL OF CONVENTIONAL BALLISTIC MISSILES THAT CAN BE USED TO TARGET AMERICAN ASSETS IN THE MIDDLE EAST, AMERICAN ALLIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST. THE NEXT 24, 48 HOURS ARE GOING TO BE CRUCIAL TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH IRAN. WE HEARD FROM THE FOREIGN MINISTER TODAY OF IRAN SAY THAT THAT IF THE UNITED STATES GETS INVOLVED, IT’S GOING TO BE VERY, VERY BAD FOR EVERYONE, A CLEAR THREAT THAT THE IRANIANS WILL RESPOND. THE IRANIANS HAVE BEEN UNDER BOMBARDMENT BY THE ISRAELIS FOR NINE, TEN DAYS, AND THEIR RESPONSE WAS TO HIT ISRAEL AND TO HIT ISRAELI TARGETS. THEY HAD VERY CLEARLY AVOIDED A DIRECT ATTACK ON AMERICAN ASSETS IN THE REGION. THAT’S NOW GOING TO CHANGE. WE’LL SEE. HOW MUCH DID THIS DEGRADE THEIR ABILITY TO RESPOND TO ATTACK AMERICAN ASSETS. BUT BUT THIS IS A DANGEROUS PHASE IN THE DAYS AHEAD. AND IT WILL DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS WHAT PRESIDENT TRUMP’S ALLIES ARE SAYING RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS A BRAVE, COURAGEOUS EFFORT THAT HAS FINALLY TAKEN ON AND ELIMINATED THE IRANIAN THREAT OR SOMETHING THAT HAS CREATED THE CIRCUMSTANCES FOR A WHOLE NOTHER PHASE IN OUR CONFLICT WITH IRAN. >> AS YOU NOTED, A BOLD AND CONSEQUENTIAL DECISION THAT HE MADE. IF HE IS RIGHT, IT IS SIGNIFICANT AND WILL HAVE AN IMPACT FOR YEARS TO COME. IF HE’S WRONG, IT COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS FOR AMERICANS AND PEOPLE ALL ACROSS THE REGION. WE WILL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE HOW ALL OF IT PLAYS OUT. LET’S GO AHEAD AND BRING IN JAY O’BRIEN, OUR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT ON CAPITOL HILL. SPEAKING OF SOME OF THAT REACTION, YOU KNOW, YOU’RE GETTING MORE OF THAT TONIGHT. AGAIN, GENERAL PRAISE FROM FROM REPUBLICANS. BUT WE KNOW THAT THERE HAS BEEN DIVISION WITHIN THE PARTY. WHAT ELSE ARE YOU HEARING FROM THE HILL. >> EXACTLY RIGHT. WHAT YOU HEARD JOHN MENTION. WE’VE HEARD FROM TOP REPUBLICAN LEADERS ON CAPITOL HILL, THE KINDS OF FOLKS WHO WOULD BE BRIEFED PRIOR TO AN OPERATION LIKE THIS, SAYING THAT THE WHITE HOUSE WAS IN TOUCH WITH THEM BEFORE ALL THIS TOOK PLACE. JOHN THUNE BRIEFED, ACCORDING TO MULTIPLE SOURCES WHO SPOKE TO OUR RACHEL SCOTT, RICK CRAWFORD, THE TOP REPUBLICAN ON THE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE, SAYING THE SAME SPEAKER, MIKE JOHNSON, I’M TOLD, WAS ALSO BRIEFED BEFORE THIS OPERATION. HE IS JUST OUT MOMENTS AGO WITH A STATEMENT. THE SPEAKER IT’S A LENGTHY STATEMENT, BUT HE SAYS IN PART, QUOTE, THIS IS A REMINDER TO OUR ADVERSARIES AND ALLIES THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP MEANS WHAT HE SAYS. GOING ON TO SAY THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP MADE IT CLEAR THAT IRAN CANNOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. BUT WE’RE ALREADY STARTING TO SEE SOME REACTION, AS JOHN ALLUDED TO, FROM FURTHER RIGHT REPUBLICANS WHO SAY THAT THIS IS THE EXACT OPPOSITE, WHO SAY THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP CAMPAIGNED ON THAT SLOGAN THAT HE REITERATED OVER AND OVER AGAIN, NO NEW WARS. WE’VE ALREADY SEEN STEVE BANNON REACT TO THIS STEVE BANNON MEETING WITH THE PRESIDENT JUST DAYS AGO. AND THEN THERE WAS THIS CURIOUS POST WITH FROM MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE, WHO MADE IT CLEAR OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS THAT SHE WOULD OPPOSE ANY KIND OF U.S. MILITARY ACTION IN IRAN, TYPICALLY A STAUNCH ALLY OF DONALD TRUMP’S ON CAPITOL HILL, SHE POSTED, IT SEEMS LIKE MAYBE TEN, 20, 30 MINUTES BEFORE THIS OPERATION WAS LEARNED ABOUT IN THE GENERAL PUBLIC, SHE POSTED THAT QUOTE, THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT. SHE GOES ON TO SAY THAT PEACE IS THE ANSWER WITH SO DEFINITELY SOME DIVISIONS ON THE FURTHER RIGHT OF PRESIDENT TRUMP’S PARTY AGAINST THIS MILITARY ACTION. >> JAY O’BRIEN FOR US IN WASHINGTON. THANK YOU. IF YOU’RE JUST JOINING US RIGHT NOW AT THE TOP OF THE HOUR, WE ARE COMING ON THE AIR WITH THIS BREAKING NEWS. PRESIDENT TRUMP ORDERING A STRIKE ON IRAN, THREE SEPARATE LOCATIONS USING B-2 STEALTH BOMBERS. THESE ARE THREE NUCLEAR SITES, INCLUDING A FULL PAYLOAD THAT HE SAYS THAT THE PRIMARY SITE FORDO ALL PLANES ARE SAFELY ON THEIR WAY HOME. THAT, ACCORDING TO A SOCIAL MEDIA POST FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP, HE’S SAYING NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE. WE HAVE CORRESPONDENTS ACROSS THE REGION AND IN WASHINGTON TAKING A LOOK AT ALL THE DETAILS AS THEY COME IN. BUT WE KNOW THAT EARLIER IN THE DAY, WE WERE GETTING FLIGHT TRACKER RADAR INFORMATION THAT THOSE B-2 STEALTH BOMBERS WERE ON THEIR WAY FROM THE UNITED STATES. WE THOUGHT TO GUAM. WHAT WE DON’T KNOW IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED. IF THAT WAS SOME SORT OF DIVERSION, OR IF THERE WERE PLANES THAT WERE MOVED TO DIFFERENT PLACES. WE’RE GETTING MORE DETAILS ON ALL OF THAT. AS INFORMATION COMES IN TONIGHT, WE’RE GOING TO GO BACK TO LOUIE MARTINEZ, WHO COVERS THE PENTAGON FOR US. HE’S BEEN GETTING SOME OF THAT INFORMATION. LOUIE, I UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE NEW INFO ABOUT HOW ALL OF THIS PLAYED OUT TONIGHT. WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED? >> WE HAVE JUST LEARNED FROM A U.S. OFFICIAL THAT U.S. B-2 BOMBERS DID CONDUCT A STRIKE IN IRAN, ALONG WITH SEVERAL DOZEN OTHER AIRCRAFT. NO OTHER DETAILS ARE BEING PROVIDED RIGHT NOW, BUT AT LEAST WE SOLVED ONE OF THE MYSTERIES, WHICH IS THAT, YES, THOSE B-2 BOMBERS ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE ONES THAT WERE IN GUAM. THEY STILL HAVEN’T CONFIRMED THAT. BUT WE DO KNOW NOW THAT B-2 BOMBERS DID CONDUCT SOME STRIKES AT SOME OF THOSE THREE LOCATIONS IDENTIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP AND HIS TRUTH SOCIAL POSTING, AND THAT SEVERAL DOZEN OTHER U.S. MILITARY AIRCRAFT WERE ALSO INVOLVED IN THAT STRIKE. >> AND, LOUIS, DO WE HAVE ANY SENSE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? NOW, WE’VE TALKED ABOUT THE VERIFICATION PROCESS, ABOUT PRESIDENT TRUMP SAYS THAT THESE ATTACKS WERE SUCCESSFUL. BUT DO WE KNOW IF THERE ARE TROOPS IN THE REGION WHO MAY JOIN ISRAELI TROOPS TO POTENTIALLY GO CHECK OUT SOME OF THESE SITES AND SEE WHAT DAMAGE WAS DONE? >> WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS ALWAYS GOING TO TAKE PLACE IS BOMB DAMAGE ASSESSMENT, THE TERM THAT WAS USED AT THE PENTAGON IS A BDA, AND SOMETIMES IT CAN HAPPEN PRETTY QUICKLY BECAUSE YOU HAVE DRONE AIRCRAFT, YOU HAVE OTHER AIRCRAFT THAT HAVE SURVEILLANCE CAPABILITY THAT ARE MONITORING THE AREA THAT IS GOING TO BE STRUCK BY THE LEAD BOMB, THE LEAD BOMBERS WHO ARE CARRYING OUT AND DROPPING THE MUNITIONS. SO IN THIS CASE, THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOME AIRCRAFT THAT WERE HAD EYES ON, IF YOU WILL, THAT WERE MONITORING THAT. AND THAT FEED IS MORE THAN LIKELY GOING TO BE ANALYZED TO SEE HOW SUCCESSFUL A STRIKE IT WAS. IN SOME CASES, THE BDA CAN TAKE HOURS, IN OTHER CASES IT CAN TAKE DAYS. SO IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN EXACTLY WHAT WE’RE GOING TO SEE HERE. BUT IN TERMS OF THIS PARTICULAR STRIKE THAT WAS CARRIED OUT BY US BOMBERS, AND KNOWING THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL DOZEN OTHER AIRCRAFT, WE CAN KIND OF IMAGINE WHAT THE ROLES OF THOSE AIRCRAFT WERE. POTENTIALLY THEY WERE PROVIDING SECURITY. SO IN CASE THERE WAS SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF OTHER AIRCRAFT IN THE SKIES, WE KNOW THAT IRAN HAS A NOT VERY CAPABLE AIR FORCE. WE’RE NOT EVEN SURE THAT SOME OF THEIR AIRCRAFT HAVE EVEN GOTTEN OFF THE GROUND OVER THE LAST WEEK, AS HOSTILITIES HAVE TAKEN PLACE BETWEEN ISRAEL AND IRAN. WE KNOW THAT IT IS A VERY DEGRADED AIR DEFENSE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE IRANIANS, WHICH MEANS THAT THE ISRAELIS HAVE HAD AIR SUPERIORITY. REMEMBER THAT MENTIONED FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP EARLIER IN THE WEEK? WE SAID WHERE HE SAID WE HAVE AIR SUPERIORITY. AND OF COURSE, AT THE TIME WE HAVE RAISED QUESTIONS BECAUSE THE UNITED STATES HAD NOT BEEN INVOLVED OVER IRAN, BUT WE HAD SEEN THE ISRAELIS BEING THE ONLY ONES CARRYING OUT AIR OPERATIONS INSIDE OF IRAN. AND THE WAY THEY WERE DOING THAT IS BECAUSE OVER THE LAST YEAR, WELL, LAST YEAR THERE WERE TWO AIRSTRIKES CARRIED OUT INSIDE OF IRAN AND NAMELY THE ONE IN LAST OCTOBER SEVERELY DEGRADED THEIR STRATEGIC AIR DEFENSE SYSTEMS, WHICH MEANT THAT THE ISRAELI AIRCRAFT COULD COME IN AT A DISTANCE AND FIRE THEIR STAND OFF WEAPONS. AND WITH THOSE STRATEGIC AIR DEFENSE SYSTEMS GONE, THEY WERE FLYING AT WILL OVER IRAN. AND I THINK THAT SITUATION MAKES IT A LITTLE BIT EASIER FOR AMERICAN AIRCRAFT FLYING ABOVE IRAN. OF COURSE, THERE’S ALWAYS A RISK BECAUSE THERE WILL ALWAYS BE AIR DEFENSE SYSTEMS AROUND SOME OF THESE FACILITIES, WHETHER THEY’VE BEEN TAKEN OUT OR NOT. THERE’S ALWAYS A RISK WHEN YOU’RE FLYING OVER AN ADVERSARY’S AN ADVERSARIAL COUNTRY’S TERRITORY. BUT IN THIS CASE, WE KNOW THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL DOZEN OTHER AIRCRAFT INVOLVED IN THE STRIKE, ALONG WITH THE B-2 BOMBERS. >> LOUIS MARTINEZ, THANK YOU SO MUCH. I WANT TO GO BACK TO STEVE GANYARD, OUR ABC NEWS CONTRIBUTOR, FORMER STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL. STEVE, I KNOW THAT YOU’VE BEEN REPORTING ON THE BUILDUP OF AMERICAN FORCES IN THE REGION, AND IT’S REALLY QUITE UNPRECEDENTED. WHAT WE’RE SEEING. >> IT IS IT’S EXTRAORDINARY WIT WE WILL SOON HAVE WHEN THE FORD LEAVES NORFOLK AND GETS TO THE REGION IN PROBABLY ABOUT A WEEK OR TEN DAYS, WE’LL HAVE THREE AIRCRAFT CARRIERS IN THE PERSIAN GULF REGION. THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED SINCE 2003. SO THERE’S AN UNPRECEDENTED AMOUNT OF NAVAL, AIR POWER AND NAVAL POWER IN THE REGION TO INCLUDE THOSE SHIPS THAT WE’VE SEEN OFFSHORE OF ISRAEL THAT ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE DEFENSE OF ISRAEL WITH THE MISSILES THAT ARE ABLE TO KNOCK DOWN INCOMING BALLISTIC MISSILES. ON THE AIR FORCE SIDE, THERE HAVE BEEN HUNDREDS OF AIRPLANES DEPLOYED NOT ONLY TO THE REGION BUT TO EUROPE. THERE ARE TANKERS BACKED UP ALL OVER EUROPE IN IN JUST ABOUT EVERY NATO COUNTRY HAS LOTS OF U.S. TANKERS THAT WILL PROVIDE AN OPTION TO THE PRESIDENT. SO CLEARLY THE STRIKES THAT WENT ON TONIGHT WERE PROBABLY ENOUGH. MAYBE THEY’LL HAVE TO GO BACK AND RE-ATTACK ONE MORE TIME, BUT IT’S PROBABLY ENOUGH TO TAKE OUT ALL OF THE NUCLEAR SITES THAT THE ISRAELIS HADN’T TOUCHED YET. BUT THE AMOUNT OF FIREPOWER, THE AMOUNT OF COMBAT CAPABILITY AND CAPACITY THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS BUILT UP IN THE REGION IS FAR MORE THAN WOULD BE NEEDED JUST TO TAKE OUT THE NUCLEAR FACILITIES. SO PERHAPS THIS IS PART OF THE OF THE DECEPTION AND THE MIND GAMES THAT HE WANTS THE IRANIANS TO KNOW THAT IF THE U.S. DECIDES TO GO BACK IN, IF THE IRANIANS DO SOMETHING TO GO AFTER U.S. TROOPS IN THE REGION, WE HAVE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT SLEEPER CELLS IN THE UNITED STATES. IF THERE IS SOMETHING THAT COMES BACK AT THE U.S, THEN THAT’S GOING TO BE A PROBLEM FOR IRAN. AND THE U.S. CERTAINLY HAS THE AMOUNT AND THE CAPACITY OF MILITARY POWER THAT WOULD BE USED TO GO BACK AT IRAN AND TO AND TO FINISH THE JOB. >> BUT, STEVE, THE IRANIANS HAVE SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD DESTROY OUR NUCLEAR FACILITIES, BUT BUT YOU CAN’T DESTROY OUR KNOWLEDGE, THE INFORMATION THAT WE’VE BUILT UP OVER DECADES ON THIS IS THAT WHAT KIND OF THREAT IS THAT? I MEAN, IF THE FACILITIES ARE GONE, HOW QUICKLY COULD THEY POTENTIALLY REBUILD THE MATERIAL TO MAKE A BOMB? >> WELL, WITH THE WITH FACILITIES GONE, IT’S GOING TO TAKE A LONG TIME BECAUSE THE CENTRIFUGES ARE REALLY WHAT WOULD NEED IS, AS IAN WAS TALKING ABOUT BEFORE, THE MOST OF THE ENRICHMENT IS AT ABOUT THE 60%, BUT IT’S ONLY ABOUT ANOTHER 5% OF EFFORT TO GET UP TO 90. SO THE CENTRIFUGES ARE KEY. TO YOUR POINT, THOUGH, THE HUMAN KNOWLEDGE, THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY THAT THEY HAVE DEVELOPED OVER THE YEARS TO BE ABLE TO THINK ABOUT HOW TO DEVELOP A NUCLEAR PROGRAM IS KEY. SO WHAT ARE THE ISRAELIS DO IN THE FIRST FEW MINUTES OF THIS OPENING SALVO HERE AGAINST IRAN? THEY BORROWED FROM THE HEZBOLLAH PLAYBOOK, AND THEY TOOK OUT MANY, IF NOT OF THE TOP TEN, TOP 15 NUCLEAR SCIENTISTS THAT ARE WORKING ON THE NUCLEAR ENTERPRISE WITHIN IRAN. SO THEY TOOK OUT THE PEOPLE WHO KNEW AND HAD THE KNOWLEDGE, AND SO THAT THEY HOPE WILL BE ENOUGH TO PREVENT THE NUCLEAR PROGRAM FROM BEING RECAPITALIZED. ONE ONE ADDITIONAL POINT HERE. SO WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THE ENRICHED FUEL IS AND WHO CAN GET TO THAT. SO THAT WILL BE PART OF ANY POSTWAR DEAL WHERE IT’S THE IAEA, IT’S SOME INDEPENDENT BODY THAT’S GOING TO WANT TO GET IN AND SECURE THE ENRICHED URANIUM TO MAKE SURE THAT THE IRANIANS CANNOT USE THAT TO RECONSTITUTE THEIR PROGRAM OR TO BUILD A NUCLEAR WEAPON. >> AND, STEVE, A FOLLOW UP TO THIS, BECAUSE I THINK A LOT OF AMERICANS AT HOME RIGHT NOW ARE WONDERING, YOU KNOW, WHAT THIS MEANS FOR US AND OUR SAFETY AROUND THE WORLD. I KNOW THE REGION HAS CHANGED SO MUCH IN RECENT YEARS. YOU MENTIONED PROXIES LIKE HEZBOLLAH, HAMAS, THE HOUTHIS IN YEMEN, THE FALL OF THE ASSAD REGIME IN SYRIA, WHO COULD POTENTIALLY COME TO IRAN’S DEFENSE AS AN ALLY. WHAT DOES RUSSIA DO? WHAT DOES CHINA DO? HOW SHOULD AMERICANS BE LOOKING AT THIS? >> YEAH, YOU’LL NOTICE THAT BOTH RUSSIA AND CHINA SAID, HEY, YEAH, NICE. WE LIKE YOUR WE LIKE YOUR DRONES AND WE LIKE YOUR OIL, BUT WE’RE NOT GETTING INVOLVED. SO RIGHT NOW IRAN IS TOTALLY ISOLATED. AND NOT ONLY ARE THEY ISOLATED, BUT THEY HAVE NO DEFENSES. AND NOT ONLY IS THE MOSSAD OPERATING ON THE GROUND WITH IMPUNITY, BUT THE ISRAELI AIR FORCE IS FLYING OVER THE SKIES OF IRAN UNIMPEDED. SO THEY HAVE NO FRIENDS, THEY HAVE NO ALLIES. THEY HAVE NOBODY THAT’S GOING TO COME TO THEIR AID. SO THIS SETS UP SOME CONCERN WITH ABOUT REVENGE ATTACKS. IF YOU’LL NOTICE, I BELIEVE IT’S BEEN MORE THAN 24 HOURS SINCE A BALLISTIC MISSILE HAS BEEN LAUNCHED FROM IRAN TOWARDS ISRAEL. THAT IS BECAUSE THE ISRAELIS HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY HARD TO KNOCK DOWN ALL THE LAUNCHERS, TO GO TO THE FACILITIES WHERE THEY STORE THESE BALLISTIC MISSILES. AND SO WE’VE SEEN THIS DECREASE AND THEY’RE SHOOTING DRONES, BUT DRONES ARE NOT AS EFFECTIVE. THEY TAKE A LONG TIME TO GET TO ISRAEL. SO A VERY EFFECTIVE 8 OR 9 DAYS WHERE THE ISRAELIS HAVE TAKEN DOWN THAT BALLISTIC MISSILE CAPABILITY. AS THAT GOES ALONG, AND AS THE IRANIANS CONTINUE TO BE PUMMELED. AND WHILE THE IRANIANS OR THE ISRAELIS, PIECE BY PIECE, TAKE APART THEIR MILITARY, THEIR IRGC, THEIR INTERNAL SECURITY APPARATUS, THIS IS GOING TO EVENTUALLY GET TO A POINT WHERE THE REGIME WILL BE WEAKENED AND SOMETHING WILL HAPPEN. WHAT WILL HAPPEN? WE DON’T KNOW. IS IT SOMEBODY IS SOME SOMETHING BETTER GOING TO TAKE THE PLACE OF THE REGIME OR IS IT SOMETHING WORSE? THIS IS ALWAYS THE RISK IN WAR, NOT KNOWING WHAT THE BRANCHES AND SEQUELS AND OUTCOMES WILL REALLY BE. >> AND IN A COUNTRY OF 90 MILLION PEOPLE. STEVE GANYARD, THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE APPRECIATE IT. I WANT TO GO TO AARON KATERSKY, OUR CHIEF INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT. AND AARON, I WANT TO ASK YOU MORE JUST ABOUT THE DOMESTIC THREATS. WE KNOW IN THE U.S. WE’D ALREADY BEEN OPERATING IN A HIGH THREAT, HIGH ALERT ENVIRONMENT. SOME OF THOSE THREATS, DOMESTIC HOMEGROWN POLITICAL TERRORISM THAT WE’VE SEEN. BUT NOW WHAT? HOW DOES THIS CHANGE THE CALCULATION? HOW MIGHT LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY RESPOND TO THESE ATTACKS? >> THEY’RE ALREADY RESPONDING WITH, AS WE SPEAK, THE NYPD IN NEW YORK IS RESPONDING TO CULTURAL, RELIGIOUS AND DIPLOMATIC SITES ASSOCIATED WITH ISRAEL. >> AND IRAN. THIS IS OUT OF AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION. THEY SAY THERE IS NO SPECIFIC THREAT, BUT THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE’S A DETERRENT PRESENCE AT THESE LOCATIONS, BECAUSE THE U.S. HAS TO BE CONSIDERED. THE U.S. HOMELAND NOW HAS TO BE CONSIDERED A TARGET OF IRAN. AND ALTHOUGH, AS YOU’VE BEEN DISCUSSING WITH IRAN, IS HIGHLY DEGRADED FROM ISRAELI ATTACKS NOW FROM THE U.S, THE U.S. IS NOW A, A PLAYER AND IS A BELLIGERENT ACTOR IN THE EYES OF IRAN. SO THE U.S. HOMELAND HAS TO BE CONSIDERED A TARGET, BOTH FROM PROXY GROUPS THAT IRAN CAN DISPATCH AND HAS ALREADY SHOWN SOME ADEPTNESS IN ATTACKING U.S. INTERESTS BOTH HERE AND ABROAD, BUT ALSO THROUGH THROUGH CYBER ATTACKS. AND THERE’S A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN TOLD TO EXPECT HEIGHTENED CYBER THREATS FROM IRAN. AND REMEMBER, WITH THE IRANIANS HAVE ALREADY TARGETED PRESIDENT TRUMP PERSONALLY, HOLDING HIM RESPONSIBLE FOR THE GENERAL SOLEIMANI ATTACK. AND THEY’VE SOUGHT REVENGE EVER SINCE, WITH. >> ALWAYS THE THREAT OF A LONE WOLF ATTACK TO. AND THAT’S ALWAYS A MAJOR CONCERN FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT, SOMEBODY WHO’S MAYBE NOT DIRECTLY GETTING ANY GUIDANCE FROM IRAN OR IRANIAN PROXIES, BUT INSPIRED BY WHAT’S HAPPENED IN THAT COUNTRY. AARON KATERSKY FOR US. THANK YOU. LET’S GO BACK TO RACHEL SCOTT IN WASHINGTON. RACHEL, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE’RE LEARNING PRESIDENT TRUMP OR THE WHITE HOUSE GAVE SOME HEADS UP TO ISRAEL BEFORE THESE STRIKES. >> EXACTLY WHAT? I JUST SPOKE TO A SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL WHO TOLD ME THAT THE UNITED STATES DID, IN FACT, GIVE ISRAEL A HEADS UP AHEAD OF THESE STRIKES. THAT SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL ALSO TELLING ME THAT THE PRESIDENT SPOKE DIRECTLY WITH ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU AFTER THE U.S. CARRIED OUT THESE STRIKES. THAT IS, ACCORDING TO A SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL AT THE WHITE HOUSE. WE’VE TALKED ABOUT THE PRESSURE THAT ISRAEL PUT ON THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION AND DIRECTLY ON THE PRESIDENT. WE KNOW THAT NETANYAHU AND THE PRESIDENT HAVE BEEN VERY CLOSE. I WAS TOLD THAT AT ONE POINT THEY WERE SPEAKING MAYBE EVEN MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY, AND THAT A SOURCE TOLD ME THAT THE PRESIDENT RECEIVED DIRECT PRESSURE FROM ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU FOR THE U.S. TO GET MORE INVOLVED. IT WAS AN OPTION THAT THE PRESIDENT AT FIRST WAS KEEPING AN ARM’S LENGTH DISTANCE TO. AND THEN INCREASINGLY, HE STARTED TO WARM UP TO THIS IDEA, ASKING IN THE SITUATION ROOM ABOUT THESE OPTIONS, ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THE UNITED STATES COULD SUCCESSFULLY CARRY OUT THIS ATTACK. THE PRESIDENT TONIGHT SAYING THAT ULTIMATELY THIS WAS SUCCESSFUL. BUT AS HE’S BEEN IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH THE ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER, HE DID SPEAK TO HIM YET AGAIN AFTER THESE STRIKES WITH. >> RACHEL SCOTT FOR US. THANK YOU. LET’S GO BACK TO JON KARL. JON, I UNDERSTAND YOU HAD A CONVERSATION WITH A VERY GOOD SOURCE IN ALL OF THIS, PRESIDENT TRUMP HIMSELF. WHAT IS HE SAYING TO YOU TONIGHT? >> YEAH, I JUST GOT OFF THE PHONE WITH HIM, A SHORT CONVERSATION. THE BOTTOM LINE FROM HIM WAS, IN HIS WORDS, THIS WAS A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS TONIGHT WHEN I, YOU KNOW, ENGAGED WITH HIM ON QUESTIONS OF HOW, YOU KNOW, HOW THIS WAS UNDERTAKEN AND WHAT THE NEXT STEPS ARE, YOU KNOW, HE DID NOT WANT TO ENGAGE ON THAT RIGHT NOW. HE OBVIOUSLY IS ADDRESSING THE COUNTRY IN LESS THAN AN HOUR. BUT HE DID PICK UP THE PHONE TO TOUT WHAT HE CALLED A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS TONIGHT. SEPARATELY, WITH A CONVERSATION WITH ANOTHER GOOD SOURCE, NOT PRESIDENT TRUMP, WHO SAID THAT THERE WAS A LOT MORE TO THIS ATTACK THAN TAKING OUT THE NUCLEAR SITES IN IRAN. THE BIG QUESTION NOW, OF COURSE, AS WE HAVE DISCUSSED, IS WHAT WILL IRAN DO TO RETALIATE? IT HAS A VAST ARSENAL OF CONVENTIONAL WEAPONRY OF BALLISTIC MISSILES, MID SHORT RANGE BALLISTIC MISSILES THAT CAN HIT A WHOLE RANGE OF TARGETS THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE EAST, AS WE’VE SEEN OVER THE LAST TEN DAYS WITH ISRAEL. AND IT APPEARS THAT TONIGHT, ACCORDING TO MY SOURCE, THERE WAS A MAJOR FOCUS ON DESTROYING AS MUCH OF THAT AS POSSIBLE AS WELL, NOT SIMPLY THE NUCLEAR SITES, BUT BUT BUT ALSO TARGETING IRAN’S ABILITY TO RESPOND TO WHAT HAPPENED TONIGHT. >> AND JOHN, AS YOU KNOW, MANY ALL PRESIDENTS COME INTO OFFICE WITH WITH PLANS FOR THE HOMELAND, THEIR DOMESTIC AGENDA AND ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY WANT TO DO. AND TRUMP HIMSELF VERY VOCAL ABOUT ENDING FOREIGN WARS AND NOT WANTING TO ENGAGE IN LONG EXTENDED CONFLICTS. THIS NO DOUBT. I MEAN, CAN YOU EVEN COMPARE THIS TO A DECISION HE MADE IN HIS FIRST TERM? IS THIS THE BIGGEST, MOST CONSEQUENTIAL DECISION HE’S EVER MADE AS A PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES? >> WELL, I DON’T THINK THERE’S ANY DOUBT THAT ON THE FACTS, WE KNOW RIGHT NOW THIS IS THE MOST CONSEQUENTIAL DECISION DONALD TRUMP HAS EVER MADE. AND WE DON’T KNOW, IS THIS GOING TO BE CONSISTENT WITH HIS PROMISE TO END FOREVER WARS? HIS ALLIES ARE MAKING THAT CASE. THEY’RE ACTUALLY SAYING THAT ALTHOUGH THIS WAS A MILITARY ACTION, IT WAS A MILITARY ACTION THAT THEY BELIEVE WILL PROVE TO HAVE DONE AWAY WITH A THREAT THAT HAS BEEN A SHADOW OVER AMERICAN POLICY IN THE MIDDLE EAST FOR NEARLY A HALF A CENTURY. THE IRANIAN OR THE THREAT OF THE IRANIAN REGIME. BUT BUT LET’S REMEMBER ALSO WHAT DONALD TRUMP SAID IN HIS INAUGURAL ADDRESS. VERY IMPORTANT WORDS. BESIDES SAYING HE WANTED TO BE KNOWN AS A PEACEMAKER, HE SAID THAT HE WILL MEASURE RESULTS BY THE WARS THAT HE HAS ENDED AND PERHAPS MORE IMPORTANTLY, BY THE WARS THAT HE HAS NOT THAT WE DO NOT GET INTO NOW, WE DON’T KNOW. IS THIS AGAIN GOING TO BE PROVED TO BE EFFECTIVELY ENDING A LOW GRADE WAR THAT HAS THAT THE UNITED STATES HAS BEEN ENGAGED IN FOR 46 YEARS, SINCE THE IRANIANS, THE MULLAHS TOOK OVER IN 1979. OR IS THIS THE BEGINNING OF ANOTHER, MORE DANGEROUS, MORE VIOLENT, MORE ACTIVE PHASE IN THE US-IRAN CONFLICT? BUT WHATEVER IT IS, THIS WILL BE THE MOMENT THAT, AT LEAST FROM THE FACTS THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, DONALD TRUMP WILL BE JUDGED BY. >> YEAH, MAJOR QUESTIONS TONIGHT. AND WHAT HAPPENS TOMORROW, JOHN KARL THANK YOU. LET’S GO BACK TO IAN PANNELL IN TEL AVIV. AND IAN, WE’VE ALREADY SEEN PRIOR TO TONIGHT SOME OF THESE ATTACKS, SOME OF THE MISSILE ATTACKS ON ISRAEL HAVE BEEN GETTING THROUGH A LOWER PERCENTAGE. BUT WE’VE SEEN SOME OF THE DAMAGES ON HOSPITALS AND RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS THERE. IT’S BEEN QUIET SO FAR TONIGHT. BUT WHAT ARE ISRAELIS EXPECTING IN THE COMING DAYS? >> YEAH, I THINK THE IMMEDIATE REACTION WILL BE PEOPLE WILL BE FEARING THE WORST. INTERESTINGLY, THE HOME FRONT COMMAND HAS JUST ISSUED NEW GUIDELINES TO PEOPLE BASICALLY ACTIVATING THE HIGHEST STATE OF PREPAREDNESS. IN OTHER WORDS, NOBODY SHOULD GO TO WORK OR BUSINESSES WILL BE CLOSED. NOBODY GOES TO SCHOOL AND EVERYBODY SHOULD STAY CLOSE TO SHELTERS. IN OTHER WORDS, EVERYBODY IS BRACING FOR AN IRANIAN RESPONSE. WE CERTAINLY HEARD ALL THE VARIOUS LURID THREATS THAT WE HAVE BEEN ISSUED BY THE AYATOLLAH, BY THE IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER AND OTHERS OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF AMERICA JOINED THIS WAR, WHICH HAS NOW DONE. US PRESIDENT TRUMP AND OTHERS MAY BE HOPING THAT THIS IS A ONE OFF ACTION AND THAT WILL DRAW A LINE UNDER EVENTS. WELL, AS THE MILITARY GETS TO SAY, THE ENEMY GETS A VOTE IN THAT AND WE HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT THE OFFICIAL IRANIAN RESPONSE WILL BE. WE HAVE HEARD FROM THE IRANIANS THAT AT LEAST TWO OF THOSE FACILITIES THAT WERE STRUCK TONIGHT BY U.S. AIR RESOURCES HAD BEEN EVACUATED BEFOREHAND. YOAV GALANT, WHO, OF COURSE, IS A FORMER ISRAELI DEFENSE MINISTER, POSTED JUST IN THE LAST FEW MINUTES PRESIDENT TRUMP TOOK A BOLD DECISION. THE WORLD IS NOW A SAFER PLACE, BUT WE’RE ALSO HEARING ALREADY THREATS FROM ONE OF THE IRANIAN PROXIES. THIS IS THE HOUTHIS AGAIN ON X, HAZEM AL ASSAD, WHO’S A MEMBER OF THE POLITICAL BUREAU OF THE HOUTHI MOVEMENT, SAYING WASHINGTON MUST BEAR THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS STRIKE. STEVE GANYARD, WHO YOU WERE SPEAKING TO EARLIER, GOT IT ABSOLUTELY RIGHT IN TERMS OF THE SENSE THAT IRAN HAS NO MAJOR FRIENDS IN THE REGION. IT HAS COMMERCIAL ALLIES, ONES THAT IT HAS SUPPLIED WEAPONS TO, IN PARTICULAR RUSSIA AND CHINA, BUT NONE OF WHICH ARE READY TO COME TO IRAN’S AID. THE PROXIES, ALL OF THESE PROXY GROUPS HAVE BEEN SEVERELY DOWNGRADED, PRIMARILY THROUGH ISRAELI MILITARY ACTION OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS. HAMAS, OF COURSE, HEZBOLLAH, IN PARTICULAR, THE DECAPITATION OF HEZBOLLAH’S LEADERSHIP AND OF COURSE, THE US, TOGETHER WITH ISRAEL, WAS BOMBING THE HOUTHI REBELS, WHO WERE SUPPLIED BY IRAN. THEY’RE BASED IN YEMEN. BUT WHY ARE THEY A THREAT? THERE ARE A THREAT BECAUSE OF THE STRAITS OF HORMUZ. THIS THIS KEY SHIPPING LANE WILL NOW BE SEEN AS A POTENTIAL TARGET FOR IRAN AND IRANIAN FORCES. AND IT IS CRITICAL FOR OIL SUPPLIES, NOT NOT SO MUCH FOR THE UNITED STATES, BUT CERTAINLY THAT RICH CHINA AND THE EUROPEAN UNION, THOSE SHIPPING LANES ARE ABSOLUTELY VITAL. NOW, THE DEAL THAT WAS STRUCK BETWEEN THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION AND THE HOUTHIS, MUCH TO ISRAEL’S ANNOYANCE, IT WAS A DIRECT DEAL, ESSENTIALLY GUARANTEED THAT THE HOUTHIS WOULD NOT ATTACK US FACILITIES. SO U.S. MILITARY CRAFT GOING THROUGH THE REGION OR U.S. TANKERS. NOW, THE QUESTION IS, IS THAT DEAL STILL IN PLACE? WILL THE HOUTHIS REGARD IT AS HAVING BEEN BREACHED BY THE UNITED STATES? WELL, IF THAT STATEMENT MEANS ANYTHING, AND ONE SHOULD EXPECT THAT THERE WILL BE A LOT OF LURID STATEMENTS, WE HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT THE ACTION IS. BUT IF THEY DO, THEN US CRAFT GOING THROUGH THAT AREA WILL BE SUSCEPTIBLE. >> YEAH, IT’S A VERY IMPORTANT POINT. THE POTENTIAL GLOBAL ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS AND RAMIFICATIONS AS A RESULT OF THIS ESCALATION HERE. IAN PANNELL THANK YOU. ONCE AGAIN, I WANT TO GO BACK TO MATT GUTMAN. MATT, YOU’VE COVERED THIS REGION FOR SO MANY YEARS. WHAT MORE ARE YOU LEARNING TONIGHT ABOUT ABOUT IRAN, HOW THEY ARE RESPONDING TO THIS FROM YOUR SOURCES? >> I HAVE A SOURCE THAT I JUST TEXTED WITH WIT, AND HE REMINDS ME THAT ISRAEL AND THE U.S. HAD SOME SORT OF WAR GAMES ABOUT A YEAR AGO. NOW THEY HAVE WAR GAMES EVERY SINGLE YEAR. BUT THIS ONE WAS DIFFERENT BECAUSE FOR THE FIRST TIME, IT FOCUSED ON OFFENSIVE CAPABILITIES AGAINST IRAN, ESSENTIALLY SOME SORT OF PREPARATION FOR THIS VERY KIND OF ATTACK. NOW, THE SOURCE SAYS THEY DID NOT PLAN A YEAR AGO FOR THIS TO BE HAPPENING RIGHT NOW. THEY DID NOT KNOW IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT IT WAS UNIQUE AND IT WAS DONE UNDER THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, SOME KIND OF ATTACK PLANNING FOR OFFENSIVE ACTION, USING A COMBINATION OF ISRAELI AND U.S. CAPABILITIES, INCLUDING MILITARY CAPABILITIES, BUT ALSO INTEL AGAINST IRAN AND AGAINST THEY DIDN’T SAY AT THE TIME. BUT NOW IT’S BECOME CLEAR AGAINST ITS NUCLEAR CAPABILITIES TO DISMANTLE THOSE NUCLEAR CAPABILITIES. NOW, THAT PERSON SAYS THAT THEY ARE CONFIDENT THAT AT THIS POINT, THE DAMAGE TO THE NUCLEAR SITES IN IRAN IS IRREVERSIBLE. AND I THINK IT’S KEY TO REMIND FOLKS AT HOME THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DESTROYING THESE SITES, IT’S NOT ABOUT REDUCING IT TO ABSOLUTE ZERO. IT’S ABOUT BUYING A LOT OF TIME FOR THE WORLD TO WAIT FOR REGIME CHANGE OR FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO HAPPEN. AND I THINK THAT THE UNDERSTANDING IS, ESPECIALLY AMONG THE ISRAELI MILITARY DEFENSE ECHELON AT THIS POINT, IS THAT WHAT THEY HOPED WOULD BE DONE HAS BEEN DONE. AND IT’S ALSO MY UNDERSTANDING THAT ISRAEL HAS BEEN OBVIOUSLY TRYING TO BOMB THOSE NUCLEAR FACILITIES IN NATANZ AND ESFAHAN, AND THEY’VE BEEN GOING AT IT FOR, AS YOU ALL MENTIONED, NINE, TEN DAYS NOW, BUT THEY ONLY HAVE 2,000 POUND BOMBS. THE TYPE OF BOMB THAT MASSIVE ORDNANCE PENETRATOR, THE MOP THAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT IS 30,000 POUNDS. IT IS SPECIFICALLY GEARED TO PENETRATE DEEP INSIDE MOUNTAINS, WHICH IS WHERE FORDO IS. AND THESE NUCLEAR CAPABILITIES ARE. AND THIS IS THE KIND OF THING THAT ISRAEL SIMPLY COULDN’T DO ALONE. IT HAS BEEN TRYING BASICALLY DIGGING GIANT HOLES WITH REGULAR BOMBS OR MORE CONVENTIONAL GUIDED BOMBS, AND NOW THEY HAVE WHAT THEY HAD ALWAYS HOPED FOR. AND PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU, IT SHOULD BE REMEMBERED, HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR THE BETTER PART OF HIS CAREER. THIS IS DISMANTLING IRAN’S NUCLEAR AMBITIONS HAS BEEN SOMETHING HE’S TALKED ABOUT FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS OR MORE, AND THIS IS THE CULMINATION OF EVERYTHING THAT HE HAS HOPED FOR INTERNALLY IN ISRAEL. THEY’RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT HOW THIS KEEPS HIM IN POWER. IT PREVENTS HIM FROM BEING INDICTED OR FROM BEING CONVICTED AT THIS POINT BECAUSE IT IT PUTS ISRAEL IN ESSENTIALLY IN ANOTHER STATE OF WAR. AND THEY CAN’T BE DISTRACTED FROM THAT. BUT THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF SATISFACTION IN ISRAEL WITH THE WAY THIS HAS BEEN CONDUCTED. THE QUESTION NOW IS HOW THE IRANIANS DECIDE TO RETALIATE AGAINST FORCES IN THE REGION. THAT SOURCE TELLING ME, HE PREDICTS THAT THERE WILL BE A CEASE FIRE AND THAT IRAN WILL COME TO THE TABLE IN TWO WEEKS OR RISK LOSING THE REGIME ENTIRELY. HE EMPHASIZES THAT THE MILITARY LEADERSHIP IN IRAN IS DEAD. ISRAEL KILLED THE VERY TOP LEADERS. YOU KNOW, ESSENTIALLY THE CHIEF OF STAFF, THE HEAD OF INTELLIGENCE, THE HEAD OF THEIR AIR FORCE, THE HEAD OF THEIR ROCKETS AND DRONES, ALL OUR MISSILES AND DRONES, AND A LOT OF THE KNOW HOW THAT COULD BE ABLE TO RECREATE ANY SORT OF NUCLEAR CAPACITY IN THE FUTURE. A LOT OF THOSE SCIENTISTS HAVE ALSO BEEN ASSASSINATED IN THE PROCESS. SO THIS PERSON IS VERY SATISFIED. BUT THE QUESTION IS, WHERE DO THEY GO FROM HERE? AND WHAT KIND OF RETALIATION ARE WE SEEING? >> MATT GUTMAN FOR US, LET’S GO BACK TO IAN PANNELL IN TEL AVIV THERE. AND IAN, YOU’RE GETTING SOME NEW INFORMATION. WE KNOW THIS PRESSURE CAMPAIGN WAS HAPPENING FROM THE ISRAELIS TO THE WHITE HOUSE TO GET INVOLVED. WHAT MORE ARE YOU LEARNING? >> YEAH, WELL, WE’RE CERTAINLY LEARNING. THIS IS FROM TWO SOURCES HERE IN THE COUNTRY, THE POLITICAL AND SECURITY CABINET CONVENED HERE. THIS WAS HOURS BEFORE THE US STRIKE ON IRAN IN AN UNDERGROUND BUNKER. IT’S NOT CLEAR IF THEY ARE STILL THERE, WHETHER THEY WERE WATCHING THESE EVENTS UNFOLD LIVE. BUT IT LOOKS LIKE GIVEN THE PRESIDENT’S COMMENTS, AND WE KNOW FROM MARY BRUCE AND OTHERS THAT PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU SPOKE TO PRESIDENT TRUMP BEFORE THESE ATTACKS TOOK PLACE, THAT THERE SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN CLOSE COORDINATION. AGAIN, STEVE GANYARD MENTIONED THE ISRAELI RESOURCES ON THE GROUND, NOT JUST AIRCRAFT, BUT THEY’VE GOT DRONES OVER THE SKIES OF IRAN. WE’RE ALSO HEARING FROM IRANIAN MILITARY OFFICIALS AND LOCAL OFFICIALS IN THOSE AREA, ALSO CONFIRMING THAT THERE WERE EXPLOSIONS IN THOSE KEY SITES IN NATANZ, IN ISFAHAN. BUT THEY’RE ALSO SAYING, CERTAINLY IRANIAN TV IS REPORTING THAT THE URANIUM STOCKPILE HAD BEEN MOVED OUT OF THE AREA, THEREBY REDUCING THE RISK OF RADIATION. >> PANEL FOR US. THANK YOU. AND ONCE AGAIN, WE’RE GETTING MULTIPLE SOURCES REPORTING THAT THOSE B-2 STEALTH BOMBERS WERE PART OF THESE ATTACKS AT THREE SEPARATE NUCLEAR SITES IN IRAN. THE PRESIDENT SPEAKING TO OUR JON KARL TONIGHT, CALLING THIS A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS. REMEMBER, HE PUT A BIT OF A DEADLINE, TWO WEEKS FOR HIM TO MAKE A DECISION. BUT THAT DECISION CAME DOWN TONIGHT AND HE SAYS IT WAS DECISIVE. WE ARE WAITING TO SEE MORE REACTION FROM IRAN AND FROM WASHINGTON AND FROM ISRAEL. THE SKIES ABOVE TEL AVIV SO FAR HAVE BEEN QUIET, BUT WE ARE WAITING TO SEE HOW THIS ALL PLAYS OUT. ABC NEWS WILL HAVE CONTINUING COVERAGE THROUGHOUT THE EVENING HERE. WE’LL COME BACK. PRESIDENT TRUMP WILL BE SPEAKING LATER TONIGHT AT 10 P.M. Whenever Wherever news breaks,
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the latest pop headlines. Happy Oscar Sunday. A lot to watch for tonight. ABC News Live. Because the news never stops. YOU. >> WHAT? >> DISNEY AND PIXAR’S ELIO RATED PG NOW PLAYING ONLY IN THEATERS. >> I’M WHIT JOHNSON IN NEW YORK. YOU’RE WATCHING CONTINUING COVERAGE OF U.S. MILITARY STRIKES IN IRAN. PRESIDENT TRUMP ANNOUNCING EARLIER THIS EVENING THAT B-2 STEALTH BOMBERS FLEW OVER IRAN AND DROPPED ORDNANCES AT THREE SEPARATE NUCLEAR SITES. THE PRESIDENT CALLING IT A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS. HE SAID THAT THEY DROPPED BOMBS ON THE PRIMARY SITE, FORDOW. ALL PLANES SAFELY ON THEIR WAY HOME. PRESIDENT TRUMP NOW CALLING FOR PEACE. WE’VE BEEN WATCHING THROUGHOUT THE EVENING SO FAR. THE SKIES ABOVE ISRAEL HAVE REMAINED QUIET. WE’VE BEEN ANTICIPATING SOME POTENTIAL RETALIATORY STRIKES FROM IRAN SO FAR. YOU CAN SEE THOSE SKIES RIGHT THERE. THIS IS A LIVE PICTURE OVER TEL AVIV. THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED. WE’RE GOING TO GO TO RACHEL SCOTT AT THE WHITE HOUSE BECAUSE, RACHEL, WE KNOW THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP CAME BACK TO THE WHITE HOUSE EARLIER THIS EVENING FOR THAT MEETING WITH HIS NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISERS. HE HAD PUT THIS TWO WEEK DEADLINE ON MAKING A DECISION, BUT INSTEAD CARRIED CARRIED THIS OUT TONIGHT. >> YEAH. THE PRESIDENT INITIALLY SAID THAT HE WAS GOING TO GIVE IRAN TWO WEEKS. HE WAS GOING TO WAIT TWO WEEKS TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT HE WAS GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE STRIKES. AND THE PRESIDENT REALLY EVOLVING ON THIS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL DAYS. I WILL TELL YOU THAT I SPOKE TO THE PRESIDENT A WEEK AGO, AND HE SAID IT WAS POSSIBLE THAT THE U.S. COULD STRIKE, BUT AT THAT POINT, IT WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT THEY WERE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH. AND THEN WE SAW THE PRESIDENT COME BACK FROM THE G7 SUMMIT VERY EARLY, THE PRESIDENT MEETING THEN WITH HIS NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISERS IN THE SITUATION ROOM DAY AFTER DAY. WE WERE TOLD BY SOURCES AT THAT TIME THAT HE WAS WARMING UP TO THIS IDEA OF THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE U.S. WOULD NOW BE INVOLVED. AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS, IN FACT, DECIDED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, AS HE ANNOUNCED TONIGHT ON SOCIAL MEDIA ON TRUTH SOCIAL. NOW, SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL THAT I JUST SPOKE TO TOLD ME THAT THE WHITE HOUSE, THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, DID GIVE ISRAEL A HEADS UP. I AM ALSO TOLD THAT THE PRESIDENT DID SPEAK DIRECTLY WITH ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU AFTER THESE STRIKES WERE CARRIED OUT. IT CANNOT BE UNDERSTATED HERE. I WAS TOLD BY SOURCES THIS WEEK THAT NETANYAHU WAS PUTTING A LOT OF PRESSURE ON THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF FOR THE U.S. TO GET INVOLVED, THAT THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT ISRAEL WANTED TO SEE. THIS HAS CREATED QUITE THE DIVIDE, I WILL TELL YOU, HERE IN WASHINGTON AND WITHIN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, BECAUSE THIS IS THE MOST CONSEQUENTIAL THING THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS DONE YET. BUT HE ALSO CAMPAIGNED EVEN IN HIS INAUGURAL ADDRESS, ON BEING A PEACEMAKER, ON ENDING WARS, NOT HAVING THE U.S. BE INVOLVED IN FOREIGN CONFLICTS. NOW, THE PRESIDENT NOW ANNOUNCING TONIGHT THAT THE U.S. HAS MOVED FORWARD WITH THIS DIRECT INVOLVEMENT, AND WE ARE WAITING FOR HIM TO ADDRESS THE NATION IN JUST UNDER 30 MINUTES WITH. >> RACHEL SCOTT FOR US. THANK YOU. AND MORE ON THAT DIVISION. LET’S GO TO JAY O’BRIEN ON CAPITOL HILL. JAY, YOU’RE GETTING WORD ON WHO WAS BRIEFED AND WHO WASN’T AHEAD OF THIS ATTACK. WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME VERY DIFFERENT OPINIONS, EVEN WITHIN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, ON WHETHER OR NOT THIS STRIKE SHOULD HAVE EVEN BEEN CARRIED OUT. >> YEAH. AND WE JUST HEARD FROM RACHEL THERE. SO RACHEL AND I BOTH HEARD FROM MULTIPLE CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS WHO SAY THEY WERE BRIEFED. JOHN THUNE, TOP REPUBLICAN IN THE SENATE, SAYING HE WAS BRIEFED AHEAD OF THIS MILITARY ACTION. A SOURCE CLOSE TO SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON SAYING THE SAME. WE’VE ALSO LEARNED THAT RICK CRAWFORD, THE TOP REPUBLICAN ON THE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE, SAYING THAT HE WAS IN TOUCH WITH THE WHITE HOUSE AHEAD OF THIS ACTION. BUT WE’RE HEARING FROM DEMOCRATS AT THIS HOUR WHO SAY THEY WERE NOT BRIEFED UNTIL THIS OPERATION WAS ALREADY UNDERWAY. NOW, THERE’S SOMETHING CALLED THE GANG OF EIGHT, THAT IS, THE LEADERS OF BOTH PARTIES IN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE, AND THEN THE TOP REPUBLICANS AND TOP DEMOCRATS ON THE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEES IN BOTH THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE. TYPICALLY, WITH AN ACTION LIKE THIS, THE GANG OF EIGHT IS ALL BRIEFED AT ONCE, EITHER TOGETHER OR SEPARATELY, IN SOME KIND OF SUCCESSION, RAPIDLY. BUT WHAT WE’RE HEARING FROM DEMOCRATS IN THE GANG OF EIGHT, THE TOP DEMOCRATS ON THE SENATE AND HOUSE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEES, HAKEEM JEFFRIES, THE TOP DEMOCRAT IN THE HOUSE, AND WE HAVEN’T HEARD YET FROM CHUCK SCHUMER, THE TOP DEMOCRAT IN THE SENATE, IS THAT THEY SEEM TO SAY THAT THEY LEARNED ABOUT THIS OPERATION AFTER THEIR REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES SAY THEY WERE BRIEFED ON THIS. SO IT’S STILL VERY MUCH UNCLEAR IN THE TIMING OF ALL OF THIS, BUT CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE CONTINUE TO LOOK INTO AS THESE REPUBLICANS SAY, THEY GOT THIS HEADS UP AND DEMOCRATS SAYING THEY DIDN’T. >> JAY O’BRIEN FOR US. THANK YOU. I WANT TO GET BACK TO IAN PANNELL IN TEL AVIV. IAN, WE WERE LOOKING AT THE LIVE PICTURES EARLIER. SO FAR, THE SKIES ABOVE TEL AVIV HAVE BEEN QUIET, BUT NO DOUBT MANY PEOPLE THERE ANTICIPATING RETALIATION IN THE DAYS TO COME. >> YEAH, I THINK THAT HAS BEEN A MAJOR CONCERN FOR ISRAEL EVER SINCE IT LAUNCHED THIS CAMPAIGN. THE HOME FRONT COMMAND, WHICH BASICALLY ISSUES GUIDELINES FOR HOW PEOPLE SHOULD CONDUCT THEMSELVES, HAS JUST UPPED ITS READINESS, STATE OF READINESS, ITS ALERT LEVEL TO THE FULLEST, TELLING PEOPLE THEY SHOULD NOT GO TO WORK, THEY SHOULD NOT GO VERY FAR FROM BOMB SHELTERS, WHICH ARE MULTIPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY. PEOPLE SHOULD NOT GO TO SCHOOL. PEOPLE SHOULD SHOULD RESTRICT THEIR ACTIVITIES UNTIL THEY GET FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS. SO I THINK IT’S FAIR TO SAY THAT EVERYONE HERE IS CERTAINLY BRACED FOR SOME KIND OF ADVERSE REACTION FROM IRAN. BUT AS YOU’VE BEEN POINTING OUT YOURSELF WHIT THE SKIES HAVE BEEN RELATIVELY QUIET. NOW, THERE HAVE BEEN SPECULATION EARLIER THIS WEEK THAT PERHAPS IRAN WAS RUNNING LOW ON ITS MISSILE STORE. A MILITARY OFFICIAL TALKING TO ABC NEWS JUST ON FRIDAY SAID THAT THEY FELT THAT THEY HAD ESSENTIALLY NEUTRALIZED 50% OF IRAN’S CAPABILITY TO FIRE MISSILES. THAT DOESN’T NECESSARILY MEAN THE MISSILE STORES THEMSELVES, BUT THE ABILITY TO FIRE THEM AT ISRAEL. IT NOW HAS DRONES OVER THE SKY. IT CONTROLS THE SKIES. IT HAS FIGHTER JETS UP THERE. FOR EXAMPLE, THE DRONE ATTACKS, AROUND 1000 HAVE COME FROM IRAN. THEY’VE ALL BEEN INTERCEPTED. ACCORDING TO ISRAELI OFFICIALS, USING ATTACK HELICOPTERS USING THE IRON DOME AIR DEFENSE SYSTEM AND OTHER RESOURCES IN THE REGION. YOU HAVE THE US AIR DEFENSE SYSTEM THAT’S BEEN IN OPERATION, BUT WE STILL THINK THAT SOMETHING IN THE REGION OF 10 TO 15% OF IRANIAN MISSILES ARE GETTING THROUGH, THERE’S SOME INDICATION THAT SOME OF THOSE MISSILES HAVE NEW TECHNOLOGY OR TECHNOLOGY THAT HASN’T BEEN USED, WHEREBY THEY SPLIT UPON IMPACT. SO, IN OTHER WORDS, CREATING MULTIPLE WARHEADS. BUT YES, I THINK EVERYONE WILL BE EXPECTING SOME KIND OF RESPONSE. BUT IRAN HAS BEEN ON THE BACK FOOT EVER SINCE THAT AUDACIOUS LIGHTNING STRIKE BY ISRAEL THAT INITIATED THIS CONFLICT. NOW THE UNITED STATES HAS JOINED IN. IN THIS WAR, WE HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT WHAT THE REACTION IS. WE WERE REPORTING JUST A FEW HOURS AGO THAT US MILITARY HAVE BEEN HELPING EVACUATE US DIPLOMATS AND THEIR FAMILIES FROM ISRAEL OVER THE LAST 24, 48 HOURS OR SO. WE KNOW THAT DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS, EVEN BEFORE THIS STARTED, HAD ALREADY REDUCED THEIR PRESENCE IN THE REGION. THERE IS A LARGE U.S. MILITARY PRESENCE STILL IN IRAQ. THERE’S A MILITARY PRESENCE IN SYRIA, AND THEY WILL AND ELSEWHERE IN THE REGION, AND THEY WILL BE ON A STATE OF HIGH ALERT. THEY ARE POTENTIALLY VULNERABLE TO ATTACK BY PROXIES OR DIRECTLY FROM IRAN, AS WE SAW WHEN THE US KILLED THE HEAD OF THE IRANIAN REVOLUTIONARY GUARD CORPS, GENERAL SOLEIMANI, THERE WAS A DIRECT RESPONSE. IT TOOK A WHILE. IT TOOK A FEW DAYS FROM THE IRANIANS ON TO US MILITARY FACILITIES. I THINK IT’S UNLIKELY THAT THEY TAKE THIS QUIETLY ON THE CHIN. WE’VE GOT TO WAIT AND SEE. >> IAN PANNELL FOR US. THANK YOU. LET’S GO BACK TO STEVE GANYARD, A FORMER STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL, OUR ABC NEWS CONTRIBUTOR. BECAUSE, STEVE, WE’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE U.S. ASSETS IN THE REGION. AND WE’RE JUST GOING THROUGH THIS LIST HERE. I MEAN, 2500 TROOPS IN IRAQ. WE’VE GOT 9000 IN BAHRAIN, 13,500 IN KUWAIT, 3500 IN ABU DHABI. SO THERE, I MEAN, AND THAT’S THAT DOESN’T EVEN COUNT. YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE ASSETS, THE VESSELS AND THE AIRCRAFT CARRIERS ON THE WATER. YOU DESCRIBED THIS MOBILIZATION THERE AS REALLY UNPRECEDENTED RIGHT NOW. >> YEAH. WHAT I’M TRYING TO GO BACK AND FIGURE IT OUT. BUT I THINK THIS IS THE BIGGEST BUILDUP OF U.S. FORCES IN THE REGION SINCE 2003. SO 22 SOME ODD YEARS, WE HAVEN’T SEEN THIS MUCH U.S. COMBAT POWER WITHIN THE REGION. SO CLEARLY, THE PRESIDENT WANTED TO SEND A SIGNAL TO INTIMIDATE THE IRANIANS. THEY WEREN’T HAVING ANY OF IT. BUT HE’S ALSO NOW GOT THE FORCE IN PLACE THAT IF THE IRANIANS COME BACK AT THE UNITED STATES, THAT THE U.S. WILL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE ANY KIND OF MILITARY ACTION THAT THEY DEEM APPROPRIATE. I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE’LL BE INTERESTING WHEN WE HEAR THE PRESIDENT AT TEN WILL BE WHAT ELSE WAS USED. THERE ARE SOME REPORTS THAT TOMAHAWK CRUISE MISSILES WERE USED, THAT THERE WERE LAUNCHED BY SUBMARINES. WE’LL HAVE TO WAIT FOR CONFIRMATION FROM THE PRESIDENT ON THAT. AND THAT THOSE WERE LAUNCHED AT NATANZ AND AT ISFAHAN. SO THE ONLY DEEPLY BURIED TARGETS THAT THE ISRAELIS COULDN’T DO WAS REALLY THE CENTRIFUGE HALLS DEEPLY BURIED UNDER THIS MOUNTAIN IN FORDO, NATANSON, ISFAHAN, WERE TWO OF THE OTHER PLACES WHERE MUCH OF THE RESEARCH WAS GOING ON. AND SO IF THE U.S. USED THESE CRUISE MISSILES, WHICH, AS YOU REMEMBER WHAT, THEY FLY VERY LOW TO THE GROUND. THEY’RE NOT PENETRATORS. SO THEY CAN GO TAKE OUT THINGS THAT ARE ON TOP OF THE GROUND. BUT THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN SORT OF THE COUP DE GRAS TO TAKE OUT WHAT THE ISRAELIS HADN’T AT THOSE TWO MAJOR FACILITIES IN ISFAHAN, NATANZ. BUT THE ATTACK ON FORDOW. WE’LL SEE HOW MANY B-2S, PROBABLY AT LEAST SIX WEAPONS WERE DROPPED TO TAKE OUT ALL OF THOSE CENTRIFUGE HALLS UNDERNEATH THAT MOUNTAIN. >> AND, STEVE, IF I CAN JUST ASK YOU, I THINK WE DO HAVE A GRAPHIC. I’M NOT SURE IF WE CAN PULL IT UP QUICKLY ENOUGH THAT THAT SHOWS SOME OF THESE, THESE, THESE BUNKER BUSTING BOMBS AND HOW IT SORT OF, LIKE, BURROWS INTO THE GROUND, THESE 30,000 POUND EXPLOSIVE DEVICES. CAN YOU TALK MORE ABOUT HOW THAT WOULD WORK IN THIS SORT OF SITUATION, AND WHAT IT SPECIFICALLY NEEDS TO GET TO IN THE GROUND? >> YEAH, WHAT SOME PEOPLE MAY SAY, WELL, WAIT A MINUTE. THE B-2 IS A STEALTH BOMBER. IT HAS IT GOES IN WHERE YOU HAVE VERY HEAVY AIR DEFENSES, WHERE, WHERE, WHERE ENEMY RADARS WOULD BE ABLE TO SEE IT. AND SO WHY IS IT BEING USED IN IRAN WHEN WE KNOW THAT THE ISRAELIS HAVE TAKEN DOWN ALL OF THE AIR DEFENSE SYSTEMS? THAT’S BECAUSE THIS MOP, THIS THIS HARDENED PENETRATOR THAT CAN GO UP TO 200FT BELOW THE GROUND CAN ONLY BE CARRIED BY THE B-2. SO THE B-52 HAS CARRIED IT BEFORE. BUT THE WEAPON SYSTEM ITSELF IS ONLY CERTIFIED TO FLY ON THE B-2. SO THIS IS WHY THE B-2S HAD TO GO IN TO USE THESE BUNKER BUSTING BOMBS. SO THE WHOLE IDEA IS THAT OF THE 30,000 POUNDS, ONLY 5,000 POUNDS ARE EXPLOSIVES. MOST OF IT IS A VERY HARDENED CASE BECAUSE IT HAS TO PUNCH THROUGH ROCK AND DIRT, AND IT HAS TO PUSH ALL THAT FORCE DOWN MANY LAYERS. IT ACTUALLY HAS A FUZE THAT CAN SENSE GOING THROUGH VARIOUS LAYERS. AND SO THE IDEA HERE IS THAT THEY’VE GOT TO COLLAPSE THOSE BIG, MASSIVE HALLS THAT WE’VE ACTUALLY SEEN PICTURES WITH BECAUSE THE IAEA HAS BEEN IN THERE, COLLAPSE THESE HALLS AND COLLAPSE DIRT ON TOP OF THESE CENTRIFUGES THAT WERE ENRICHING URANIUM TO A WEAPONS QUALITY CAPABILITY. SO IT’S A BOMB THAT WAS DEVELOPED ORIGINALLY. MOST MOST OF THE OF THE IMPETUS WAS FOR THE NORTH KOREAN THREAT, BECAUSE REMEMBER THAT THE NORTH KOREANS ALSO HAVE VERY DEEPLY BURIED CAPABILITIES IN THEIR NUCLEAR IN THEIR NUCLEAR SITES. AND SO THE US SAID, WELL, WE THINK THAT IF WE NEED TO USE THIS, THAT NORTH KOREA MAY BE THE FIRST PLACE WE NEED TO USE IT. WE DON’T WANT THE KIM REGIME TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO DEVELOP MORE NUCLEAR WEAPONS. BUT THEN THEY KNEW THAT FORDOW WAS THERE AS WELL. SO REALLY, THE ONLY TWO PLACES IN THE WORLD WHERE THIS WEAPON IS APPROPRIATE AND WHERE THE US OR ANY OTHER COUNTRY WOULD NEED TO USE A HARDENED PENETRATOR WOULD BE IN NORTH KOREA OR IRAN. >> AND STEVE, ANOTHER QUESTION, BECAUSE I’M NO EXPERT AND YOU’RE GREAT AT EXPLAINING ALL OF THIS. COULD COULD IT COULD THESE ATTACKS TRIGGER SOME KIND OF NUCLEAR DISASTER THERE AT THESE FACILITIES? >> NO, BECAUSE MOST OF THE ENRICHED URANIUM, THE YELLOWCAKE, THOSE THINGS THAT ARE RADIOACTIVE HAVE BEEN MOVED TO OTHER PLACES. SO WE ACTUALLY HEARD THE IRANIANS APPARENTLY SAY, OH, WE’VE MOVED ALL THAT OUT OF THERE. THERE’S A PRETTY GOOD IDEA, BECAUSE REMEMBER THAT THE IAEA HAS BEEN IN THERE MONITORING FOR YEARS. THE NUCLEAR WEAPONS OR THE NUCLEAR ENTERPRISE WITHIN IRAN. AND SO THEY HAVE A PRETTY GOOD IDEA WHERE STUFF IS STORED, WHERE THEIR NASTY STUFF IS STORED. AND THE ISRAELIS KNOWING THAT AND KNOWING WHERE THE WHERE THE RADIOACTIVE STUFF WAS STORED, HAVE BEEN AVOIDING HITTING THOSE SITES. NOBODY WANTS TO GO OFF AND CREATE A DIRTY, A DIRTY WEAPON AND CONTAMINATE THE ATMOSPHERE OR THE AIR AROUND OR THE GROUND AROUND ANY OF THESE SITES. SO THEY’VE BEEN VERY CAREFUL NOT TO HIT THOSE, JUST HIT THE PLACES WHERE THEY’VE BEEN USING THE CENTRIFUGES TO ENRICH THE URANIUM, WHERE THEY’VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THE RESEARCH, TO WHERE THEY’VE BEEN WORKING ON THE MISSILES THAT WOULD ACTUALLY DELIVER A NUCLEAR WEAPON. THIS HAS BEEN KEY TO THE ISRAELI DEFENSE TO FIND THOSE LONG RANGE MISSILES THAT COULD POTENTIALLY CARRY A WEAPON. SO ALL THOSE THINGS YOU REMEMBER WHEN WE’VE TALKED ABOUT ABOUT THIS IN A CONTEXT WITH NORTH KOREA, YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A WEAPON. YOU HAVE TO TAKE THAT WEAPON AND PUT IT ON A BALLISTIC MISSILE. YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO FLY THAT MISSILE TO ITS INTENDED TARGET. YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DEPLOY THAT WEAPON, AND THEN IT HAS TO DETONATE WHEN IT GETS TO WHATEVER THAT TARGET IS. SO THERE ARE MANY PIECES THAT GO INTO HAVING A NUCLEAR WEAPONS CAPABILITY. THE ISRAELIS ARE DOING THEIR BEST TO TAKE OUT EVERY SINGLE PIECE OF THAT CAPABILITY. >> WELL, STEVE, WE TRULY APPRECIATE YOUR EXPLANATIONS ON ALL OF THIS. AND WE’RE GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE HERE WITH NUCLEAR EXPERT JAMES ACTON, WHO IS JOINING US NOW ON THE PHONE. JAMES, I DON’T KNOW IF YOU WERE ABLE TO HEAR MY CONVERSATION RIGHT BEFORE, BUT JUST TRYING TO GET A BETTER SENSE. JAMES, OF THE TYPES OF FACILITIES, THESE THREE NUCLEAR FACILITIES THAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SAYS WERE TAKEN OUT, IT WAS A SUCCESSFUL SERIES OF STRIKES. THEY SAY, TALK TO US MORE ABOUT WHAT WAS THERE AND WHAT THE UNITED STATES AND ISRAEL WERE MOST WORRIED ABOUT. >> WELL, GOOD EVENING. THE FACILITIES THAT THE UNITED STATES ATTACKED THIS EVENING WERE THOSE THAT WERE DESIGNED TO PRODUCE THE HIGHLY ENRICHED URANIUM FOR USE IN A NUCLEAR WEAPON. THEY WERE INVOLVED IN CONVERTING YELLOWCAKE, REFINED URANIUM ORE INTO A FORM OF GASEOUS URANIUM, AND THEN ENRICHING THAT INTO HIGHLY ENRICHED URANIUM. THE PROBLEM THE UNITED STATES AND ISRAEL HAVE IS IRAN ALMOST CERTAINLY HAS MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT WHOSE LOCATION WE DON’T KNOW ABOUT. SO I’VE HEARD A LOT THIS EVENING ABOUT THE SUCCESS OF THE ATTACKS. AND HOW ABOUT THE UNITED STATES AND ISRAEL HAVE DESTROYED FACILITIES. BUT THE PROBLEM THAT WE NOW FACE IS WE HAVEN’T DESTROYED KNOWLEDGE, WE HAVEN’T DESTROYED MATERIALS, AND WE HAVEN’T DESTROYED EQUIPMENT. AND I DON’T THINK THIS ATTACK HAS SET IRAN BACK NEARLY SO FAR AS SOME OF THE SUGGESTIONS HAVE INDICATED. >> SO, JAMES, LET ME ASK YOU MORE ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE THAT IS THE SUGGESTION THAT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE YOU CAN’T TAKE OUT THE KNOWLEDGE, MAYBE YOU CAN’T TAKE OUT ALL OF THE EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES. BUT IF YOU CAN SET THEM BACK A NUMBER OF YEARS THAT THAT YOU WEAKEN THEM DRAMATICALLY, YOU COULD POTENTIALLY RESET PEACE TALKS OR NUCLEAR NEGOTIATIONS IN THE FUTURE. HOW MUCH OF A SETBACK DO YOU THINK A STRIKE LIKE THIS COULD BE FOR IRAN? >> WELL, THERE’S TWO THINGS THAT I’M VERY WORRIED WE HAVEN’T DESTROYED. THE FIRST THING IS IRAN’S HIGHLY ENRICHED URANIUM THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY STORED AT ISFAHAN. NOW, THAT WAS ONE OF THE FACILITIES THAT WAS ATTACKED TONIGHT. BUT THE IRANIANS HAVE CLAIMED, AND I TEND TO BELIEVE THEM, THAT THE HIGHLY ENRICHED URANIUM HAD ALREADY BEEN MOVED FROM ISFAHAN. THIS IS MATERIAL THAT IS STORED IN THINGS THAT LOOK VERY MUCH LIKE SCUBA TANKS. IT’S THAT SMALL. TRACKING THAT MATERIAL IS GOING TO BE EXCEPTIONALLY DIFFICULT. AFTER THE COLLAPSE OF THE JOINT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF ACTION, THE IAEA LOST THE ABILITY TO MONITOR THE COMPONENTS THAT GO INTO THE CENTRIFUGES THAT IRAN USES TO ENRICH URANIUM. IN MY OPINION, THEY’VE LIKELY BEEN SPREAD AROUND THE ENTIRE COUNTRY. WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT IRAN HAS THE ABILITY TO RECONSTITUTE ITS PROGRAM, PROBABLY IN A SHORT NUMBER OF YEARS. AND DON’T FORGET, ONE OF THE ARGUMENTS AGAINST THE JOINT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF ACTION WAS THAT 10 TO 15 YEARS WASN’T GOOD ENOUGH OF A DELAY. SO I THINK THE REASON WHY THIS IS THE BEGINNING, NOT THE END OF CONFLICT, IS BECAUSE WHEN EVIDENCE EMERGES THAT IRAN IS REBUILDING ITS NUCLEAR WEAPONS PROGRAM, AS I BELIEVE IS LIKELY TO HAPPEN, ARE WE THE UNITED STATES, PREPARED TO BOMB IT AGAIN? AND IF IT STARTS TO RECONSTITUTE AGAIN, ARE WE PREPARED TO BOMB IT AGAIN AFTER THAT? >> EXACTLY. AND HOW LONG OF A OF A PROLONGED CONFLICT COULD THIS MEAN THAT THE UNITED STATES JUST GOT ITSELF INVOLVED IN? JAMES ACTON, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. I DO WANT TO GO BACK TO IAN PANNELL IN TEL AVIV. IAN, I UNDERSTAND YOU’RE GETTING MORE REACTION FROM THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT. >> YEAH, THAT’S RIGHT. ACTUALLY, THIS IS A RECORDED MESSAGE FROM ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU SPEAKING IN ENGLISH. IN OTHER WORDS, THIS IS A MESSAGE TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND TO THE US ADMINISTRATION. HE SAYS PRESIDENT, PRESIDENT TRUMP AND I OFTEN SAY PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH. FIRST COMES STRENGTH, THEN COMES PEACE. AND TONIGHT, PRESIDENT TRUMP AND THE UNITED STATES ACTED WITH A LOT OF STRENGTH. NOW HE SAYS MORE. AND WE’RE WORKING TO GET THAT CLIP CLEARED SO WE CAN AIR IT. WE’RE ALSO EXPECTING TO HEAR FROM PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU AFTER PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS SPOKEN. WE ALSO JUST SAW A TWEET OR POSTING ON X FROM AN ISRAELI MINISTER, JUNIOR MINISTER PRAISING PRESIDENT TRUMP. AND I THINK THAT WILL BE THE REACTION ACROSS ISRAEL, NOT JUST ON THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM, BUT ALSO ON THE SOCIAL SPECTRUM. THEY FELT THAT ALTHOUGH ISRAEL SAID IT COULD DO IT ALONE, THAT’S WHAT I WAS HEARING FROM ISRAELI OFFICIALS. CLEARLY IT WAS ONLY THE US THAT HAD THE MILITARY CAPACITY TO CONDUCT SUCH A MISSION. NOW THE IRANIANS ARE SAYING THAT THE IMPACT HAS BEEN MINIMAL. WE HAVE A TWEET, AGAIN, FROM AN ADVISER TO THE SPEAKER OF THE IRANIAN PARLIAMENT SAYING A LOT OF THE MATERIAL HAD BEEN MOVED OUT, THE SITES HAVE BEEN EVACUATED AND THAT THE IMPACT HAS BEEN MINIMAL. EVEN THE IMPACT ON FORDO. WELL, TO SOME EXTENT THEY WOULD SAY THAT, WOULDN’T THEY? BUT AGAIN, THIS, YOU KNOW, AS WE’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, THIS BOMB DAMAGE ASSESSMENT IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL TO WORK OUT HOW SUCCESSFUL IT’S BEEN, AS YOUR PREVIOUS GUEST WAS TALKING ABOUT WHAT REALLY MATTERS HERE IN DECIDING WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS A ONE OFF, OR WHETHER PART OF AN ONGOING ENGAGEMENT BY THE UNITED STATES AND FURTHER ACTION BY THE ISRAELI MILITARY IS HOW MUCH OF AN IMPACT IT ACTUALLY HAD. >> IAN PANNELL, THANKS ONCE AGAIN, I WANT TO GO BACK TO OUR MARY BRUCE, OUR CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, WHO IS IN WASHINGTON RIGHT NOW FOLLOWING ALL OF THIS. AND, MARY, WE ARE GETTING MORE REACTION FROM DEMOCRATS AND MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, THIS FROM LEADER HAKEEM JEFFRIES, SAYING THAT DONALD TRUMP PROMISED TO BRING PEACE TO THE MIDDLE EAST. HE HAS FAILED TO DELIVER ON THAT PROMISE. THE RISK OF WAR HAS NOW DRAMATICALLY INCREASED. THAT IS GOING TO BE A CRITICISM PRESIDENT TRUMP IS GOING TO FACE AFTER THESE STRIKES, NOT ONLY FROM DEMOCRATS, BUT FROM MANY IN HIS OWN PARTY. >> YEAH, IT SURE IS. WHAT? AND LOOK, THIS IS A PRESIDENT WHO LONG PROMISED THAT HE WAS NOT GOING TO DRAG THIS COUNTRY FURTHER INTO CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLE EAST. HE WAS NOT GOING TO DO EXACTLY OR PUT HIMSELF INTO A POSITION THAT HE EXACTLY IS IN NOW. AND WE HAVE SEEN JUST THIS REMARKABLE SHIFT IN THE LAST 48, 24 HOURS. I MEAN, IT WAS ONLY 24 HOURS AGO THAT THE WHITE HOUSE CAME OUT, 48 HOURS AGO, THAT THE WHITE HOUSE CAME OUT AND SAID THAT THEY THOUGHT THERE WAS A SUBSTANTIAL CHANCE OF TALKS GETTING IRAN BACK TO THE NEGOTIATING TABLE. PRESIDENT TRUMP, AS WE KNOW, HAS LONG BEEN URGING FOR NEGOTIATIONS, HOPING TO REACH SOME KIND OF NEW NUCLEAR DEAL. AND I PRESSED THE WHITE HOUSE TO JUST TWO DAYS AGO ON WHAT KIND? WHAT SIGNS OF PROGRESS HAD THE PRESIDENT SEEN? WAS HE ACTUALLY SEEING ANY INKLINGS OF STEPS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION THAT MADE HIM THINK THAT A NUCLEAR DEAL COULD STILL BE SALVAGED? AND THEY WOULDN’T SAY THE PRESS SECRETARY TELLING ME SHE WASN’T GOING TO GET INTO THE PRESIDENT’S RATIONALE, BUT THAT HE DID BELIEVE THERE WAS A SUBSTANTIAL CHANCE. WHAT CHANGED IS ONE OF MANY BIG QUESTIONS HERE TONIGHT. WHAT DID THE PRESIDENT SEE THAT MADE HIM BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO MORE HOPE OF THAT, SO MUCH SO THAT HE WAS GOING TO TAKE ACTION AND DO SOMETHING THAT HE, YOU KNOW, LONG PROMISED HE WOULDN’T DO. BUT I THINK JUST AS MUCH AS THE PRESIDENT HAS LONG SAID THAT HE, YOU KNOW, WAS NOT GOING THAT HE WAS HOPING FOR NEGOTIATIONS EVEN LONGER, HE HAS PROMISED THAT IRAN SIMPLY CANNOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. ONE OF THE THINGS LOOKING FORWARD THAT IS IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND, AND AS YOU WERE JUST DISCUSSING, YOU KNOW, HOW LONG OF A SOLUTION IS THIS? BECAUSE TO TRULY PREVENT IRAN FROM HAVING A NUCLEAR WEAPON, YOU ARE LIKELY GOING TO NEED THIS KIND OF A DEAL. YOU KNOW, PRESUMABLY WHATEVER CAPABILITIES HAVE BEEN NOW DESTROYED, THEY COULD ONCE AGAIN GET BACK TO THIS POSITION, WHETHER IT’S, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL YEARS DOWN THE LINE. SO YOU KNOW, HOW LONG OF A SOLUTION, HOW LASTING A SOLUTION IS THIS? BUT I THINK IT WILL BE INTERESTING. CERTAINLY WE WILL BE LISTENING CLOSELY TO THE PRESIDENT COMING UP HERE SHORTLY AS TO WHAT LED HIM TO FINALLY PUT THE COUNTRY TO PUT HIMSELF IN A POSITION THAT HE SAID HE WOULDN’T BE IN. WHAT CHANGED HIS MIND TO MAKE HIM DECIDE TO DRAG AMERICA EVEN FURTHER INTO THIS CONFLICT? WE KNOW HE WAS FACING TREMENDOUS PRESSURE FROM ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU. I’M TOLD THEY HAVE TALKED THIS EVENING AFTER THE STRIKES. OBVIOUSLY, THE U.S. GAVE ISRAEL A HEADS UP AS WELL. WE KNOW, AHEAD OF THESE STRIKES. SO SIGNS THAT THEY’VE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY AND HAVE BEEN CLOSELY COORDINATED ON ALL OF THIS. BUT THE PRESIDENT, WE KNOW IT ALSO WEIGHED HEAVILY ON HIM, THE DEEP DIVISIONS IN HIS OWN PARTY OVER THIS. HE’S REALLY WE HAVE SEEN THIS PLAYING OUT VERY PUBLICLY OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS. THOSE IN HIS PARTY THAT WANTED HIM TO HOLD OUT FOR TALKS VERSUS THOSE WHO ARE URGING HIM TO GET MORE DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THIS CONFLICT. SO WE WILL WAIT AND SEE WHAT WE HEAR FROM THE PRESIDENT HERE IN JUST A FEW MOMENTS. >> AND, MARY, I’D LIKE TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT, BECAUSE WE KNOW THIS MEETING HAPPENED TONIGHT BETWEEN THE PRESIDENT AND HIS NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISERS. HIS DIRECTOR IS DNI. DIRECTOR TULSI GABBARD EXPRESSED A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION FROM THE PRESIDENT ON HOW FAR ALONG IRAN WAS, OR THEIR INTENTIONS ON DEVELOPING A BOMB. THE PRESIDENT SAID RECENTLY THAT, WELL, SHE WAS WRONG. SO THAT JUST HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF THE DIVIDE OR AT LEAST THE DIFFERENCE OF OPINIONS THERE, DO WE KNOW WHO IS IN THE ROOM? WHAT WAS GABBARD IN THE ROOM THERE AS PART OF THIS DISCUSSION TONIGHT? >> YEAH, IT’S A VERY GOOD QUESTION. LOOK, THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN MEETING DAILY AT THIS POINT FOR THE LAST WEEK WITH HIS NATIONAL SECURITY TEAM HERE AT THE WHITE HOUSE, MANY TIMES IN THE SITUATION ROOM. BUT IT DOES JUST CRYSTALLIZE THIS DEEP DIVIDE WITHIN THE PARTY AND NOT JUST WITHIN THE PARTY AT LARGE, BUT EVEN, YOU KNOW, SIGNS THAT THAT THERE WAS THIS DIVIDE WITHIN HIS ADMINISTRATION ITSELF. AND SO IT REALLY REMAINS TO BE SEEN WHAT IT WAS THAT FINALLY SORT OF PUSHED THE PRESIDENT IN THIS DIRECTION, A DIRECTION THAT WE KNOW HE LONG RESISTED. >> AT THE WHITE HOUSE FOR US. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE’LL CHECK BACK WITH YOU IN JUST A BIT. I WANT TO GO BACK TO STEVE GANYARD. STEVE, WE WERE JUST OBVIOUSLY TALKING ABOUT MORE ABOUT THE STRIKE, THE B-2S AS WE WERE GETTING CONFIRMATION OF THE DIFFERENT AIRCRAFT INVOLVED. AND THEN WE HAD THE NUCLEAR EXPERT ON TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THESE OTHER PARTS AND PIECES AND SUGGESTING THAT PERHAPS, MAYBE THIS THIS DID NOT INFLICT AS MUCH OF A SETBACK ON IRAN AS MAYBE THE WHITE HOUSE IS HOPING. AND I JUST WANT TO GET YOUR RESPONSE TO THAT, YOU KNOW, AND SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT COULD STILL EXIST WITH SOME OF THESE OTHER PARTS AND SOME OF THIS OTHER MATERIAL THAT MIGHT BE HIDDEN IN OTHER PLACES. >> YEAH, I THINK NOBODY KNOWS. AND THAT’S THE ANSWER. THAT’S THE ONLY ANSWER WE HAVE AT THIS POINT. WE’RE GOING TO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE BOMB DAMAGE ASSESSMENT IS. CLEARLY, ISRAELIS WILL BE HAVE PEOPLE ON THE GROUND, BUT I DON’T THINK ANYBODY IT’S ALMOST A STRAW MAN TO SAY, WELL, IT’S NOT GOING TO FIX EVERYTHING. WELL, OF COURSE IT’S NOT GOING TO FIX EVERYTHING. BUT IT PUSHED, GOT PUSHED TO A POINT WHERE THE PRESIDENT MADE A DETERMINATION THAT THE IRANIANS WERE NOT SERIOUS. THEY CAME OUT OF THE MEETINGS WITH EUROPEANS AND THEY SAID, YEAH, WHATEVER, WE’LL SEE. WE CAN TALK AGAIN IF YOU WANT. SO THEY MADE IT CLEAR THAT THEY AREN’T INTERESTED IN FURTHER DISCUSSIONS. THEY AREN’T INTERESTED IN FURTHER NEGOTIATIONS. SO THE PRESIDENT MADE THE DETERMINATION THAT HE WOULD GO IN AND TAKE OUT WHAT THE ISRAELIS COULD NOT. AND SO HOW MUCH GETS TAKEN OUT, HOW MUCH IT GETS SET BACK, HOW MUCH DAMAGE IS DONE TO THE PROGRAM? WE JUST DON’T KNOW. AND TO SAY, WELL, THERE’S INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL AND THERE’S SCIENTISTS THERE. WELL, THE ISRAELIS HAVE TAKEN OUT ALMOST 200 OF THE TOP MILITARY LEADERSHIP AND CHIEF SCIENTISTS WITHIN THE PROGRAM. THAT’S REMARKABLE. SO LET’S WAIT AND SEE. AND LET’S NOT BUILD A STRAW MAN AND JUST SAY, WELL, YOU NEVER KNOW BECAUSE WE DON’T KNOW. >> STEVE GANYARD, THANK YOU. I WANT TO GO BACK TO IAN PANNELL, AS WE’RE SORT OF TALKING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS TOMORROW IN. I KNOW YOU’VE COVERED THE FALL OF, OF MANY REGIMES AND THE, THE AWFUL AFTERMATH THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE. YOU SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN SYRIA, AND MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE ASKING QUESTIONS, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENS TO THE IRANIAN REGIME AFTER THIS? THE AYATOLLAH, IF THIS CAMPAIGN CONTINUES? >> YEAH. I MEAN, THE REALITY IS A LOT OF THESE REGIMES LIVE AND FALL ON THEIR ABILITY TO PROJECT DOMESTICALLY, AT LEAST STRENGTH AND POWER, AND THEREFORE TO INTIMIDATE PEOPLE. POTENTIAL OPPOSITION. WE’VE SEEN MULTIPLE TIMES, THOUSANDS OF BRAVE IRANIANS COME ON THE STREET TO CHALLENGE THE REGIME. THE QUESTION IS, IF THE REGIME OF AYATOLLAH KHOMEINI IS SEEN AS DIMINISHED, AS WEAKENED, AS VULNERABLE, WILL THAT BE ENOUGH TO BRING PEOPLE OUT ON THE STREETS? BUT WE ALSO SHOULDN’T FORGET THAT FOR MANY IRANIANS, THEY’RE ALSO LIVING IN A STATE OF FEAR. THEY’RE LIVING IN THE MIDDLE OF A BOMBING CAMPAIGN THAT THEY DIDN’T INITIATE, THAT THEY CAN’T CONTROL. AND THAT IN AND OF ITSELF DOESN’T NECESSARILY INSPIRE PEOPLE TO TAKE TO THE STREETS. >> IAN PANNELL FOR US. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AGAIN, WE ARE HAVING CONTINUING COVERAGE RIGHT NOW. THESE AMERICAN STRIKES, THREE OF THEM AT DIFFERENT NUCLEAR SITES ACROSS IRAN. PRESIDENT TRUMP IS ABOUT TO ADDRESS THE NATION COMING UP AT 10:00. OUR DAVID MUIR IS GOING TO BE PART OF OUR CONTINUING COVERAGE HERE. ONCE AGAIN, THE PRESIDENT CALLING IT A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS. THESE ATTACKS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE ACROSS IRAN, MULTIPLE SITES, NUCLEAR SITES, U.S. AIRCRAFT, INCLUDING STEALTH B-2 BOMBERS THAT WERE ALL PART OF THIS. THE SKY IS SO FAR TONIGHT HAVE BEEN QUIET OVER TEL AVIV AND ISRAEL, AS MANY ARE EXPECTING A RETALIATORY RESPONSE. AGAIN, OUR COVERAGE WITH THE WORDS FROM THE PRESIDENT COMING UP The news never stops. We are here in Israel,
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off the coast of Gaza. Wherever the story is. We’re going to take you there. You’re streaming. ABC News Live. ABC News Live. You’re streaming. ABC News Live. ABC News Live. Streaming free everywhere. THE PRESIDENT NOT LONG AGO ANNOUNCING ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT THE U.S. HAD SUCCESSFULLY BOMBED THREE IRANIAN NUCLEAR SITES, INCLUDING FORDOW, NATANZ AND ISFAHAN. PRESIDENT TRUMP TELLING OUR JON KARL JUST A SHORT TIME AGO THAT THE MISSION WAS A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS. ABC NEWS HAS LEARNED U.S. B-2 BOMBERS WERE USED. IT REMAINS UNCLEAR AT THIS HOUR IF THOSE MASSIVE 30,000 POUND BUNKER BUSTER BOMBS WERE ACTUALLY USED DURING THIS OPERATION. PERHAPS HE’LL MAKE THAT CLEARER WHEN HE SPEAKS TO THE NATION JUST A FEW MOMENTS FROM NOW. WE DO KNOW THAT U.S. MILITARY AIRCRAFT FLEW FROM BASES IN THE UNITED STATES TO IRAN, AND THE PRESIDENT SAYS ALL OF THOSE BOMBERS ARE NOW SAFELY ON THEIR WAY HOME. WE’RE ALSO LEARNING TONIGHT THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP SPOKE TO ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU BEFORE THE STRIKES, AND THE U.S. DID GIVE A HEADS UP TO ISRAEL BEFORE THE ATTACKS. WE ALSO KNOW PRESIDENT TRUMP MEETING EARLIER TODAY WITH HIS NATIONAL SECURITY TEAM AT THE WHITE HOUSE IMMEDIATELY BEFORE ANNOUNCING THE U.S. STRIKES. HE HAS LONG PROMISED NOT TO ALLOW IRAN TO DEVELOP A NUCLEAR WEAPON. ALL OF THIS, OF COURSE, COMES AFTER MORE THAN A WEEK OF STRIKES ON IRAN BY ISRAELI FORCES. IRAN FIRING BACK, STRIKING TEL AVIV AND OTHER LOCATIONS INSIDE ISRAEL AND IRAN HAD PLEDGED TO RETALIATE IF THE U.S. JOINED THE ATTACKS. THE U.S. HAS BEEN SURGING FORCES TO THE REGION, WITH AN ADDITIONAL AIRCRAFT CARRIER STRIKE GROUP ARRIVING IN THE REGION THIS WEEKEND. OF COURSE, THE BREAKING NEWS TONIGHT THE U.S. STRIKING IRAN, SEVERAL NUCLEAR SITES INSIDE IRAN. THE PRESIDENT CALLING IT A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS. ON THE PHONE WITH OUR JON KARL A SHORT TIME AGO. AND AS WE LOOK AT THE MICROPHONE THERE, WE WAIT FOR THE PRESIDENT TO ADDRESS THE NATION, OUR CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, MARY BRUCE, OUTSIDE THE WHITE HOUSE TONIGHT. AND MARY, THE PRESIDENT, SAID HE WOULD GIVE IRAN TWO WEEKS. IT TURNED OUT TO BE TWO DAYS. >> DAVID, QUITE A REMARKABLE TURN OF EVENTS HERE. IN JUST 48 HOURS. THE WHITE HOUSE HAD TOLD US JUST ON THURSDAY THAT THE PRESIDENT THOUGHT THAT HE WOULD HAVE TWO WEEKS TO MAKE THIS DECISION. HERE COMES THE PRESIDENT. >> AGAIN, MEETING WITH HIS NATIONAL SECURITY TEAM EARLIER TODAY AT THE WHITE HOUSE. LET’S LISTEN TO THE PRESIDENT. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. A SHORT TIME AGO, THE U.S. MILITARY CARRIED OUT MASSIVE PRECISION STRIKES ON THE THREE KEY NUCLEAR FACILITIES IN THE IRANIAN REGIME. FORDOW, NATANZ AND ESFAHAN. EVERYBODY HEARD THOSE NAMES FOR YEARS AS THEY BUILT THIS HORRIBLY DESTRUCTIVE ENTERPRISE. OUR OBJECTIVE WAS THE DESTRUCTION OF IRAN’S NUCLEAR ENRICHMENT CAPACITY, AND A STOP TO THE NUCLEAR THREAT POSED BY THE WORLD’S NUMBER ONE STATE SPONSOR OF TERROR. TONIGHT, I CAN REPORT TO THE WORLD THAT THE STRIKES WERE A SPECTACULAR MILITARY SUCCESS. IRAN’S KEY NUCLEAR ENRICHMENT FACILITIES HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY OBLITERATED. IRAN, THE BULLY OF THE MIDDLE EAST, MUST NOW MAKE PEACE. IF THEY DO NOT, FUTURE ATTACKS WILL BE FAR GREATER AND A LOT EASIER. FOR 40 YEARS, IRAN HAS BEEN SAYING DEATH TO AMERICA, DEATH TO ISRAEL. THEY HAVE BEEN KILLING OUR PEOPLE, BLOWING OFF THEIR ARMS, BLOWING OFF THEIR LEGS WITH ROADSIDE BOMBS. THAT WAS THEIR SPECIALTY. WE LOST OVER A THOUSAND PEOPLE AND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE EAST AND AROUND THE WORLD HAVE DIED AS A DIRECT RESULT OF THEIR HATE. IN PARTICULAR, SO MANY WERE KILLED BY THEIR GENERAL, QASEM SOLEIMANI. I DECIDED A LONG TIME AGO THAT I WOULD NOT LET THIS HAPPEN. IT WILL NOT CONTINUE. I WANT TO THANK AND CONGRATULATE PRIME MINISTER BIBI NETANYAHU. WE WORKED AS A TEAM. LIKE PERHAPS NO TEAM HAS EVER WORKED BEFORE. AND WE’VE GONE A LONG WAY TO ERASING THIS HORRIBLE THREAT TO ISRAEL. I WANT TO THANK THE ISRAELI MILITARY FOR THE WONDERFUL JOB THEY’VE DONE. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, I WANT TO CONGRATULATE THE GREAT AMERICAN PATRIOTS WHO FLEW THOSE MAGNIFICENT MACHINES TONIGHT AND ALL OF THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ON AN OPERATION THE LIKES OF WHICH THE WORLD HAS NOT SEEN IN MANY, MANY DECADES. HOPEFULLY, WE WILL NO LONGER NEED THEIR SERVICES IN THIS CAPACITY. I HOPE THAT’S SO. I ALSO WANT TO CONGRATULATE THE CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF, GENERAL DAN RAISIN CAIN. SPECTACULAR, GENERAL. AND ALL OF THE BRILLIANT MILITARY MINDS INVOLVED IN THIS ATTACK. WITH ALL OF THAT BEING SAID, THIS CANNOT CONTINUE. THERE WILL BE EITHER PEACE OR THERE WILL BE TRAGEDY FOR IRAN, FAR GREATER THAN WE HAVE WITNESSED OVER THE LAST EIGHT DAYS. REMEMBER, THERE ARE MANY TARGETS LEFT. TONIGHT’S WAS THE MOST DIFFICULT OF THEM ALL BY FAR, AND PERHAPS THE MOST LETHAL. BUT IF PEACE DOES NOT COME QUICKLY, WE WILL GO AFTER THOSE OTHER TARGETS WITH PRECISION, SPEED AND SKILL. MOST OF THEM CAN BE TAKEN OUT IN A MATTER OF MINUTES. THERE IS NO MILITARY IN THE WORLD THAT COULD HAVE DONE WHAT WE DID TONIGHT. NOT EVEN CLOSE. THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A MILITARY THAT COULD DO WHAT TOOK PLACE JUST A LITTLE WHILE AGO. TOMORROW, GENERAL CAIN, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PETE HEGSETH WILL HAVE A PRESS CONFERENCE AT 8 A.M. AT THE PENTAGON. AND I WANT TO JUST THANK EVERYBODY AND IN PARTICULAR, GOD. I WANT TO JUST SAY, WE LOVE YOU, GOD, AND WE LOVE OUR GREAT MILITARY. PROTECT THEM. GOD BLESS THE MIDDLE EAST. GOD BLESS ISRAEL, AND GOD BLESS AMERICA. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. >> PRESIDENT TRUMP THERE AT THE WHITE HOUSE, VICE PRESIDENT JD VANCE, SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO, ALSO SERVING AS HIS NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER, ALONG WITH DEFENSE SECRETARY PETE HEGSETH. RIGHT THERE, WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP ANNOUNCING TO THE NATION SIMILAR TO WHAT HE SAID IN HIS POST ON SOCIAL MEDIA NOT LONG AGO, THAT THE U.S. IS NOW DIRECTLY INVOLVED WITH IRAN’S STRIKING NUCLEAR LOCATIONS FORDOW, NATANZ AND ESFAHAN. THREE NUCLEAR FACILITIES THAT THE US HAD LONG BEEN STUDYING, AS WELL AS INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS AROUND THE WORLD IN TRACKING IRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM AND THEIR DESIRE, PERHAPS ONE DAY, TO HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. I WANT TO BRING IN MARY BRUCE. LET’S GO BACK TO MARY AT THE WHITE HOUSE. MARY, THE PRESIDENT HAD WARNED IRAN, COME TO THE TABLE. LET’S NEGOTIATE SOME SORT OF A PEACE DEAL, THAT THIS CURRENT CONFLICT MUST END. AT LAST WORD. HE SAID TWO WEEKS WOULD BE HIS DEADLINE. WE KNOW THAT’S TURNED OUT TO BE TWO DAYS. WE’LL LEARN IN THE HOURS AND DAYS TO COME. WHETHER THAT WAS PART OF THE STRATEGY HERE. BUT THIS IS A FAIRLY RISKY MOVE FOR THIS PRESIDENT, THOUGH. TONIGHT HE SAYS IT’S BEEN A VICTORY. HE THANKED U.S. FORCES WHO WERE INVOLVED. AND HE SAID IF IRAN DOES NOT END THE WARS AND SEEK PEACE. TRAGEDY FOR IRAN WILL BE EVEN GREATER THAN WHAT WE’VE SEEN IN THE LAST 24 HOURS. >> DAVID, IT IS AN EXTREMELY RISKY MOVE AND NO ONE KNOWS REALLY WHERE THIS GOES FROM HERE. LOOK, THE PRESIDENT, WE KNOW HAS LONG WARNED THAT IRAN CANNOT GET A NUCLEAR WEAPON. BUT HE ALSO LONG WAS PUSHING FOR THOSE NEGOTIATIONS. AS YOU MENTIONED, IT WAS JUST TWO DAYS AGO THAT THE PRESIDENT ANNOUNCED AFTER YET ANOTHER MEETING IN THE SITUATION ROOM, THAT HE WAS GOING TO GIVE HIMSELF THIS TWO WEEK DEADLINE WITHIN WHICH TO MAKE THIS DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO STRIKE IRAN, IN PART BECAUSE HE THOUGHT THERE WAS, QUOTE, A SUBSTANTIAL CHANCE OF NEGOTIATIONS, THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO GET IRAN BACK TO THE TABLE. IT IS NOT CLEAR. STILL, EVEN AFTER HEARING FROM THE PRESIDENT JUST NOW, WHAT CHANGED HIS MIND, WHAT LED HIM TO BELIEVE THERE WAS NO TIME LEFT TO WASTE, THAT THE U.S. HAD TO GO AHEAD AND GET DEEPLY INVOLVED IN THIS CONFLICT IN A WAY THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS ALSO REALLY PROMISED THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HE WOULD NOT. HE CAMPAIGNED ON A PROMISE TO BE A PEACEMAKER AND A UNIFIER, TO KEEP AMERICA OUT OF THESE KINDS OF CONFLICTS. AND WHAT’S CLEAR TONIGHT IS THAT THE PRESIDENT IS VERY MUCH LEAVING OPEN THE DOOR THAT THERE WILL BE MORE OF THIS. WHILE HE IS HAILING THE STRIKES TONIGHT AS A HUGE SUCCESS, HE IS ALSO NOT RULING OUT ADDITIONAL MILITARY ACTION, SAYING THAT THERE ARE MANY TARGETS LEFT, THAT THEY WILL ACT WITH PRECISION, SPEED AND SKILL IF NEEDED. HOW ALL OF THIS WILL ULTIMATELY END IRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM IS A HUGE QUESTION. AND OF COURSE, DAVID, IRAN HAS PROMISED A SEVERE RESPONSE IF THE U.S. WERE TO BE DIRECTLY INVOLVED, AS WE NOW ARE. >> AND ONE QUICK FOLLOW UP TO WHAT YOU’RE REPORTING HERE, MARY, OBVIOUSLY, YOU’RE WATCHING ABC NEWS LIVE COVERAGE AT THIS HOUR. THE PRESIDENT JUST ADDRESSING THE NATION, TALKING ABOUT THE U.S. STRIKING THREE IRANIAN NUCLEAR SITES, THE PRESIDENT CALLING IT A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS. SPEAKING BRIEFLY WITH OUR JON KARL EARLIER THIS EVENING BEFORE ADDRESSING THE NATION ABOUT THIS. AND, MARY, YOU’VE COVERED PRESIDENT TRUMP FOR SOME TIME. YOU COVERED HIM AS A CANDIDATE. HIS PROMISES NOT TO ENGAGE IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND IN ANY MORE FOREIGN WARS. AT THE SAME TIME, HE HAS LONG PROMISED THAT IRAN WOULD NOT GET A NUCLEAR WEAPON. >> AND, DAVID, YOU KNOW, JUST AGAIN, TWO DAYS AGO, THE WHITE HOUSE, WHILE SAYING THAT THEY WERE GIVING THEMSELVES THIS TWO WEEK TIMELINE, AGAIN STRESSED THAT THAT IRAN WAS VERY CLOSE TO GETTING A NUCLEAR WEAPON, SAYING THAT IRAN HAD EVERYTHING IT NEEDED TO ACHIEVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON, AND THAT ONCE THE SUPREME LEADER GAVE THE GO AHEAD, THAT IT COULD BE JUST A FEW WEEKS BEFORE IRAN HAD THAT FULL CAPABILITY. CLEARLY, SOMETHING CHANGED IN THE PRESIDENT’S CALCULUS TO MAKE HIM GO AHEAD AND MAKE THIS DECISION TONIGHT. IT IS A REMARKABLE TURN FOR A PRESIDENT WHO HAS AVOIDED GETTING DRAGGED INTO THESE KIND OF CONFLICTS. AND IT IS ONE THAT HIS PRESIDENCY IT WILL NOW DEFINE, THAT IS FOR SURE. >> OUR CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, MARY BRUCE, WITH US LIVE HERE TONIGHT. MARY. THANK YOU. I WANT TO BRING IN JON KARL, OUR CHIEF WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT. JOHN, I WAS STRUCK THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH THE PRESIDENT EVEN BEFORE HE ADDRESSED THE NATION TONIGHT. AGAIN, HE WAS CONFIDENT WITH WHAT HE HAD WITNESSED, WHAT HE’D BEEN BRIEFED ON FOLLOWING THIS OPERATION AND MADE IT CLEAR TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE THAT ALL OF THE U.S. MILITARY INVOLVED IN THIS OPERATION IS BACK OUT OF THAT AIRSPACE AND ON THEIR WAY HOME. >> AND I THINK THE MOST SIGNIFICANT THING IS I CALLED HIM I MEAN, REALLY, DAVID, JUST IN THE AFTERMATH OF LEARNING ABOUT THESE ATTACKS, WITHIN AN HOUR OF HIS SPEECH THAT WE JUST SAW AND HE PICKED UP THE PHONE, THAT WAS A MEASURE OF HOW EAGER HE WAS TO TOUT WHAT HE SAID IN THOSE WORDS. HE SAID TO ME A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS TONIGHT. HE DIDN’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE DETAILS OF THE OPERATION, ABOUT THE VERY DIFFICULT QUESTIONS, DAVID, OF WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS, WHAT HAPPENS WITH IRAN, WHAT HAPPENS WITH IRAN’S EFFORTS TO RETALIATE? WE HEARD SOME OF THAT IN THE SPEECH JUST NOW WHEN HE SAID THE ATTACKS WILL BE FAR GREATER AND MUCH EASIER IF IRAN DOES ANYTHING TO THE UNITED STATES. BUT, DAVID, WE ARE IN A IN A NEW PHASE HERE RIGHT NOW. I THINK IT IS, WITHOUT QUESTION, THE MOST CONSEQUENTIAL DECISION THAT WE HAVE EVER SEEN DONALD TRUMP MAKE. AND IT’S ENTIRELY UNCLEAR WHAT DIRECTION IT WILL GO. WILL IT BE CONSISTENT WITH HIS PROMISE TO END THE FOREVER WARS? THAT’S THE ARGUMENT THAT’S BEING MADE TONIGHT BY THE PRESIDENT’S ADVISERS THERE, SAYING THAT WHAT THIS HAS DONE IS FINALLY AN AMERICAN PRESIDENT HAS TAKEN CARE OF AN IRANIAN THREAT THAT HAS BEDEVILED THE UNITED STATES FOR NEARLY A HALF A CENTURY. FINALLY, AN AMERICAN PRESIDENT HAS ENDED A THREAT THAT HAS KILLED A LOT OF AMERICANS. AS YOU HEARD THE PRESIDENT MENTION IN THE ATTACKS ON AMERICAN TROOPS, ESPECIALLY IN IN IRAQ. BUT THE QUESTION IS, DID IT END THE THREAT OR DID IT CREATE ANOTHER NEW AND MORE DANGEROUS CHAPTER IN THE US-IRAN CONFLICT? >> NO QUESTION. IT IS A NEW CHAPTER. JOHN KARL, BOTTOM LINE HERE, THE WILLINGNESS TO GET ON THE PHONE WITH YOU SIGNALED THAT THE PRESIDENT WAS VERY PLEASED WITH THE OUTCOME OF THIS OPERATION TONIGHT. >> VERY PLEASED WITH THE OUTCOME, AND EAGER TO TELL PEOPLE THAT HE IS VERY PLEASED WITH THE OUTCOME TONIGHT. >> ALL RIGHT, JON KARL, STICK WITH US HERE FOR OUR LIVE COVERAGE. I WANT TO BRING IN MARTHA RADDATZ, OUR CHIEF GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT. AND MARTHA, YOU HAD BEEN ON THE AIR WITH US ON WORLD NEWS TONIGHT ALL WEEK LONG WITH YOUR REPORTING. A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR YOU. WE KNOW B-2 BOMBERS WERE USED. DO WE HAVE ANY CLARITY YET ON WHETHER OR NOT THOSE BUNKER BUSTER BOMBS, THOSE 30,000 POUND BOMBS WHICH HAD BEEN TESTED BEFORE BUT NEVER ACTUALLY USED IN WAR, WHETHER OR NOT THEY WERE USED IN THIS OPERATION. >> YET, BUT I CAN ASSUME THAT THEY USED THOSE BOMBS, BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT IT WOULD TAKE. AND IF THE PRESIDENT IS CORRECT AND THEY DESTROYED THAT FACILITY FORDO WITH HALF A DOZEN BOMBS, HALF A DOZEN OF THOSE MOP MASSIVE ORDNANCE PENETRATORS, THEN THAT IS LIKELY WHAT THEY USED. THE MOAB THAT HAS BEEN USED IN AFGHANISTAN IN CAVES AND SUCH WOULDN’T HAVE DONE THE JOB, ACCORDING TO OFFICIALS THAT I HAVE SPOKEN TO. AS YOU KNOW, DAVID, AND WE’VE TALKED ABOUT ALL WEEK, THOSE, THOSE ORDNANCE WAS BASICALLY DOWN HERE BY LEAKING OUT CONKING OUT. THERE WAS CONCERN ABOUT WHETHER WORK COULD SEE TONIGHT. RESULTS SPOKE ABOUT HOW. >> ALL RIGHT. MARTHA, WE’RE GOING TO COME BACK TO YOU. >> OBVIOUSLY WE’RE IN LIVE COVERAGE MODE AND THE AUDIO A LITTLE TRICKY THERE. I WANT TO BRING IN RETIRED COLONEL STEVE GANYARD, ALSO TRACKING THE MILITARY ASPECT OF THIS. AND STEVE, YOU HEARD MARTHA THERE REPORT THAT LIKELY THEY DID USE THESE 30,000 POUND BOMBS THAT THE PRESIDENT IN FRONT OF THE COUNTRY TONIGHT DID NOT SAY OTHERWISE, WHETHER OR NOT THEY DID IN FACT USE THEM. >> YEAH. DAVID, THERE’S SOME UNCONFIRMED REPORTS THAT UP TO SIX OF THESE SO-CALLED BUNKER BUSTER BOMBS WERE USED ON THE SITE AT FORDO, REMEMBER? THAT’S THE ONE THAT’S SO DEEPLY BURIED, 2 TO 300FT UNDERNEATH A MOUNTAIN IN CENTRAL IRAN. SO WE’LL SEE WHAT THE PRESIDENT ADMITS TO OR WHAT THE PENTAGON IS ABLE TO BRIEF US ON. ALSO, POTENTIALLY, THERE WAS A USE OF TOMAHAWK CRUISE MISSILES TO HIT SOME OF THE SITES IN NATANZ AND ISFAHAN. SO THIS IS ALL VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD, ALL FOCUSED ON THE NUCLEAR ENTERPRISE. REALLY IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE BUILDUP WITHIN THE REGION IS UNPRECEDENTED. THERE HAVEN’T BEEN THREE CARRIERS. ONCE THE FORD COMES IN NEXT WEEK. THERE HAVE NOT BEEN THREE CARRIERS IN THE REGION SINCE 2003. SO OVER 20 YEARS WE HAVEN’T HAD THIS AMOUNT OF US MILITARY FIREPOWER IN THE REGION. SO CLEARLY WHAT THE PRESIDENT SAID TONIGHT IS THIS IS NOT A ONE OFF. IF THE IRANIANS DON’T COME TO THE TABLE, WE ARE PREPARED TO CONTINUE THIS AND TO CONTINUE TO HIT TARGETS. >> AND IN FACT, THE PRESIDENT, STEVE, SAYING IF PEACE DOESN’T COME QUICKLY, WE WILL GO AFTER OTHER TARGETS WITH SPEED AND WITH SKILL. YOU BRING UP FORDOW, AND THAT WAS THE NUCLEAR LOCATION WHERE WE BELIEVE THOSE BUNKER BUSTER BOMBS WOULD BE USED. STEVE, JUST HELP EXPLAIN TO OUR AUDIENCE HOW DIFFICULT THAT WOULD BE. HOW DEEP BENEATH THE MOUNTAIN THERE THE NUCLEAR FACILITIES WERE ACTUALLY LOCATED AND WHY ISRAEL HAD FOR SOME TIME NOW BEEN HOPING THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP AND THE US MILITARY WOULD BE PART OF THIS OPERATION TONIGHT. THEY NOW ARE. >> YEAH. DAVID, THESE BUNKER BUSTER BOMBS WERE ORIGINALLY DEVELOPED FOR THE NORTH KOREAN THREAT. YOU REMEMBER, WE’VE TALKED ABOUT WHAT GOES ON WITH WITH THE KIM REGIME AND HOW THEY’VE BURIED THEIR NUCLEAR FACILITIES AS WELL. SO THERE ARE ONLY TWO PLACES IN THE WORLD WHERE THIS WEAPON IS APPROPRIATE, NORTH KOREA AND IRAN. BECAUSE IT’S SO DEEPLY BURIED, YOU NEED A VERY HEAVY WEAPON. SO IT’S A 30,000 POUND WEAPON. ONLY 5,000 POUNDS OF THAT IS EXPLOSIVE. IT’S HARDENED CASE THAT’S DESIGNED TO PENETRATE. IT HAS A FUZE THAT CAN ACTUALLY COUNT FLOORS AS IT GOES THROUGH DOWN TO THESE BURIED TARGETS. SO THE ONLY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, OR THE ONLY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, AT LEAST IN THE FREE WORLD THAT HAS BOMBERS, IS THE UNITED STATES. THE ISRAELIS ONLY HAVE FIGHTERS AND THEY DON’T HAVE ANYTHING THAT CAN CARRY A WEAPON OF THIS SIZE AND WEIGHT. SO IT REALLY WAS UP TO THE US WITH THIS VERY SPECIFIC WEAPON THAT’S ONLY CARRIED ON THE B-2 BOMBER TO TAKE DOWN THESE HARDENED DEEP TARGETS WITHIN FORDOW. >> AND OBVIOUSLY, THE REASON WHY WE THINK THEY THEY WERE USED TONIGHT WAS BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN WE HAVE HAD IT CONFIRMED THAT THE B-2 BOMBERS OBVIOUSLY MADE THAT TRIP OVER THE SKIES OF IRAN. AND STEVE, MARTHA HAD REPORTED EARLIER IN THE WEEK THAT THESE BUNKER BUSTERS HAVE BEEN TESTED BUT NEVER USED IN WAR. SO THIS WOULD BE A FIRST TONIGHT. >> IT WOULD. THEY’VE BEEN EXTENSIVELY TESTED, BUT NO WEAPONS EVER PERFECT. SO WE’LL SEE IF ALL OF THE WEAPONS THAT ARE DROPPED ACTUALLY WENT OFF. DAVID. IT’S REALLY WELL PLAYED. DECEPTION PLANNED BY THE WHITE HOUSE AND BY THE PENTAGON. THEY’VE BEEN PUTTING OUT THAT. OH, WE SEE B-2 BOMBERS TAKING OFF FROM MISSOURI AND THEY’RE HEADING TOWARDS GUAM. MEANWHILE, IT SEEMS THAT THE B-2 BOMBERS MAY HAVE COME THE OTHER WAY WHILE NOBODY WAS LOOKING AND CONDUCTED THESE STRIKES. SO AFTER THE VERY THE IRANIANS WERE DONE WITH THE LAST DISCUSSION WITH THE EUROPEANS, AND THEY SAID, WE’RE NOT REALLY INTERESTED IN FURTHER DISCUSSIONS, THE PRESIDENT OBVIOUSLY MADE A DECISION THAT THEY AREN’T GOING TO BE SERIOUS. AND UNTIL WE GO IN AND TAKE OUT THESE SITES, THAT THE THREAT WILL REMAIN AND THE ISRAELIS NEED OUR HELP. >> STEVE, LET’S TALK ABOUT THE IRANIAN AIRSPACE THAT THE US MILITARY ENTERED TONIGHT, BECAUSE THE PRESIDENT IN RECENT DAYS SAID WE CONTROL THE IRANIAN AIRSPACE. NOW. HE SAID, IN SO MANY WORDS, THE WORD WE WAS WHAT GOT SO MUCH ATTENTION. BUT IN THESE RECENT DAYS OF THE ISRAELI STRIKES ON IRAN, TAKING OUT MILITARY ASSETS, BUT ALSO THEIR AIR DEFENSES, THAT ESSENTIALLY ISRAEL DID CONTROL THE AIRSPACE OVER IRAN, THIS WAS A MUCH DIFFERENT SITUATION TONIGHT THAT THAT THE US WAS ABLE TO FLY INTO THE SKIES OVER IRAN AND THE US, THE PENTAGON, THE WHITE HOUSE SURELY KNEW THAT THIS WAS A PERHAPS A WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY, UNLIKE WHAT HAS BEEN SEEN IN YEARS PRIOR. >> YEAH, DAVID, IF PEOPLE MAY SAY, WELL, WHY DO WE NEED A STEALTH BOMBER IF THERE’S NO AIR DEFENSES? SO THE B-2 IS VERY CAPABLE. YOU WOULD FLY IT INTO, SAY, A CHINA SCENARIO WHERE THEY WOULD BE LOOKING FOR YOU ON RADAR. IT WASN’T REALLY REQUIRED BECAUSE THE ISRAELI AIR FORCE OWNS THE SKIES OVER IRAN. THIS PART IS NOT THAT SURPRISING. YOU REMEMBER BACK IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR, DAVID, WHEN THE ISRAELIS STRUCK IRAN, WE KNEW THAT THEY TOOK OUT ALMOST ALL OF THEIR AIR DEFENSES. SO WE KNOW THAT FOR MONTHS, IRAN HAS BEEN ESSENTIALLY BLIND AND DEFENSELESS TO ANY ATTACKS FROM THE AIR. AND WE’VE SEEN THIS OVER THE PAST 8 OR 9 DAYS WHERE THE ISRAELI AIR FORCE HAS OPERATED WITH IMPUNITY. WHAT’S REALLY SHOCKING AND IS EXTRAORDINARY IS THE HUMAN INTELLIGENCE THAT THE MOSSAD HAS BEEN ABLE TO DEVELOP. FINDING ALL THOSE SCIENTISTS, FINDING ALL THOSE SENIOR LEADERS, TAKING THEM OUT WITHIN THE FIRST FEW MINUTES OF THIS WAR. >> STEVE GANYARD WITH US HERE TONIGHT FOR OUR COVERAGE. STEVE, STICK WITH US HERE. WE’LL COME BACK TO YOU. I’M SURE. I WANT TO BRING IN MATT GUTMAN ALSO FOLLOWING OUR COVERAGE TONIGHT. AND MATT, AS YOU KNOW, BENJAMIN NETANYAHU IN CONTACT WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP ISRAEL TONIGHT SAYING THAT THEY WERE GIVEN A HEADS UP. WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE PRIME MINISTER HAS ADDRESSED THE ISRAELI PEOPLE. JUST A SHORT TIME AGO, THEY HAD BEEN HOPING NETANYAHU HAD BEEN HOPING THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP WOULD GIVE THE GO AHEAD FOR THE US TO HAVE DIRECT INVOLVEMENT IN IRAN, AND THAT’S WHAT’S PLAYED OUT HERE TONIGHT. >> THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT PLAYED OUT HERE. AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU HAS BEEN HOPING FOR, NOT JUST IN THE PAST TEN DAYS SINCE THIS CAMPAIGN BEGAN, BUT FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, HE HAS BEEN HOPING, PRAYING FOR A US PRESIDENT TO COME TO ITS AID BECAUSE ISRAEL COULD DO A LOT OF THE WORK. THEY HAVE ONE OF THE MOST CAPABLE FLEETS OF AIR FORCES IN THE MIDDLE EAST, POSSIBLY THE WORLD. BUT AS STEVE MENTIONED, THEY DO NOT HAVE BOMBERS. THEY HAVE FIGHTER BOMBERS THAT CAN CARRY 2,000 POUND BOMBS, BUT NOTHING GREATER THAN THAT. SO THEY NEEDED WHATEVER BUNKER BUSTER CAPABILITY THE UNITED STATES HAS. THEY ALSO NEEDED REFUELING PLANES, RIGHT? THEY HAVE A COUPLE, BUT NOT THE AMOUNT THAT CAN HAVE ESSENTIALLY TO TRANSFER THEIR ENTIRE AIR FORCE FROM THE THEATER AROUND ISRAEL DIRECTLY OVER IRAN, WHICH IS 2000KM AWAY, ABOUT 1500 MILES OR SO, A LITTLE BIT LESS. A SOURCE TELLING ME ALSO THAT THE US AND ISRAEL HAD WARGAMES. THIS THEY HAD PRACTICED THIS IN THE PAST YEAR. THAT HAPPENED INITIALLY DURING THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION. SO THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT JUST CAME OUT OF THE BLUE, A PLAN THAT WAS RECENTLY DEVISED. THEY HAVE ACTIVELY BEEN WORKING ON THIS IN A NOVEL WAY OVER THE PAST YEAR. THAT SOURCE ALSO TELLING ME THAT THEY ARE CONFIDENT THAT THE DAMAGE DONE IN FORDO SPECIFICALLY, BUT ALSO THE OTHER SITES IS, QUOTE, IRREVERSIBLE. NOW THEY ANTICIPATE THAT THERE WILL BE SOME SORT OF IRANIAN REACTION. THERE HAS TO BE SOME SORT OF RETALIATION. BUT IT IS THE ESTIMATION AMONG MANY IN THE ISRAELI DEFENSE AND MILITARY ESTABLISHMENT RIGHT NOW THAT IS GOING TO BE MEASURED AND CALCULATED BECAUSE THE IRANIAN REGIME, DAVID, WANTS TO STAY IN POWER. RIGHT NOW, THEY ARE FIGHTING FOR THEIR SURVIVAL. ONE MISCALCULATION WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP WITH, AS STEVE NOTED, THREE AIRCRAFT CARRIER GROUPS IN THE REGION COULD BE DEVASTATING FOR THEM. SO THE UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THEY’RE GOING TO DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO, HAVE SOME SORT OF RESPONSE AND TRY TO LIVE TO FIGHT ANOTHER DAY. DAVID. >> MATT GUTMAN WITH US HERE. MATT. THANK YOU. I WANT TO BRING IN OUR CHIEF FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT, IAN PANNELL WITH US HERE. MATT BRINGS UP THE POINT OF ANY POTENTIAL RETALIATION FROM IRAN. THE SUN NOW COMING UP THERE BEHIND YOU, IAN. FIRST OF ALL, THE STATE OF PLAY IN THE REGION AT THIS HOUR AFTER THE U.S. GOT INVOLVED DIRECTLY IN THE SKIES OVER IRAN, WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN, WHAT HAVE YOU HEARD? AND WHAT SHOULD VIEWERS HERE IN THE U.S. BE PREPARED FOR, POTENTIALLY, AS FAR AS THE WARNINGS OF RETALIATION FROM THE SUPREME LEADER AND FROM IRAN? >> YEAH, NOT JUST FROM IRAN, BUT, OF COURSE, FROM ITS PROXIES. WE’VE ALREADY HEARD FROM THE HOUTHI REBELS IN YEMEN THAT THEY WILL RESPOND. THEY HAD WARNED VERY CLEARLY. REMEMBER, THERE WAS AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE HOUTHI REBELS WHO WERE BACKED BY IRAN AND THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT. IT WAS A UNILATERAL DEAL THAT DIDN’T INCLUDE THE ISRAELIS TO STOP TARGETING US SHIPS IN THE REGION. IT IS A KEY WATERWAY. 20% OF ALL OIL SUPPLIES IN THE WORLD GO THROUGH THAT REGION, THROUGH THE STRAITS OF HORMUZ, AND THAT IS AN OBVIOUS WEAPON AT THE DISPOSAL OF IRAN TO POTENTIALLY RESPOND. BUT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF TARGETS ACROSS THE REGION. YOU HAVE THOUSANDS OF U.S. SOLDIERS STATIONED IN IRAQ. YOU HAVE PRO-IRANIAN MILITIAS THERE, THE POPULAR MOBILIZATION UNITS, YOU HAVE U.S. SOLDIERS ALSO STATIONED INSIDE SYRIA. YOU HAVE OTHER U.S. BASES LIKE BAHRAIN IN THE GULF. SO THERE ARE POTENTIAL MILITARY TARGETS. THERE ARE POTENTIAL CIVILIAN TARGETS. WE HAD BEEN REPORTING WITH YOU THAT THE U.S. MILITARY HAD BEEN EVACUATING U.S. DIPLOMATS AND THEIR FAMILIES. CERTAINLY FROM HERE IN ISRAEL. WE KNOW THAT EVEN BEFORE ANY OF THIS BEGAN, THERE WAS A DOWNGRADING OF PRESENCE ACROSS US DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS AROUND THE REGION THAT MANY PEOPLE HAD LEFT, AND THEY ARE ON HIGH ALERT. THE US CONSULATE IS JUST DOWN THE ROAD HERE, AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT SECURITY DOWN THERE HAS BEEN STEPPED UP FOR FEAR THAT IF THE UNITED STATES JOINED THIS WAR, WHICH IT NOW HAS DONE WITH A WARNING FROM THE PRESIDENT, NOT THAT THIS WAS JUST AN ISOLATED ACT, BUT THAT IF TEHRAN DOES NOT CAPITULATE, DOES NOT COME TO THE TABLE, THEN THERE COULD BE FURTHER MILITARY ACTION. THEN THOSE ASSETS THAT IRAN AND ITS PROXIES COULD POTENTIALLY ATTACK THE US. NOW, UNDOUBTEDLY THE REGIME IS WEAKENED. WE WERE SPEAKING TO SENIOR IDF OFFICIAL WHO TOLD US THAT THEY FEEL THAT THEY HAVE NEUTRALIZED 50%, 50% OF ALL IRAN’S CAPACITY TO FIRE MISSILES. BUT THE ISRAELI HOME FRONT COMMAND JUST IN THE LAST FEW MINUTES, ISSUING A WARNING TO ALL ISRAELIS TO STAY CLOSE TO THEIR SHELTERS. DO NOT GO TO WORK. DO NOT GO TO SCHOOL, PREPARE FOR THE WORST. >> AND THEY HAD. >> SLOWLY BEGUN TO ALLOW THE ECONOMY TO COME BACK, COMMUNITIES TO COME BACK ACROSS ISRAEL. AND AGAIN, AS YOU MENTIONED MOMENTS AGO, ISRAEL INFORMING THE PEOPLE OF THAT COUNTRY THAT THEY ARE ESSENTIALLY IN, IN THIS SORT OF EMERGENCY MOMENT, WAITING TO SEE WHAT THE REACTION COULD BE FROM IRAN. BUT, IAN, YOU BRING UP AN EXCELLENT POINT THERE. IN ADDITION TO THE THOUSANDS OF AMERICAN TROOPS, OBVIOUSLY THROUGHOUT THE REGION, THAT EVERYONE BACK HERE AT HOME WANTS TO REMAIN VERY SAFE IN THESE TENSE MOMENTS, WAITING TO SEE IF THERE WILL BE ANY REACTION FROM IRAN OR ITS PROXIES. YOU BRING UP IRAN’S AIR DEFENSES, YOU BRING UP PROXIES, INCLUDING HEZBOLLAH, SIGNIFICANTLY WEAKENED. YOU TALK ABOUT 50%. WE’VE SEEN WHAT ISRAEL HAS DONE IN RECENT DAYS. WE SAW WHAT ISRAEL DID IN RESPONSE TO THE OCTOBER 11TH ATTACKS TO HEZBOLLAH, OF COURSE, NORTH OF THE BORDER IN ISRAEL SIGNIFICANTLY WEAKENED IRAN’S POSITIONING. AND THE QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO THEY HAVE LEFT AND WHAT WOULD THEY RISK KNOWING THOSE THREE CARRIERS, THOSE U.S. CARRIERS ARE IN THE REGION. AND PRESIDENT TRUMP’S WARNING TONIGHT THAT IF PEACE DOESN’T COME QUICKLY, WE WILL ACT AND WE WILL ACT QUICKLY. >> YEAH, I THINK THE CALCULATION IS DIFFERENT UNDER PRESIDENT TRUMP THAN IT WAS UNDER PRESIDENT BIDEN. BUT EVEN UNDER PRESIDENT BIDEN, THEY THEY DEPLOYED MORE MILITARY RESOURCES TO THE REGION TO SUPPORT ISRAEL, FIRST OF ALL, IN ITS WAR WITH HAMAS AND THEN WITH HEZBOLLAH. IT’S BEEN ACTIVELY INVOLVED. THE US THIRD AIR DEFENSE SYSTEM HAS BEEN ACTIVELY DEPLOYED OUT AT SEA HERE AND ALSO AIR DEFENSES ON LAND TO TRY AND INTERCEPT THESE BALLISTIC MISSILES. NOW, 10 TO 15% HAVE MANAGED TO GET THROUGH. BUT I CAN TELL YOU, IT’S NOW BEEN MANY, MANY HOURS SINCE ANYTHING HAPPENED HERE. AND I THINK PEOPLE ARE WAITING TO SEE. BUT ALL OF THOSE PROXIES HAVE BEEN SEVERELY DEGRADED. I MEAN, SINCE OCTOBER THE 7TH, 2023, THE ENTIRE SHAPE OF THE MIDDLE EAST, IN PARTICULAR ISRAEL’S ENEMIES AND BY EXTENSION, AMERICA’S ENEMIES HAVE BEEN WEAKENED. YOU’VE GOT HAMAS, YOU’VE GOT A CHANGE OF REGIME IN SYRIA. YOU’VE GOT HEZBOLLAH AND THE HOUTHI REBELS IN YEMEN. AND WE HAVEN’T EVEN TALKED ABOUT THE IRANIAN BACKED MILITIAS IN IRAQ. THEY WILL BE A MAJOR CONCERN FOR THE US ADMINISTRATION AND FOR THE ISRAELIS, BECAUSE THEY DO HAVE THE CAPACITY, AS WE’VE SEEN BEFORE, TO RESPOND TO US BASES IN THE REGION. WHEN GENERAL SOLEIMANI WAS ASSASSINATED BY THE US MILITARY, WE WERE IN IRAQ AT THE TIME AND WE SAW THAT ROCKETS WERE FIRED DIRECTLY FROM IRAN TOWARDS THOSE US BASES. SO ALL OF THAT IS VULNERABLE. AND THE WHOLE IDEA THAT THE REGIME IN IRAN IS JUST GOING TO PACK UP ITS BAGS AND SAY, FINE, THAT’S THE END OF THINGS I SUSPECT IS UNLIKELY AT THIS POINT. THEY WILL HAVE TO BE SEEN TO RESPOND. BUT THE THREAT FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP IS SERIOUS. IT WILL BE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR ACROSS THE REGION. >> AND THE OTHER QUESTION HERE TONIGHT, THE LEADERSHIP OF IRAN AND THE FUTURE OF THE SUPREME LEADER. >> YEAH, I MEAN, UNDOUBTEDLY THEY ARE WEAKENED NOW. IT’S AN AUTHORITARIAN REGIME. AND AS WE’VE SEEN ELSEWHERE, IT LIVES OR DIES ON ITS ABILITY TO PROJECT STRENGTH DOMESTICALLY. AND THAT HAS BEEN WEAKENED. IT DOESN’T CONTROL ITS OWN SKIES. AGAIN, A SENIOR ISRAELI OFFICIAL TALKING TO US JUST 24 HOURS AGO. >> IAN PANNELL LIVE FROM TEL AVIV. IAN, STAY WHERE YOU ARE. WE’RE GOING TO CONTINUE OUR ABC NEWS LIVE COVERAGE OF THE US DIRECTLY INVOLVED NOW IN IRAN. IMAGES FROM THE SITUATION ROOM IN A MOMENT HERE OF THE PRESIDENT AND THE VICE PRESIDENT FROM THEIR MEETING A SHORT TIME AGO. I’LL BE RIGHT BACK. >> ALL ACROSS AMERICA. >> GOOD MORNING. HELLO. >> WHEREVER WE ARE. >> WELCOME HOME. IT’S GOOD TO BE HOME. >> IT FEELS LIKE HOME. >> HI. >> WHEN’S THE LAST TIME WE DROPPED OUR THINGS AND WENT? WOKE UP SOMEWHERE THAT WE’VE BOTH NEVER BEEN. GROWING UP DOESN’T MEAN. >> GOOD MORNING. HOW ARE YOU? >> AT THE START OF THE DAY, LETTING US INTO YOUR HOME. PUTTING THE GOOD IN YOUR MORNING. >> MAN, IT’S GOOD TO BE HOME. >> IN THIS PAYMENT. I SEE WHEREVER WE GO. WHITE LIGHTS FLYING BY. WHO KNOWS WHAT. WE’LL FIND YOU. >> GOOD MORNING. >> GMA. >> HEY EVERYBODY. >> IT’S AN INVITATION TO COME TOGETHER. BRIGHTEN YOUR MORNING. >> OH GEORGE HOW ARE YOU? >> AND THE DAY AHEAD. >> GOOD MORNING AMERICA. YEAH. >> WHENEVER WHEREVER NEWS BREAKS. IT’S SO IMPORTANT TO ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT LIVES ARE CHANGED HERE IN LONDON, IN BUFFALO. UVALDE, TEXAS. EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND. FROM POLAND ONCE AGAIN TONIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR STREAMING WITH US UKRAINIAN REFUGEES HERE IN WARSAW. DO YOU THINK YOU’LL EVER BE ABLE TO GO BACK HOME? WE’RE HEADING TO A SMALL COMMUNITY OUTSIDE OF MEXICO CITY. SPLINTERED HOUSES AND SPLINTERED LIVES. THE MAGNITUDE OF THE DEVASTATION. YOU’RE STREAMING ABC NEWS LIVE REPORTING FROM ROLLING FORK, MISSISSIPPI, SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO, RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA, THE U.S. CAPITOL, MAYFIELD, KENTUCKY. MINNEAPOLIS, MEXICO, TONGASS NATIONAL FOREST, ALASKA. GETTING YOU BEHIND THE STORIES AS THEY HAPPEN, GIVING YOU A FRONT ROW SEAT TO OUR WORLD AS IT PLAYS OUT IN REAL TIME. LIVE. ABC NEWS LIVE PRIME. WE’LL TAKE YOU THERE. >> STREAM ABC NEWS LIVE WEEKNIGHTS. AMERICA’S MOST HONORED STREAMING NEWS PROGRAM ONLY ON ABC NEWS LIVE STREAMING FREE RIGHT NOW. WHEREVER YOU STREAM YOUR NEWS. >> THE NEWS NEVER STOPS. WE ARE HERE IN ISRAEL, A NATION AT WAR. >> WE ARE APPEARED TO BE GUNFIRE. THE FORMER PRESIDENT RUSHED OFF THE STAGE. >> HURRICANE HELENE RAVAGING THE COASTLINE OF FLORIDA. IT’S MOVING REALLY FAST, SCREAMING ACROSS THE STATE. >> AND THAT’S WHY ABC NEWS LIVE. NEVER STOPS. >> TAKING YOU TO THE CENTER OF THE STORY. >> AS NEWS BREAKS LIVE. >> WE HEAR THE SMALL ARMS FIRE AROUND US. >> WE’RE RIGHT ON THE BORDER BETWEEN UKRAINE AND RUSSIA. >> ABC NEWS LIVE IS THERE FOR YOU AT THE START OF YOUR DAY. ALL MORNING LIVE. >> ABC NEWS LIVE RIGHT THERE AS EVENTS UNFOLD ACROSS THE DAY. ABC NEWS LIVE BREAKING DOWN THE DAY’S TOP STORIES. >> THE MENENDEZ BROTHERS SENTENCED TO 50 YEARS TO LIFE. >> ABC NEWS LIVE PRIME GOING THERE. WHEREVER THE STORY IS, ARE YOU GOING TO BUILD IT BACK UP? >> AND ABC NEWS LIVE LIGHTING UP THE WEEKEND. >> WITH BREAKING NEWS AND ALL THE LATEST POP HEADLINES. >> HAPPY OSCAR SUNDAY. >> A LOT TO WATCH FOR TONIGHT. >> ABC NEWS LIVE. >> BECAUSE THE NEWS NEVER STOPS. IT IS NOW 1030 HERE IN THE EAST, 1030 EASTERN ON A SATURDAY NIGHT. THE PRESIDENT ADDRESSING THE NATION ABOUT 30 MINUTES AGO, TALKING TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ABOUT THE U.S. NOW DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN IRAN, THE U.S. MILITARY STRIKING THREE NUCLEAR SITES INSIDE IRAN THIS EVENING FORDOW, NATANZ AND ISFAHAN. AS YOU KNOW, FORDOW IS THE SITE THAT WE HAVE BEEN REPORTING ON AT LENGTH IN RECENT DAYS, GIVEN THE FACT THAT THAT NUCLEAR FACILITY IS DEEP BENEATH THE MOUNTAIN THERE, THE QUESTION WAS WHETHER OR NOT B-2 BOMBERS WOULD BE USED AND WHETHER OR NOT THOSE B-2 BOMBERS WOULD DROP THOSE 30,000 POUND BUNKER BUSTER BOMBS. WE HAD BEEN REPORTING ON THAT ALL WEEK LONG. TONIGHT, WE HAVE CONFIRMED THAT THE B-2 BOMBERS WERE IN FACT USED. THE PRESIDENT DID NOT MAKE CLEAR IN HIS ADDRESS TO THE NATION WHETHER OR NOT THE 30,000 POUND BOMBS HAD BEEN DROPPED, BUT IT’S BELIEVED THAT THEY WERE IN FACT USED, HE SAID, TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, THE PRESIDENT DID THAT. THE SITES HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY, TOTALLY OBLITERATED. HE SPOKE OF ISRAEL AS WELL THIS EVENING, SAYING, WE WORKED AS A TEAM IN THIS. AND HE SAID THE TRAGEDY FOR IRAN WILL BE FAR GREATER THAN WHAT WE’VE WITNESSED IN RECENT DAYS. IF THEY DO NOT BRING PEACE AND BRING PEACE NOW, SAYING THAT WE WILL GO AFTER OTHER TARGETS WITH SPEED AND WITH SKILL, AND YOU CAN SEE THE PRESIDENT THERE FOR THOSE OF US, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE JOINING US AT THE TOP OF THE HOUR, THE VICE PRESIDENT THERE TO HIS SIDE, MARCO RUBIO, THE SECRETARY OF STATE, ALSO NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER AT THIS POINT HOLDING TWO ROLES, AND DEFENSE SECRETARY PETE HEGSETH THERE WITH HIM AS WELL. THE IMAGES FROM THE SITUATION ROOM THAT THEY HAVE RELEASED HERE TONIGHT SHOW THEM HUDDLED IN THE SITUATION ROOM. THIS IS THE AT LEAST THE FOURTH TIME THIS WEEK THAT WE HAVE LEARNED THAT THE TEAM HAD BEEN GATHERED IN THE SITUATION ROOM. OBVIOUSLY SEE THE PRESIDENT THERE, THE VICE PRESIDENT MOMENTS AGO THERE AT HIS SIDE, YOU CAN SEE SIOUXSIE WILES, THEIR CHIEF OF STAFF, AND OTHERS GATHERED IN THE SITUATION ROOM HERE THIS EVENING AS THE MISSION WAS PLAYING OUT. THE PRESIDENT A SHORT TIME THEREAFTER, POSTING ONLINE AND ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT THIS HAD BEEN A SUCCESS. IN FACT, TELLING THE NATION WHAT HAD PLAYED OUT, APPLAUDING THE U.S. TROOPS AND SIGNALING TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE THAT THEY WERE NO LONGER IN IRANIAN AIRSPACE, THAT THEY WERE NOW ON THEIR WAY HOME. HE TOLD THE AMERICAN PEOPLE IN THAT SOCIAL MEDIA POST. WE HAVE COMPLETED OUR VERY SUCCESSFUL ATTACK ON THREE NUCLEAR SITES IN IRAN, INCLUDING FORDOW, NATANZ AND ISFAHAN. ALL PLANES NOW OUTSIDE OF IRAN AIRSPACE. A FULL PAYLOAD OF BOMBS WAS DROPPED ON THE PRIMARY SITE, FORDOW. AND AGAIN, WHAT WILL BE REPORTING OUT IN THE HOURS TO COME IS WHETHER OR NOT THOSE WERE THE 30,000 POUND BOMBS THAT THEY, THE U.S. MILITARY, HAS TESTED SIGNIFICANTLY BUT NEVER ACTUALLY USED IN WAR. ALL PLANES, THE PRESIDENT SAID NOW SAFELY ON THEIR WAY HOME. AND HE WENT ON TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR GREAT AMERICAN WARRIORS. THERE’S ANOTHER MILITARY IN THE WORLD, HE SAID, THAT COULD HAVE DONE THIS AGAIN. THIS IS WHAT HE URGED LIVE BEFORE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AS WELL, HE SAID NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE WHEN IT COMES TO IRAN. AND AGAIN, THE WARNING THAT CAME FROM THE PRESIDENT JUST A SHORT TIME AGO AND ADDRESSING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND THE WORLD, KNOWING THAT IRAN WATCHING AS WELL, HE SAID TO THE IRANIAN LEADERSHIP, IF PEACE DOES NOT COME QUICKLY, WE WILL GO AFTER OTHER TARGETS WITH SPEED AND SKILL. I WANT TO BRING BACK IN OUR CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, MARY BRUCE. MARY, HAVE YOU HEARD ANYTHING FROM THE WHITE HOUSE YET? AND OF COURSE, YOU HEARD ME TALK TO IAN ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE SUPREME LEADER. PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS ASKED ABOUT THE SUPREME LEADER IN RECENT DAYS. HE SAID, I KNOW WHERE HE IS. WE HAVE INTELLIGENCE ON HIM, INSINUATED IN MANY WAYS THAT IT WOULD BE A SOMEWHAT EASY TARGET, BUT SAID IT WAS NOT A TARGET HE INTENDED TO GO AFTER. AT LEAST NOT NOW. >> THE PRESIDENT IN THAT POST ESSENTIALLY THREATENING THE SUPREME LEADER, SAYING HE’S NOT GOING TO GO AFTER HIM YET, NOT GOING TO KILL HIM YET, BUT MAKING IT CLEAR THAT THAT THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT SEEMS TO BE ON THE TABLE. IRAN, OF COURSE, WE KNOW, HAS THREATENED A SEVERE RESPONSE IF THE U.S. WERE TO GET MORE INVOLVED, AS THEY NOW HAVE, OF COURSE, AN INTERESTING THAT THE PRESIDENT TONIGHT, IN HIS VERY BRIEF REMARKS, JUST ABOUT FOUR FOUR MINUTES, I BELIEVE, MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT HE WAS WORKING IN CLOSE COORDINATION WITH THE ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER, BENJAMIN NETANYAHU. I’M TOLD THAT THE U.S. GAVE ISRAEL A HEADS UP BEFORE THESE STRIKES TONIGHT. WE KNOW THAT THE PRESIDENT ALSO SPOKE WITH HIM AFTER THE STRIKES. AND, OF COURSE, SEEING THOSE IMAGES OF THE PRESIDENT WORKING CLOSELY WITH HIS TEAM, THEY HAVE MET EVERY SINGLE DAY THIS WEEK FOR MEETINGS IN THE SITUATION ROOM, AS YOU MENTIONED, HERE AT THE WHITE HOUSE, ACTUALLY ONE OF THE FIRST INDICATIONS OF WHAT WAS GOING ON HERE TONIGHT, WE SAW MARCO RUBIO, SOME OF THE OTHER OFFICIALS WHO WERE IN THE SITUATION ROOM OUT HERE ON THE DRIVEWAY, YOU KNOW, MAKING WHAT APPEARED TO BE SOME URGENT PHONE CALLS AND THE PRESIDENT SAYING THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE HEARING DIRECTLY FROM SECRETARY HEGSETH AND OTHER MILITARY LEADERS TOMORROW MORNING IN A RARE SUNDAY MORNING PRESS CONFERENCE, THE QUESTION IS, WHAT COMES NEXT? AND AS YOU NOTED, OF COURSE, THE PRESIDENT ISN’T RULING OUT FUTURE ATTACKS. THE PRESIDENT MAKING CLEAR THAT THERE ARE MANY TARGETS LEFT, THAT HE WILL NOT HESITATE TO ACT WITH PRECISION, SPEED AND SKILL. IT IS NOT CLEAR WHERE THIS ENDS. AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW WHAT THE ULTIMATE IMPACT IS OF THESE STRIKES ON IRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM. IT’S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT THE PRESIDENT FOR SO LONG HAS URGED AND PUSHED FOR TALKS, EVEN IN RECENT DAYS, HOPEFUL THAT THE U.S. COULD SOMEHOW GET IRAN BACK TO THE NEGOTIATING TABLE. BECAUSE WITHOUT A DEAL, IT’S NOT CLEAR. YOU MAY YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY IT WOULD BE A HUGE SETBACK TO IRAN’S NUCLEAR AMBITIONS. BUT HOW LONG WILL THIS LAST? HOW BIG WILL THAT SETBACK BE? THESE ARE ALL QUESTIONS AND THINGS THAT WE NEED TO UNPACK. DAVID. >> YEAH. RIGHT NOW WE’RE IN A WINDOW OF UNCERTAINTY FOR SURE. AND OF COURSE, IRAN HAD SAID EARLIER THIS WEEK, MARY, THAT THERE WOULD BE RETALIATION IF THE U.S. DID DIRECTLY GET INVOLVED, WHICH HAS PLAYED OUT HERE TONIGHT. I WANTED TO ASK YOU, I KNOW THAT THERE HAS BEEN REACTION OVER ON CAPITOL HILL, LAWMAKERS APPLAUDING THE PRESIDENT, REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS, THOUGH THERE HAS BEEN SOME DIVISION WITHIN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IN THE BUILD UP TO THIS MOMENT. AND AS YOU KNOW, YOU COVERED THE PRESIDENT OUT ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL AS WELL LEADING UP TO THE ELECTION THAT HE CAMPAIGNED OFTEN ON STAYING OUT OF COSTLY FOREIGN CONFLICTS, AWAY FROM AMERICAN INTERVENTIONISM, PROMISING TO STAY OUT OF THE MIDDLE EAST. HE ALSO, AT THE SAME TIME PROMISED THAT IRAN WOULD NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. HE’S NOW INVOLVED TONIGHT WITH IRAN. AND AGAIN, THE QUESTION NOW, THE UNCERTAINTY NOW IS WHETHER AND IF IRAN WILL RESPOND IN ANY SORT OF SIGNIFICANT WAY. >> YEAH, IN MANY WAYS, DAVID, THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS HOPING TO AVOID. HE PROMISED ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL NO MORE WARS THAT HE WAS NOT GOING TO DRAG AMERICA INTO ANOTHER LENGTHY CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLE EAST. IN FACT, DAVID, JUST LAST MONTH, I WAS WITH THE PRESIDENT IN THE MIDDLE EAST AT THE LARGEST U.S. MILITARY AIRBASE IN QATAR. THE PRESIDENT AGAIN THERE, SAYING THAT HIS PRIORITY WAS TO END CONFLICTS AND NOT START THEM. BUT IN THAT SAME SPEECH, SPEAKING TO THOUSANDS OF AMERICAN TROOPS, HE ALSO SAID, YOU KNOW, IF AMERICA IS THREATENED, THAT HE WILL RESPOND WITH OVERWHELMING AND DEVASTATING STRENGTH AND FORCE. SO, YES, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE PRESIDENT PROMISED HE WOULD NOT DO. BUT AS YOU NOTED, HE ALSO LONG PROMISED THAT THAT IRAN WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO GET A NUCLEAR WEAPON. AND HE HAS MADE CLEAR IN RECENT DAYS THAT HE FEELS THAT THEY WERE VERY CLOSE TO HAVING ONE. BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT AS HE MADE THIS DECISION ABOUT HOW HE WAS GOING TO RESPOND, WAS HE GOING TO TAKE THE ACTION THAT HE HAS TAKEN TONIGHT? HE WAS WELL AWARE OF THE DEEP DIVISIONS WITHIN HIS OWN PARTY, WHICH WE REALLY HAVE SEEN PLAY OUT VERY PUBLICLY THIS WEEK. I’M THINKING OF THAT SPARRING BETWEEN SENATOR TED CRUZ AND TUCKER CARLSON THAT SO CRYSTALLIZED THE DIVISION, SO MANY OF THE PRESIDENT’S SUPPORTERS URGING HIM TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON THOSE PROMISES, NOT TO GET INVOLVED IN FURTHER CONFLICT. OTHERS IN THE PARTY, OF COURSE, URGING HIM TO NOT HOLD OUT FOR NEGOTIATIONS, BUT TO GO AHEAD AND STRIKE. >> MARY BRUCE AT THE WHITE HOUSE. MARY, OUR THANKS TO YOU, I WANT TO BRING IN OUR CHIEF WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT, JONATHAN KARL. JOHN, WE SPOKE LAST HOUR. I KNOW THAT YOU TALKED WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP EVEN BEFORE HE ADDRESSED THE NATION TONIGHT. WE WERE BOTH SOMEWHAT STRUCK BY THE FACT THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO GET HIM ON THE PHONE, WHICH SIGNALED THAT HE WAS VERY PLEASED WITH WHAT HE SAW PLAY OUT TONIGHT, THOUGH, THE PRESIDENT OBVIOUSLY VERY CLEAR, JOHN, THAT THIS WINDOW NOW, THIS, THIS NEW UNCERTAINTY THAT EXISTS, THIS NEW CHAPTER THAT WE’RE IN, THE POTENTIAL FOR ANY SORT OF RESPONSE FROM IRAN OR ITS PROXIES ACROSS THE REGION. AND YOU CAN SEE THAT ACTUALLY, IN PRESIDENT TRUMP’S SOCIAL MEDIA POST JUST A SHORT TIME AGO, WARNING ONCE AGAIN AGAINST ANY KIND OF RETALIATION. >> YEAH. ECHOING WHAT HE SAID IN HIS SPEECH TO THE NATION, SAYING ANY RETALIATION BY IRAN AGAINST THE UNITED STATES WILL BE MET WITH A FORCE FAR GREATER THAN WHAT WAS WITNESSED TONIGHT, VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT HE TOLD THE NATION, ECHOING THE POINTING TO THE FACT THAT THIS IS A MOMENT OF TREMENDOUS UNCERTAINTY, WILL WHAT THE UNITED STATES DID TONIGHT THE MOST CONSEQUENTIAL DECISION DONALD TRUMP HAS EVER MADE? WILL IT LEAD TO A SERIES OF COUNTERMEASURES BY THE IRANIAN REGIME AND ITS PROXIES AND ITS ALLIES IN THE REGION, ATTACKS ON THE UNITED STATES, OR WILL IT LEAD TO REGIME CHANGE IN IRAN? WILL IT LEAD ULTIMATELY TO THE COLLAPSE OF THE REVOLUTIONARY GOVERNMENT THAT HAS LED IRAN AS AN ADVERSARY, A FIERCE ADVERSARY OF THE UNITED STATES, FOR SOME 47 YEARS, 46 YEARS? SO, DAVID, WHAT HE’S SIGNALING IS, IF IT HAPPENS, IF THE FIRST SCENARIO HAPPENS IN IRAN, STRIKES OUT AT THE UNITED STATES IN RETALIATION, SOMETHING THAT IRAN HAS VOWED TO DO, THAT DONALD TRUMP IS PREPARED TO ESCALATE THIS. SO WHERE ARE WE IN TERMS OF HIS PROMISES OF ENDING FOREVER WARS UNDER ONE SCENARIO? THIS IS A BEGINNING, NOT AN END TO OUR CONFLICT WITH IRAN. >> IT CERTAINLY HAS RESHAPED THE MIDDLE EAST AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, YOU KNOW, IN THE WEEKS AND MONTHS FROM NOW, OBVIOUSLY, WE CANNOT SAY AT THIS POINT, THOUGH, A SIGNIFICANT MOVE TONIGHT ON THE PART OF THE U.S. MILITARY AT THE INSTRUCTION OF THE PRESIDENT TO STRIKE THREE MAJOR NUCLEAR FACILITIES INSIDE IRAN. AND AGAIN, OF COURSE, FORDOW IS THE ONE MANY OF OUR VIEWERS ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE MOST REPORTING ON IT BECAUSE IT’S DEEP UNDERGROUND. JOHN, STICK WITH US AGAIN, JOHN. SPEAKING TO PRESIDENT TRUMP BEFORE HE ADDRESSED THE NATION, THE PRESIDENT EXPRESSING TO JOHN THAT HE WAS A VERY PLEASED WITH WHAT HE SAW, PLAYED OUT, SAID IT WAS TREMENDOUS SUCCESS. AND THEN ADDRESSING THE NATION, 10 P.M. EASTERN, SPEAKING OF THESE THREE FACILITIES, I DO WANT TO BRING IN MARTHA RADDATZ BACK WITH US THIS HALF HOUR. AND, MARTHA, THE QUESTION GOING INTO TONIGHT AND THIS OPERATION, HE SAID THERE WAS A TWO WEEK TIMELINE. IT TURNED OUT TO BE TWO DAYS. OF COURSE, WE’LL REPORT THIS OUT WHETHER OR NOT THAT WAS PART OF THE STRATEGY HERE. THE QUESTION WAS B-2 BOMBERS, WOULD THEY BE USED? WE KNOW THEY WERE. WE KNOW THEY FLEW ALL THE WAY HALFWAY AROUND THE WORLD TO GET TO THE IRANIAN AIRSPACE. AND WE PRESUME THAT THEY DID USE THOSE 30,000 POUND BOMBS. THEY WOULD HAVE TO REACH DEEP BENEATH THAT MOUNTAIN THERE IN IRAN. >> THAT’S EXACTLY RIGHT, DAVID. THEY WOULD ALMOST HAVE TO ABUSE THOSE MASSIVE ORDNANCE PENETRATORS THAT CAN GO SO DEEPLY INTO THAT MOUNTAINSIDE. THAT’S WHAT ISRAEL WAS WAITING FOR. THAT’S WHAT ISRAEL WANTED TO GO OVER FORDO, BECAUSE IT REALLY, TRULY IS THE ONLY BOMB THAT COULD PENETRATE THAT DEEPLY. I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WILL HAVE TO BE CHECKED CLEARLY IS THAT THE PRESIDENT CLEARLY SAID THIS WAS A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS. THEY DESTROYED IT. WHETHER THEY CAN GET PEOPLE ON THE GROUND TO SEE IF IT IS COMPLETELY DESTROYED BECAUSE AN UNDERGROUND FACILITY CAN’T REALLY TELL, ALTHOUGH THEY CERTAINLY HAVE WAYS TO FIND OUT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. BUT I THINK ONE THING TONIGHT, DAVID, THAT WE REALLY DO HAVE TO SAY, IT IS CLEAR THE U.S. IS NOW AT WAR WITH IRAN. IT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT ALL EVENING, THAT THIS IS WHAT THE PRESIDENT WANTED TO AVOID. BUT WE ARE NOW THERE. AND AS WE BRACE FOR POSSIBLE RETALIATION, CERTAINLY IRAN HAS SUFFERED GREAT LOSS, BUT THEY ARE PERFECTLY CAPABLE OF GOING AFTER U.S. TROOPS. AND THERE ARE 40,000 OF THEM IN THE REGION. DAVID. >> IT’S A VERY IMPORTANT POINT. MARTHA. MARTHA, THANK YOU. AND AGAIN, MARTHA, UNDERSCORING THE FACT THAT WE ARE AS A NATION, THE U.S. IS NOW AT WAR WITH IRAN. TONIGHT, THE PRESIDENT WARNING AGAIN ON SOCIAL MEDIA MOMENTS AGO WHAT HE SAID AT THE TOP OF THE HOUR, AND HIS ADDRESS TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WARNING AGAINST RETALIATION FROM IRAN, SAYING THERE WOULD BE EVEN GREATER FORCE, GREATER SPEED FROM THE U.S. IF IRAN OR ITS PROXIES RETALIATE IN ANY SORT OF WAY. I WANT TO GET RIGHT BACK TO OUR CHIEF FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT, IAN PANNELL, WHO HAS BEEN LIVE ON THE GROUND IN TEL AVIV FOR US MANY NIGHTS IN A ROW NOW HERE. AND IAN, FOR FOLKS WHO ARE WATCHING BACK HERE IN THE U.S, WHAT PARTICULAR THREAT DO THE AMERICAN FORCES THAT MARTHA JUST SPOKE OF, THE TENS OF THOUSANDS WHO ARE SPREAD THROUGHOUT THAT REGION? WHAT KIND OF THREAT DO THEY FACE? YOU AND I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT HOW THE AIR DEFENSES IN IRAN HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY WIPED OUT, PERHAPS 50% OR MORE, BY THE ACTION TAKEN BY ISRAEL IN RECENT DAYS. BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN THAT THERE AREN’T WAYS FOR IRAN AND ITS PROXIES TO RETALIATE. >> YEAH, AND THAT HAS BEEN IN MANY SENSES, THE SPECIALTY OF IRAN. IT HAS CONTRACTED OUT ITS OFFENSIVE OPERATIONS. IT’S KNOWN AS THE WORLD’S NUMBER ONE SPONSOR OF TERRORISM. THAT’S A PHRASE THAT WE’VE HEARD REPEATEDLY THAT THE HOUTHI REBELS IN YEMEN, HEZBOLLAH IN LEBANON, HAMAS ARE ALSO IN GAZA, BUT ALSO OTHER GROUPS. IT HAS BEEN GUILTY OF MALIGN ACTIVITIES. AND YOU HAVE A HEAVY US MILITARY PRESENCE THROUGHOUT THE REGION, IN IRAQ, IN SYRIA, IN BAHRAIN AND ELSEWHERE, YOU HAVE HEAVY DIPLOMATIC PRESENCE. WE’VE SEEN DIPLOMATS BEING EVACUATED FROM HERE, ALONG WITH THEIR FAMILIES AND DIPLOMATIC PRESENCE ELSEWHERE IN THE REGION REDUCED. WE WERE REPORTING ON WORLD NEWS JUST JUST 24 HOURS OR SO AGO ABOUT PEOPLE TRYING TO AMERICAN CITIZENS TRYING TO LEAVE IRAN, SOME REPORTEDLY EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTIES DOING THAT. SO THE US WILL BE HIGHLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR RETALIATORY STRIKES. NOW, AS YOU SAY, WHAT IS IRAN’S CAPACITY? ISRAELI OFFICIALS TELLING ME THAT THEY BELIEVE THAT THEY HAVE NEUTRALIZED, THAT WAS THEIR PHRASE, NEUTRALIZE 50% OF IRAN’S ABILITY TO FIRE MISSILES, NOT NECESSARILY THE MISSILES THEMSELVES, BUT THE LAUNCH SYSTEMS. THEY SAY THERE’S A BOTTLENECK. IN OTHER WORDS, IT HAS PLENTY OF MISSILES, ITS CAPACITY TO LAUNCH THEM. BUT WHEN ISRAEL SAID THAT IT CONTROLLED THE SKIES, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE ON THE GROUND IS THERE ARE ISRAELI DRONES CONSTANTLY OVER TEHRAN, SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN UNTHINKABLE JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, ESPECIALLY TO THE AYATOLLAH AND IRAN’S CAPACITY TO GATHER INTELLIGENCE, TO RESPOND, TO ACT WITHOUT INTERCEPTION HAS BEEN SEVERELY DIMINISHED. ITS KEY ALLIES, RUSSIA AND CHINA, ARE STANDING TO ONE SIDE. THEY HAVE NO APPETITE TO GET INVOLVED IN THIS. I MEAN, CONVERSELY, RUSSIA HAS BENEFITED BECAUSE THE PRICE OF ITS OWN ENERGY SUPPLIES HAS SKYROCKETED. BUT THERE ARE CONCERNS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE OIL SUPPLIES THAT COME OUT OF IRAN’S 20%, 20% OF THE WORLD’S OIL SUPPLIES GO THROUGH THE STRAITS OF HORMUZ. WE SAW PREVIOUSLY THAT THE HOUTHI REBELS INSIDE YEMEN WERE CAPABLE OF STRIKING US CARRIERS, AS WELL AS OTHER INTERNATIONAL CARRIERS. THAT IS A GROUP SPECIFICALLY THAT I THINK WE SHOULD BE WATCHING THAT WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON OIL PRICES. THE US DOESN’T DEPEND ON OIL FROM THAT REGION, IN THE SAME WAY THAT THE EUROPEANS AND THE CHINESE DO, FOR SURE, BUT IT WILL HAVE A POTENTIAL KNOCK ON EFFECT. SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF WAYS THAT IRAN COULD RETALIATE. BUT THE PRESIDENT WAS VERY CLEAR. WE SHOULDN’T LOSE TRACK OF THAT, THAT IF IRAN DIDN’T ACQUIESCE, THAT IF IT DIDN’T SIGN UP TO SOME KIND OF PEACE PROCESS, THERE WOULD BE FURTHER ACTION. >> IAN, YOU AND I BOTH KNOW THAT THE PRESIDENT CERTAINLY HAS NOT TALKED ABOUT A REGIME CHANGE IN ANY SORT OF WAY, AND CERTAINLY DIDN’T TONIGHT IN ADDRESSING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, INSTEAD, OBVIOUSLY TALKING ABOUT THE DESIRE TO. AND HE SAID THEY WERE COMPLETELY, TOTALLY OBLITERATED WHEN HE TALKED ABOUT FORDOW, NATANZ AND ISFAHAN, THESE THREE NUCLEAR SITES IN IRAN. BUT YOU CAN’T HELP BUT TO THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE CURRENT LEADERSHIP OF IRAN, AND IN PARTICULAR, THE SUPREME LEADER WHO THE PRESIDENT HAS TALKED ABOUT IN RECENT DAYS. OBVIOUSLY TOO EARLY TO KNOW, BUT IT WOULD SEEM THE FUTURE FOR THAT SUPREME LEADER IS SOMEWHAT IN QUESTION. >> EXACTLY. AND WE’VE HEARD AGAIN REPEATEDLY FROM THE ISRAELIS. I MEAN, CERTAINLY WHEN THERE WAS THAT VERY HEAVY STRIKE HERE, WHEN THAT HOSPITAL WAS HIT, WE HAD THE ISRAELI DEFENSE MINISTER DIRECTLY BLAMING AND THREATENING THE IRANIAN SUPREME LEADER, SUGGESTING THAT HE WOULD BE A VALID TARGET. PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU AND THE ISRAELI PRESIDENT, WHO I SPOKE TO, ALSO SAID THAT HE WAS A KEY PART OF THE PROBLEM. BUT AGAIN, AN ISRAELI MILITARY OFFICIAL TALKING TO ME ON BACKGROUND WAS ADAMANT THAT THAT WASN’T PART OF THE AGENDA. HOWEVER, WHEN YOU WEAKEN AN AUTHORITARIAN REGIME LIKE THAT, WHEN YOU FORCE SOMEONE LIKE AYATOLLAH ALI KHAMENEI UNDERGROUND, WHO HAS NOT BEEN SEEN IN PUBLIC APART FROM ONCE OR TWICE, THAT RAISES QUESTIONS IN PEOPLE’S MINDS. THE REGIME LIVES AND DIES ON ITS ABILITY TO PROJECT STRENGTH AND ACTUAL PHYSICAL COERCIVE FORCE ON THE GROUND, AND THAT HAS BEEN DIMINISHED. IT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED TO US THAT THE ISRAELIS, AS WELL AS GOING AFTER MILITARY TARGETS, COULD GO AFTER STATE SECURITY TARGETS. IF THOSE FORCES ARE NO LONGER POWERFUL, THEN IT MAY WELL LEAD TO FURTHER ACTION. CERTAINLY IRANIAN PERSIAN FRIENDS THAT I KNOW BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE WILL RESPOND ON THE GROUND. IT’S EARLY DAYS. WE’RE NOT SEEING IT YET, BUT THE CAPACITY FOR SELF-GENERATED CHANGE HAS NOW JUST GONE UP DRAMATICALLY. >> OKAY. SO IAN PANNELL, YOU BRING UP THE VERY IMPORTANT POINT OF THE POTENTIAL WAYS IN WHICH IRAN COULD REACT ACROSS THE REGION THERE. IAN PANNELL TREMENDOUS REPORTING ALL WEEK LONG, AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR COVERAGE WITH US HERE ON A SATURDAY NIGHT. STICK WITH US. I WANT TO BRING IN PIERRE THOMAS, OUR CHIEF JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT, BACK STATESIDE COVERING THE DOMESTIC THREAT. OF COURSE, PEOPLE WATCHING US HERE IN A SATURDAY NIGHT. PIERRE, WANT TO KNOW WHAT IS IRAN’S CAPABILITY NOT ONLY TO REACT OVERSEAS THROUGHOUT THE REGION, WITH THOUSANDS OF U.S. MILITARY STATIONED ACROSS THE REGION, BUT ALSO HERE IN THE U.S, WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE LONE WOLVES. THERE ARE ACTORS THAT CERTAINLY IRAN WOULD HOPE WOULD WANT TO REACT IN SOME SORT OF WAY TO THE U.S. ACTION WE’VE WITNESSED TONIGHT. WHAT ARE U.S. AUTHORITIES HERE IN THE HOMELAND PREPARED FOR, POTENTIALLY, AND WHAT HAVE THEY SAID? >> WELL, DAVID, ONE OF THE THINGS THEY’RE MOST CONCERNED ABOUT IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE WOULD BE THE POTENTIAL FOR CYBER ATTACKS. IRAN AND ITS PROXIES HAVE SHOWN SOME CAPABILITIES TO PROJECT FROM THOUSANDS OF MILES AWAY. THAT’S AN IMMEDIATE THREAT. DHS ACTUALLY PUT OUT A NOTICE JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, AFTER THE ISRAEL STARTED TO ATTACK IRAN, WARNING THE U.S. INFRASTRUCTURE. THAT’S THE ELECTRICAL GRID, ENERGY SECTOR, FINANCIAL SECTOR, TO DOUBLE CHECK THEIR COMPUTER SYSTEMS, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE PROPER DEFENSE MECHANISMS, MECHANISMS. SO THAT’S A CONCERN. THERE’S OBVIOUSLY ALWAYS BEEN CONCERN ABOUT THE ABILITY OF IRAQ, IRAN, EXCUSE ME, TO PROJECT INSIDE THE UNITED STATES. DO THEY HAVE OPERATIVES HERE? THE U.S. GOVERNMENT HAS MADE A NUMBER OF CASES INVOLVING IRANIAN OPERATIVES IN THE UNITED STATES ATTEMPTING TO IMPACT DISSIDENTS HERE, THAT SORT OF THING. ALSO, THERE WOULD BE CONCERN ABOUT JUST A GENERAL REACTION TO THE NOTION OF THE US GOVERNMENT, THE US MILITARY TAKING A MILITARY STRIKE TO THE HOMELAND OF IRAN. SO OFFICIALS HERE WILL BE LOOKING AT THAT KIND OF THING AS WELL. DAVID. >> PIERRE THOMAS, WITH US ON THE POTENTIAL THREAT HERE AT HOME AS WELL. AND OF COURSE, YOU SAY, PIERRE, THAT WHAT AUTHORITIES WITHIN THE ADMINISTRATION ARE MOST CONCERNED ABOUT AT THIS POINT AND AT THIS POINT, WE POINT OUT IT’S VERY EARLY IN THIS SORT OF NEW CHAPTER. WE’RE IN POTENTIAL WINDOW OF TIME HERE WHERE THERE COULD BE ANY KIND OF REACTION, RETALIATION FROM IRAN OR ITS PROXIES MOST CONCERNED ABOUT A POTENTIAL CYBER ATTACK. AS PIERRE SAID, THOUGH, THERE COULD BE OTHER OPERATIVES THAT THE U.S. IS KEEPING ITS EYE ON AS WELL. I WANT TO BRING IN RACHEL SCOTT, OUR SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT, AND RACHEL OBVIOUSLY COVERS THE WHITE HOUSE, CAPITOL HILL. SHE COVERED PRESIDENT TRUMP AS A CANDIDATE. AND, RACHEL, YOU HEARD MARY AND I TALKING ABOUT THIS NOTION EARLIER THAT THIS IS A PRESIDENT, OBVIOUSLY, WHO HAS CAMPAIGNED NOT JUST IN THIS CAMPAIGN WHEN HE WAS ELECTED BACK TO THE WHITE HOUSE, BUT IN THE CAMPAIGN LEADING TO HIS ELECTION IN 2016. ON CAMPAIGNING AGAINST AMERICAN INTERVENTIONISM, AGAINST AMERICAN, ANY KIND OF A ROLE FOR THE U.S. AND U.S. MILITARY IN THE MIDDLE EAST, ANY KIND OF INCREASED ROLE IN THESE COSTLY, DANGEROUS CONFLICTS, HIS SUPPORTERS WILL SAY THAT’S THAT’S NOT IN CONFLICT WITH WHAT HE HAS ALSO SAID ABOUT NUCLEAR NUCLEAR WAR, AND THAT IRAN SHOULD NEVER GET ITS HANDS ON A NUCLEAR WEAPON. AND THAT’S THE CASE HE’S TRYING TO MAKE IN THESE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS LEADING UP TO THIS ACTION THAT HE AUTHORIZED TONIGHT. >> YEAH. HIS SUPPORTERS DEFINITELY. DAVID, WILL SAY BOTH THINGS CAN BE TRUE HERE, THAT THE PRESIDENT CAN BE ADAMANT THAT IRAN CAN NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON, BUT ALSO AT THE SAME TIME, CAN STILL WANT TO BE A UNIFIER, A PEACEMAKER. YOU HEARD THOSE CALLS FROM FOR PEACE AGAIN TODAY, COMING FROM THE PRESIDENT AS HE ADDRESSED THE NATION AGAIN TONIGHT. BUT THERE IS NO DOUBT THIS HAS CREATED A DIVIDE WITHIN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY. EVEN LEADING UP TO THIS, AS WE WERE REPORTING THAT THE PRESIDENT WAS WARMING UP TO THE IDEA OF U.S. INVOLVEMENT OF POSSIBLY STRIKING IRAN, WE HEARD FROM A NUMBER OF REPUBLICANS WHO DID NOT WANT THE PRESIDENT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS, WHO EXPRESSED CONCERN AND FRUSTRATION ABOUT THE U.S. BEING INVOLVED, PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF THAT CAMPAIGN PROMISE THAT THE PRESIDENT MADE, THAT HE WAS GOING TO BE A UNIFIER, THAT HE WAS GOING TO BE A PEACEMAKER, THAT HE WAS GOING TO WITHDRAW THE UNITED STATES FROM THESE ONGOING FOREIGN CONFLICTS. THIS, OF COURSE, DIRECTLY GOES AGAINST THAT. IT’S AT ODDS WITH THAT. AT THE SAME TIME, DAVID, I WILL TELL YOU THAT SPEAKING TO MY SOURCES AND REPUBLICAN MEMBERS ON CAPITOL HILL, THE PRESIDENT RECEIVED NUMEROUS CALLS FROM REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS, EVEN FROM SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM, WHO WAS URGING THE PRESIDENT TO GET DIRECTLY INVOLVED. HE WANTED TO SEE THE UNITED STATES JOIN ISRAEL’S EFFORT IN THIS. AND OBVIOUSLY, THE PRESIDENT ALSO, I’M TOLD, GETTING A LOT OF PRESSURE DIRECTLY FROM ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU AS WELL. WE’VE ALSO BEEN WORKING THE PHONES. DAVID, WE ARE LEARNING TONIGHT THAT SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON AND ALSO SENATE MAJORITY LEADER JOHN THUNE WERE IN FACT, NOTIFIED THAT THE U.S. WAS GOING TO BE CARRYING OUT THESE STRIKES. WE’RE ALSO TOLD THAT LEADER, MINORITY LEADER HAKEEM JEFFRIES WAS ALSO NOTIFIED AS WELL. BUT GIVEN VERY LITTLE DETAILS, WE ARE ALSO TOLD, DAVID FROM MULTIPLE SOURCES THAT THE GANG OF EIGHT, THIS IS THE LEADER, THE TOP LEADERS ON CAPITOL HILL IN BOTH THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE, THAT THEY WERE NOT GIVEN A FULL BRIEFING AS THE UNITED STATES MADE THIS DECISION. THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION MAKING THIS DECISION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THESE STRIKES. DAVID. >> RACHEL SCOTT COVERING THIS AS WELL WITH US HERE TONIGHT. RACHEL, ALWAYS GREAT TO HAVE YOU WITH YOU AND YOUR CONTEXT AS WELL. I DO WANT TO MENTION THE STATEMENT THAT’S BEEN RELEASED BY THE PRIME MINISTER, BENJAMIN NETANYAHU OF ISRAEL, OBVIOUSLY. VIDEO STATEMENT. HE CONGRATULATED PRESIDENT TRUMP FOR HIS, QUOTE, BOLD DECISION TO TARGET IRAN’S NUCLEAR FACILITIES. THE UNITED STATES, NETANYAHU SAID, HAS DONE WHAT NO OTHER COUNTRY ON EARTH COULD DO. HISTORY WILL RECORD THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP ACTED TO DENY THE WORLD’S MOST DANGEROUS REGIME THE WORLD’S MOST DANGEROUS WEAPONS. AND AS YOU HEARD RACHEL SAY, YOU HEARD OTHER CORRESPONDENTS HERE ALONG THE WAY POINT OUT THAT THIS WAS EXACTLY WHAT BENJAMIN NETANYAHU HAD BEEN HOPING FOR, THAT THE U.S. WOULD BECOME DIRECTLY INVOLVED WITH IRAN, WHICH IS WHAT PLAYED OUT TONIGHT. PRESIDENT TRUMP, ADDRESSING THE NATION ABOUT 53 MINUTES AGO NOW TO LET THE NATION KNOW THAT THE U.S. MILITARY HAS STRUCK THREE NUCLEAR SITES DEEP INSIDE IRAN FORDOW, NATANZ AND ISFAHAN. OBVIOUSLY, FORDOW IS THE SITE THAT, IN PARTICULAR, DEEP BENEATH THE GROUND, BENEATH THAT MOUNTAIN, B-2 BOMBERS WERE USED. WE BELIEVE THOSE 30,000 POUND BOMBS WERE ALSO USED TO TARGET THESE SITES. THE PRESIDENT SAYING THEY ARE COMPLETELY, TOTALLY OBLITERATED, THOUGH WE’LL HAVE TO SEE IN THE HOURS AND DAYS TO COME WHAT KIND OF ASSESSMENT FROM INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS CAN BE MADE ABOUT THE DAMAGE DONE TONIGHT, THOUGH CLEARLY THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE DONE. AND THE WHITE HOUSE BELIEVES BEYOND REPAIR IN MANY CASES. I WANT TO BRING IN RETIRED COLONEL STEVE GANYARD AGAIN WITH US. STEVE, YOU AND I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT U.S. MILITARY CAPABILITY, AND REGARDLESS OF WHERE PEOPLE STAND ON THIS, POLITICALLY, THIS WAS A SIGNIFICANT USE OF FORCE TONIGHT AND SOMETHING THAT HAS LONG BEEN STUDIED BY NOT ONLY THIS ADMINISTRATION, BUT ADMINISTRATIONS BEFORE IT. PRESIDENT TRUMP, THE PRESIDENT WHO HAS DECIDED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS IN A KEY MOMENT WHEN AIR DEFENSES WERE SIGNIFICANTLY WEAKENED IN THE SKIES OVER IRAN, ISRAEL ESSENTIALLY CONTROLLING THOSE SKIES AS U.S. B-2 BOMBERS FLEW IN TONIGHT. >> YEAH, DAVID, JOHN KARL IS REPORTING THAT TOMAHAWK MISSILES WERE ALSO USED IN THE STRIKES TONIGHT. NOW, TOMAHAWK MISSILES, AS YOU REMEMBER, ARE CRUISE MISSILES. AND THEY THEY THEY HUG THE, THE EARTH. SO THEY FLY VERY LOW. AND THEY AREN’T INTENDED TO DO THIS DEEP PENETRATION THAT WE NEEDED THE B-2S FOR. SO THE POINT HERE IS THAT IT REALLY WAS JUST THE B-2 CREWS THAT WERE IN DANGER TONIGHT. WE DIDN’T PUT ANY OTHER U.S. FORCES OVER IRAN, SO THERE WAS VERY LITTLE RISK OTHER THAN TO THOSE B-2 CREWS. GIVEN HOW SOPHISTICATED THE B-2 IS, THERE’S VERY LITTLE LIKELIHOOD THAT THE IRANIANS WOULD BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. SO THE QUESTION WILL BE, HOW FAR WILL THE PRESIDENT BE WILLING TO GO, DEPENDING ON THE IRANIAN REACTION IN TERMS OF DEPLOYING MILITARY FORCE, THAT MAY INVOLVE PUTTING U.S. FORCES AT GREATER RISK THAN WE SAW TONIGHT. >> AND, OF COURSE, STEVE, YOU HEARD THE PRESIDENT THERE WARNED THAT IF PEACE DOESN’T COME QUICKLY FROM IRAN NOW, THAT WE WILL GO AFTER ADDITIONAL TARGETS WITH SPEED AND WITH SKILL, WE HAVE THAT ANIMATION THAT SHOWS WHAT THESE BUNKER BUSTER BOMBS CAN DO. IF WE CAN SHOW THAT, BECAUSE A U.S. OFFICIAL NOW CONFIRMS THAT B-2 BOMBERS DROPPED A NUMBER OF MASSIVE ORDNANCE PENETRATOR BOMBS, AS YOU KNOW, THAT’S THE LONG TERM FOR THESE BUNKER BUSTER BOMBS. 30,000 POUND BOMBS. NOW, CONFIRMING TO ABC NEWS THAT THEY WERE USED IN THIS MISSION TONIGHT OVER IRAN, THE OFFICIAL ALSO CONFIRMING THAT A NUMBER OF TOMAHAWK CRUISE MISSILES WERE FIRED AT TARGETS INSIDE IRAN FROM A US NAVY SUBMARINE. YOU HEARD PRESIDENT TRUMP ADDRESSING THE NATION 10 P.M. EASTERN HERE TONIGHT. BRIEF WORDS AND THEN GETTING ON SOCIAL MEDIA AGAIN SHORTLY THEREAFTER TO WARN IRAN AND ITS PROXIES AGAINST ANY SORT OF RETALIATION. BUT AT FIRST WORD TONIGHT, WHICH CAME SHORTLY BEFORE 8:00 PM EASTERN TIME, THE PRESIDENT SAYING, WE HAVE COMPLETED OUR VERY SUCCESSFUL ATTACK ON THREE NUCLEAR SITES IN IRAN, INCLUDING FORDOW, NATANZ AND ESFAHAN. ALL PLANES ARE NOW OUTSIDE IRANIAN AIRSPACE. A FULL PAYLOAD OF BOMBS, HE SAID, WAS DROPPED ON THAT PRIMARY SITE OF FORDOW. THAT IS THE KEY SITE THAT IS DEEP BENEATH SORT OF A RANGE OF MOUNTAINS THERE. AND WE HAD REPORTED FOR SOME TIME THAT IT WOULD PROBABLY TAKE THOSE BUNKER BUSTERS TO ACTUALLY DO SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THAT NUCLEAR FACILITY. AND AGAIN, ABC NEWS NOW CONFIRMING THAT THOSE B-2 BOMBERS DID DROP THOSE 30,000 POUND BOMBS. OUR COVERAGE WILL CONTINUE FIRST THING IN THE MORNING. FOR MANY OF YOU, YOUR LOCAL NEWS IS NEXT. GOOD NIGHT. >> THIS HAS BEEN A SPECIAL REPORT FROM ABC NEWS. >> WHENEVER, WHEREVER NEWS BREAKS, IT’S SO IMPORTANT TO ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT LIVES ARE CHANGED HERE IN LONDON, IN BUFFALO. UVALDE, TEXAS. EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND. FROM POLAND ONCE AGAIN TONIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR STREAMING WITH US UKRAINIAN REFUGEES HERE IN WARSAW. DO YOU THINK YOU’LL EVER BE ABLE TO GO BACK HOME? WE’RE HEADING TO A SMALL COMMUNITY OUTSIDE OF MEXICO CITY. SPLINTERED HOUSES AND SPLINTERED LIVES. THE MAGNITUDE OF THE DEVASTATION. YOU’RE STREAMING ABC NEWS LIVE REPORTING FROM ROLLING FORK, MISSISSIPPI. SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO. RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA. THE U.S. CAPITOL. MAYFIELD, KENTUCKY. MINNEAPOLIS. MEXICO. TONGASS NATIONAL FOREST, ALASKA. GETTING YOU BEHIND THE STORIES AS THEY HAPPEN. GIVING YOU A FRONT ROW SEAT TO OUR WORLD AS IT PLAYS OUT IN REAL TIME. LIVE. ABC NEWS LIVE. PRIME. WE’LL TAKE YOU THERE. >> STREAM ABC NEWS LIVE WEEKNIGHTS. AMERICA’S MOST HONORED STREAMING NEWS PROGRAM ONLY ON ABC NEWS LIVE STREAMING FREE RIGHT NOW. WHEREVER YOU STREAM YOUR NEWS. THE NEWS NEVER STOPS. >> FROM TAMPA. WE ARE. >> HERE TONIGHT AS HURRICANE MILTON HAS JUST MADE LANDFALL. >> THE SURGE JUST KEEPS COMING UP. >> RIGHT ON THE BORDER BETWEEN UKRAINE AND RUSSIA. >> WHERE AN ARTILLERY POSITION ABOUT TWO MILES AWAY FROM GAZA. >> AND ABC NEWS LIVE IS RIGHT THERE EVERYWHERE. >> WE’RE NOT FAR FROM WHERE THIS RALLY. >> TOOK PLACE, SO JUST STICK WITH US HERE. >> TRAVELING WITH THE PRESIDENT TO THE US-MEXICO BORDER. >> HERE IN LONDON TODAY. >> OFF THE COAST OF GAZA. >> DOWNTOWN TEL AVIV, ROCKETS OR MISSILES COMING IN. >> FROM THE MOST DEVASTATING DISASTER IN HAWAII. SOME AREAS ARE STILL SMOLDERING. >> WHEREVER THE STORY. >> FROM THE FRONT LINES. >> THE RUINS OF RAFA. >> FROM THE FBI. >> REPORTING FROM CAPITOL HILL. >> IN WESTERN PORTUGAL. >> OUTSIDE OF MEXICO CITY. >> IN ICELAND. LET’S GO. >> HERE IN FRANCE. >> THE ECLIPSE ACROSS AMERICA. >> JUST STUNNING. >> UNBELIEVABLE. >> STREAMING LIVE TO YOU. >> WHEREVER THE STORY. >> IS. >> WHEREVER THE STORY IS. >> WE’RE GOING. >> TO TAKE YOU THERE. >> YOU’RE STREAMING. >> ABC NEWS LIVE. >> ABC NEWS LIVE. >> YOU’RE STREAMING. >> ABC NEWS. >> LIVE ABC NEWS LIVE STREAMING FREE EVERYWHERE. BECAUSE THE NEWS NEVER STOPS. >> GET THIS PEOPLE. >> NOW WE’RE STREAMING EVERY WEEKEND. RIGHT TO YOU WITH AN ALL NEW SHOW, AN ALL NEW VIEW SPECIAL FOR THE WEEKENDS. NOW YOU CAN CATCH THE VIEW SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. >> I WONDER. >> IF YOU CAN HANDLE IT. >> IT’S THE WEEKEND VIEW. THE WEEKEND VIEW. >> IT’S THE. >> WEEKEND VIEW STREAMING ON ABC NEWS LIVE WHEREVER YOU STREAM. >> TAKE A LITTLE TIME TO ENJOY THE WEEKEND VIEW. >> SEE YOU ON THE WEEKEND NOW! STREAMING SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS ON ABC NEWS LIVE WHEREVER YOU STREAM. >> ABC’S NIGHTLINE. THE STORIES THAT SHAPE YOUR WORLD, THAT SHAPE YOUR LIFE. DRAMATIC, STUNNING, EMPOWERING, LIFE CHANGING. FOR 45 YEARS. THE MOST POWERFUL STORIES OF OUR TIME. >> THIS IS NIGHTLINE. >> WHEREVER THE STORY IS, NIGHTLINE WILL TAKE YOU THERE. JUST BECAUSE IT’S LATE NIGHT DOESN’T MEAN YOU SHOULD BE IN THE DARK FOR A BRIGHTER TAKE ON THE DAY. THIS IS ABC’S NIGHTLINE AFTER KIMMEL, LATE NIGHT ON ABC. >> GOOD EVENING. I’M DAVID MUIR AT ABC NEWS HEADQUARTERS HERE IN NEW YORK. WE ARE CONTINUING ON THE AIR BECAUSE PRESIDENT TRUMP IS ABOUT TO ADDRESS THE NATION FROM THE WHITE HOUSE. THE PRESIDENT NOT LONG AGO ANNOUNCING ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT THE U.S. HAD SUCCESSFULLY BOMBED THREE IRANIAN NUCLEAR SITES, INCLUDING FORDOW, NATANZ AND ISFAHAN. PRESIDENT TRUMP TELLING OUR JON KARL JUST A SHORT TIME AGO THAT THE MISSION WAS A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS. ABC NEWS HAS LEARNED U.S. B-2 BOMBERS WERE USED. IT REMAINS UNCLEAR AT THIS HOUR IF THOSE MASSIVE 30,000 POUND BUNKER BUSTER BOMBS WERE ACTUALLY USED DURING THIS OPERATION. PERHAPS HE’LL MAKE THAT CLEARER WHEN HE SPEAKS TO THE NATION JUST A FEW MOMENTS FROM NOW. WE DO KNOW THAT U.S. MILITARY AIRCRAFT FLEW FROM BASES IN THE UNITED STATES TO IRAN, AND THE PRESIDENT SAYS ALL OF THOSE BOMBERS ARE NOW SAFELY ON THEIR WAY HOME. WE’RE ALSO LEARNING TONIGHT THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP SPOKE TO ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU BEFORE THE STRIKES. AND THE U.S. DID GIVE A HEADS UP TO ISRAEL BEFORE THE ATTACKS. WE ALSO KNOW PRESIDENT TRUMP MEETING EARLIER TODAY WITH HIS NATIONAL SECURITY TEAM AT THE WHITE HOUSE IMMEDIATELY BEFORE ANNOUNCING THE U.S. STRIKES. HE HAS LONG PROMISED NOT TO ALLOW IRAN TO DEVELOP A NUCLEAR WEAPON. ALL OF THIS, OF COURSE, COMES AFTER MORE THAN A WEEK OF STRIKES ON IRAN BY ISRAELI FORCES. IRAN FIRING BACK, STRIKING TEL AVIV AND OTHER LOCATIONS INSIDE ISRAEL AND IRAN HAD PLEDGED TO RETALIATE IF THE U.S. JOINED THE ATTACKS. THE U.S. HAS BEEN SURGING FORCES TO THE REGION, WITH AN ADDITIONAL AIRCRAFT CARRIER STRIKE GROUP ARRIVING IN THE REGION THIS WEEKEND. OF COURSE, THE BREAKING NEWS TONIGHT THE U.S. STRIKING IRAN, SEVERAL NUCLEAR SITES INSIDE IRAN. THE PRESIDENT CALLING IT A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS ON THE PHONE WITH OUR JON KARL. A SHORT TIME AGO. AND AS WE LOOK AT THE MICROPHONE THERE, WE WAIT FOR THE PRESIDENT TO ADDRESS THE NATION, OUR CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, MARY BRUCE, OUTSIDE THE WHITE HOUSE TONIGHT. AND MARY, THE PRESIDENT, SAID HE WOULD GIVE IRAN TWO WEEKS. IT TURNED OUT TO BE TWO DAYS. >> DAVID, QUITE A REMARKABLE TURN OF EVENTS HERE. IN JUST 48 HOURS. THE WHITE HOUSE HAD TOLD US JUST ON THURSDAY THAT THE PRESIDENT THOUGHT THAT HE WOULD HAVE TWO WEEKS TO MAKE THIS DECISION. HERE COMES THE PRESIDENT. >> AGAIN, MEETING WITH HIS NATIONAL SECURITY TEAM EARLIER TODAY AT THE WHITE HOUSE. LET’S LISTEN TO THE PRESIDENT. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. A SHORT TIME AGO, THE U.S. MILITARY CARRIED OUT MASSIVE PRECISION STRIKES ON THE THREE KEY NUCLEAR FACILITIES IN THE IRANIAN REGIME. FORDOW, NATANZ AND ISFAHAN. EVERYBODY HEARD THOSE NAMES FOR YEARS AS THEY BUILT THIS HORRIBLY DESTRUCTIVE ENTERPRISE. OUR OBJECTIVE WAS THE DESTRUCTION OF IRAN’S NUCLEAR ENRICHMENT CAPACITY AND A STOP TO THE NUCLEAR THREAT POSED BY THE WORLD’S NUMBER ONE STATE SPONSOR OF TERROR. TONIGHT, I CAN REPORT TO THE WORLD THAT THE STRIKES WERE A SPECTACULAR MILITARY SUCCESS. IRAN’S KEY NUCLEAR ENRICHMENT FACILITIES HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY OBLITERATED. IRAN, THE BULLY OF THE MIDDLE EAST, MUST NOW MAKE PEACE. IF THEY DO NOT, FUTURE ATTACKS WILL BE FAR GREATER AND A LOT EASIER. FOR 40 YEARS, IRAN HAS BEEN SAYING DEATH TO AMERICA, DEATH TO ISRAEL. THEY HAVE BEEN KILLING OUR PEOPLE, BLOWING OFF THEIR ARMS, BLOWING OFF THEIR LEGS WITH ROADSIDE BOMBS. THAT WAS THEIR SPECIALTY. WE LOST OVER A THOUSAND PEOPLE AND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE EAST AND AROUND THE WORLD HAVE DIED AS A DIRECT RESULT OF THEIR HATE. IN PARTICULAR, SO MANY WERE KILLED BY THEIR GENERAL, QASEM SOLEIMANI. I DECIDED A LONG TIME AGO THAT I WOULD NOT LET THIS HAPPEN. IT WILL NOT CONTINUE. I WANT TO THANK AND CONGRATULATE PRIME MINISTER BIBI NETANYAHU. WE WORKED AS A TEAM LIKE PERHAPS NO TEAM HAS EVER WORKED BEFORE, AND WE’VE GONE A LONG WAY TO ERASING THIS HORRIBLE THREAT TO ISRAEL. I WANT TO THANK THE ISRAELI MILITARY FOR THE WONDERFUL JOB THEY’VE DONE. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, I WANT TO CONGRATULATE THE GREAT AMERICAN PATRIOTS WHO FLEW THOSE MAGNIFICENT MACHINES TONIGHT AND ALL OF THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ON AN OPERATION THE LIKES OF WHICH THE WORLD HAS NOT SEEN IN MANY, MANY DECADES. HOPEFULLY, WE WILL NO LONGER NEED THEIR SERVICES IN THIS CAPACITY. I HOPE THAT’S SO. I ALSO WANT TO CONGRATULATE THE CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF, GENERAL DAN RAISIN CAIN, SPECTACULAR GENERAL AND ALL OF THE BRILLIANT MILITARY MINDS INVOLVED IN THIS ATTACK. WITH ALL OF THAT BEING SAID, THIS CANNOT CONTINUE. THERE WILL BE EITHER PEACE OR THERE WILL BE TRAGEDY FOR IRAN, FAR GREATER THAN WE HAVE WITNESSED OVER THE LAST EIGHT DAYS. REMEMBER, THERE ARE MANY TARGETS LEFT. TONIGHT’S WAS THE MOST DIFFICULT OF THEM ALL BY FAR, AND PERHAPS THE MOST LETHAL. BUT IF PEACE DOES NOT COME QUICKLY, WE WILL GO AFTER THOSE OTHER TARGETS WITH PRECISION, SPEED AND SKILL. MOST OF THEM CAN BE TAKEN OUT IN A MATTER OF MINUTES. THERE IS NO MILITARY IN THE WORLD THAT COULD HAVE DONE WHAT WE DID TONIGHT. NOT EVEN CLOSE. THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A MILITARY THAT COULD DO WHAT TOOK PLACE JUST A LITTLE WHILE AGO. TOMORROW, GENERAL CAIN, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PETE HEGSETH WILL HAVE A PRESS CONFERENCE AT 8 A.M. AT THE PENTAGON. AND I WANT TO JUST THANK EVERYBODY AND IN PARTICULAR, GOD, I WANT TO JUST SAY, WE LOVE YOU, GOD, AND WE LOVE OUR GREAT MILITARY. PROTECT THEM. GOD BLESS THE MIDDLE EAST. GOD BLESS ISRAEL, AND GOD BLESS AMERICA. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. >> PRESIDENT TRUMP. THERE AT THE WHITE HOUSE, VICE PRESIDENT J.D. VANCE, SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO, ALSO SERVING AS HIS NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER, ALONG WITH DEFENSE SECRETARY PETE HEGSETH. RIGHT THERE, WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP ANNOUNCING TO THE NATION SIMILAR TO WHAT HE SAID IN HIS POST ON SOCIAL MEDIA NOT LONG AGO, THAT THE U.S. IS NOW DIRECTLY INVOLVED WITH IRAN STRIKING THREE NUCLEAR LOCATIONS FORDOW, NATANZ AND ESFAHAN, THREE NUCLEAR FACILITIES THAT THE U.S. HAD LONG BEEN STUDYING, AS WELL AS INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS AROUND THE WORLD IN TRACKING IRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM AND THEIR DESIRE, PERHAPS ONE DAY, TO HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. I WANT TO BRING IN MARY BRUCE. LET’S GO BACK TO MARY AT THE WHITE HOUSE. MARY, THE PRESIDENT HAD WARNED IRAN, COME TO THE TABLE. LET’S NEGOTIATE SOME SORT OF A PEACE DEAL THAT THIS CURRENT CONFLICT MUST END. AT LAST WORD. HE SAID TWO WEEKS WOULD BE HIS DEADLINE. WE KNOW THAT’S TURNED OUT TO BE TWO DAYS. WE’LL LEARN IN THE HOURS AND DAYS TO COME. WHETHER THAT WAS PART OF THE STRATEGY HERE. BUT THIS IS A FAIRLY RISKY MOVE FOR THIS PRESIDENT, THOUGH. TONIGHT HE SAYS IT’S BEEN A VICTORY. HE THANKED U.S. FORCES WHO WERE INVOLVED. AND HE SAID IF IRAN DOES NOT END THE WARS AND SEEK PEACE, TRAGEDY FOR IRAN WILL BE EVEN GREATER THAN WHAT WE’VE SEEN IN THE LAST 24 HOURS. >> DAVID, IT IS AN EXTREMELY RISKY MOVE AND NO ONE KNOWS REALLY WHERE THIS GOES FROM HERE. LOOK, THE PRESIDENT, WE KNOW HAS LONG WARNED THAT IRAN CANNOT GET A NUCLEAR WEAPON. BUT HE ALSO LONG WAS PUSHING FOR THOSE NEGOTIATIONS. AS YOU MENTIONED, IT WAS JUST TWO DAYS AGO THAT THE PRESIDENT ANNOUNCED AFTER YET ANOTHER MEETING IN THE SITUATION ROOM, THAT HE WAS GOING TO GIVE HIMSELF THIS TWO WEEK DEADLINE WITHIN WHICH TO MAKE THIS DECISION, WHETHER OR NOT TO STRIKE IRAN, IN PART BECAUSE HE THOUGHT THERE WAS, QUOTE, A SUBSTANTIAL CHANCE OF NEGOTIATIONS, THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO GET IRAN BACK TO THE TABLE. IT IS NOT CLEAR. STILL, EVEN AFTER HEARING FROM THE PRESIDENT JUST NOW, WHAT CHANGED HIS MIND, WHAT LED HIM TO BELIEVE THERE WAS NO TIME LEFT TO WASTE, THAT THE U.S. HAD TO GO AHEAD AND GET DEEPLY INVOLVED IN THIS CONFLICT IN A WAY THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS ALSO REALLY PROMISED THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HE WOULD NOT. HE CAMPAIGNED ON A PROMISE TO BE A PEACEMAKER AND A UNIFIER, TO KEEP AMERICA OUT OF THESE KINDS OF CONFLICTS. AND WHAT’S CLEAR TONIGHT IS THAT THE PRESIDENT IS VERY MUCH LEAVING OPEN THE DOOR THAT THERE WILL BE MORE OF THIS WHILE HE IS HAILING THE STRIKES TONIGHT AS A HUGE SUCCESS, HE IS ALSO NOT RULING OUT ADDITIONAL MILITARY ACTION, SAYING THAT THERE ARE MANY TARGETS LEFT, THAT THEY WILL ACT WITH PRECISION, SPEED AND SKILL IF NEEDED. HOW ALL OF THIS WILL ULTIMATELY END IRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM IS A HUGE QUESTION. AND OF COURSE, DAVID, IRAN HAS PROMISED A SEVERE RESPONSE IF THE U.S. WERE TO BE DIRECTLY INVOLVED, AS WE NOW ARE. >> AND ONE QUICK FOLLOW UP TO WHAT YOU’RE REPORTING HERE, MARY, OBVIOUSLY, YOU’RE WATCHING ABC NEWS LIVE COVERAGE AT THIS HOUR. THE PRESIDENT JUST ADDRESSING THE NATION, TALKING ABOUT THE U.S. STRIKING THREE IRANIAN NUCLEAR SITES, THE PRESIDENT CALLING IT A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS. SPEAKING BRIEFLY WITH OUR JON KARL EARLIER THIS EVENING BEFORE ADDRESSING THE NATION ABOUT THIS. AND, MARY, YOU’VE COVERED PRESIDENT TRUMP FOR SOME TIME. YOU COVERED HIM AS A CANDIDATE. HIS PROMISES NOT TO ENGAGE IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND IN ANY MORE FOREIGN WARS. AT THE SAME TIME, HE HAS LONG PROMISED THAT IRAN WOULD NOT GET A NUCLEAR WEAPON. >> AND, DAVID, YOU KNOW, JUST AGAIN, TWO DAYS AGO, THE WHITE HOUSE, WHILE SAYING THAT THEY WERE GIVING THEMSELVES THIS TWO WEEK TIMELINE, AGAIN STRESSED THAT THAT IRAN WAS VERY CLOSE TO GETTING A NUCLEAR WEAPON, SAYING THAT IRAN HAD EVERYTHING IT NEEDED TO ACHIEVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON, AND THAT ONCE THE SUPREME LEADER GAVE THE GO AHEAD, THAT IT COULD BE JUST A FEW WEEKS BEFORE IRAN HAD THAT FULL CAPABILITY. CLEARLY SOMETHING CHANGED IN THE PRESIDENT’S CALCULUS TO MAKE HIM GO AHEAD AND MAKE THIS DECISION TONIGHT. IT IS A REMARKABLE TURN FOR A PRESIDENT WHO HAS AVOIDED GETTING DRAGGED INTO THESE KIND OF CONFLICTS. AND IT IS ONE THAT HIS PRESIDENCY IT WILL NOW DEFINE, THAT IS FOR SURE. >> OUR CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, MARY BRUCE, WITH US LIVE HERE TONIGHT. MARY. THANK YOU. I WANT TO BRING IN JON KARL, OUR CHIEF WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT. JOHN, I WAS STRUCK THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH THE PRESIDENT EVEN BEFORE HE ADDRESSED THE NATION TONIGHT. AGAIN, HE WAS CONFIDENT WITH WHAT HE HAD WITNESSED, WHAT HE’D BEEN BRIEFED ON FOLLOWING THIS OPERATION AND MADE IT CLEAR TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE THAT ALL OF THE U.S. MILITARY INVOLVED IN THIS OPERATION IS BACK OUT OF THAT AIRSPACE AND ON THEIR WAY HOME. >> I THINK THE MOST SIGNIFICANT THING IS I CALLED HIM I MEAN, REALLY, DAVID, JUST IN THE AFTERMATH OF LEARNING ABOUT THESE ATTACKS, WITHIN AN HOUR OF HIS SPEECH THAT WE JUST SAW, AND HE PICKED UP THE PHONE, THAT WAS A MEASURE OF HOW EAGER HE WAS TO TOUT WHAT HE SAID IN THOSE WORDS. HE SAID TO ME A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS TONIGHT. HE DIDN’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE DETAILS OF THE OPERATION, ABOUT THE VERY DIFFICULT QUESTIONS, DAVID, OF WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS, WHAT HAPPENS WITH IRAN, WHAT HAPPENS WITH IRAN’S EFFORTS TO RETALIATE? WE HEARD SOME OF THAT IN THE SPEECH JUST NOW WHEN HE SAID THE ATTACKS WILL BE FAR GREATER AND MUCH EASIER IF IRAN DOES ANYTHING TO THE UNITED STATES. BUT, DAVID, WE ARE IN A IN A NEW PHASE HERE RIGHT NOW. I THINK IT IS WITHOUT QUESTION, THE MOST CONSEQUENTIAL DECISION THAT WE HAVE EVER SEEN DONALD TRUMP MAKE. AND IT’S ENTIRELY UNCLEAR WHAT DIRECTION IT WILL GO. WILL IT BE CONSISTENT WITH HIS PROMISE TO END THE FOREVER WARS? THAT’S THE ARGUMENT THAT’S BEING MADE TONIGHT BY THE PRESIDENT’S ADVISERS THERE, SAYING THAT WHAT THIS HAS DONE IS FINALLY AN AMERICAN PRESIDENT HAS TAKEN CARE OF AN IRANIAN THREAT THAT HAS BEDEVILED THE UNITED STATES FOR NEARLY A HALF A CENTURY. FINALLY, AN AMERICAN PRESIDENT HAS ENDED A THREAT THAT HAS KILLED A LOT OF AMERICANS. AS YOU HEARD THE PRESIDENT MENTION IN THE ATTACKS ON AMERICAN TROOPS, ESPECIALLY IN IN IRAQ. BUT THE QUESTION IS, DID IT END THE THREAT OR DID IT CREATE ANOTHER NEW AND MORE DANGEROUS CHAPTER IN THE US-IRAN CONFLICT? >> NO QUESTION. IT IS A NEW CHAPTER. JOHN KARL, BOTTOM LINE HERE, THE WILLINGNESS TO GET ON THE PHONE WITH YOU SIGNALED THAT THE PRESIDENT WAS VERY PLEASED WITH THE OUTCOME OF THIS OPERATION TONIGHT. >> VERY PLEASED WITH THE OUTCOME, AND EAGER TO TELL PEOPLE THAT HE IS VERY PLEASED WITH THE OUTCOME TONIGHT. >> ALL RIGHT, JON KARL, STICK WITH US HERE FOR OUR LIVE COVERAGE. I WANT TO BRING IN MARTHA RADDATZ, OUR CHIEF GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT. AND MARTHA, YOU HAD BEEN ON THE AIR WITH US ON WORLD NEWS TONIGHT ALL WEEK LONG WITH YOUR REPORTING. A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR YOU. WE KNOW B-2 BOMBERS WERE USED. DO WE HAVE ANY CLARITY YET ON WHETHER OR NOT THOSE BUNKER BUSTER BOMBS, THOSE 30,000 POUND BOMBS WHICH HAD BEEN TESTED BEFORE BUT NEVER ACTUALLY USED IN WAR, WHETHER OR NOT THEY WERE USED IN THIS OPERATION. >> YET, BUT I CAN ASSUME THAT THEY USED THOSE BOMBS, BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT IT WOULD TAKE. AND IF THE PRESIDENT IS CORRECT AND THEY DESTROYED THAT FACILITY FORDO WITH HALF A DOZEN BOMBS, HALF A DOZEN OF THOSE MOP MASSIVE ORDNANCE PENETRATORS, THEN THAT IS LIKELY WHAT THEY USED. THE MOAB THAT HAS BEEN USED IN AFGHANISTAN IN CAVES AND SUCH WOULDN’T HAVE DONE THE JOB, ACCORDING TO OFFICIALS THAT I HAVE SPOKEN TO. AS YOU KNOW, DAVID, AND WE’VE TALKED ABOUT ALL WEEK, THOSE THOSE ORDNANCE WAS BASICALLY DOWN HERE BY LICKING OUT CONKING OUT THERE WAS ANY CONCERN WHETHER WORK. COULD SAY TONIGHT IS ALSO ABOUT HOW. >> ALL RIGHT, WE’RE GOING TO COME BACK TO YOU. >> OBVIOUSLY WE’RE IN LIVE COVERAGE MODE IN THE AUDIO. A LITTLE TRICKY THERE. I WANT TO BRING IN RETIRED COLONEL STEVE GANYARD, ALSO TRACKING THE MILITARY ASPECT OF THIS. AND STEVE, YOU HEARD MARTHA THERE REPORT THAT LIKELY THEY DID USE THESE 30,000 POUND BOMBS THAT THE PRESIDENT IN FRONT OF THE COUNTRY TONIGHT DID NOT SAY OTHERWISE, WHETHER OR NOT THEY DID IN FACT USE THEM. >> YEAH. DAVID, THERE ARE SOME UNCONFIRMED REPORTS THAT UP TO SIX OF THESE SO-CALLED BUNKER BUSTER BOMBS WERE USED ON THE SITE AT FORDO, REMEMBER? THAT’S THE ONE THAT’S SO DEEPLY BURIED, 2 TO 300FT UNDERNEATH A MOUNTAIN IN CENTRAL IRAN. SO WE’LL SEE WHAT THE PRESIDENT ADMITS TO OR WHAT THE PENTAGON IS ABLE TO BRIEF US ON. ALSO, POTENTIALLY, THERE WAS A USE OF TOMAHAWK CRUISE MISSILES TO HIT SOME OF THE SITES IN NATANZ AND ISFAHAN. SO THIS IS ALL VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD, ALL FOCUSED ON THE NUCLEAR ENTERPRISE. REALLY IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE BUILDUP WITHIN THE REGION IS UNPRECEDENTED. THERE HAVEN’T BEEN THREE CARRIERS. ONCE THE FORD COMES IN NEXT WEEK. THERE HAVE NOT BEEN THREE CARRIERS IN THE REGION SINCE 2003. SO OVER 20 YEARS WE HAVEN’T HAD THIS AMOUNT OF US MILITARY FIREPOWER IN THE REGION. SO CLEARLY WHAT THE PRESIDENT SAID TONIGHT IS THIS IS NOT A ONE OFF. IF THE IRANIANS DON’T COME TO THE TABLE, WE ARE PREPARED TO CONTINUE THIS AND TO CONTINUE TO HIT TARGETS. >> AND IN FACT, THE PRESIDENT, STEVE, SAYING IF PEACE DOESN’T COME QUICKLY, WE WILL GO AFTER OTHER TARGETS WITH SPEED AND WITH SKILL. YOU BRING UP FORDO AND THAT WAS THE NUCLEAR LOCATION WHERE WE BELIEVE THOSE BUNKER BUSTER BOMBS WOULD BE USED. STEVE, JUST HELP EXPLAIN TO OUR AUDIENCE HOW DIFFICULT THAT WOULD BE. HOW DEEP BENEATH THE MOUNTAIN THERE THE NUCLEAR FACILITIES WERE ACTUALLY LOCATED, AND WHY ISRAEL HAD FOR SOME TIME NOW BEEN HOPING THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP AND THE US MILITARY WOULD BE PART OF THIS OPERATION TONIGHT. THEY NOW ARE. >> YEAH. DAVID, THESE BUNKER BUSTER BOMBS WERE ORIGINALLY DEVELOPED FOR THE NORTH KOREAN THREAT. YOU REMEMBER, WE’VE TALKED ABOUT WHAT GOES ON WITH WITH THE KIM REGIME AND HOW THEY’VE BURIED THEIR NUCLEAR FACILITIES AS WELL. SO THERE ARE ONLY TWO PLACES IN THE WORLD WHERE THIS WEAPON IS APPROPRIATE, NORTH KOREA AND IRAN. BECAUSE IT’S SO DEEPLY BURIED, YOU NEED A VERY HEAVY WEAPON. SO IT’S A 30,000 POUND WEAPON. ONLY 5,000 POUNDS OF THAT IS EXPLOSIVE. IT’S HARDENED CASE THAT’S DESIGNED TO PENETRATE. IT HAS A FUZE THAT CAN ACTUALLY COUNT FLOORS AS IT GOES THROUGH DOWN TO THESE BURIED TARGETS. SO THE ONLY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, OR THE ONLY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, AT LEAST IN THE FREE WORLD THAT HAS BOMBERS, IS THE UNITED STATES. THE ISRAELIS ONLY HAVE FIGHTERS, AND THEY DON’T HAVE ANYTHING THAT CAN CARRY A WEAPON OF THIS SIZE AND WEIGHT. SO IT REALLY WAS UP TO THE US WITH THIS VERY SPECIFIC WEAPON THAT’S ONLY CARRIED ON THE B-2 BOMBER TO TAKE DOWN THESE HARDENED DEEP TARGETS WITHIN FORDOW. >> AND OBVIOUSLY, THE REASON WHY WE THINK THEY THEY WERE USED TONIGHT WAS BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN WE HAVE HAD IT CONFIRMED THAT THE B-2 BOMBERS OBVIOUSLY MADE THAT TRIP OVER THE SKIES OF IRAN. AND STEVE, MARTHA HAD REPORTED EARLIER IN THE WEEK THAT THESE BUNKER BUSTERS HAVE BEEN TESTED BUT NEVER USED IN WAR. SO THIS WOULD BE A FIRST TONIGHT. >> IT WOULD. THEY’VE BEEN EXTENSIVELY TESTED, BUT NO WEAPONS EVER PERFECT. SO WE’LL SEE IF ALL OF THE WEAPONS THAT ARE DROPPED ACTUALLY WENT OFF. DAVID IS REALLY WELL PLAYED. DECEPTION PLAN BY THE WHITE HOUSE AND BY THE PENTAGON. THEY’VE BEEN PUTTING OUT THAT. OH, WE SEE B-2 BOMBERS TAKING OFF FROM MISSOURI AND THEY’RE HEADING TOWARDS GUAM. MEANWHILE, IT SEEMS THAT THE B-2 BOMBERS MAY HAVE COME THE OTHER WAY WHILE NOBODY WAS LOOKING AND CONDUCTED THESE STRIKES. SO AFTER THE VERY THE IRANIANS WERE DONE WITH THE LAST DISCUSSION WITH THE EUROPEANS, AND THEY SAID, WE’RE NOT REALLY INTERESTED IN FURTHER DISCUSSIONS, THE PRESIDENT OBVIOUSLY MADE A DECISION THAT THEY AREN’T GOING TO BE SERIOUS. AND UNTIL WE GO IN AND TAKE OUT THESE SITES, THAT THE THREAT WILL REMAIN AND THE ISRAELIS NEED OUR HELP. >> STEVE, LET’S TALK ABOUT THE IRANIAN AIRSPACE THAT THE U.S. MILITARY ENTERED TONIGHT, BECAUSE THE PRESIDENT IN RECENT DAYS SAID, WE CONTROL THE IRANIAN AIRSPACE. NOW, HE SAID, IN SO MANY WORDS, THE WORD WE WAS WHAT GOT SO MUCH ATTENTION. BUT IN THESE RECENT DAYS OF THE ISRAELI STRIKES ON IRAN TAKING OUT MILITARY ASSETS, BUT ALSO THEIR AIR DEFENSES, THAT ESSENTIALLY ISRAEL DID CONTROL THE AIRSPACE OVER IRAN, THIS WAS A MUCH DIFFERENT SITUATION TONIGHT, THAT THAT THE U.S. WAS ABLE TO FLY INTO THE SKIES OVER IRAN AND THE U.S, THE PENTAGON, THE WHITE HOUSE SURELY KNEW THAT THIS WAS A PERHAPS A WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY, UNLIKE WHAT HAS BEEN SEEN IN YEARS PRIOR. >> YEAH, DAVID, IF PEOPLE MAY SAY, WELL, WHY DO WE NEED A STEALTH BOMBER IF THERE’S NO AIR DEFENSES? SO THE B-2 IS VERY CAPABLE. YOU WOULD FLY IT INTO, SAY, A CHINA SCENARIO WHERE WHERE THEY WOULD BE LOOKING FOR YOU ON RADAR. IT WASN’T REALLY REQUIRED BECAUSE THE ISRAELI AIR FORCE OWNS THE SKIES OVER IRAN. THIS PART IS NOT THAT SURPRISING. YOU REMEMBER BACK IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR, DAVID, WHEN THE ISRAELIS STRUCK IRAN, WE KNEW THAT THEY TOOK OUT ALMOST ALL OF THEIR AIR DEFENSES. SO WE KNOW THAT FOR MONTHS, IRAN HAS BEEN ESSENTIALLY BLIND AND DEFENSELESS TO ANY ATTACKS FROM THE AIR. AND WE’VE SEEN THIS OVER THE PAST 8 OR 9 DAYS, WHERE THE ISRAELI AIR FORCE HAS OPERATED WITH IMPUNITY. WHAT’S REALLY SHOCKING AND IS EXTRAORDINARY IS THE HUMAN INTELLIGENCE THAT THE MOSSAD HAS BEEN ABLE TO DEVELOP. FINDING ALL THOSE SCIENTISTS, FINDING ALL THOSE SENIOR LEADERS, TAKING THEM OUT WITHIN THE FIRST FEW MINUTES OF THIS WAR. >> STEVE GANYARD WITH US HERE TONIGHT FOR OUR COVERAGE. STEVE, STICK WITH US HERE. WE’LL COME BACK TO YOU. I’M SURE. I WANT TO BRING IN MATT GUTMAN ALSO FOLLOWING OUR COVERAGE TONIGHT. AND MATT, AS YOU KNOW, BENJAMIN NETANYAHU IN CONTACT WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP ISRAEL TONIGHT SAYING THAT THEY WERE GIVEN A HEADS UP. WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE PRIME MINISTER HAS ADDRESSED THE ISRAELI PEOPLE. JUST A SHORT TIME AGO, THEY HAD BEEN HOPING NETANYAHU HAD BEEN HOPING THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP WOULD GIVE THE GO AHEAD FOR THE US TO HAVE DIRECT INVOLVEMENT IN IRAN. AND THAT’S WHAT’S PLAYED OUT HERE TONIGHT. >> THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT PLAYED OUT HERE. AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU HAS BEEN HOPING FOR, NOT JUST IN THE PAST TEN DAYS SINCE THIS CAMPAIGN BEGAN, BUT FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, HE HAS BEEN HOPING, PRAYING FOR A US PRESIDENT TO COME TO ITS AID BECAUSE ISRAEL COULD DO A LOT OF THE WORK. THEY HAVE ONE OF THE MOST CAPABLE FLEETS OF AIR FORCES IN THE MIDDLE EAST, POSSIBLY THE WORLD. BUT AS STEVE MENTIONED, THEY DO NOT HAVE BOMBERS. THEY HAVE FIGHTER BOMBERS. THEY CAN CARRY 2,000 POUND BOMBS, BUT NOTHING GREATER THAN THAT. SO THEY NEEDED WHATEVER BUNKER BUSTER CAPABILITY THE UNITED STATES HAS. THEY ALSO NEEDED REFUELING PLANES, RIGHT? THEY HAVE A COUPLE, BUT NOT THE AMOUNT THAT CAN HAVE ESSENTIALLY TO TRANSFER THEIR ENTIRE AIR FORCE FROM THE THEATER AROUND ISRAEL DIRECTLY OVER IRAN, WHICH IS 2000KM AWAY, ABOUT 1500 MILES OR SO, A LITTLE BIT LESS. A SOURCE TELLING ME ALSO THAT THE US AND ISRAEL HAD WAR GAMED THIS. THEY HAD PRACTICED THIS IN THE PAST YEAR. THAT HAPPENED INITIALLY DURING THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION. SO THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT JUST CAME OUT OF THE BLUE, A PLAN THAT WAS RECENTLY DEVISED. THEY HAVE ACTIVELY BEEN WORKING ON THIS IN A NOVEL WAY OVER THE PAST YEAR. THAT SOURCE ALSO TELLING ME THAT THEY ARE CONFIDENT THAT THE DAMAGE DONE IN FORDO SPECIFICALLY, BUT ALSO THE OTHER SITES IS, QUOTE, IRREVERSIBLE. NOW THEY ANTICIPATE THAT THERE WILL BE SOME SORT OF IRANIAN REACTION. THERE HAS TO BE SOME SORT OF RETALIATION. BUT IT IS THE ESTIMATION AMONG MANY IN THE ISRAELI DEFENSE AND MILITARY ESTABLISHMENT RIGHT NOW THAT IS GOING TO BE MEASURED AND CALCULATED BECAUSE THE IRANIAN REGIME, DAVID, WANTS TO STAY IN POWER. RIGHT NOW, THEY ARE FIGHTING FOR THEIR SURVIVAL. ONE MISCALCULATION WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP WITH, AS STEVE NOTED, THREE AIRCRAFT CARRIER GROUPS IN THE REGION COULD BE DEVASTATING FOR THEM. SO THE UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THEY’RE GOING TO DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO, HAVE SOME SORT OF RESPONSE AND TRY TO LIVE TO FIGHT ANOTHER DAY. DAVID. >> MATT GUTMAN WITH US HERE. MATT. THANK YOU. I WANT TO BRING IN OUR CHIEF FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT, IAN PANNELL WITH US HERE. MATT BRINGS UP THE POINT OF ANY POTENTIAL RETALIATION FROM IRAN. THE SUN NOW COMING UP THERE BEHIND YOU, IAN. FIRST OF ALL, THE STATE OF PLAY IN THE REGION AT THIS HOUR AFTER THE U.S. GOT INVOLVED DIRECTLY IN THE SKIES OVER IRAN, WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN, WHAT HAVE YOU HEARD, AND WHAT SHOULD VIEWERS HERE IN THE U.S. BE PREPARED FOR, POTENTIALLY, AS FAR AS THE WARNINGS OF RETALIATION FROM THE SUPREME LEADER AND FROM IRAN? >> YEAH, NOT JUST FROM IRAN, BUT, OF COURSE, FROM ITS PROXIES. WE’VE ALREADY HEARD FROM THE HOUTHI REBELS IN YEMEN THAT THEY WILL RESPOND. THEY HAD WARNED VERY CLEARLY. REMEMBER, THERE WAS AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE HOUTHI REBELS, WHO ARE BACKED BY IRAN AND THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT. IT WAS A UNILATERAL DEAL THAT DIDN’T INCLUDE THE ISRAELIS TO STOP TARGETING US SHIPS IN THE REGION. IT IS A KEY WATERWAY, 20% OF ALL OIL SUPPLIES IN THE WORLD GO THROUGH THAT REGION, THROUGH THE STRAITS OF HORMUZ, AND THAT IS AN OBVIOUS WEAPON AT THE DISPOSAL OF IRAN TO POTENTIALLY RESPOND. BUT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF TARGETS ACROSS THE REGION. YOU HAVE THOUSANDS OF US SOLDIERS STATIONED IN IRAQ. YOU HAVE PRO-IRANIAN MILITIAS THERE, THE POPULAR MOBILIZATION UNITS, YOU HAVE US SOLDIERS ALSO STATIONED INSIDE SYRIA. YOU HAVE OTHER US BASES LIKE BAHRAIN IN THE GULF. SO THERE ARE POTENTIAL MILITARY TARGETS. THERE ARE POTENTIAL CIVILIAN TARGETS. WE HAVE BEEN REPORTING WITH YOU THAT THE US MILITARY HAD BEEN EVACUATING US DIPLOMATS AND THEIR FAMILIES, CERTAINLY FROM HERE IN ISRAEL. WE KNOW THAT EVEN BEFORE ANY OF THIS BEGAN, THERE WAS A DOWNGRADING OF PRESENCE ACROSS US DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS AROUND THE REGION THAT MANY PEOPLE HAD LEFT, AND THEY ARE ON HIGH ALERT. THE US CONSULATE IS JUST DOWN THE ROAD HERE, AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT SECURITY DOWN THERE HAS BEEN STEPPED UP FOR FEAR THAT IF THE UNITED STATES JOINED THIS WAR, WHICH IT NOW HAS DONE WITH A WARNING FROM THE PRESIDENT, NOT THAT THIS WAS JUST AN ISOLATED ACT, BUT THAT IF TEHRAN DOES NOT CAPITULATE, DOES NOT COME TO THE TABLE, THEN THERE COULD BE FURTHER MILITARY ACTION. THEN THOSE ASSETS THAT IRAN AND ITS PROXIES COULD POTENTIALLY ATTACK THE US. NOW, UNDOUBTEDLY THE REGIME IS WEAKENED. WE WERE SPEAKING TO SENIOR IDF OFFICIAL WHO TOLD US THAT THEY FEEL THAT THEY HAVE NEUTRALIZED 50%, 50% OF ALL IRAN’S CAPACITY TO FIRE MISSILES. BUT THE ISRAELI HOME FRONT COMMAND JUST IN THE LAST FEW MINUTES, ISSUING A WARNING TO ALL ISRAELIS TO STAY CLOSE TO THEIR SHELTERS. DO NOT GO TO WORK. DO NOT GO TO SCHOOL, PREPARE FOR THE WORST. >> AND THEY HAD SLOWLY BEGUN TO ALLOW THE ECONOMY TO COME BACK, COMMUNITIES TO COME BACK ACROSS ISRAEL. AND AGAIN, AS YOU MENTIONED MOMENTS AGO, ISRAEL INFORMING THE PEOPLE OF THAT COUNTRY THAT THEY ARE ESSENTIALLY IN, IN THIS SORT OF EMERGENCY MOMENT, WAITING TO SEE WHAT THE REACTION COULD BE FROM IRAN. BUT IAN, YOU BRING UP AN EXCELLENT POINT THERE. IN ADDITION TO THE THOUSANDS OF AMERICAN TROOPS, OBVIOUSLY THROUGHOUT THE REGION, THAT EVERYONE BACK HERE AT HOME WANTS TO REMAIN VERY SAFE IN THESE TENSE MOMENTS, WAITING TO SEE IF THERE WILL BE ANY REACTION FROM IRAN OR ITS PROXIES. YOU BRING UP IRAN’S AIR DEFENSES, YOU BRING UP PROXIES, INCLUDING HEZBOLLAH, SIGNIFICANTLY WEAKENED. YOU TALK ABOUT 50%. WE’VE SEEN WHAT ISRAEL HAS DONE IN RECENT DAYS. WE SAW WHAT ISRAEL DID IN RESPONSE TO THE OCTOBER 7TH ATTACKS TO HEZBOLLAH, OF COURSE, NORTH OF THE BORDER IN ISRAEL SIGNIFICANTLY WEAKENED IRAN’S POSITIONING. AND THE QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO THEY HAVE LEFT AND WHAT WOULD THEY RISK KNOWING THOSE THREE CARRIERS, THOSE US CARRIERS ARE IN THE REGION. AND PRESIDENT TRUMP’S WARNING TONIGHT THAT IF PEACE DOESN’T COME QUICKLY, WE WILL ACT AND WE WILL ACT QUICKLY. >> YEAH, I THINK THE CALCULATION IS DIFFERENT UNDER PRESIDENT TRUMP THAN IT WAS UNDER PRESIDENT BIDEN. BUT EVEN UNDER PRESIDENT BIDEN, THEY THEY DEPLOYED MORE MILITARY RESOURCES TO THE REGION TO SUPPORT ISRAEL, FIRST OF ALL, IN ITS WAR WITH HAMAS AND THEN WITH HEZBOLLAH. IT’S BEEN ACTIVELY INVOLVED. THE US THIRD AIR DEFENSE SYSTEM HAS BEEN ACTIVELY DEPLOYED OUT AT SEA HERE AND ALSO AIR DEFENSES ON LAND TO TRY AND INTERCEPT THESE BALLISTIC MISSILES. NOW, 10 TO 15% HAVE MANAGED TO GET THROUGH. BUT I CAN TELL YOU, IT’S NOW BEEN MANY, MANY HOURS SINCE ANYTHING HAPPENED HERE. AND I THINK PEOPLE ARE WAITING TO SEE. BUT ALL OF THOSE PROXIES HAVE BEEN SEVERELY DEGRADED. I MEAN, SINCE OCTOBER THE 7TH, 2023, THE ENTIRE SHAPE OF THE MIDDLE EAST, IN PARTICULAR, ISRAEL’S ENEMIES AND BY EXTENSION, AMERICA’S ENEMIES HAVE BEEN WEAKENED. YOU’VE GOT HAMAS, YOU’VE GOT A CHANGE OF REGIME IN SYRIA. YOU’VE GOT HEZBOLLAH AND THE HOUTHI REBELS IN YEMEN. AND WE HAVEN’T EVEN TALKED ABOUT THE IRANIAN BACKED MILITIAS IN IRAQ. THEY WILL BE A MAJOR CONCERN FOR THE US ADMINISTRATION AND FOR THE ISRAELIS, BECAUSE THEY DO HAVE THE CAPACITY, AS WE’VE SEEN BEFORE, TO RESPOND TO US BASES IN THE REGION. WHEN GENERAL SOLEIMANI WAS ASSASSINATED BY THE US MILITARY, WE WERE IN IRAQ AT THE TIME AND WE SAW THAT ROCKETS WERE FIRED DIRECTLY FROM IRAN TOWARDS THOSE US BASES. SO ALL OF THAT IS VULNERABLE. AND THE WHOLE IDEA THAT THE REGIME IN IRAN IS JUST GOING TO PACK UP ITS BAGS AND SAY, FINE, THAT’S THE END OF THINGS I SUSPECT IS UNLIKELY AT THIS POINT. THEY WILL HAVE TO BE SEEN TO RESPOND. BUT THE THREAT FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP IS SERIOUS. IT WILL BE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR ACROSS THE REGION. >> AND THE OTHER QUESTION HERE TONIGHT, THE LEADERSHIP OF IRAN AND THE FUTURE OF THE SUPREME LEADER. >> YEAH, I MEAN, UNDOUBTEDLY THEY ARE WEAKENED NOW. IT’S AN AUTHORITARIAN REGIME. AND AS WE’VE SEEN ELSEWHERE, IT LIVES OR DIES ON ITS ABILITY TO PROJECT STRENGTH DOMESTICALLY. AND THAT HAS BEEN WEAKENED. IT DOESN’T CONTROL ITS OWN SKIES. AGAIN, A SENIOR ISRAELI OFFICIAL TALKING TO US JUST 24 HOURS AGO. >> IAN PANNELL LIVE FROM TEL AVIV. IAN, STAY WHERE YOU ARE. WE’RE GOING TO CONTINUE OUR ABC NEWS LIVE COVERAGE OF THE US DIRECTLY INVOLVED NOW IN IRAN. IMAGES FROM THE SITUATION ROOM. IN A MOMENT HERE OF THE PRESIDENT AND THE VICE PRESIDENT FROM THEIR MEETING A SHORT TIME AGO. I’LL BE RIGHT BACK. >> IMAGINE GOING FROM HIP HOP KINGPIN TO FACING THE POSSIBILITY OF LIFE IN PRISON FOR ALLEGED SEX TRAFFICKING. NOW, WITH A TRIAL UNDERWAY AND DIDDY’S LIFE HANGING IN THE BALANCE OF A NEW YORK JURY, WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT? INSIDE THAT COURTROOM? BAD RAP. THE CASE AGAINST DIDDY BREAKING DOWN EVERY NEW TWIST, TURN AND DEVELOPMENT INSIDE THE COURTROOM. LISTEN TO BREAKING NEWS ON DIDDY TRIAL WHEREVER YOU LISTEN TO PODCASTS. >> I WANTED LOVE BECAUSE I WAS LONELY, SO I WENT ONLINE. >> HE’S A HANDSOME MAN. HE WAS A VERY HANDSOME MAN. >> HE SAID TO ME, I LOVE YOU. >> AND I STARTED TO FALL IN LOVE WITH HIM. THEN SOMETHING CRAZY HAPPENED. >> I’VE BEEN SCAMMED. I HAD LOST EVERYTHING. >> I WAS ANGRY. I WANTED TO TRACK HIM DOWN. MAYBE WE COULD CATCH HIM. >> I HAVE SECRETS OF MY OWN. >> THE ORIGIN OF CALL HER DADDY WAS TO MAKE WOMEN FEEL LIBERATED. I KNOW WHAT THEY WANT BECAUSE I WANT IT TO. >> THANK YOU FOR SHARING. >> BECAUSE YOU GAVE ME THE. >> COURAGE TO SHARE TODAY. >> DON’T BE QUIET. SPEAK YOUR MIND. >> AMANDA RILEY WAS A MOTHER, WIFE. >> EVERYBODY LOVED HER. >> I HEARD THE WORDS. YOU HAVE STAGE THREE BLOOD CANCER. >> WE GAVE OUR HEARTS OUR PRAYERS. >> WE THOUGHT SHE WAS GOD’S GIFT, BUT SHE WAS A LIAR. >> WHY WOULD SOMEBODY FAKE CANCER? >> THERE’S ALL THESE PICTURES OF HER IN THE HOSPITAL WITH IVS, TUBING. IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME UNTIL AMANDA’S WHOLE WORLD CAME TUMBLING DOWN. >> OH MY GOD, AMANDA. >> ALL EPISODES NOW STREAMING ON HULU. >> IT IS NOW 1030 HERE IN THE EAST. 1030 EASTERN ON A SATURDAY NIGHT. THE PRESIDENT ADDRESSING THE NATION ABOUT 30 MINUTES AGO, TALKING TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ABOUT THE U.S. NOW DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN IRAN, THE U.S. MILITARY STRIKING THREE NUCLEAR SITES INSIDE IRAN THIS EVENING FORDOW, NATANZ AND ISFAHAN. AS YOU KNOW, FORDOW IS THE SITE THAT WE HAVE BEEN REPORTING ON AT LENGTH IN RECENT DAYS, GIVEN THE FACT THAT THAT NUCLEAR FACILITY IS DEEP BENEATH THE MOUNTAIN THERE. THE QUESTION WAS WHETHER OR NOT B-2 BOMBERS WOULD BE USED, AND WHETHER OR NOT THOSE B-2 BOMBERS WOULD DROP THOSE 30,000 POUND BUNKER BUSTER BOMBS. WE HAVE BEEN REPORTING ON THAT ALL WEEK LONG. TONIGHT, WE HAVE CONFIRMED THAT THE B-2 BOMBERS WERE IN FACT USED. THE PRESIDENT DID NOT MAKE CLEAR IN HIS ADDRESS TO THE NATION WHETHER OR NOT THE 30,000 POUND BOMBS HAD BEEN DROPPED. BUT IT’S BELIEVED THAT THEY WERE IN FACT, USED. HE SAID TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, THE PRESIDENT DID THAT. THE SITES HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY, TOTALLY OBLITERATED. HE SPOKE OF ISRAEL AS WELL THIS EVENING, SAYING, WE WORKED AS A TEAM IN THIS. AND HE SAID THE TRAGEDY FOR IRAN WILL BE FAR GREATER THAN WHAT WE’VE WITNESSED IN RECENT DAYS. IF THEY DO NOT BRING PEACE PEACE AND BRING PEA, SAYING THAT WE WILL GO AFTER OTHER TARGETS WITH SPEED AND WITH SKILL, AND YOU CAN SEE THE PRESIDENT THERE FOR THOSE OF US, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE JOINING US AT THE TOP OF THE HOUR, THE VICE PRESIDENT THERE TO HIS SIDE, MARCO RUBIO, THE SECRETARY OF STATE, ALSO NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER AT THIS POINT HOLDING TWO ROLES, AND DEFENSE SECRETARY PETE HEGSETH THERE WITH HIM AS WELL. THE IMAGES FROM THE SITUATION ROOM THAT THEY HAVE RELEASED HERE TONIGHT SHOW THEM HUDDLED IN THE SITUATION ROOM. THIS IS THE AT LEAST THE FOURTH TIME THIS WEEK THAT WE HAVE LEARNED THAT THE TEAM HAD BEEN GATHERED IN THE SITUATION ROOM. OBVIOUSLY SEE THE PRESIDENT THERE, THE VICE PRESIDENT MOMENTS AGO THERE AT HIS SIDE, YOU CAN SEE SIOUXSIE WILES, THEIR CHIEF OF STAFF, AND OTHERS GATHERED IN THE SITUATION ROOM HERE THIS EVENING AS THE MISSION WAS PLAYING OUT. THE PRESIDENT A SHORT TIME THEREAFTER, POSTING ONLINE AND ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT THIS HAD BEEN A SUCCESS. IN FACT, TELLING THE NATION WHAT HAD PLAYED OUT, APPLAUDING THE U.S. TROOPS AND SIGNALING TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE THAT THEY WERE NO LONGER IN IRANIAN AIRSPACE, THAT THEY WERE NOW ON THEIR WAY HOME. HE TOLD THE AMERICAN PEOPLE IN THAT SOCIAL MEDIA POST. WE HAVE COMPLETED OUR VERY SUCCESSFUL ATTACK ON THREE NUCLEAR SITES IN IRAN, INCLUDING FORDOW, NATANZ AND ISFAHAN. ALL PLANES NOW OUTSIDE OF IRAN AIRSPACE. A FULL PAYLOAD OF BOMBS WAS DROPPED ON THE PRIMARY SITE, FORDOW. AND AGAIN, WHAT WILL BE REPORTING OUT IN THE HOURS TO COME IS WHETHER OR NOT THOSE WERE THE 30,000 POUND BOMBS THAT THEY, THE U.S. MILITARY, HAS TESTED SIGNIFICANTLY BUT NEVER ACTUALLY USED IN WAR. ALL PLANES, THE PRESIDENT SAID NOW SAFELY ON THEIR WAY HOME. AND HE WENT ON TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR GREAT AMERICAN WARRIORS. THERE’S ANOTHER MILITARY IN THE WORLD, HE SAID, THAT COULD HAVE DONE THIS AGAIN. THIS IS WHAT HE URGED LIVE BEFORE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AS WELL, HE SAID NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE WHEN IT COMES TO IRAN. AND AGAIN, THE WARNING THAT CAME FROM THE PRESIDENT JUST A SHORT TIME AGO AND ADDRESSING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND THE WORLD, KNOWING THAT IRAN WATCHING AS WELL, HE SAID TO THE IRANIAN LEADERSHIP, IF PEACE DOES NOT COME QUICKLY, WE WILL GO AFTER OTHER TARGETS WITH SPEED AND SKILL. I WANT TO BRING BACK IN OUR CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, MARY BRUCE. MARY, HAVE YOU HEARD ANYTHING FROM THE WHITE HOUSE YET? AND OF COURSE, YOU HEARD ME TALK TO IAN ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE SUPREME LEADER. PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS ASKED ABOUT THE SUPREME LEADER IN RECENT DAYS. HE SAID, I KNOW WHERE HE IS. WE HAVE INTELLIGENCE ON HIM, INSINUATED IN MANY WAYS THAT IT WOULD BE A SOMEWHAT EASY TARGET, BUT SAID IT WAS NOT A TARGET HE INTENDED TO GO AFTER. AT LEAST NOT NOW. >> THE PRESIDENT IN THAT POST ESSENTIALLY THREATENING THE SUPREME LEADER, SAYING HE’S NOT GOING TO GO AFTER HIM YET, NOT GOING TO KILL HIM YET, BUT MAKING IT CLEAR THAT THAT THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT SEEMS TO BE ON THE TABLE. IRAN, OF COURSE, WE KNOW, HAS THREATENED A SEVERE RESPONSE IF THE U.S. WERE TO GET MORE INVOLVED, AS THEY NOW HAVE, OF COURSE, AN INTERESTING THAT THE PRESIDENT TONIGHT, IN HIS VERY BRIEF REMARKS, JUST ABOUT FOUR FOUR MINUTES, I BELIEVE, MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT HE WAS WORKING IN CLOSE COORDINATION WITH THE ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER, BENJAMIN NETANYAHU. I’M TOLD THAT THE U.S. GAVE ISRAEL A HEADS UP BEFORE THESE STRIKES TONIGHT. WE KNOW THAT THE PRESIDENT ALSO SPOKE WITH HIM AFTER THE STRIKES. AND, OF COURSE, SEEING THOSE IMAGES OF THE PRESIDENT WORKING CLOSELY WITH HIS TEAM, THEY HAVE MET EVERY SINGLE DAY THIS WEEK FOR MEETINGS IN THE SITUATION ROOM, AS YOU MENTIONED, HERE AT THE WHITE HOUSE, ACTUALLY ONE OF THE FIRST INDICATIONS OF WHAT WAS GOING ON HERE TONIGHT, WE SAW MARCO RUBIO, SOME OF THE OTHER OFFICIALS WHO WERE IN THE SITUATION ROOM OUT HERE ON THE DRIVEWAY, YOU KNOW, MAKING WHAT APPEARED TO BE SOME URGENT PHONE CALLS AND THE PRESIDENT SAYING THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE HEARING DIRECTLY FROM SECRETARY HEGSETH AND OTHER MILITARY LEADERS TOMORROW MORNING IN A RARE SUNDAY MORNING PRESS CONFERENCE, THE QUESTION IS, WHAT COMES NEXT? AND AS YOU NOTED, OF COURSE, THE PRESIDENT ISN’T RULING OUT FUTURE ATTACKS. THE PRESIDENT MAKING CLEAR THAT THERE ARE MANY TARGETS LEFT, THAT HE WILL NOT HESITATE TO ACT WITH PRECISION, SPEED AND SKILL. IT IS NOT CLEAR WHERE THIS ENDS. AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW WHAT THE ULTIMATE IMPACT IS OF THESE STRIKES ON IRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM. IT’S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT THE PRESIDENT FOR SO LONG HAS URGED AND PUSHED FOR TALKS, EVEN IN RECENT DAYS, HOPEFUL THAT THE U.S. COULD SOMEHOW GET IRAN BACK TO THE NEGOTIATING TABLE. BECAUSE WITHOUT A DEAL, IT’S NOT CLEAR. YOU MAY YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY IT WOULD BE A HUGE SETBACK TO IRAN’S NUCLEAR AMBITIONS. BUT HOW LONG WILL THIS LAST? HOW BIG WILL THAT SETBACK BE? THESE ARE ALL QUESTIONS AND THINGS THAT WE NEED TO UNPACK. DAVID. >> YEAH. RIGHT NOW WE’RE IN A WINDOW OF UNCERTAINTY FOR SURE. AND OF COURSE, IRAN HAD SAID EARLIER THIS WEEK, MARY, THAT THERE WOULD BE RETALIATION IF THE U.S. DID DIRECTLY GET INVOLVED, WHICH HAS PLAYED OUT HERE TONIGHT. I WANTED TO ASK YOU, I KNOW THAT THERE HAS BEEN REACTION OVER ON CAPITOL HILL, LAWMAKERS APPLAUDING THE PRESIDENT, REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS, THOUGH THERE HAS BEEN SOME DIVISION WITHIN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IN THE BUILD UP TO THIS MOMENT. AND AS YOU KNOW, YOU COVERED THE PRESIDENT OUT ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL AS WELL LEADING UP TO THE ELECTION THAT HE CAMPAIGNED OFTEN ON STAYING OUT OF COSTLY FOREIGN CONFLICTS, AWAY FROM AMERICAN INTERVENTIONISM, PROMISING TO STAY OUT OF THE MIDDLE EAST. HE ALSO, AT THE SAME TIME PROMISED THAT IRAN WOULD NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. HE’S NOW INVOLVED TONIGHT WITH IRAN. AND AGAIN, THE QUESTION NOW, THE UNCERTAINTY NOW IS WHETHER AND IF IRAN WILL RESPOND IN ANY SORT OF SIGNIFICANT WAY. >> YEAH, IN MANY WAYS, DAVID, THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS HOPING TO AVOID. HE PROMISED ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL NO MORE WARS THAT HE WAS NOT GOING TO DRAG AMERICA INTO ANOTHER LENGTHY CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLE EAST. IN FACT, DAVID, JUST LAST MONTH, I WAS WITH THE PRESIDENT IN THE MIDDLE EAST AT THE LARGEST U.S. MILITARY AIRBASE IN QATAR. THE PRESIDENT AGAIN THERE, SAYING THAT HIS PRIORITY WAS TO END CONFLICTS AND NOT START THEM. BUT IN THAT SAME SPEECH, SPEAKING TO THOUSANDS OF AMERICAN TROOPS, HE ALSO SAID, YOU KNOW, IF AMERICA IS THREATENED, THAT HE WILL RESPOND WITH OVERWHELMING AND DEVASTATING STRENGTH AND FORCE. SO, YES, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE PRESIDENT PROMISED HE WOULD NOT DO. BUT AS YOU NOTED, HE ALSO LONG PROMISED THAT THAT IRAN WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO GET A NUCLEAR WEAPON. AND HE HAS MADE CLEAR IN RECENT DAYS THAT HE FEELS THAT THEY WERE VERY CLOSE TO HAVING ONE. BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT AS HE MADE THIS DECISION ABOUT HOW HE WAS GOING TO RESPOND, WAS HE GOING TO TAKE THE ACTION THAT HE HAS TAKEN TONIGHT? HE WAS WELL AWARE OF THE DEEP DIVISIONS WITHIN HIS OWN PARTY, WHICH WE REALLY HAVE SEEN PLAY OUT VERY PUBLICLY THIS WEEK. I’M THINKING OF THAT SPARRING BETWEEN SENATOR TED CRUZ AND TUCKER CARLSON THAT SO CRYSTALLIZED THE DIVISION, SO MANY OF THE PRESIDENT’S SUPPORTERS URGING HIM TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON THOSE PROMISES, NOT TO GET INVOLVED IN FURTHER CONFLICT. OTHERS IN THE PARTY, OF COURSE, URGING HIM TO NOT HOLD OUT FOR NEGOTIATIONS, BUT TO GO AHEAD AND STRIKE. >> MARY BRUCE AT THE WHITE HOUSE. MARY, OUR THANKS TO YOU, I WANT TO BRING IN OUR CHIEF WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT, JONATHAN KARL. JOHN, WE SPOKE LAST HOUR. I KNOW THAT YOU TALKED WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP EVEN BEFORE HE ADDRESSED THE NATION TONIGHT. WE WERE BOTH SOMEWHAT STRUCK BY THE FACT THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO GET HIM ON THE PHONE, WHICH SIGNALED THAT HE WAS VERY PLEASED WITH WHAT HE SAW PLAY OUT TONIGHT, THOUGH, THE PRESIDENT OBVIOUSLY VERY CLEAR, JOHN, THAT THIS WINDOW NOW, THIS, THIS NEW UNCERTAINTY THAT EXISTS, THIS NEW CHAPTER THAT WE’RE IN, THE POTENTIAL FOR ANY SORT OF RESPONSE FROM IRAN OR ITS PROXIES ACROSS THE REGION. AND YOU CAN SEE THAT ACTUALLY, IN PRESIDENT TRUMP’S SOCIAL MEDIA POST JUST A SHORT TIME AGO, WARNING ONCE AGAIN AGAINST ANY KIND OF RETALIATION. >> YEAH. ECHOING WHAT HE SAID IN HIS SPEECH TO THE NATION, SAYING ANY RETALIATION BY IRAN AGAINST THE UNITED STATES WILL BE MET WITH A FORCE FAR GREATER THAN WHAT WAS WITNESSED TONIGHT, VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT HE TOLD THE NATION, ECHOING THE POINTING TO THE FACT THAT THIS IS A MOMENT OF TREMENDOUS UNCERTAINTY, WILL WHAT THE UNITED STATES DID TONIGHT THE MOST CONSEQUENTIAL DECISION DONALD TRUMP HAS EVER MADE? WILL IT LEAD TO A SERIES OF COUNTERMEASURES BY THE IRANIAN REGIME AND ITS PROXIES AND ITS ALLIES IN THE REGION, ATTACKS ON THE UNITED STATES, OR WILL IT LEAD TO REGIME CHANGE IN IRAN? WILL IT LEAD ULTIMATELY TO THE COLLAPSE OF THE REVOLUTIONARY GOVERNMENT THAT HAS LED IRAN AS AN ADVERSARY, A FIERCE ADVERSARY OF THE UNITED STATES, FOR SOME 47 YEARS, 46 YEARS? SO, DAVID, WHAT HE’S SIGNALING IS, IF IT HAPPENS, IF THE FIRST SCENARIO HAPPENS IN IRAN, STRIKES OUT AT THE UNITED STATES IN RETALIATION, SOMETHING THAT IRAN HAS VOWED TO DO, THAT DONALD TRUMP IS PREPARED TO ESCALATE THIS. SO WHERE ARE WE IN TERMS OF HIS PROMISES OF ENDING FOREVER WARS UNDER ONE SCENARIO? THIS IS A BEGINNING, NOT AN END TO OUR CONFLICT WITH IRAN. >> IT CERTAINLY HAS RESHAPED THE MIDDLE EAST AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, YOU KNOW, IN THE WEEKS AND MONTHS FROM NOW, OBVIOUSLY, WE CANNOT SAY AT THIS POINT, THOUGH, A SIGNIFICANT MOVE TONIGHT ON THE PART OF THE U.S. MILITARY AT THE INSTRUCTION OF THE PRESIDENT TO STRIKE THREE MAJOR NUCLEAR FACILITIES INSIDE IRAN. AND AGAIN, OF COURSE, FORDOW IS THE ONE MANY OF OUR VIEWERS ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE MOST REPORTING ON IT BECAUSE IT’S DEEP UNDERGROUND. JOHN, STICK WITH US AGAIN, JOHN. SPEAKING TO PRESIDENT TRUMP BEFORE HE ADDRESSED THE NATION, THE PRESIDENT EXPRESSING TO JOHN THAT HE WAS A VERY PLEASED WITH WHAT HE SAW, PLAYED OUT, SAID IT WAS TREMENDOUS SUCCESS. AND THEN ADDRESSING THE NATION, 10 P.M. EASTERN, SPEAKING OF THESE THREE FACILITIES, I DO WANT TO BRING IN MARTHA RADDATZ BACK WITH US THIS HALF HOUR. AND, MARTHA, THE QUESTION GOING INTO TONIGHT AND THIS OPERATION, HE SAID THERE WAS A TWO WEEK TIMELINE. IT TURNED OUT TO BE TWO DAYS. OF COURSE, WE’LL REPORT THIS OUT WHETHER OR NOT THAT WAS PART OF THE STRATEGY HERE. THE QUESTION WAS B-2 BOMBERS, WOULD THEY BE USED? WE KNOW THEY WERE. WE KNOW THEY FLEW ALL THE WAY HALFWAY AROUND THE WORLD TO GET TO THE IRANIAN AIRSPACE. AND WE PRESUME THAT THEY DID USE THOSE 30,000 POUND BOMBS. THEY WOULD HAVE TO REACH DEEP BENEATH THAT MOUNTAIN THERE IN IRAN. >> THAT’S EXACTLY RIGHT, DAVID. THEY WOULD ALMOST HAVE TO ABUSE THOSE MASSIVE ORDNANCE PENETRATORS THAT CAN GO SO DEEPLY INTO THAT MOUNTAINSIDE. THAT’S WHAT ISRAEL WAS WAITING FOR. THAT’S WHAT ISRAEL WANTED TO GO OVER FORDO, BECAUSE IT REALLY, TRULY IS THE ONLY BOMB THAT COULD PENETRATE THAT DEEPLY. I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WILL HAVE TO BE CHECKED CLEARLY IS THAT THE PRESIDENT CLEARLY SAID THIS WAS A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS. THEY DESTROYED IT. WHETHER THEY CAN GET PEOPLE ON THE GROUND TO SEE IF IT IS COMPLETELY DESTROYED BECAUSE AN UNDERGROUND FACILITY CAN’T REALLY TELL, ALTHOUGH THEY CERTAINLY HAVE WAYS TO FIND OUT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. BUT I THINK ONE THING TONIGHT, DAVID, THAT WE REALLY DO HAVE TO SAY, IT IS CLEAR THE U.S. IS NOW AT WAR WITH IRAN. IT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT ALL EVENING, THAT THIS IS WHAT THE PRESIDENT WANTED TO AVOID. BUT WE ARE NOW THERE. AND AS WE BRACE FOR POSSIBLE RETALIATION, CERTAINLY IRAN HAS SUFFERED GREAT LOSS, BUT THEY ARE PERFECTLY CAPABLE OF GOING AFTER U.S. TROOPS. AND THERE ARE 40,000 OF THEM IN THE REGION. DAVID. >> IT’S A VERY IMPORTANT POINT. MARTHA. MARTHA, THANK YOU. AND AGAIN, MARTHA, UNDERSCORING THE FACT THAT WE ARE AS A NATION, THE U.S. IS NOW AT WAR WITH IRAN. TONIGHT, THE PRESIDENT WARNING AGAIN ON SOCIAL MEDIA MOMENTS AGO WHAT HE SAID AT THE TOP OF THE HOUR, AND HIS ADDRESS TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WARNING AGAINST RETALIATION FROM IRAN, SAYING THERE WOULD BE EVEN GREATER FORCE, GREATER SPEED FROM THE U.S. IF IRAN OR ITS PROXIES RETALIATE IN ANY SORT OF WAY. I WANT TO GET RIGHT BACK TO OUR CHIEF FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT, IAN PANNELL, WHO HAS BEEN LIVE ON THE GROUND IN TEL AVIV FOR US MANY NIGHTS IN A ROW NOW HERE. AND IAN, FOR FOLKS WHO ARE WATCHING BACK HERE IN THE U.S, WHAT PARTICULAR THREAT DO THE AMERICAN FORCES THAT MARTHA JUST SPOKE OF, THE TENS OF THOUSANDS WHO ARE SPREAD THROUGHOUT THAT REGION? WHAT KIND OF THREAT DO THEY FACE? YOU AND I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT HOW THE AIR DEFENSES IN IRAN HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY WIPED OUT, PERHAPS 50% OR MORE, BY THE ACTION TAKEN BY ISRAEL IN RECENT DAYS. BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN THAT THERE AREN’T WAYS FOR IRAN AND ITS PROXIES TO RETALIATE. >> YEAH, AND THAT HAS BEEN IN MANY SENSES, THE SPECIALTY OF IRAN. IT HAS CONTRACTED OUT ITS OFFENSIVE OPERATIONS. IT’S KNOWN AS THE WORLD’S NUMBER ONE SPONSOR OF TERRORISM. THAT’S A PHRASE THAT WE’VE HEARD REPEATEDLY THAT THE HOUTHI REBELS IN YEMEN, HEZBOLLAH IN LEBANON, HAMAS ARE ALSO IN GAZA, BUT ALSO OTHER GROUPS. IT HAS BEEN GUILTY OF MALIGN ACTIVITIES. AND YOU HAVE A HEAVY US MILITARY PRESENCE THROUGHOUT THE REGION, IN IRAQ, IN SYRIA, IN BAHRAIN AND ELSEWHERE, YOU HAVE HEAVY DIPLOMATIC PRESENCE. WE’VE SEEN DIPLOMATS BEING EVACUATED FROM HERE, ALONG WITH THEIR FAMILIES AND DIPLOMATIC PRESENCE ELSEWHERE IN THE REGION REDUCED. WE WERE REPORTING ON WORLD NEWS JUST JUST 24 HOURS OR SO AGO ABOUT PEOPLE TRYING TO AMERICAN CITIZENS TRYING TO LEAVE IRAN, SOME REPORTEDLY EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTIES DOING THAT. SO THE US WILL BE HIGHLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR RETALIATORY STRIKES. NOW, AS YOU SAY, WHAT IS IRAN’S CAPACITY? ISRAELI OFFICIALS TELLING ME THAT THEY BELIEVE THAT THEY HAVE NEUTRALIZED, THAT WAS THEIR PHRASE, NEUTRALIZE 50% OF IRAN’S ABILITY TO FIRE MISSILES, NOT NECESSARILY THE MISSILES THEMSELVES, BUT THE LAUNCH SYSTEMS. THEY SAY THERE’S A BOTTLENECK. IN OTHER WORDS, IT HAS PLENTY OF MISSILES, ITS CAPACITY TO LAUNCH THEM. BUT WHEN ISRAEL SAID THAT IT CONTROLLED THE SKIES, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE ON THE GROUND IS THERE ARE ISRAELI DRONES CONSTANTLY OVER TEHRAN, SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN UNTHINKABLE JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, ESPECIALLY TO THE AYATOLLAH AND IRAN’S CAPACITY TO GATHER INTELLIGENCE, TO RESPOND, TO ACT WITHOUT INTERCEPTION HAS BEEN SEVERELY DIMINISHED. ITS KEY ALLIES, RUSSIA AND CHINA, ARE STANDING TO ONE SIDE. THEY HAVE NO APPETITE TO GET INVOLVED IN THIS. I MEAN, CONVERSELY, RUSSIA HAS BENEFITED BECAUSE THE PRICE OF ITS OWN ENERGY SUPPLIES HAS SKYROCKETED. BUT THERE ARE CONCERNS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE OIL SUPPLIES THAT COME OUT OF IRAN’S 20%, 20% OF THE WORLD’S OIL SUPPLIES GO THROUGH THE STRAITS OF HORMUZ. WE SAW PREVIOUSLY THAT THE HOUTHI REBELS INSIDE YEMEN WERE CAPABLE OF STRIKING US CARRIERS, AS WELL AS OTHER INTERNATIONAL CARRIERS. THAT IS A GROUP SPECIFICALLY THAT I THINK WE SHOULD BE WATCHING THAT WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON OIL PRICES. THE US DOESN’T DEPEND ON OIL FROM THAT REGION, IN THE SAME WAY THAT THE EUROPEANS AND THE CHINESE DO, FOR SURE, BUT IT WILL HAVE A POTENTIAL KNOCK ON EFFECT. SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF WAYS THAT IRAN COULD RETALIATE. BUT THE PRESIDENT WAS VERY CLEAR. WE SHOULDN’T LOSE TRACK OF THAT, THAT IF IRAN DIDN’T ACQUIESCE, THAT IF IT DIDN’T SIGN UP TO SOME KIND OF PEACE PROCESS, THERE WOULD BE FURTHER ACTION. >> IAN, YOU AND I BOTH KNOW THAT THE PRESIDENT CERTAINLY HAS NOT TALKED ABOUT A REGIME CHANGE IN ANY SORT OF WAY, AND CERTAINLY DIDN’T TONIGHT IN ADDRESSING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, INSTEAD, OBVIOUSLY TALKING ABOUT THE DESIRE TO. AND HE SAID THEY WERE COMPLETELY, TOTALLY OBLITERATED WHEN HE TALKED ABOUT FORDOW, NATANZ AND ISFAHAN, THESE THREE NUCLEAR SITES IN IRAN. BUT YOU CAN’T HELP BUT TO THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE CURRENT LEADERSHIP OF IRAN, AND IN PARTICULAR, THE SUPREME LEADER WHO THE PRESIDENT HAS TALKED ABOUT IN RECENT DAYS. OBVIOUSLY TOO EARLY TO KNOW, BUT IT WOULD SEEM THE FUTURE FOR THAT SUPREME LEADER IS SOMEWHAT IN QUESTION. >> EXACTLY. AND WE’VE HEARD AGAIN REPEATEDLY FROM THE ISRAELIS. I MEAN, CERTAINLY WHEN THERE WAS THAT VERY HEAVY STRIKE HERE, WHEN THAT HOSPITAL WAS HIT, WE HAD THE ISRAELI DEFENSE MINISTER DIRECTLY BLAMING AND THREATENING THE IRANIAN SUPREME LEADER, SUGGESTING THAT HE WOULD BE A VALID TARGET. PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU AND THE ISRAELI PRESIDENT, WHO I SPOKE TO, ALSO SAID THAT HE WAS A KEY PART OF THE PROBLEM. BUT AGAIN, AN ISRAELI MILITARY OFFICIAL TALKING TO ME ON BACKGROUND WAS ADAMANT THAT THAT WASN’T PART OF THE AGENDA. HOWEVER, WHEN YOU WEAKEN AN AUTHORITARIAN REGIME LIKE THAT, WHEN YOU FORCE SOMEONE LIKE AYATOLLAH ALI KHAMENEI UNDERGROUND, WHO HAS NOT BEEN SEEN IN PUBLIC APART FROM ONCE OR TWICE, THAT RAISES QUESTIONS IN PEOPLE’S MINDS. THE REGIME LIVES AND DIES ON ITS ABILITY TO PROJECT STRENGTH AND ACTUAL PHYSICAL COERCIVE FORCE ON THE GROUND, AND THAT HAS BEEN DIMINISHED. IT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED TO US THAT THE ISRAELIS, AS WELL AS GOING AFTER MILITARY TARGETS, COULD GO AFTER STATE SECURITY TARGETS. IF THOSE FORCES ARE NO LONGER POWERFUL, THEN IT MAY WELL LEAD TO FURTHER ACTION. CERTAINLY IRANIAN PERSIAN FRIENDS THAT I KNOW BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE WILL RESPOND ON THE GROUND. IT’S EARLY DAYS. WE’RE NOT SEEING IT YET, BUT THE CAPACITY FOR SELF-GENERATED CHANGE HAS NOW JUST GONE UP DRAMATICALLY. >> OKAY. SO IAN PANNELL, YOU BRING UP THE VERY IMPORTANT POINT OF THE POTENTIAL WAYS IN WHICH IRAN COULD REACT ACROSS THE REGION THERE. IAN PANNELL TREMENDOUS REPORTING ALL WEEK LONG, AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR COVERAGE WITH US HERE ON A SATURDAY NIGHT. STICK WITH US. I WANT TO BRING IN PIERRE THOMAS, OUR CHIEF JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT, BACK STATESIDE COVERING THE DOMESTIC THREAT. OF COURSE, PEOPLE WATCHING US HERE IN A SATURDAY NIGHT. PIERRE, WANT TO KNOW WHAT IS IRAN’S CAPABILITY NOT ONLY TO REACT OVERSEAS THROUGHOUT THE REGION, WITH THOUSANDS OF U.S. MILITARY STATIONED ACROSS THE REGION, BUT ALSO HERE IN THE U.S, WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE LONE WOLVES. THERE ARE ACTORS THAT CERTAINLY IRAN WOULD HOPE WOULD WANT TO REACT IN SOME SORT OF WAY TO THE U.S. ACTION WE’VE WITNESSED TONIGHT. WHAT ARE U.S. AUTHORITIES HERE IN THE HOMELAND PREPARED FOR, POTENTIALLY, AND WHAT HAVE THEY SAID? >> WELL, DAVID, ONE OF THE THINGS THEY’RE MOST CONCERNED ABOUT IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE WOULD BE THE POTENTIAL FOR CYBER ATTACKS. IRAN AND ITS PROXIES HAVE SHOWN SOME CAPABILITIES TO PROJECT FROM THOUSANDS OF MILES AWAY. THAT’S AN IMMEDIATE THREAT. DHS ACTUALLY PUT OUT A NOTICE JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, AFTER THE ISRAEL STARTED TO ATTACK IRAN, WARNING THE U.S. INFRASTRUCTURE. THAT’S THE ELECTRICAL GRID, ENERGY SECTOR, FINANCIAL SECTOR, TO DOUBLE CHECK THEIR COMPUTER SYSTEMS, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE PROPER DEFENSE MECHANISMS, MECHANISMS. SO THAT’S A CONCERN. THERE’S OBVIOUSLY ALWAYS BEEN CONCERN ABOUT THE ABILITY OF IRAQ, IRAN, EXCUSE ME, TO PROJECT INSIDE THE UNITED STATES. DO THEY HAVE OPERATIVES HERE? THE U.S. GOVERNMENT HAS MADE A NUMBER OF CASES INVOLVING IRANIAN OPERATIVES IN THE UNITED STATES ATTEMPTING TO IMPACT DISSIDENTS HERE, THAT SORT OF THING. ALSO, THERE WOULD BE CONCERN ABOUT JUST A GENERAL REACTION TO THE NOTION OF THE US GOVERNMENT, THE US MILITARY TAKING A MILITARY STRIKE TO THE HOMELAND OF IRAN. SO OFFICIALS HERE WILL BE LOOKING AT THAT KIND OF THING AS WELL. DAVID. >> PIERRE THOMAS, WITH US ON THE POTENTIAL THREAT HERE AT HOME AS WELL. AND OF COURSE, YOU SAY, PIERRE, THAT WHAT AUTHORITIES WITHIN THE ADMINISTRATION ARE MOST CONCERNED ABOUT AT THIS POINT AND AT THIS POINT, WE POINT OUT IT’S VERY EARLY IN THIS SORT OF NEW CHAPTER. WE’RE IN POTENTIAL WINDOW OF TIME HERE WHERE THERE COULD BE ANY KIND OF REACTION, RETALIATION FROM IRAN OR ITS PROXIES MOST CONCERNED ABOUT A POTENTIAL CYBER ATTACK. AS PIERRE SAID, THOUGH, THERE COULD BE OTHER OPERATIVES THAT THE U.S. IS KEEPING ITS EYE ON AS WELL. I WANT TO BRING IN RACHEL SCOTT, OUR SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT, AND RACHEL OBVIOUSLY COVERS THE WHITE HOUSE, CAPITOL HILL. SHE COVERED PRESIDENT TRUMP AS A CANDIDATE. AND, RACHEL, YOU HEARD MARY AND I TALKING ABOUT THIS NOTION EARLIER THAT THIS IS A PRESIDENT, OBVIOUSLY, WHO HAS CAMPAIGNED NOT JUST IN THIS CAMPAIGN WHEN HE WAS ELECTED BACK TO THE WHITE HOUSE, BUT IN THE CAMPAIGN LEADING TO HIS ELECTION IN 2016. ON CAMPAIGNING AGAINST AMERICAN INTERVENTIONISM, AGAINST AMERICAN, ANY KIND OF A ROLE FOR THE U.S. AND U.S. MILITARY IN THE MIDDLE EAST, ANY KIND OF INCREASED ROLE IN THESE COSTLY, DANGEROUS CONFLICTS, HIS SUPPORTERS WILL SAY THAT’S THAT’S NOT IN CONFLICT WITH WHAT HE HAS ALSO SAID ABOUT NUCLEAR NUCLEAR WAR, AND THAT IRAN SHOULD NEVER GET ITS HANDS ON A NUCLEAR WEAPON. AND THAT’S THE CASE HE’S TRYING TO MAKE IN THESE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS LEADING UP TO THIS ACTION THAT HE AUTHORIZED TONIGHT. >> YEAH. HIS SUPPORTERS DEFINITELY. DAVID, WILL SAY BOTH THINGS CAN BE TRUE HERE, THAT THE PRESIDENT CAN BE ADAMANT THAT IRAN CAN NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON, BUT ALSO AT THE SAME TIME, CAN STILL WANT TO BE A UNIFIER, A PEACEMAKER. YOU HEARD THOSE CALLS FROM FOR PEACE AGAIN TODAY, COMING FROM THE PRESIDENT AS HE ADDRESSED THE NATION AGAIN TONIGHT. BUT THERE IS NO DOUBT THIS HAS CREATED A DIVIDE WITHIN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY. EVEN LEADING UP TO THIS, AS WE WERE REPORTING THAT THE PRESIDENT WAS WARMING UP TO THE IDEA OF U.S. INVOLVEMENT OF POSSIBLY STRIKING IRAN, WE HEARD FROM A NUMBER OF REPUBLICANS WHO DID NOT WANT THE PRESIDENT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS, WHO EXPRESSED CONCERN AND FRUSTRATION ABOUT THE U.S. BEING INVOLVED, PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF THAT CAMPAIGN PROMISE THAT THE PRESIDENT MADE, THAT HE WAS GOING TO BE A UNIFIER, THAT HE WAS GOING TO BE A PEACEMAKER, THAT HE WAS GOING TO WITHDRAW THE UNITED STATES FROM THESE ONGOING FOREIGN CONFLICTS. THIS, OF COURSE, DIRECTLY GOES AGAINST THAT. IT’S AT ODDS WITH THAT. AT THE SAME TIME, DAVID, I WILL TELL YOU THAT SPEAKING TO MY SOURCES AND REPUBLICAN MEMBERS ON CAPITOL HILL, THE PRESIDENT RECEIVED NUMEROUS CALLS FROM REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS, EVEN FROM SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM, WHO WAS URGING THE PRESIDENT TO GET DIRECTLY INVOLVED. HE WANTED TO SEE THE UNITED STATES JOIN ISRAEL’S EFFORT IN THIS. AND OBVIOUSLY, THE PRESIDENT ALSO, I’M TOLD, GETTING A LOT OF PRESSURE DIRECTLY FROM ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU AS WELL. WE’VE ALSO BEEN WORKING THE PHONES. DAVID, WE ARE LEARNING TONIGHT THAT SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON AND ALSO SENATE MAJORITY LEADER JOHN THUNE WERE IN FACT, NOTIFIED THAT THE U.S. WAS GOING TO BE CARRYING OUT THESE STRIKES. WE’RE ALSO TOLD THAT LEADER, MINORITY LEADER HAKEEM JEFFRIES WAS ALSO NOTIFIED AS WELL. BUT GIVEN VERY LITTLE DETAILS, WE ARE ALSO TOLD, DAVID FROM MULTIPLE SOURCES THAT THE GANG OF EIGHT, THIS IS THE LEADER, THE TOP LEADERS ON CAPITOL HILL IN BOTH THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE, THAT THEY WERE NOT GIVEN A FULL BRIEFING AS THE UNITED STATES MADE THIS DECISION. THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION MAKING THIS DECISION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THESE STRIKES. DAVID. >> RACHEL SCOTT COVERING THIS AS WELL WITH US HERE TONIGHT. RACHEL, ALWAYS GREAT TO HAVE YOU WITH YOU AND YOUR CONTEXT AS WELL. I DO WANT TO MENTION THE STATEMENT THAT’S BEEN RELEASED BY THE PRIME MINISTER, BENJAMIN NETANYAHU OF ISRAEL, OBVIOUSLY. VIDEO STATEMENT. HE CONGRATULATED PRESIDENT TRUMP FOR HIS, QUOTE, BOLD DECISION TO TARGET IRAN’S NUCLEAR FACILITIES. THE UNITED STATES, NETANYAHU SAID, HAS DONE WHAT NO OTHER COUNTRY ON EARTH COULD DO. HISTORY WILL RECORD THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP ACTED TO DENY THE WORLD’S MOST DANGEROUS REGIME THE WORLD’S MOST DANGEROUS WEAPONS. AND AS YOU HEARD RACHEL SAY, YOU HEARD OTHER CORRESPONDENTS HERE ALONG THE WAY POINT OUT THAT THIS WAS EXACTLY WHAT BENJAMIN NETANYAHU HAD BEEN HOPING FOR, THAT THE U.S. WOULD BECOME DIRECTLY INVOLVED WITH IRAN, WHICH IS WHAT PLAYED OUT TONIGHT. PRESIDENT TRUMP, ADDRESSING THE NATION ABOUT 53 MINUTES AGO NOW TO LET THE NATION KNOW THAT THE U.S. MILITARY HAS STRUCK THREE NUCLEAR SITES DEEP INSIDE IRAN FORDOW, NATANZ AND ISFAHAN. OBVIOUSLY, FORDOW IS THE SITE THAT, IN PARTICULAR, DEEP BENEATH THE GROUND, BENEATH THAT MOUNTAIN, B-2 BOMBERS WERE USED. WE BELIEVE THOSE 30,000 POUND BOMBS WERE ALSO USED TO TARGET THESE SITES. THE PRESIDENT SAYING THEY ARE COMPLETELY, TOTALLY OBLITERATED, THOUGH WE’LL HAVE TO SEE IN THE HOURS AND DAYS TO COME WHAT KIND OF ASSESSMENT FROM INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS CAN BE MADE ABOUT THE DAMAGE DONE TONIGHT, THOUGH CLEARLY THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE DONE. AND THE WHITE HOUSE BELIEVES BEYOND REPAIR IN MANY CASES. I WANT TO BRING IN RETIRED COLONEL STEVE GANYARD AGAIN WITH US. STEVE, YOU AND I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT U.S. MILITARY CAPABILITY, AND REGARDLESS OF WHERE PEOPLE STAND ON THIS, POLITICALLY, THIS WAS A SIGNIFICANT USE OF FORCE TONIGHT AND SOMETHING THAT HAS LONG BEEN STUDIED BY NOT ONLY THIS ADMINISTRATION, BUT ADMINISTRATIONS BEFORE IT. PRESIDENT TRUMP, THE PRESIDENT WHO HAS DECIDED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS IN A KEY MOMENT WHEN AIR DEFENSES WERE SIGNIFICANTLY WEAKENED IN THE SKIES OVER IRAN, ISRAEL ESSENTIALLY CONTROLLING THOSE SKIES AS U.S. B-2 BOMBERS FLEW IN TONIGHT. >> YEAH, DAVID, JOHN KARL IS REPORTING THAT TOMAHAWK MISSILES WERE ALSO USED IN THE STRIKES TONIGHT. NOW, TOMAHAWK MISSILES, AS YOU REMEMBER, ARE CRUISE MISSILES. AND THEY THEY THEY HUG THE, THE EARTH. SO THEY FLY VERY LOW. AND THEY AREN’T INTENDED TO DO THIS DEEP PENETRATION THAT WE NEEDED THE B-2S FOR. SO THE POINT HERE IS THAT IT REALLY WAS JUST THE B-2 CREWS THAT WERE IN DANGER TONIGHT. WE DIDN’T PUT ANY OTHER U.S. FORCES OVER IRAN, SO THERE WAS VERY LITTLE RISK OTHER THAN TO THOSE B-2 CREWS. GIVEN HOW SOPHISTICATED THE B-2 IS, THERE’S VERY LITTLE LIKELIHOOD THAT THE IRANIANS WOULD BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. SO THE QUESTION WILL BE, HOW FAR WILL THE PRESIDENT BE WILLING TO GO, DEPENDING ON THE IRANIAN REACTION IN TERMS OF DEPLOYING MILITARY FORCE, THAT MAY INVOLVE PUTTING U.S. FORCES AT GREATER RISK THAN WE SAW TONIGHT. >> AND, OF COURSE, STEVE, YOU HEARD THE PRESIDENT THERE WARNED THAT IF PEACE DOESN’T COME QUICKLY FROM IRAN NOW, THAT WE WILL GO AFTER ADDITIONAL TARGETS WITH SPEED AND WITH SKILL, WE HAVE THAT ANIMATION THAT SHOWS WHAT THESE BUNKER BUSTER BOMBS CAN DO. IF WE CAN SHOW THAT, BECAUSE A U.S. OFFICIAL NOW CONFIRMS THAT B-2 BOMBERS DROPPED A NUMBER OF MASSIVE ORDNANCE PENETRATOR BOMBS, AS YOU KNOW, THAT’S THE LONG TERM FOR THESE BUNKER BUSTER BOMBS. 30,000 POUND BOMBS. NOW, CONFIRMING TO ABC NEWS THAT THEY WERE USED IN THIS MISSION TONIGHT OVER IRAN, THE OFFICIAL ALSO CONFIRMING THAT A NUMBER OF TOMAHAWK CRUISE MISSILES WERE FIRED AT TARGETS INSIDE IRAN FROM A US NAVY SUBMARINE. YOU HEARD PRESIDENT TRUMP ADDRESSING THE NATION 10 P.M. EASTERN HERE TONIGHT. BRIEF WORDS AND THEN GETTING ON SOCIAL MEDIA AGAIN SHORTLY THEREAFTER TO WARN IRAN AND ITS PROXIES AGAINST ANY SORT OF RETALIATION. BUT AT FIRST WORD TONIGHT, WHICH CAME SHORTLY BEFORE 8:00 PM EASTERN TIME, THE PRESIDENT SAYING, WE HAVE COMPLETED OUR VERY SUCCESSFUL ATTACK ON THREE NUCLEAR SITES IN IRAN, INCLUDING FORDOW, NATANZ AND ESFAHAN. ALL PLANES ARE NOW OUTSIDE IRANIAN AIRSPACE. A FULL PAYLOAD OF BOMBS, HE SAID, WAS DROPPED ON THAT PRIMARY SITE OF FORDOW. THAT IS THE KEY SITE THAT IS DEEP BENEATH SORT OF A RANGE OF MOUNTAINS THERE. AND WE HAD REPORTED FOR SOME TIME THAT IT WOULD PROBABLY TAKE THOSE BUNKER BUSTERS TO ACTUALLY DO SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THAT NUCLEAR FACILITY. AND AGAIN, ABC NEWS NOW CONFIRMING THAT THOSE B-2 BOMBERS DID DROP THOSE 30,000 POUND BOMBS. OUR COVERAGE WILL CONTINUE FIRST THING IN THE MORNING. FOR MANY OF YOU, YOUR LOCAL NEWS IS NEXT. GOOD NIGHT. >> THIS HAS BEEN A SPECIAL REPORT F The origin of Call Her Daddy was
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DC Jail is January 6th prisoners are being released. I’m Jay O’Brien. Wherever the story is,
we’ll take you there. You’re streaming ABC News Live. THE PRESIDENT NOT LONG AGO ANNOUNCING ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT THE U.S. HAD SUCCESSFULLY BOMBED THREE IRANIAN NUCLEAR SITES, INCLUDING FORDOW, NATANZ AND ISFAHAN. PRESIDENT TRUMP TELLING OUR JON KARL JUST A SHORT TIME AGO THAT THE MISSION WAS A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS. ABC NEWS HAS LEARNED U.S. B-2 BOMBERS WERE USED. IT REMAINS UNCLEAR AT THIS HOUR IF THOSE MASSIVE 30,000 POUND BUNKER BUSTER BOMBS WERE ACTUALLY USED DURING THIS OPERATION. PERHAPS HE’LL MAKE THAT CLEARER WHEN HE SPEAKS TO THE NATION JUST A FEW MOMENTS FROM NOW. WE DO KNOW THAT U.S. MILITARY AIRCRAFT FLEW FROM BASES IN THE UNITED STATES TO IRAN, AND THE PRESIDENT SAYS ALL OF THOSE BOMBERS ARE NOW SAFELY ON THEIR WAY HOME. WE’RE ALSO LEARNING TONIGHT THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP SPOKE TO ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU BEFORE THE STRIKES, AND THE U.S. DID GIVE A HEADS UP TO ISRAEL BEFORE THE ATTACKS. WE ALSO KNOW PRESIDENT TRUMP MEETING EARLIER TODAY WITH HIS NATIONAL SECURITY TEAM AT THE WHITE HOUSE IMMEDIATELY BEFORE ANNOUNCING THE U.S. STRIKES. HE HAS LONG PROMISED NOT TO ALLOW IRAN TO DEVELOP A NUCLEAR WEAPON. ALL OF THIS, OF COURSE, COMES AFTER MORE THAN A WEEK OF STRIKES ON IRAN BY ISRAELI FORCES. IRAN FIRING BACK, STRIKING TEL AVIV AND OTHER LOCATIONS INSIDE ISRAEL AND IRAN HAD PLEDGED TO RETALIATE IF THE U.S. JOINED THE ATTACKS. THE U.S. HAS BEEN SURGING FORCES TO THE REGION, WITH AN ADDITIONAL AIRCRAFT CARRIER STRIKE GROUP ARRIVING IN THE REGION THIS WEEKEND. OF COURSE, THE BREAKING NEWS TONIGHT THE U.S. STRIKING IRAN, SEVERAL NUCLEAR SITES INSIDE IRAN. THE PRESIDENT CALLING IT A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS. ON THE PHONE WITH OUR JON KARL A SHORT TIME AGO. AND AS WE LOOK AT THE MICROPHONE THERE, WE WAIT FOR THE PRESIDENT TO ADDRESS THE NATION, OUR CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, MARY BRUCE, OUTSIDE THE WHITE HOUSE TONIGHT. AND MARY, THE PRESIDENT, SAID HE WOULD GIVE IRAN TWO WEEKS. IT TURNED OUT TO BE TWO DAYS. >> DAVID, QUITE A REMARKABLE TURN OF EVENTS HERE. IN JUST 48 HOURS. THE WHITE HOUSE HAD TOLD US JUST ON THURSDAY THAT THE PRESIDENT THOUGHT THAT HE WOULD HAVE TWO WEEKS TO MAKE THIS DECISION. HERE COMES THE PRESIDENT. >> AGAIN, MEETING WITH HIS NATIONAL SECURITY TEAM EARLIER TODAY AT THE WHITE HOUSE. LET’S LISTEN TO THE PRESIDENT. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. A SHORT TIME AGO, THE U.S. MILITARY CARRIED OUT MASSIVE PRECISION STRIKES ON THE THREE KEY NUCLEAR FACILITIES IN THE IRANIAN REGIME. FORDOW, NATANZ AND ESFAHAN. EVERYBODY HEARD THOSE NAMES FOR YEARS AS THEY BUILT THIS HORRIBLY DESTRUCTIVE ENTERPRISE. OUR OBJECTIVE WAS THE DESTRUCTION OF IRAN’S NUCLEAR ENRICHMENT CAPACITY, AND A STOP TO THE NUCLEAR THREAT POSED BY THE WORLD’S NUMBER ONE STATE SPONSOR OF TERROR. TONIGHT, I CAN REPORT TO THE WORLD THAT THE STRIKES WERE A SPECTACULAR MILITARY SUCCESS. IRAN’S KEY NUCLEAR ENRICHMENT FACILITIES HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY OBLITERATED. IRAN, THE BULLY OF THE MIDDLE EAST, MUST NOW MAKE PEACE. IF THEY DO NOT, FUTURE ATTACKS WILL BE FAR GREATER AND A LOT EASIER. FOR 40 YEARS, IRAN HAS BEEN SAYING DEATH TO AMERICA, DEATH TO ISRAEL. THEY HAVE BEEN KILLING OUR PEOPLE, BLOWING OFF THEIR ARMS, BLOWING OFF THEIR LEGS WITH ROADSIDE BOMBS. THAT WAS THEIR SPECIALTY. WE LOST OVER A THOUSAND PEOPLE AND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE EAST AND AROUND THE WORLD HAVE DIED AS A DIRECT RESULT OF THEIR HATE. IN PARTICULAR, SO MANY WERE KILLED BY THEIR GENERAL, QASEM SOLEIMANI. I DECIDED A LONG TIME AGO THAT I WOULD NOT LET THIS HAPPEN. IT WILL NOT CONTINUE. I WANT TO THANK AND CONGRATULATE PRIME MINISTER BIBI NETANYAHU. WE WORKED AS A TEAM. LIKE PERHAPS NO TEAM HAS EVER WORKED BEFORE. AND WE’VE GONE A LONG WAY TO ERASING THIS HORRIBLE THREAT TO ISRAEL. I WANT TO THANK THE ISRAELI MILITARY FOR THE WONDERFUL JOB THEY’VE DONE. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, I WANT TO CONGRATULATE THE GREAT AMERICAN PATRIOTS WHO FLEW THOSE MAGNIFICENT MACHINES TONIGHT AND ALL OF THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ON AN OPERATION THE LIKES OF WHICH THE WORLD HAS NOT SEEN IN MANY, MANY DECADES. HOPEFULLY, WE WILL NO LONGER NEED THEIR SERVICES IN THIS CAPACITY. I HOPE THAT’S SO. I ALSO WANT TO CONGRATULATE THE CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF, GENERAL DAN RAISIN CAIN. SPECTACULAR, GENERAL. AND ALL OF THE BRILLIANT MILITARY MINDS INVOLVED IN THIS ATTACK. WITH ALL OF THAT BEING SAID, THIS CANNOT CONTINUE. THERE WILL BE EITHER PEACE OR THERE WILL BE TRAGEDY FOR IRAN, FAR GREATER THAN WE HAVE WITNESSED OVER THE LAST EIGHT DAYS. REMEMBER, THERE ARE MANY TARGETS LEFT. TONIGHT’S WAS THE MOST DIFFICULT OF THEM ALL BY FAR, AND PERHAPS THE MOST LETHAL. BUT IF PEACE DOES NOT COME QUICKLY, WE WILL GO AFTER THOSE OTHER TARGETS WITH PRECISION, SPEED AND SKILL. MOST OF THEM CAN BE TAKEN OUT IN A MATTER OF MINUTES. THERE IS NO MILITARY IN THE WORLD THAT COULD HAVE DONE WHAT WE DID TONIGHT. NOT EVEN CLOSE. THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A MILITARY THAT COULD DO WHAT TOOK PLACE JUST A LITTLE WHILE AGO. TOMORROW, GENERAL CAIN, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PETE HEGSETH WILL HAVE A PRESS CONFERENCE AT 8 A.M. AT THE PENTAGON. AND I WANT TO JUST THANK EVERYBODY AND IN PARTICULAR, GOD. I WANT TO JUST SAY, WE LOVE YOU, GOD, AND WE LOVE OUR GREAT MILITARY. PROTECT THEM. GOD BLESS THE MIDDLE EAST. GOD BLESS ISRAEL, AND GOD BLESS AMERICA. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. >> PRESIDENT TRUMP THERE AT THE WHITE HOUSE, VICE PRESIDENT JD VANCE, SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO, ALSO SERVING AS HIS NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER, ALONG WITH DEFENSE SECRETARY PETE HEGSETH. RIGHT THERE, WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP ANNOUNCING TO THE NATION SIMILAR TO WHAT HE SAID IN HIS POST ON SOCIAL MEDIA NOT LONG AGO, THAT THE U.S. IS NOW DIRECTLY INVOLVED WITH IRAN’S STRIKING NUCLEAR LOCATIONS FORDOW, NATANZ AND ESFAHAN. THREE NUCLEAR FACILITIES THAT THE US HAD LONG BEEN STUDYING, AS WELL AS INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS AROUND THE WORLD IN TRACKING IRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM AND THEIR DESIRE, PERHAPS ONE DAY, TO HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. I WANT TO BRING IN MARY BRUCE. LET’S GO BACK TO MARY AT THE WHITE HOUSE. MARY, THE PRESIDENT HAD WARNED IRAN, COME TO THE TABLE. LET’S NEGOTIATE SOME SORT OF A PEACE DEAL, THAT THIS CURRENT CONFLICT MUST END. AT LAST WORD. HE SAID TWO WEEKS WOULD BE HIS DEADLINE. WE KNOW THAT’S TURNED OUT TO BE TWO DAYS. WE’LL LEARN IN THE HOURS AND DAYS TO COME. WHETHER THAT WAS PART OF THE STRATEGY HERE. BUT THIS IS A FAIRLY RISKY MOVE FOR THIS PRESIDENT, THOUGH. TONIGHT HE SAYS IT’S BEEN A VICTORY. HE THANKED U.S. FORCES WHO WERE INVOLVED. AND HE SAID IF IRAN DOES NOT END THE WARS AND SEEK PEACE. TRAGEDY FOR IRAN WILL BE EVEN GREATER THAN WHAT WE’VE SEEN IN THE LAST 24 HOURS. >> DAVID, IT IS AN EXTREMELY RISKY MOVE AND NO ONE KNOWS REALLY WHERE THIS GOES FROM HERE. LOOK, THE PRESIDENT, WE KNOW HAS LONG WARNED THAT IRAN CANNOT GET A NUCLEAR WEAPON. BUT HE ALSO LONG WAS PUSHING FOR THOSE NEGOTIATIONS. AS YOU MENTIONED, IT WAS JUST TWO DAYS AGO THAT THE PRESIDENT ANNOUNCED AFTER YET ANOTHER MEETING IN THE SITUATION ROOM, THAT HE WAS GOING TO GIVE HIMSELF THIS TWO WEEK DEADLINE WITHIN WHICH TO MAKE THIS DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO STRIKE IRAN, IN PART BECAUSE HE THOUGHT THERE WAS, QUOTE, A SUBSTANTIAL CHANCE OF NEGOTIATIONS, THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO GET IRAN BACK TO THE TABLE. IT IS NOT CLEAR. STILL, EVEN AFTER HEARING FROM THE PRESIDENT JUST NOW, WHAT CHANGED HIS MIND, WHAT LED HIM TO BELIEVE THERE WAS NO TIME LEFT TO WASTE, THAT THE U.S. HAD TO GO AHEAD AND GET DEEPLY INVOLVED IN THIS CONFLICT IN A WAY THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS ALSO REALLY PROMISED THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HE WOULD NOT. HE CAMPAIGNED ON A PROMISE TO BE A PEACEMAKER AND A UNIFIER, TO KEEP AMERICA OUT OF THESE KINDS OF CONFLICTS. AND WHAT’S CLEAR TONIGHT IS THAT THE PRESIDENT IS VERY MUCH LEAVING OPEN THE DOOR THAT THERE WILL BE MORE OF THIS. WHILE HE IS HAILING THE STRIKES TONIGHT AS A HUGE SUCCESS, HE IS ALSO NOT RULING OUT ADDITIONAL MILITARY ACTION, SAYING THAT THERE ARE MANY TARGETS LEFT, THAT THEY WILL ACT WITH PRECISION, SPEED AND SKILL IF NEEDED. HOW ALL OF THIS WILL ULTIMATELY END IRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM IS A HUGE QUESTION. AND OF COURSE, DAVID, IRAN HAS PROMISED A SEVERE RESPONSE IF THE U.S. WERE TO BE DIRECTLY INVOLVED, AS WE NOW ARE. >> AND ONE QUICK FOLLOW UP TO WHAT YOU’RE REPORTING HERE, MARY, OBVIOUSLY, YOU’RE WATCHING ABC NEWS LIVE COVERAGE AT THIS HOUR. THE PRESIDENT JUST ADDRESSING THE NATION, TALKING ABOUT THE U.S. STRIKING THREE IRANIAN NUCLEAR SITES, THE PRESIDENT CALLING IT A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS. SPEAKING BRIEFLY WITH OUR JON KARL EARLIER THIS EVENING BEFORE ADDRESSING THE NATION ABOUT THIS. AND, MARY, YOU’VE COVERED PRESIDENT TRUMP FOR SOME TIME. YOU COVERED HIM AS A CANDIDATE. HIS PROMISES NOT TO ENGAGE IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND IN ANY MORE FOREIGN WARS. AT THE SAME TIME, HE HAS LONG PROMISED THAT IRAN WOULD NOT GET A NUCLEAR WEAPON. >> AND, DAVID, YOU KNOW, JUST AGAIN, TWO DAYS AGO, THE WHITE HOUSE, WHILE SAYING THAT THEY WERE GIVING THEMSELVES THIS TWO WEEK TIMELINE, AGAIN STRESSED THAT THAT IRAN WAS VERY CLOSE TO GETTING A NUCLEAR WEAPON, SAYING THAT IRAN HAD EVERYTHING IT NEEDED TO ACHIEVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON, AND THAT ONCE THE SUPREME LEADER GAVE THE GO
President Trump says U.S. completed “very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran.”
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