Latest on Iran as Trump releases new statement

0:00President Barack Obama. Virginia, we are counting on you. Republicans want to steal enough seats in Congress to raid the next election and wield unchecked power for two more years. But you can stop them by voting yes by April 21st. Help put our elections back on a level playing field and let voters decide not politicians. Vote yes by April 21st. Paid for by Virginians for fair elections. Hey, it's Cole Swindell. After I give everything I've got to land a perfect vocal, I usually take five before jumping into the next track. And I've learned exactly how to recharge in that time. Some folks grab coffee. I hit a quick good look spin. Next thing you know, the break is just as fun as land down the track. A better break makes for a better take. Need a break? Let's chumble. No purchase necessary. VGW Group void were prohibited by law. 21 plus TNC supply sponsored by Chamba Casino. Hello again, everyone. I'm Errol Barnett at the CBS Broadcast

1:04Center here in New York City. Thanks for joining our continuing coverage here on CBS News 24-7. A new chapter of history is unfolding this weekend. The killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Kamehni at the hands of the U.S. and Israeli military. It's reverberating throughout the Middle East. In addition to the Ayatollah, some 40 other senior members of his regime are also dead. After announcing what the U.S. is calling Operation Epic Fury, President Trump says now's the time for the Iranian people to rise up and reclaim their country. But Iran's foreign minister says the Islamic Republic regime will not be defeated. Those words backed up today with retaliatory strikes from Iran targeting Israel and several countries in the Gulf region hosting American military bases. This war with Iran is already proving to be deadly for the U.S. as well. This morning, Central Command reports three service members killed in action. The five others seriously wounded as part of Operation Epic Fury. Earlier, President Trump discussed the attack in a fresh new video

2:09posted on Truth Social. Take a look. An Iranian regime armed with long-range missiles and nuclear weapons would be a dire threat to every American. We cannot allow a nation that raises terrorists armies to possess such weapons that would allow them to extort the world to their evil will. Not going to let it happen. We're not happening to us and we're not going to let it happen to others. The United States says the strongest military the world has ever seen. I rebuilt our military in my first term. There's never been a military like we possess. And frankly, there's nobody even close, but we are now using that military for good. We want to have it for good purpose. We're undertaking this massive operation not merely to ensure security for our own time and place, but for our children and their children just as our ancestors

3:11have done for us many, many years ago. This is the duty and the burden of a free people. These actions are right and they are necessary to ensure that Americans will never have to face a radical bloodthirsty terrorist regime armed with nuclear weapons and lots of threats. For almost 50 years, these wicked extremists have been attacking the United States while chanting the slogan, death to America or death to Israel or both. They are the world's number one state sponsor of terror. We are the world's greatest and most powerful nation so we can do something about what they do. These intolerable threats will not continue any longer. I once again urge the Revolutionary Guard, the Iranian military, police, to lay down your arms and receive full immunity or face certain death. Our senior national security correspondent Charlie Daghida filed

4:16this report on escalating hostilities from Tel Aviv. Iran began 40 days of mourning for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after state-run media confirmed that he was killed at his Tehran compound. His successor has been announced as Ali Reza Arafi to lead a temporary council but who's really in charge and where they can even meet safely is another matter. Israel Defense Forces released this video today claiming to show multiple airstrikes blowing up Iranian government headquarters this morning. CBS News cannot independently verify that claim. Intelligence sources tell CBS News as many as 40 senior Iranian officials were killed in the first wave of strikes. Iran's Islamic Republican Guard Corps Vowed Revenge saying they'd launched the most ferocious offensive operation in the history of the Iranian armed forces towards the occupied territories

5:18and American terrorist bases. On day two of the war nearby Gulf State allies have already borne the brunt of multiple drone and missile strikes, though none as hard as Israel itself. An Iranian missile strike overnight in the heart of Tel Aviv left a woman in her 40's dead and more than 40 injured including seven children. Throughout the night air raid sirens and text messages sent residents here scrambling for their bomb shelters. This missile managed through one of the most advanced missile defense systems in the world and that's what's causing concern among U.S. forces here. U.S military officials tell CBS News it forces from U.S. Central Command continue to launch airstrikes and cruise missiles against Iran targeting Iranian air defenses launchers and missile stockpiles and Iranian regime infrastructure in coordination with Israeli defense forces. Today the U.S. Embassy here in Israel changed its advisory to American citizens here

6:23saying the embassy is not in a position to evacuate or directly assist Americans in departing Israel directing that all U.S. government employees and their family members sheltering place in or near their residences until further notice. CBS News has confirmed the CIA had been tracking Iran's supreme leader for months and it gained advanced insight into a Saturday morning meeting of senior Iranian officials which accelerated the timeline for this strike. CBS News Intelligence and National Security Reporter Olivia Garza joins me now from our DC bureau to discuss this intel and how it played a role. Olivia explained for us the timeline because we'd been reporting for weeks that the U.S. was preparing for this type of operation with Air Force carrier strike groups in the region. But what information really tipped the U.S. to strike Sunday? Right, Errol. This was the culmination of a months-long intelligence gathering effort that was

7:24focused on one of the hardest targets in the world Iran's supreme leader. Hamine was known to move around frequently and unpredictably because of his value as an intelligence target. And from that standpoint, Iran has long been described as a black box. It's got a closed opaque system that makes insight into its top leadership exceptionally difficult. But in the weeks following Operation Midnight Hammer last spring, the CIA was able to build a clearer picture of how and where Hamine was operating. According to a person familiar with the matter that we spoke with today, the agency tracked his movements for months, gaining more and more fidelity on his location and as he moved. And then recently, we haven't been able to learn exactly when there was a key break. Intelligence learned that Hamine was expected at a Saturday morning meeting, along with senior officials at this compound in Tehran. And that information was shared with Israeli counterparts. And according to our source, it moved up the timeline for an Israeli missile strike on that compound in order

8:25to capitalize on the opportunity presented by the senior level gathering. Any operation like this carries with it serious risks. And today we've got the confirmation that three U.S. service members were killed. Five others seriously injured during this operation. Do we have any sense of where they may have been stationed? Well, that is the latest that we're learning this morning from U.S. Central Command, Errol. The first known confirmed U.S. casualties in this operation. Five individuals seriously injured and several other suffering, what we are told were shrapnel injuries and concussions. But there are major combat operations still underway, obviously. And officials are stressing that the situation remains fluid. Unfortunately, these numbers can and probably will increase as the president himself warned in his original online address. We don't at this point have additional information right now about where the officers were stationed or their names. The Pentagon has said that it would release that information after their families have been notified. And as you note, Olivia, after the U.S. Israeli strikes on Iran, there have been

9:31counter strikes from Iran. It's still ongoing now. Meanwhile, Iranian leaders have indicated they may choose a new Supreme Leader in the next few days. What might regime change look like? And how quickly could it even happen as this is all still unfolding right now? Absolutely. It's the central question, I think. When Secretary Rubio was asked it exactly a month ago, his answer was telling no one knows. I think that picture is only getting a little bit clearer now, both because intelligence agencies have been explicitly tasked with mapping out possible succession scenarios. And because these recent strikes have quite frankly removed many of the regime figures who might have stepped into power to replace the Supreme Leader. President Trump told CBS News and other outlets. Tyler Reddick here from 2311 Racing. Victory Lane? Yeah, it's even better with Chamba by my side. Race to ChambaCasino.com. Let's Chamba. No purchase necessary. VTW Group. Boyd, we're prohibited by law. CTNC is 21 plus sponsored by ChambaCasino. He believes that diplomacy with Iran may now be getting easier and even

10:36suggested that there were, quote, in his words, good candidates to lead Iran after the Supreme Leader's death, but he hasn't identified any of them publicly this morning. The Republican Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tonkotten acknowledged that there's intense internal jockeying underway in Tehran as different figures are positioning themselves in this deliberative process to replace the Ayatollah, including some who may be trying to become, as he put it, the Delci Rodriguez of Iran, which is a reference, of course, to the transition we have been seeing there in Venezuela after the U.S. intervened there. Right, Olivia Ghazis, we appreciate your reporting joining us from Washington. Thank you. Now, in that new Truth Social video, the President also spoke about the three service members who are killed in Operation Epic Fury. Listen. As one nation we grieve for the true American patriots who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, even as we continue the righteous mission for which they gave their lives.

11:38CBS News White House correspondent Willie James Inman is following the President. He's in West Palm Beach, Florida, for us this morning. Willie James, good afternoon to you. What have we heard from the President today? Hey there, El. The President is actually posting just moments ago on True Social, and I want to bring up that statement from the President, so our viewers can see it. He essentially giving a battle damage report from the field. He said he has just been informed. We have destroyed and sunk nine Iranian naval ships. Some of them relatively large and important. We are going after the rest. They will soon be floating at the bottom of the sea also in a different attack. We largely destroyed their naval headquarters other than that. Their navy is doing very well. Now, the President has been working the phones with other world leaders, talking to regional leaders, but also speaking to members of the media, including our own Robert Costa,

12:41as Livia mentioned. The President is saying in that interview last night with Bob Costa, saying that it was a great day for this country, a great day for the world, in reference to what took place a yesterday when the U.S. and Israel launched the strikes against Iran, which led to the death of the Ayatollah, also led to the death of several members of Iran's regime. The President also saying to the Atlantic today that he will be speaking and agreed to talk to the Iranians. We, of course, know that there have been negotiations ongoing, those negotiations appear to have broken down, leading to this moment. In large part, the U.S., the President wanted Iran to curb its nuclear program, including enrichment and the ballistic missile program, part of that, those conversations as well. But that statement today coming from the President

13:42saying that you perhaps, the U.S., and these railings were involved in this, but saying that we have destroyed and sunk nine Iranian naval ships on the latest statement coming there from the President of the United States on his social media platform. And how is the White House justifying these strikes, considering those indirect talks, have been ongoing proceeding this weekend? Yeah, there have been many questions about this. And I'll note that the President's statement that he gave was one that wasn't broadcast or recorded by us, meaning the media, the reporters who travel with him. So we weren't able to engage and ask him questions, although he is taking some of these phone calls, speaking to reporters over the phone at least. But senior administration officials did brief members of the media without taking questions. They talked about the breakdown in those negotiations. In large part, the President wanted to curb that program, as I mentioned.

14:44But the ballistic missile program, which we of course know is a threat to not only the region, but to close ally Israel, senior administration officials say that the Iranians did not want to engage on a conversation surrounding that ballistic missile program, all of what happened, and took place in those negotiations led by Steve Wyckoff, the special envoy, and the President's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, that information was given to the President. And the senior administration officials saying that POTUS frankly had no choice but to act. All right, Willie James Inman with the latest forest out of West Palm Beach, Florida. Thank you. Congress is scrambling to learn more about President Trump's decision to strike Iran, and there are efforts underway to set up member briefings next week. You're looking at CBS news, congressional reporter Torian Small, in our DC Bureau with the latest on this. Torian, typically, when any President wages war, he gets the support of Congress did not appear to happen this time. So what are lawmakers being told so far? And what questions do they want answers to?

15:45Well, Erwin, we know that the gang of eight was given the heads up by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the degree of which the operation was told to them varies depending on who you talk to. But I do want to point out what Senate ranking member on the Senate Intel Committee, who's a part of this, Mark Warner, had to say he said, even though, you know, all can be true about Iran, Ayatollah, about them being state sponsors of terrorism, that still doesn't relieve the President of his duty to talk to Congress and get authorization for war. I also believe Greg Meeks, the ranking member on the House Affairs Committee, said something similar to that fact, saying that those operations that the President is undertaking through his administration, including de-sabilization of the Nuclear Weapons Program, crushing its proxy network and instituting a regime change, are not a limited operation. And all those things encompasses what he will believe to be authorization through Congress

16:51that the President is circumventing. Now, presidents in the past, for the best 25 years, in fact, have done so through the authorization of AMF, the authorization of use of military force. That was a 2011, after 9-11, that many have used. But now we're seeing this resurgence, a renewed effort to push through a war power's resolution through Congress that this will likely inspire. Again, in fact, Thomas Massey, the Republican from Kentucky, is looking to push through a similar piece of legislation very soon, Errol. And Torian, of course, all viewers would expect members of Congress to sharply divide it over this, with Democrats calling President Trump's strike illegal, Republicans defending his decision. I just want to show some reactions that aired on Face the Nation. This operation is driven by intelligence collected by Israel and the United States that has once again proven that our nations have capabilities that no other

17:55nation on Earth has. We would all celebrate if the Iranian people were able to rise up and reclaim their freedom and reclaim their destiny. This is a disaster. It is illegal. And the president is obligated another constitution to come to Congress and ask for an authorization of military force. He wouldn't get that authorization if he asked for it. Congress wouldn't vote to give him the permission to do it, but he's obligated to come to Congress. So Torian, with reactions like that, how tangible is this push on Capitol Hill to challenge or limit the president's war powers? Yeah, I mean, it's a real possibility that we'll see that we're new push. This was a similar conversation, many lawmakers, including surprisingly Republican Senator from Missouri, his name is slipping me now, but he was a part of this push. He got assurances from the Trump administration to ultimately vote against it during the Venezuela operation by the U.S. military. Right now we're seeing, again, Thomas Massey,

18:56Rocana, the strange bet bellows of sorts, this very liberal Republican and progressive Democrats coming together to push forth a war powers resolution, considering the threshold, though, the likelihood that that will actually pass both chambers and then be signed into the law without a veto from the president is still highly unlikely, Errol. All right, you have those Republican senators from Missouri as Josh Holy and Eric Schmidt. Was that the name you were looking for? Holy, yes. All right, thank you Torian or appreciate you. Tyler Reddick here from 2311 Racing, another checkered flag for the books. Time to celebrate with Jamba. Jump in at JambaCasino.com. Let's Jamba. No purchase necessary, BGW Group, void were prohibited by law, CCNC, 21 plus sponsored by JambaCasino. Recently, our company softball team lost the big game by one run, then Dale tried to console us with the quote, winning isn't everything. Dale's a loser. I played a win, like early payout from Beth 365. If my team goes up big, I can pay it out instantly,

19:59even if they blow the lead later. Sound familiar, Dale? Beth 365. Winning is everything. Gamely Problem Call 100 Gambler, 21 plus only, must be physically located in Virginia, TNC's apply, in app only.