They say opposites attract. That's why the Sleep Number Smartbed is the best bed for couples. You can each choose what's right for you whenever you like. You like a bed that feels firm, but they want soft, sleep number does that. You want to sleep cooler. While they like to feel warm, sleep number does that too. You have to feel it to believe it. Find the bed that's for both of you, only at a sleep number store. Sleep better together. JD PowerRank's sleep number one in customer satisfaction with Mattress' purchase in store. And now, sleep number Smartbed's starting at $999. Price is higher in Alaska and Hawaii. For JDPower2023 award information, visit jdpower.com/awards only at a sleep number store or sleepnumber.com. [MUSIC] Happening now, breaking news, a major new escalation in the Middle East after Israel says, it targeted the leader of Hezbollah when it attacked the group's headquarters in Beirut. As fears of all-out were clearly intensifying right now, I spoke to the US Defense Secretary, Lloyd Austin, standby for that exclusive interview this hour. Also, tonight, rushing flood waters and a rising death toll. As Helene batters the southeast after slamming into Florida with Hurricane Forest, more powerful than the region has ever seen. We're tracking the storm and the danger. Plus, as Donald Trump and Kamala Harris hold dueling battleground state events tonight, CNN has exclusive new polling on the presidential race in two pivotal locations that could be the deciders on Election Day. Welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. I'm Wolf Bitzer, you're in the Situation Room. [MUSIC] >> This is CNN Breaking News. >> All right, let's get right to the breaking news in the Middle East. A senior Israeli official says it's too early to say if Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in the strike on the group's central headquarters. >> CNN's Jumanakarach is joining us live from Beirut right now. Jumanak, what do we know about that strike? And the ongoing Israeli attacks on Beirut. >> Well, you know, well, for about seven hours ago, this entire city was rocked by these blasts. We were on the roof of this building and we felt the building shake. It was some of the largest explosions I have ever witnessed. And speaking to colleagues who have been in Lebanon, have covered Lebanon for years, they say that they have not seen strikes like this in Beirut. In many, many years saying that the last time that they felt large explosions like that was during the 2006 Israel Hezbollah war. What we do know from an Israeli senior official telling her colleague Jeremy Diamond is that the target of that strike was Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah. Now, the Israeli military has not officially said that he was the target of that strike in Beirut's southern suburbs where Hezbollah is known to have a presence there. They have said that they have targeted with precise strikes as they described it. The main headquarters of Hezbollah, and we've heard from the Israeli military saying that it is going to take time for them to reach that post-strike assessment. But you know, here we have not heard yet from Hezbollah, no official statements, no comment. Our colleagues have been trying to reach out to their Hezbollah sources, but nothing yet very unclear at this moment whether Hassan Nasrallah was indeed in that building, whether what his fate is right now, what we do know from Lebanese authorities is that six buildings were reduced to rubble. Well, according to the health ministry, we've just received updated casualty figures. They say that at least six people are confirmed, killed, and at least 91 others have been injured, but they are cautioning that this is a casualty figure that is going to rise. If you look at the images of the aftermath, looking at the crater, according to analysis of that crater, and the blast that took place, it is believed that 2,000 pound bombs were used in these strikes. So we're talking about one of the most densely populated areas in this entire country. So the death toll is almost certainly going to rise in the coming hours, and since then we have heard from the Israeli military issuing about just under two hours ago, issuing evacuation orders through a post on tweet by the IDF's Arabic language spokesman telling residents around three buildings in the southern suburbs of Beirut, telling them to evacuate these areas and a 500-meter radius around these buildings saying that the Israeli military is going to be striking those buildings, that they are close to Hezbollah facilities, and that they need to get out of there. And a short time ago, we heard from the Israeli military saying that they have begun conducting strikes on these buildings. We have to wait and hear more. We heard from the Israeli military spokesman, Rear Admiral Hagari. He says that they are targeting what they say is missiles that are stored underneath these buildings. I can tell you, this city and this entire country right now is on nice edge, Wolf. I'm sure it is. Jomana Karacha in Beirut, stay safe. Thank you very much. Israel's new attack in Beirut is putting additional strain on this relationship with the United States as well. And as Alex Markward is joining us right now, he's over at the United Nations. So what is the U.S. saying about this, Alex? Well, Wolf, top-eyed administration officials are really trying to distance themselves from this strike, saying that they had no advanced knowledge, no participation in this. In fact, the Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said that he learned about this from his counterpart, Yoav Galant, as the operation was taking place. And tonight, Wolf, we are hearing more warnings about what this could mean for the region from those U.S. officials. Here's what Secretary of State Nancy Blinken had to say earlier today. The events of the past week and the past few hours underscore what a precarious moment this is for the Middle East and for the world. Israel has the right to defend itself against terrorism. The way it does so matters. The choices that all parties make in the coming days will determine which path this region is on. And Wolf, of course, comes after the White House, had put a ceasefire proposal between Israel and Hezbollah on the table for 21 days of pause, which Netanyahu appeared to immediately reject, saying the IDF would continue fighting with full force. Tonight, we got a bit more of an explanation from a senior Israeli official who called this an honest misunderstanding. They claimed, the Israeli side claims, that they wanted more, they had more questions about this process, while the U.S. wanted to see the ceasefire implemented immediately. And that was too soon for Israel, Wolf. And what else are you hearing from that senior Israeli official, Alex, about Nasserallah's fate? Well, there are still a lot of questions, and they're still trying to figure out what exactly happened. They said that it was a very tough call to decide to target Hassan Nasserallah. They were going after him and senior Hezbollah commanders. Now, if indeed Nasserallah has killed this senior official, said that would mean that more than half of the Hezbollah leadership has been recently taken out by Israel and could represent a real pivot in this conflict, because they say Nasserallah is irreplaceable. Now, highlighting the seriousness of this situation, we understand the Prime Minister Netanyahu is on his way back to Israel tonight. He's cutting his trip short, it is rare that he travels on Shabbat, but he does feel the need to get back to Israel. Wolf. I'm sure he does. All right, Alex Markwort at the United Nations, thanks very much. Now to my exclusive one-on-one interview with the U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. We spoke earlier today about Israel's offensive against Hezbollah and the threat of a wider war in the Middle East. Mr. Secretary, thanks so much for joining us, especially during these very, very busy times. As you know, Israel is vowing to press on with its assault on Hezbollah in Lebanon, despite the U.S. push for a ceasefire. How likely do you think an Israeli ground invasion of Lebanon is? Oh, Wolf, Prime Minister has been clear that his goal is to get Israeli civilians who have been displaced from their homes in the North back to their homes as soon as possible. I believe, we believe, the best way to do that is through diplomacy, and that's why you've seen President Biden lead the effort to get a ceasefire, a 21-day ceasefire so that diplomacy can take place. So we would hope that we don't see a ground incursion because if that happens, there is a chance that the conflict could broaden into what could be a regional conflict. So again, we think the best solution going forward is a diplomatic solution. When you say a conflict could broaden, you're concerned that Iran, which is an ally of Hezbollah, would get involved? Is that what you're suggesting? Yes, Wolf. There is that possibility. There's also the possibility that we could see greater activity from other groups like the Houthis or the Iraqi Shia militia groups. And so we want to see the tensions taken down, and we want to see things resolved diplomatically if possible. As you know, we certainly believe it's possible. What are the implications, do you think, of an all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah and Lebanon? And I ask the question because the U.S. has already started sending additional troops and equipment to the region. What would be the extent of U.S. support for Israel in that scenario? Well, Wolf, an all-out war between Lebanese Hezbollah and Israel would be devastating for both Lebanon and Israel. And again, we anticipate that we see a number of people displaced, casualties that equal or exceed what we've seen in Gaza. And so again, the best way forward, in our view, is a diplomatic effort, a diplomatic solution. And that's why you've seen so many countries, the leaders of so many countries, come forward and say, you know, we need to work together to ensure that we get an immediate ceasefire for at least 21 days, allow that diplomacy to take place. And from there, we can hopefully get the citizens back to the Israeli citizens back to their homes and our north. And also, we would perhaps see an opening to get a ceasefire in Gaza and the return of the hostages, which we very much want to see. I'm going to get to Gaza in a moment. But what's the point now of deploying additional troops and U.S. equipment to the region over there? Well, Wolf, as you know, I already have a lot of combat power in the region. Of course, we are a planning organization. We plan for all contingencies, and we'll be ready for any contingencies. And so any event that we have to address one of a number of contingencies, we will have the right assets and people in place to be able to do that. Let's talk about Gaza. I want to get to that. It's obviously a critically important issue right now. Israel, as you probably know, struck a school sheltering displaced Palestinians yesterday. They say it was a Hamas target, but women and children were killed and analysis shows that Israel used a U.S. bomb in that strike. When these strikes are a regular occurrence and the death toll is now in Gaza, we're told by Gaza officials more than 41,000, how can you say Israel is using weapons in accordance with international law? Well, again, the Israelis are a professional force, and they do have policies and procedures that are the right policies and procedures. But again, you've heard me say a number of times, the death toll has -- the number of civilian casualties has been far too high. We would like to see things -- like to see them do things in a different way, and I'll continue to press that issue every time I talk to my counterpart, Mr. Gellant. And you probably know that I talk to him at least every week and sometimes a couple of times a week. And you think you're on the same page with him, or is there conflict there in your conversations with him? That is not conflict, Wolf, but again, I continue to believe that the civilian casualty rate is too high, and things can be done a bit differently in terms of their approach. This month alone, Mr. Secretary, Israel has struck at least 10 school shelters. We're talking about in Gaza. It struck the designated safe zone of Al-Mawasi, and near three polio vaccination centers. Does that pattern amount from your perspective to a violation of international law? Well, if I think we have to remember what's happening here, Hamas deliberately uses civilians as shields. It places its headquarters, and its logistical sites underneath schools and hospitals. You name it. Again, it has done that from the very beginning, continues to do that, and that's what makes this a very difficult situation even more difficult. So Hamas, I call upon a mosque to cease in that type of activity, and I believe if they do, then we'll see a different outcome in terms of the types of civilian casualties that we've seen. As you know, Israel now says it has just secured an additional $8.7 billion military aid package from the United States. Does it concern you that despite this unwavering U.S. support, Prime Minister Netanyahu undermined the Gaza ceasefire talks and is ignoring U.S. calls to de-escalate right now with Hezbollah in Lebanon? Well, if we're going to continue to work with their diplomats, we're going to continue to work with their leadership to do everything we can to get a ceasefire so that diplomacy can take place. And we've been clear from the very beginning that we're going to support Israel in its efforts to defend itself. We've done that from the very beginning, and we're going to continue to do that going forward. And later this hour, we'll have more of my exclusive interview with the Defense Secretary, Lloyd Austin, standby for that. But first, the live pictures right now out of Arizona, Vice President Kamala Harris at the U.S. border with Mexico during her first trip there since becoming the Democratic presidential nominee. When she closed the gap with Donald Trump on this key issue, driving his campaign, we're talking about immigration. Stay with us. You're in the situation. They say opposites attract. That's why the sleep number smartbed is the best bed for couples. You can each choose what's right for you whenever you like. You like a bed that feels firm, but they want soft. Sleep number does that. You want to sleep cooler while they like to feel warm, sleep number does that, too. You have to feel it to believe it. Find the bed that's for both of you, only at a sleep number store. Nine out of ten couples say that they sleep better on a sleep number smartbed. Only sleep number smartbed lets you choose your ideal comfort and support your sleep number setting. Sleep number smartbeds automatically respond and adjust to your movements so that you sleep comfortably all night long. Heat the summer heat, temperature balancing, bedding, like true temp bedding, is designed to move heat and humidity away. So you sleep just right. Can't agree on temperature? The sleep number climate 360 smartbed lets you adjust up to 30 degrees cooler or warmer on either side. So you can be polar opposites in the same bed. Sleep better together. JD PowerRank's sleep number number one in customer satisfaction with mattresses purchased in store. Now sleep number smartbeds starting at $999, prices higher in Alaska and Hawaii. For JDPower2023 award information, visit jdpower.com/awards only at a sleep number store or sleepnumber.com. I'm Dr. Sanjay Gupta, host of the Chasing Life Podcast. Long ago and far away, it was legal in the United States. Someone who has dedicated her career to understanding the effects of cannabis on the brain, Dr. Stacey Gruber. In 1850, doctors prescribed cannabis. We're going to have a really frank conversation about where things stand with cannabis right now and what this rescheduling could mean for its future. Listen to Chasing Life, streaming now wherever you get your podcasts. Vice President Kamala Harris is in Arizona making her first trip to the southern border with Mexico since becoming the Democratic presidential nominee. She's traveling with the vice president in Douglas, Arizona right now, so Priscilla, what is the vice president trying to do with this trip? Well, sources tell me that her advisors want to close the gap with former president Donald Trump. What they've seen in polling is that the former president's lead on the issue is eroding since the vice president became the lead of the party's ticket and so they want to close that further. Now, the way they're going to do that though is notable. I'm told by a senior campaign official that the vice president is not only going to embrace President Joe Biden's asylum crackdown, something we saw over the summer, but go further by trying to make it harder to lift those border restrictions, restrictions, wolf, that largely borrowed migrants from seeking asylum at the US southern border if they crossed unlawfully. This is significant because what it tells us is the vice president and her campaigns and messaging moving forward is going to be that they want a tougher stance on the US Mexico border and on border security specifically. Now, the vice president has been needling former president Donald Trump on that bipartisan border measure that he and Republicans tanked earlier this year and we anticipate that she will say quote the American people deserve a president who cares more about border security than playing political games. That's an excerpt from what we expect to hear from her later this afternoon and that's going to be the through line in addition to her walking through some of her border plans like getting more resources to border agents and more technology to detect fentanyl. But of course, Wolf, she's doing this in Arizona, Arizona is a battleground state, one where former president Donald Trump has a lead and they are trying to not only close the gap on the issue but also close the gap with the former president. They are also releasing a new ad today on border security also citing her work as California Attorney General, a border state, which is going to air here as well as in other battleground states. So taken together, Wolf, you can see a strategy coming together with the vice president trying to go on the offensive and turn what has been a political vulnerability for Democrats on its head. Wolf. All right, Priscilla, we're showing our viewers, by the way, some live pictures of the vice president along the border with Mexico in Douglas, Arizona right now. Very, very important visit she's making to the border with Mexico. Priscilla Alvarez, thank you very much. I want to get an update right now on former president Trump and his meeting today with the visiting Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky. CNN's Kristin Holmes is on the campaign trail with the Trump campaign in Warren, Michigan for us. Kristin, what do we know, first of all, about this meeting? Well, just a reminder that this meeting almost didn't happen. In fact, earlier this week, I was told by senior advisors that it wasn't happening. Donald Trump lashed out at Zelensky, accusing him of making nasty little aspersions, those were his words, towards Donald Trump, the campaign was attacking Zelensky for comments that he made in Pennsylvania, saying that JD Vance was too radical. But after Zelensky reached out through intermediaries, they turned the page. They had this meeting and I was told by sources that this was really a meeting for Zelensky to lay out his case and that he also reminded Donald Trump that they got along when both of them were in office when Donald Trump was in office. But I will say it is still very clear what Donald Trump would do to end the war in Ukraine or even with aid to Ukraine if he were to be re-elected. Here's what he said after that meeting with Zelensky. We have a very good relationship and I also have a very good relationship as you know with President Putin and I think we're going to get it resolved very quickly, very well. I really think we're going to get it, more of a good relationship. We're going to have a whole house at the time, but you know it takes two to tango. I think that we can work out something that's good for both sides. It's time. He has never really gone any further than saying we would get it resolved very quickly. So no answers on that. But of course as you mentioned we are here in Michigan, another critical battleground state. You can tell how important this state is because Donald Trump has been doing a series of events here over the last several weeks. We expect him to visit the state again next week. One of these states with a very thin margin and one that the Trump can't believe is one that will help Donald Trump get to the White House in November. One thing we expect him to bring up during this down hall is Kamala Harris' visit to the border. His team has been slamming her visit for the last several days. Just a reminder that one of the things that they believe Donald Trump could win on in November is the issue of immigration. They do not want Kamala Harris to be able to go on the offensive. They want to keep her on the defensive. Of course, we'll see what happens after this visit. Wolf. All right. Kristin Holmes in Warren, Michigan for us. Kristin. Thanks very much. I want to bring in our political commentators. S.E. Cup and Maria Cardona. S.E. There was obvious tension in this meeting. Trump emphasized his so-called good relationship with Vladimir Putin even as he stood next to President Zelensky. What's your takeaway from that? Well, that one line really said a lot to me about what Donald Trump thinks and knows about this geopolitical controversy and complicated issue that deserves more than just it takes two to tango. I thought that was a really sort of unfortunate thing to say, to turn this disaster, this illegal invasion of a sovereign nation that's resulted in the deaths of 35,000 Ukrainians into like a deal that he would do and takes two to tango. It was insensitive. I think it was ignorant. But listen, as Kristin just noted, he has never been able to say what he would do about Ukraine. He would just say, I'll do a deal. And I have a great relationship with Putin. I think that relationship with Vladimir Putin is much more important to him than actually solving this crisis and learning what it would take to do that. Yeah. And to say that next to Zelensky was pretty awkward. I must say, indeed, Maria, I want to give you a reaction to what Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told me earlier today about this relationship. Watch and listen to this. This week, as you know, Mr. Secretary, the former President Donald Trump and his Republican allies ratcheted up their personal criticism of President Zelensky. Has U.S. support for this war been irreversibly politicized right now? Well, I won't speculate on that, Wolf. What I would tell you, what our focus is, what my focus is, and that is continuing to provide everything that we can to ensure that the Ukraine can be successful. And you just heard President Biden yesterday announce a significant amount of security assistance that we're providing to Ukraine. And in that, it included some new capability that we haven't provided in the past. So our focus will remain on making sure that we're giving Ukraine everything that we can provide that will prove effective in this fight. Maria, what do you make of that? Well, it doesn't surprise me that he didn't want to get into the political nature, which was what you asked him. But it was important for him to underscore the unwavering commitment of the United States to continue to provide funds and resources to Ukraine so that they can be able to continue to defend themselves because what Donald Trump said in the clip that you just showed was just completely embarrassing. It was in competency. It just showed just how unserious Donald Trump is as a leader on the world stage. And you can imagine what Zelensky heard when Donald Trump said, "We're going to figure out something here that is good for both sides." That means that if Donald Trump does win, I think the politics in this will be a reversible wolf, and Ukraine will look nothing like what it looks like today. Donald Trump will hand over part or perhaps even all of Ukraine to Putin on a silver platter. And we cannot let that happen. Yeah. All right. As you know, Vice President Kamala Harris is visiting the southern border with Mexico for the first time now as the Democratic presidential nominee. Is this the right move, or does it just draw more attention to a political vulnerability for her? Yeah, this is a tricky issue for her. And if she's damned if she does, she's damned if she doesn't. If she didn't go there, say she didn't even go to the border, see how unserious she takes it. She's going now. So there's this circular argument, "Well, why didn't you go earlier?" You know, folks are saying this was all Biden's policies, then Democrats will say, but when we tried to fix it, Republicans said, "No, it's a circular argument that never ends and it will never end," but I can tell you it's not appealing to undecided voters in the swing states who are not here for the finger pointing in the blame game. They just want solutions. So for the voters for whom immigration is a top number one issue, she's not reaching them. They don't trust her. They don't trust Biden. But for the voters for whom immigration is a softer issue, maybe a top five issue, I think she can by tacking to the middle a little bit, by giving specifics on what she would do, by calling for more resources, by saying that it will be harder to lift those restrictions on the border. That is enough, I think, for some undecided, independent voters, again, for whom they don't already have an immigration like hard line stance. To Essie's point, Maria, listen to Trump slamming Kamala Harris' trip to the border. Listen and watch this. Why would she go to the border now, playing right into the hand of her opponent? She keeps talking about how she supposedly wants to fix the border. We would merely ask, "Why didn't she do it four years ago?" So, Maria, how do you respond to that? I think I would respond to that, and what she will say is crossings today, Wolf, undocumented crossings today at the border, are lower than they were when Donald Trump left office. So, she has already put in solutions. She has already focused on solving the issue, because you know what, Donald Trump and JD Vance and the MAGA Republicans can't have it both ways. They can't scream with their hair on fire, that the border is a huge problem, and then turn their back on the toughest border security bill that we've ever had that was negotiated in a bipartisan way simply because Donald Trump wanted to weaponize the issue and use it as a political pawn. So, the VP will underscore that, and she will expose how unserious they are, what charlatans they are, and she's the one who will offer real solutions that Americans want. Essie Kamala Harris' border visit today comes as a due CNN poll of North Carolina shows a tide race in this key battleground state. This is clearly a must-win state for Trump. What's your reaction? I talked to Democrats, they are so hungry to win this state again, they haven't since 2008, they can almost taste it, and they are closing what used to be a 10-point gap. They are now effectively tied, so it's within reach. Essie Cup and Maria Cardona, it's a both of you, thank you very much for coming in, coming up. For power and destruction, we're going to take you to some of the areas hardest hit by Hurricane Helene and show you where the storm is endangering lives right now. I have a lot of projects I'm juggling right now. Allison is taking on a whole new set of renovations and deadlines. The only way you enter the laundry room is to the powder room. Yes. No. The project is three months past the original deadline. It looks so good. We're right on time. No. And that's when she's at her best. That is the most incredible thing I've ever seen. It's stunning. To be able to take it to a different level, this is why I'm here. Windy City Rehab, all new Tuesday night at 8 on HGTV. Tonight the death toll is up to at least 32 across the storm battered southeast as the remnants of Hurricane Helene unleash more pounding rains and life-threatening flooding. We're tracking the destruction along Helene's path. In the hour since it slammed into Florida as a very powerful Category 4 hurricane. CNN's Carlos Suarez is on the ground for us in Florida. We've lost everything in this building. Taking stock and feeling heartbreak after Hurricane Helene slammed Florida's west coast. This is the worst probably we've seen in our area in a hundred years. I know I've been in Sarasota for 22 years and I've never seen anything like this. Heavy rain bringing historic flooding, forcing water rescues. A holy cow, that storm surge, the whole lower level of my home was filled with water. I ended up hopping on to one of my little kayaks to float around in my living room. This has been just a heck of a storm surge. It's wiped out all my neighbors. I see just the destruction going all down the road. Down many roads, boats run aground, power lines down, homes and businesses destroyed. Some of it's outside, some of it's in here. This is by far the worst I've ever had. And some ablaze amidst the flooding, rescuers pass a burning home. Anybody in your house? Using their resources instead to search for survivors. Boy, it's devastating. I've never seen something like this. I've known people that lived here 20 years. I said they've never seen anything like it. After slashing Florida, Helene pushed north, battering Georgia and the Carolinas, also leaving life-threatening flooding. In Atlanta, communities left underwater as Helene held its strength as a hurricane until halfway through the state of Georgia. This is the worst I've ever seen. I've seen the creek high right up to the bottom of the bridge, but nothing like this. But it wasn't finished yet. Helene's massive size spread the rain and misery into North Carolina, where a relentless deluge caused historic flooding in Asheville just one day after a 1 in 1,000 year rainfall saturated the region. This is one of the worst storms in modern history for parts of Western Carolina. And Helene, moving into Tennessee, bringing rising water and dangerous flooding. In Irwin, Tennessee, more than 50 people were stranded on the roof of a hospital surrounded by raging floods. Helicopters were sent to save them. They're currently taking patients and staff off of the roof of the hospital and then transporting them back into the city of Irwin. And this is a serious situation, I would dare to say this is a life and death situation. And Carlos is joining us now live. Carlos, I know you're in Gulfport, Florida, for us. Did people there have enough time to evacuate? And what are they returning home to? Well, Wolf, that mandatory evacuation order went out a day before the storm passed us to the east. The emergency officials really were worried that far too many people stayed behind because Gulfport was not going to get a direct hit from this hurricane as for what they're coming home to and what they're dealing with. The damage out here is widespread, but the repair work is already underway. And the folks out here, Wolf, they're also looking after each other. There's a business here that is cooking food, cooking dinner tonight and handing it out to residents and workers for free. All right, Carlos Suarez in Gulfport for us. Thank you, Carlos. Very much just ahead of sweeping criminal indictment unsealed today. The U.S. Justice Department charging three Iranians with a massive hacking scheme aimed at Donald Trump's presidential campaign. The U.S. Justice Department is charging three Iranian nationals allegedly linked to a hacking operation aimed at the Trump campaign. Our senior justice correspondent Evan Perez is joining us right now. Evan, what more are you learning? Well, well, according to prosecutors, this is a years-long campaign that, as you pointed out, was targeting the Trump campaign. Among the things that they did was use phishing operations to impersonate people and get access to the Trump campaign. They managed to get documents, including vice presidential nominee vetting information. And they also got debate prep material just hours before the June 27th debate. They managed to send these debate materials to someone associated with what was then the Joe Biden campaign. Now I'll read you just part of what this email that was sent to someone associated with the Biden campaign that it says, "I hate Trump. I'm going to pass the materials along to you that would be useful to defeat him. Below is the final prep for the first debate tonight. Read and be strong and ready for tonight." Now, Wolf, according to prosecutors, there's no indication that anyone who received this actually opened this email, but it gives you a sense of what the Iranians were up to. Here's what the FBI Director Christopher Ray says what the aim of this entire operation was. Iran's intent was clear to sow discord and shape the outcome of our elections. Today, the FBI would like to send a message to the government of Iran. You and your hackers can't hide behind your keyboards. If you try to meddle in our elections, we're going to hold you accountable. Now, as part of this operation, Wolf, according to prosecutors, the hackers managed to impersonate Ginny Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, and for four years, apparently, they were sending emails trying to impersonate her to get access to people around Donald Trump. Wolf? Evan Perez, thank you very much for that update. Coming up, more of my exclusive interview with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin addressing whether the United States will change policy and let Ukraine use U.S. applied weapons deeper inside Russia. We have more on my exclusive interview with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on U.S. military aid for Ukraine's fight against Russia. President Zelensky is still urging the U.S. to give permission to strike deeper into Russia with U.S. weapons. The U.S. changed its mind and provided longer-range missiles, tanks, and fighter jets to Ukraine. So will the U.S. allow deeper strikes into Russia by Ukraine with U.S. weapons? Or is this a different calculation? Wolf, our policy hasn't changed. And I would point what I've said before is that, you know, one weapon won't be a silver bullet in terms of resolving this conflict. It's a combination of capabilities that are combined to create the effects that you want to create. Now, we have been focused on providing Ukraine what it needs to be able to successfully defend its sovereign territory from the very beginning. And that's why I brought together some 50 countries, some two and a half years ago, to meet and discuss how we're going to continue to provide security assistance. And we've done that consistently every month. We meet every month, either in person or virtually. And our support to Ukraine has been unwavering. We're going to continue to focus on giving them what they need to be successful on the battlefield. One specific weapon won't be the answer to every problem on the battlefield. And I think what we've seen recently is that Ukraine has the ability to now produce its own weaponry in terms of UAVs that are proven to be very, very effective in that fight. And some of these UAVs can range out beyond 400 kilometers, which is beyond the range of ATACMs or Storm Shadow or anything else that we would be able to provide them. Thanks to Defense Secretary Lori Dostin for that interview coming up. There's breaking news unfolding right now. More explosions happening in Beirut as the Israeli military ramps up airstrikes against Hezbollah. We'll have a live report from Lebanon that's coming up next. We're following breaking news right now. New explosions are rocking the Lebanese capital of Beirut once again tonight. As Israel ramps up, its operations against Hezbollah. Let's bring in our senior international correspondent, Ben Wiedemann. He's live in Beirut for us. What are you seeing? What are you hearing, Ben? Well, Wolf, within the last approximately hour, hour and a half, we've seen at least 10 individual airstrikes on southern Beirut behind me, not airstrikes, the likes of which happened at 6 p.m. this evening with that massive strike that we still don't know the final death toll of, but individual strikes that did light up the sky briefly. We did hear planes overhead, but what we know is that as a result of Israeli warnings put out over Twitter that hundreds, perhaps thousands of people have already fled those neighborhoods. We understand that many of them are desperately seeking shelter at the moment on what's up groups here in Beirut. There are offers news that certain schools or institutions are opening to take them in, but this really comes after basically seven or eight hours of bombing of Beirut. As I said, starting at 6 p.m. with that massive explosion now, we only, we understand from the Ministry of Health that their very preliminary death toll for that strike is 6 with 91 injured, but given that six buildings were totally flattened in that strike, which, where we understand several 2,000-pound bombs were used, basically bunker busters, that it's very likely that the death toll will rise dramatically in the coming hours, but of course, on the scene, there are rescue teams digging desperately in the rubble to find out if there's anybody left alive. All right, Ben, we'd have been, as I always say to you, stay safe over there. Thanks very much and to our viewers. Thanks very much for watching. I'm Wilf Mitzer in the Situation Room, Aaron Burnett out front starts right now. They say opposites attract, that's why the Sleep Number Smartbed is the best bed for couples. You can each choose what's right for you, whenever you like. 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