You heard those bangs, authorities or later heard shouting, you are under arrest. Come out with your hands up. It appears the suspect was not actually there at the time. Police are searching now for this man, 40yearold robert card, hes considered armed and dangerous, and charged with multiple counts of murder. Officials are telling residents in the areas around lewiston maine to remain vigilant, stay inside, and lock their doors as the search for card continues. That search as it is ongoing, there are of course other locations they plan to investigate in the coming hours. In the meantime, schools, government properties, while the suspect is on the loose. Hundreds of local and federal agents are involved in the search, and that investigate in to wednesdays massacre. This has been a concerted effort at the state local and federal level. To everyone is determined to bring the two justice. Now the rampage is in fact the deadliest Mass Shooting in the united states. The gunman first attacked a Bowling Alley that was around seven pm as people were gathering for a night out with friends and family. More now on how the shootings unfolded from omar jimenez. A Multi Agency Man Hunt to stand before you today, to report that 18 people lost their lives. 13 people injured in the last nights attacks. Both incidents happened wednesday night in the town of lewiston. Multiple victims, i need every unit in line. State police say the first call came at 6 56 pm, reporting a man shooting at the just in time recreation which includes a Bowling Alley. Then at 708 pm, Communication Center received multiple 911 calls about an active shooter inside schemengees bar and grill, but a ten minute drive away from the Bowling Alley. For two active shooter locations. Again, the town for active shooter. All available units. At 806, Police Released photos of the shooter to the media. Victims of the just in time establishment, seven people are deceased there, one female, and six males. Victims, of the Schemengees Billiards seven males inside the establishment, one male outside the establishment. Three other victims were pronounced dead at the hospitals. One men the bill acknowledging the shooting says, he hit inside a bowling machine. He just came in. I just booked it down the lane, and i slid into where the pins are and climbed up the machine, until the cops got there. Megan hutchinson tells cnn, she was inside the Bowling Alley with her tenyearold daughter zoe, who was grazed by one of the bullets. She was injured, but not hospitalized. It is shocking, it is something that you think would never happen. I never thought i would grow up and get a bullet in my leg. Why . Why do people do this . At 9 26 pm as 40yearold robert card, former armed reservist. My 9 56, pm investigators found his way to Brew Hatchback near a boat launch near the community of where authorities are now actively searching for. We have had everything from people talking about their voices in the basement and, woods and suspicious people, gunshots, on night long since the incident. We have a whole department working. Now an entire community is under lockdown, being told to shelter in place. It is very that makes me feel million homes better. And the situation like that, i wish i had a firearm. Omar jimenez, cnn, lewiston, maine. For more on this, we want to bring in retired fbi Special Agent thank you so much for joining us this morning. We appreciate it. Im sure you like everyone is looking on right, now and hoping that certainly this whole ordeal is brought to an end soon. I am going to start with a basic question, every resident in lockdown wants to know what is taking so long, and why . Can you lean on experience to explain what is involved here . Yes, i am somewhat puzzled by that question sometimes, because it takes a long time to catch somebody. The police do not have, particularly in an area like, this that is not New York City or los angeles, people have there is a lot of, room in lot of rugged terrain in parts and areas they could just disappear into. I guess sometimes, you know, art does imitate life. But we did not have the ability to check everybody everywhere all the time. And you know, this i am sure does not have a large police department, and so he did, this he planned, it he drove from one placed in, then disappeared into the night. It is in this kind of area, and not come up with somebody who wants to stay hidden. It will depend on how long he was planning this. Did he liquidate, did he have cash, supplies cashed somewhere, water, food, things like that. You know, that is going to come to light in the coming days. Right now you have to be focused on where he, is and taking him into custody or neutralizing him before he hurts anyone else. I take your, point he certainly was planned in he had some expertise. I do want to tap into two areas of expertise. What is the psychology of a person who doesnt surrender, in some of the situations most of the times in fact, we see that the immediately commit suicide. What could be motivating him do you think in this situation . You are right. Most of these times they either and in suicide at the scene, or suicide by cop where they shoot out with police knowing they will get killed. It is hard to say, because you are dealing with a very irrational person in the midst of a psychotic break, so it is very hard to say not knowing him. Im hoping that the lean into the people who treated him. We heard he was treated for some Mental Health issues recently, he was institutionalized for a couple weeks over the summer. Those doctors are probably the ones who have the biggest insight into his mindset. What he is, doing what he wants to accomplish with this thing. But it is hard for layman like a, non medical professional psychological professionals, to really get inside his mind, and every person is a little different when they take these kinds of actions. It is really individualistic. It is a very personal to them, to that individual, what this guy is apparently what we call a grievance collector. He was collecting all of these things people would do, perceive as bad, things saying about, him and so something triggered him to snap over the edge, and he decided to carry this out. Talking to Family Members and friends, those doctors, they evaluated, him it is probably the best place to get the answers on number, one why he would do Something Like this, and two, what his longer term goals are in carrying this out and escaping. And in fact, his family says they are cooperating, and encouraging to surrender. To the second point in terms of where he could be, now and leaning on the expertise, here he did apparently have own a boat, officials found his abandoned car at a boat launch. How much more difficult to believe that will make the search . Well from my understanding, the body of water in that river that is boat ramp, but a few hundred yards up the river was and a few hundred Yards Downriver was a dam over which so that was a very finite stretch of the river where he could have gotten we do not know what is on the side of that river. It is a much more rugged terrain area. So i was involved in the search back in the 90s in North Carolina and he was the one who he had prestaged food, water throughout those mountains for u. S. , for that event. He stayed elusive to us for two years, on the card because he came out of the mountains looking for food because he ran out of food. So depending on how much planning, and how much was just a hit in, until Police Actually go into those woods arm and arm shoulder to shoulder, and doing a Ground Search which is a very difficult manpower intensive thing, very dangerous. You are facing someone whos a weapons expert, he could be hiding behind a tree and shooting out and killing more officers. That is a worstcase scenario. These are all good, points especially the case of the that is a very chilling case for people in maine to think about this hour. Before i let you, go i want to ask, you police are doing due diligence. They went back to his Last Known Address, they have been there twice now. Apparently have not found anything. What does that tell you about the quality, and the quantity of credible leads that authorities have right now . Well, i mean, it was interesting they went to the house and then left the house and then back to the house. So some piece of information in the interim grow them back to the house and when they went back, it was a tactical operation or the first time with growing in and executing a search warrant. Something drove them back to the house. Some tip near their or something. So i think that they are also, the fbi has cell phone teams that can track things and then they are probably doing that, at least trying to stay off the grid as much as possible. But these fbi social Media Exploitation Team is not probably scared all night, social media to see where he might have unknowingly into where. People when they disappear like, this they want to go somewhere they are comfortable. If they go somewhere they are not comfortable, they are always looking around. They do not know what is what. So hes going to want to go somewhere where he is comfortable. Well, we know where people are comfortable, it is where they have been before. It is hard to not leave a trace either on social, media or with friends or family about where you like to, go and where you are going to go if Something Like this happens. I think your, point, Bobby Desperate Everyone has to be patient as that were gets done. Thank you so, much really appreciate it. Thank you for having me. Now of course we want to remember the victims families and friends of those killed in the massacre, trying to process the tragedy while mourning the loss of their dear loved ones. Cnn s has some of the victims stories. This city did not deserve this terrible assault on and, citizens its peace of mind, and its sense of security. No city does, no state, no people. The magnitude of what happened last night coming into focus, as authorities remove the bodies of some of those who perished in the shooting at the schemengees bar and grill restaurant. Eight died at the bar including the right walkers son joseph. His father says his son died when he tried to stop the shooter. My son actually, hes the manager of the bar and everything else, picked up a butcher, knife and went after the government to try and stop from killing other people, that is when he shot my son to death. Trying to save some more lives that he ended up losing his life. 40yearold Brian Macfarlane also identified as one of the victims. His sister says he was deaf, and he was there for a regular wednesday Night Gathering of members of the deaf community, and his sister who was also deaf says their loss is deeply filled from her family, and the community. We want people to know how big this is impacted the deaf community, that we have lost 40 community members, not just where i am, but we have lost three other friends as well from this tragic incident, and this community. It is a huge loss. Minister way from the, bar more victims and more tragedy. Police say seven were killed, and just in time recreation center. A Bowling Alley in lewiston, including 53 year old her brother says she was calling 911 when she was killed. Told cnn, she was not going to run. She was going to try and help. Just in time recreation released a statement which sums up the feelings of many in the community. There are no words to fix this, or make it better. We are praying for everyone who has been affected by this horrific tragedy. We love you, our and hold you close know or parts. An unidentified employee of Bates College was one of 13 people injured during the Mass Shootings. In a statement, bates president says that the employee is expected to make a full recovery. No matter how many times Something Like this happens, i find myself at a loss for words. This, time it happened so close to home. Some of the injured are being treated at Central Maine HealthCare Hospital in lewiston. This is a dark day for me. I know it is hard for us to think about healing, but our hearts are broken. I want every person in maine to, know that we will heal together. Jason carroll, cnn, new york. Okay, so later this, hour we will continue to give you more on the search for the suspected shooter in maine as that search continues right. A Law Enforcement checking robert cards background, and his home for his location, and then of course a possible motive. After days of anticipation, of the israeli incursion into, gaza the idf announces how the next phase of the war against hamas will unfold. We will have those details for you when we return. All right, we want to bring up to date on israels war against hamas now. Nearly three weeks old. Israel announced the next phase of its Military Operations on thursday, saying it will conduct more limited grades into gaza and preparation for its ground offensive. In gaza we continue attacking from the air, and from the sea. Eliminating senior hamas terrorists, and infrastructure. The idf forces continue today rating and had the gaza strip, the prepare the ground to make sure the explosives are now waiting for us. The rates are going to continue tonight, and the next day. Now video from the Israeli Military shows a column of idea of tanks and heavy equipment during the socalled targeted raid on thursday. The idf said the operation was large, but limited, and the troops withdrew from gaza. Now it has failed to destroy hamas after the group massacred more than 1400 people in southern israel, more than 200 others still hostage at this hour. The idf said in an airstrike on thursday killed a senior hamas leader who is involved in planning the october 7th attack. Cnns Jim Bittermann is live for us in paris, and has been following all of this. Jim, when it struck me that an idea of spokesman told cnn a few hours, go in their estimation, the troops are actually eager to take on an invasion of gaza at this hour. Well i would say, they may be, eager by some of the other countries in the world are not so eager. Perhaps the french president macron just returned from a trip to the middle east where he was urging caution on the israeli. He was also expressing his support for their need to defend themselves but he was also pitching an idea that hes had for sometime now that to create some type of a multinational antiterrorism force, and that the on the same plane as the coalition that was put together against i. S. I. S. That included members of the European Union, and also the arab league, and he was hoping to get some support for that. It does not seem like he got much for because he basically came home emptyhanded. He did say us he returned that in fact francis going to send a lot of humanitarian aid, and going to the red crescent in egypt, of course the question will be whether he can and the French Hospital that is going to anchor somewhere out there, perhaps of gaza. More likely of egypt, so that it is available for any kind of hospital needs given the humanitarian situation developing. Yeah, as you, say he doesnt have much to show for it. In fact, the changed little since he was on the ground. Yet, how is he portraying any progress he has made . Well, i think he basically, he would like to see the support israel of, course and he said that several times while he was in israel. But he wants to be able to say that he monahan aid for gaza and that is as he pointed out, a few days ago, no sustainable solution to this can be found without some type of a political solution. And of course together and some political solution. Theres just no sign of that yet and i think israel and particular geared up we will see what happens. We certainly will. Jim bittermann for us in paris. Appreciate your time. Now a continuing story, following here at cnn, the u. S. Says it has conducted airstrikes against facilities in Eastern Syria that are linked to iran. It is unclear if there were any casualties. The strike swallow is years of attacks on u. S. Forces in the region, which walker Washington Center run was involved. Cnns Oren Liebermann has already tails. The u. S. Carried out air strikes in Eastern Syria against two facilities used by irans Islamic Revolutionary guard corps, unaffiliated groups. Misuse of taxi or seen over the course of the past we can have a, so against u. S. Forces, new pentagon says two of 16 fighter jets precision guided munitions to target these facilities, ammo storage facility, a weapon storage facility. Officials say these facilities were used and assisted in a series of attacks we have seen since october 17. The pentagon says we have seen 19 attacks, drone attacks, Rocket Attacks against u. S. Forces in these countries, resulting and more than 20 minor injuries, and one killed as the result of a false alarm because of a belief of another one of these attacks. Given the situation, the u. S. Felt it had to respond, but the u. S. And defense secretary lloyd austin or very clear this, morning describing this as selfdefense strikes that were narrowly targeted to protect u. S. Forces, losses and a message there would be more strikes if the attacks on u. S. Forces continue. I will read you a part of austin statement here. First attributing needs to run and putting this on a run. Around aunts to hide its hand and denies these attacks against our forces, we will not let them. If it expire runs proxies against u. S. Forces continue, we will not hesitate to take further necessary measures to predict our people. Then these narrowly tear looked strikes of selfdefense were intended solely to protect, and defend u. S. Personnel in iraq and syria. We have already seen the u. S. Bolster its force presence in the region, because of a worry of escalation on the part of irans proxies. That would be hezbollah and lebanon, as well as in iraq and syria. U. S. Deploying an in the process of deploying man hundred troops to the region, including an air defense, battery and Patriot Air Defense systems. That is on top of everything we have already seen in the region. All as a warning to iran to stay out of this fight. The question of, course did these airstrikes and targets on facilities used by irans irgc unaffiliated groups, the ad that get the message, and has deterrence been restored, or does this continue. The u. S. Is trying very hard to make sure the conflict in gaza does not spread to the wider region, even as we have seen antiu. S. An anti israel protest across the middle east. Oren liebermann, cnn, pentagon. So authorities in maine are searching for the man accused of killing 18 people in a Shooting Rampage wednesday night. Coming up, the challenges they face this hour as massive an urgent man hunt for robert card continues. You want to be able to provide your child with the tools or resources they need. With reliable internet at home, through the internet essentials program, the world opened up. Fellas, fellas. Thats how my son was able to find the hidden genius project. We wanted to give yall the necessary skills to compete with the future. Kevins now part of this next generation of young people who feel they can thrive. Back to our top story this, our community on, adage and sheltering in place as an intensive manhunt is underway in the u. S. In maine, authorities are looking for robert card, the suspect in a Shooting Rampage that left 18 people, dead and 13 injured. Swat team searched his Last Known Address thursday. You came from that, direction we can see another loud explosion. Now that was said to be used the bill to disrupt explosive devices planted by a suspect, and also to catch the suspect offguard, in case you might have been lying in wait. One force might return to the house leader after detecting something near the home, but say they do not know what or who it was. Card is considered armed and dangerous, he is a certified firearms instructor, a member of the u. S. Army reserves. Card recently threaten to carry out is shooting at a national facility. We also reported mental issues, including hearing forces. On forsman officials are expected to return on friday to quads Last Known Address in maine. Authorities are also digging into his background, searching for clues to help locate him. Cnns pamela brown has more. Swarms of the federal and local officers converge as the man hunt for robert card intensifies. Mr. Card is considered dangerous. His back and giving a few potential clues about the shooting that left at least 18, dead and more than a dozen injured. His army records show, he 40yearold was a Petroleum Supply specialist in the reserves, but never served in combat. A former Army Reservist who served with card telling cnn, he is a skilled marksman, an outdoorsman who was among the best shooters in his unit. While he was training in Upstate New York over the summer, card reported hearing voices, and threatened to shoot up a National Guard base according to Law Enforcement sources. The National Guard, saying he was, quote behaving radically. He was transported to a hospital at the u. S. Military academy for medical evaluation and state for two weeks. His family telling cnn, he did not have a long history of Mental Health issues. Quote, this is something that was an acute episode. This is not who he is. The sister in law said, quote, this is a good family. On his twitter, page kadlec rightwing post including my tiger carlson, donald trump, junior republican Members Of Congress and those criticizing President Biden on the economy. His social media also shows photos of him fishing. Is a vehicle was found at a bold robles than 20 miles from the shooting scene. Public records show, he owns a boat. The coast guard is also part of the search. According to another former soldier who served with card, he had extensive training including land navigation. Quote, he would be very comfortable in the woods. The shooting was in his most recent address is in a rural area of a nearby town called bone in. According to public, records which also show that his family owns a series of properties nearby. Law enforcement sources say, crowd recently split up with a longtime girlfriend, and they are pursuing a theory he allegedly targeted the Bowling Alley and barr, because he used to go there with her. They were supposed to be at the bar that night. Based on our investigation, we believe this is someone who should not be approached. His brother telling cnn, they are trying to urge him to surrender, quote we have Law Enforcement in any way, possible police have been given anything that we can offer to facilitate their efforts. The brother of the suspect also telling, me this is many peoples worst nightmare, indeed it is. One of the main outstanding questions is, why robert code was able to leave that Mental Health clinic after expressing thoughts of wanting to harm fellow soldiers, unable to gain access again to his legally possessed multiple weapons. We know does not have a red flag law which allows Family Members to petition a court to have weapons taken away from a Family Member in crisis. Pamela brown, cnn, washington. Okay, still to come for, as a journalist continues to report from gaza. Less than 24 hours after his network says, his family was killed by an israeli airstrike. More on the harrowing conditions inside the palestinian enclave. That is next. The u. N. Is trying to break its undiplomatic that law concerning israel and hamas. On thursday, israels ambassador addressed the General Assembly is emergency session on the crisis. The Security Council has so far been unable to get on the same page about what to do next, and the assembly may in fact vote friday on a ceasefire resolution drafted by arab states. Israeli Ambassador Says a ceasefire would only in his, words tie his countrys hands, and it is not an attempt to achieve peace. The palestinian representative pushback claiming almost all of the victims of the israeli airstrikes or civilians. Joe biden and fact has expressed skepticism over Casualty Counts out of hamas controlled gaza, which has angered palestinians. Jordan received a rare applause from the chamber after these words. We care about all lives, about all civilians. Muslims, christians, palestinians,s release. All lives. He spoke about saving lives upon issued a veiled threat. Its four minister warned that if israels Military Operation in gaza due nonstop, the u. S. Will not be spared from the fire. Also claimed hamas is ready to release civilian hostages but he claimed, first urge israel to release thousands of palestinians from its jails. Not israel sets the stage for its ground invasion, European Union has called for humanitarian pauses in the fighting, new leaders are also appealing for the creation of safe corridors to deliver aid to gaza, but are not calling for a complete ceasefire. The red crescent says another 12 ajax entered gaza thursday. But did not bring any, fuel which israel does not allow. Israel says hamas would steal the fuel and use it for Rocket Attacks. Fuel is as we have been telling you a lifesaver in gaza, partly because hospitals needed to run their power generator. This causes Health Ministry which is controlled by hamas as 12 hospitals now in the area are no longer up and running. Israel claims hamas still has fuel stored in gaza that could help in those hospitals. None al jazeera journalist has returned to work less than 24 hours after an israeli airstrike killed his family in gaza. That is according to his network al jazeera. The idf says it was targeting hamas infrastructure in the area when the mans family where the mans family were sheltering. Cnns Salma Abdelaziz has more, and a warning, parts of her report are graphic. A journalist, some call her voice of gaza, mourns over the body of his teenage son when they are taking and there are. Avenged by killing our children, he cries. Al jazeera says its bureau chief in gaza waded lost his wife, 15yearold, son sevenyearold daughter, and baby grandson. All killed in an israeli airstrike, the network says. The report have moved his family south of gaza city, after an Evacuation Order by the idf, believing it would keep them safe. This conflict is taking a severe toll on a journalist, with at least 24 killed so far, according to the committee to protect journalists. Reporters are also facing threats, arrests, and censorship. No one and nowhere in this enclave spared, palestinians say. That and funerals are constant. Anguish and agony are on every corner. Every ten minutes, a child is killed, save the estimates. Anywhere else in the world, sons bury their father this man says. Why is a different angngles a. Why dodo we have to buryry our children reef or they are even grown. Families desperate to keep their little ones s safe are taking Refuge Anywywhere they cn find. Packed u u. N. Shelelters are turning people away. We cant live like thihis. We are 17 People Livining in a School Classroom this woman says. How long a are we supposeded to live like . This t tell us, world, how long . Speaking out to living here is difficult, and grgrim. Food, fuelel, water, everything is running out. I d did not even knowow Whate Popoint is of bebeing, here she says. We are still, terrified and we have nothing, no help. We can r read, we are growownu, bubut how are ththese Childrenen Supposeded to handle this . There is no childhood left here for thehe more than 1 million kids now trapped in this health gave. There is no way, gas and, say to keep the youngest safe. Some abdelaziz, cnn, london. We are joined now by a Communication Adviser for the humanitarian group and refugee council, and speaking to us from east jerusalem. I appreciate your time. Can you help us, bring us up to date on the Human Situation at the snow on the ground in gaza . I know you are in close contact where you can meet with your colleagues there. Every day that i speak to my colleagues, they are just telling me a situation that gets worse and worse. There is no safe place in gaza. They are running out of necessary supplies, food, water, medicine, even things as simple as Pumping Water into a tank to store in the house can be a huge effort because of the lack of fuel. My colleague spent four hours earlier this week just working to extract one liter of fuel from a Friend Gas Tank in order to power a pump to get water into the house so the family could drink and be eight. These are just some of the tiny glimpse of the types of struggles as im sure your audience knows, hospitals are on the verge of collapse. In the Palestinian Red Crescent announced yesterday and expected to have to suspend operations within the next 24 hours, because they do not feel for their ambulances. More and more people are getting killed each day. Yet, we are not seeing the fuel, the food, the medicine, the water that needs to be coming in in order for palestinians to survive. And to that point, the meager aid the asciminib and the last few days, as it made a difference . What has come in . There has been some medical assistance. Some supplies. Medicines. Nasty and food, but a lot of that food has been beans, rice, pantry staples that typically require both, water and fuel in order to prepare. And so i think of course any amount of aid right now is going to make a difference. But the issue is it is not enough. He just simply is not enough to sustain the needs of a 2. 3 million population that has been struggling and suffering for the last three weeks. In addition to the need for a huge increase in aid to come through, and that the u. N. Has announced at least 100 trucks need to be coming in each day, and the last six days we have seen the 74 trucks and her gaza in total. In addition to the need to come, in we needed to be safe for humanitarians to go out and do their jobs, and distribute aid to those in need, and we need safety for those who are seeking aid to come to distribution points, to access it. So that requires that there be a ceasefire, or at the very least humanitarian positives so humanitarian aid workers can go out and do their job safely. So as of, now we do not seem to be close to either of those two scenarios. In terms of what you are prepared for, what are you and your colleagues prepared for the next 24 to 48 hours . We have been very limited in our abilities to operate ever since october 7th. Our staff in gaza has been struggling just to keep themselves and their families alive. Unfortunately multiple members of our staff have lost Family Members, including one who lost her sixyearold son last week. And so, what we have been able to do is stand cash to families, the most vulnerable families in gaza, so while theyre still is limited stocks in shelves in markets, they can go out and purchase what they, need especially as prices in gaza have gone up, as supplies have dwindled. But the window of opportunity for cash being helpful to people, is rapidly shrinking as supplies get depleted, and stores run out of stock. I take your point, that point is some of the aid that is coming in, but you need the fuel, in either what it be able to cook that as well. Before i let you go after, askew on thursday in an interview with idf spokesman they said aid groups like yours are crying over the fuel shortages, specifically because you have been warning for a better week that fuel would run out. It has not completely. How do you react to that kind of a comment . You know, it does not matter whether it is irrelevant at this point whether we have been sounding the alarm for a week. The reality is, that people are suffering more and more each day. It is the International Community is imperative that we stop the suffering of innocent civilians. We need to do all we can. My understanding is that palestinians are being very resourceful in terms of finding what limited supplies they can and using them to the most extent possible. But time is rapidly running out. And we shouldnt be allowing 2. 3 million civilians to be suffering any longer. He has, it is their suffering a certainly clear for the world to see. Thank you for joining us. We appreciate it. Thank you. And still to come for us, catastrophic damage in mexico after a powerful category five storm slammed acapulco, the aftermath of Hurricane August Whenen we returnrn. At least 27 people are dead after Hurricane Otis slammed into Acapulco Mexico as a recordbreaking category five storm. Four people are still missing, Officials Say about 80 of the hotels in popular Tourist Destination were impacted by otis. More than half 1 million homes and businesses lost power across mexicos state. Authorities on scene now after damage to roads slowed the arrival of aid. It feels like this is a lie. What is this . We have a live. I do not know, but we are alive. Now of course otis weekend after moving inland, but it is expected to bring heavier rain to parts of southern, mexico possibly triggering a Flash Flooding incident as well as mudslides. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he can see, quote, the end of the war in his country. This comes after new american and danish support measures when else thursday. Think of state says the countrys Security Assistance package includes 100 50 million worth of arms and equipment. President zelenskyy says, that marks offering is more than 500 million worth of tanks, drones, and ammunition. The u. S. Secretary of state and chinas top diplomats are meeting in washington as concerns continue to grow over the israelhamas war expanding. Blinken said he is looking to having quote, constructive conversations with chinas one minister wang yi over the visit. Just released to the state department, said during the meeting on, thursday they reiterated the u. S. Would continues to land up for our interest, and values, and both our allies and partners. Wang will also meet with National Security adviser jake sullivan, and speak with president joe biden. Now the latest round of diplomacy comes just days after the u. S. Says, a chinese fighter jet came within feet, just feet of a u. S. Air force bomber. Cnns Natasha Bertrand has details of the Close Encounter from the pentagon. U. S. Indopacific command announced on thursday that a chinese fighter jet got within ten feet of a u. S. Air force b52 bombers that was conducting a routine mission over the South China Sea on tuesday. That was a really close call, and the u. S. Said in a statement that the chinese pilot was uncontrolled excessive speed, flying below, in front, of and within ten feet of the b52 regarding both aircraft in danger of collusion. Now this incident is part of a series of recent incidents where chinese Fighter Aircraft have been trying to intercept u. S. Military aircraft conducting missions in International Airspace in the vicinity, and over the South China Sea. The u. S. Has said that these incidents are getting increasingly common. According to the top official for security of the indopacific at the pentagon, he said, quote since the fall of 2022, we have seen more than 180 such incidents by the chinese air force. He said it was a centralized and Concerted Campaign to perform these risky behaviors in order to coerce a change in law for u. S. Operational activity. Essentially, the message from the pentagon here is, the chinese are trying to intimidate the u. S. And its allies out of operating over this International Airspace, over the South China Sea. Now all of this comes as President Biden is expected to meet with chinas Foreign Minister on friday. The National Security adviser is also expected to meet with, him and Secretary Of StateAntony Blinken had scheduled meetings with the Chinese Foreign minister on thursday. So it remains unclear whether he is going to bring up these chinese maneuvers with the Chinese Foreign minister, but it is something in the u. S. Military has been trying to communicate with our Chinese Military counterparts but they have been unable to get through because those counterparts, theyre simply refusing to answer the phone. Nichelle tasha bertrand, cnn, the pentagon. So, the u. S. Economy defied expectations again. In the face of stubborn inflation, and high interest rates, Gross Domestic Product or gdp soared over the Second Quarter to 4. 9 . That is an annualized rate, that is more than double the growth in the spring, and faster than economists predicted. That strength isnt expected to continue as the economy faces soaring deals, and resumption of student loan repayments. I say, do not count the American Economy out just yet. I am paula newton, more Breaking News out of maine and the middle east in just a moment. Stay with us