Its an Inflection Point and because of the truncated nature of this electiOn And just how wild this election has been they need an Inflection Point. Everyone kind of needs another chance, another bite at the apple before november 5. So i actually think theres going to be a lot of tune i think whatever happens Tomorrow Night could change some minds, but yes, typically a Vice President ial debate doesnt do much about an election. We will see what typical you know, think about this as normal and neither are neither other we did that make says he new Hour Cnn News central starts now begin with Breaking News, breaking moments ago sources tell cnn that israeli Special Forces have carried out raids in Inside Lebanon in recent days as fears grow of an all out regional war in the Middle East in comprehensible damage, hundreds of communities cut off far from freshwater and much needed supplies. As rescue Teams Race to get to those stranded residents. We now have new numbers as the Death Toll continues to rise. And hear from residents of one devastated town and two astronauts, lebanon, stuck on the international Space Station for months. But this morning there, Ride Home as finally we arrived, im sort of saga John Berman and kate bolduan, this is Cnn News central in the Breaking News, as sara just mentioned, cnn has learned of Cross Border Commando raids by israel into lebanon, into the southern part of the country. These Raids Backandforth could be a sign that a larger Ground Invasion could be coming. Obviously, there have been airstrikes on beirut for days now, lets get right to cnn, chief national Security Analyst and anchor jim sciutto. Who is in tel aviv. Jim, these raids what do they show and what do they tell us yeah. Well, john, you could call the shaping operations smaller Special Forces raids as well as just the barrage of airstrikes that weve seen and over the last several days, not just Taking Out his bold leadership, but going after firing positions missile launch, shut sites, Missile And Rocket storage sites in Southern Lebanon would all be part of laying the groundwork for a broader Ground Incursion or small scale invasion, whatever language you use so one can say that those operations have already begun and keep in mind what the israeli goal here is, as stated publicly, were not guessing about this israels goal as officials have described, is to move hezbollah back from the border and to do that they that they seem to be making it clear. They dont just intend to do damage to hezbollah forces along the border, but pushed them back. The typical Dividing Line is the litani river, about ten miles back from the border. So that when you have the israeli Defense Minister go speak to israeli forces. Now massing on the northern border and use this phrase, we will employ all the capabilities at our disposal thats quite clear. Public signaling about what may very well be the next step. And i think you could see these Special Operations Raids as well as the bombing and the strikes weve seen in recent days as part of that same ground operation jim, what is now known about hezbollah as it is currently constituted, their Will And Ability to carry out retaliation i think to some degree in recent days and weeks, if you go back for instance, to the Pager Attack as well as the killing on friday of Nasrallah Weve seen something of a piercing of the bubble of hezbollahs military capabilities as advertised, this was because iran strongest Proxy Weapon in the Middle East and against israel, its strongest piece of that Ring Of Fire around israel. We talked to great length about the many Tens Of Thousands of missiles and rockets, et cetera. But now it just a few days time, israel has not only dismantled its Leadership Right up to the very top but its Taking Out, taken out a lot of those very missiles which raises questions as to whether even if a decision were made by hezbollah to carry out a sizable retaliation, who would make that decision . And how would they communicate that to field commanders to then carry it out . Its not clear that they have the capability to do that. I dont mean to underestimate hezbollahs remaining arsenal or the threat. But the blow that israel has struck in recent days really raises questions as to what theyre capable of and we should also keep in mind irans public comments, which has been to say, were leaving this to hezbollah to retaliate. Were effectively sitting this one out, not to minimize or rons own capabilities, but at least from the public Messaging Standpoint they seem to be keeping their powder dry as well it is something that absolutely bears watching is hezbollah on its heels as much as it seems, at least from everything we see and hear jim sciutto, its great to have you there as our eyes and ears. Thank you so much, sara. All right. This morning, the u. S is preparing its military as fears grow that iran may be planning touri attacks. Cnns arlette saenz, that the White House with more on how the biden administration is viewing all of this at the moment and there meeting at this very moment, what are you learning or lot . Well Sara President biden is hoping to prevent this situation from escalating into a wider regional conflicts that could engulf the region. That is something that the administration has feared and really tried to work to prevent a for the past year. Now, a us official tells cnn that one major area of concern right now is the possibility that iran could be planning an attack in the wake of israels killing of Hamas Leader Hassan Nasrallah just last friday. So the u. S. Is working with israel on its defenses. This us official said, hoping that a joint defense and a change in the u. S. Military posture in the region could potentially ward off a potential shell attack. Now, this official did not outline what an iranian attack would look like or specify the exact moves that the u. S. Could take. But the pentagon in a statement on sunday, did stress that if iran tries to already, if its partners are proxies, tries to use this moment to target either american personnel so now or american interests that the u. S. Would respond to defend the american people at the pentagon has noted that they have a significant buildings in the region, including a Carrier Strike groups, and they are also working to increase chris the readiness of us troops who could mobilize to the region. Now, President Biden, on saturday convened a meeting of his national Security Team along with Vice President Kamala Harris to assess the situation in the Middle East. And also talk about the readiness of us military forces. And just yesterday, he stressed to reporters that he believes an allout war must be avoided. Take a Listen War in. The Middle East be avoided really have to have already taken precautions relative to our embassies first, you know, we want to leave but were not there yet, but were working like hell with the french and many others there is a reference to the us hope that there could be some type of diplomatic solution to try to return israeli and lebanese civilians back to their homes. President biden also said he does plan to speak with israeli prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu soon, though officials have not detailed how soon that conversation might happen. But biden making very clear there that he wants to take whatever steps possible to try to ensure that this war does not spill out into a wider regional conflict. That way been goals, the whole Region Arlette saens. Thank you so much for your reporting there from the White House kate, with us now to talk much more about all of this as a former idf spokesperson, retired Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan conricus. Thank you so much for coming in. Its good to see you. This new reporting that is really Special Forces have been carrying out targeted raids into Southern Lebanon, gathering intelligence ahead of a possible Ground Incursion from your experience, if this is happening, do you think a Ground Incursion is inevitable . Well nothing is inevitable. First of all, good morning to you and thanks for having me. Nothing is inevitable at this Stage Talks would they be successful. And the french and the americans would get hezbollah to agree to implement Security Council Resolution 1701 and move beyond the litani river, then no such Ground Operations would be necessary. Israeli civilians would be able to move back to them holmes and i think heres what it would be very happy to avail itself to other threads that it has against its national security unfinished business in gaza and elsewhere. So no, this is definitely something that can be avoided. But as the trajectory is now, it looks as if nobody has really making it something that can be avoidable. And israel as a sovereign country, has a responsibility to vote its people, to allow them to go home safely. I think the operations and what you refer to the information is part of making that happen and taking the necessary preparations in order to bring their civilians home. President biden said yesterday that there the way he put it was that there has to be a way to avoid a broader war the trajectory that you, that you were just mentioning, do you think it is realistic to think the region will avoid a broader war . So one thing that i think is given any, it is a must is that israeli civilians must be able to go home to their homes safely without being threatened by says Hezbollah Crossborder attacks or antitank missiles being fired at their homes, which they have been for the last 11. 5 months. So thats the End Situation that israel needs to achieve. How do we get there . Do we get there by a Ceasefire Agreement or by Military Action . Thats very much up to hezbollah. And their iranian masters. They could understand the situatiOn And they could understand that israel is very serious about getting its people home but at the end of the day, i dont think that iranian masters are going to allow that to happen. And i think that theyre going to push in lebanon over the abyss. I think that they are going to tell hezbollah that theres no option but to push forward and to escalate this into war is an israeli would hope you see a different situation where its not necessary and israelis can go back to their homes without having israeli Ground Troops in lebanon. But eventually somehow i think youre alone, jonathan, i think you were hearing some of the natural sounds, some of the sound from some of the video were showing, which can be confusing sometimes. Oh, let me sorry about that. Let me ask you this. Because at the same time when you add all of it up, that you were just describing . You also had Israel Bombing Houthi Targets in Yemen Sunday why why do that . Now is, you know, youd ask a good question because when you asked why now and not nine or ten or 11 months ago, thats thats a fair question. And because the houthis have been Firing Missiles, ballistic missiles at israel for about 10. 5 11 months and only now, now is the second time that israel retaliated insignificant force against the 40s. The first time was about a month and a half, two months ago when israel struck the Port Of Hudaydah and a few military facilities in the vicinity yesterday, is well delivered. A stronger blow against a more diverse target. It targets in yemen that are related to the houthis. And the point here is to send a message to the houthis that if you continue Firing Missiles at israel endangering our civilians, then there is a price to pay and please start firing. It is all its a very simple thing where were there also so much that is not even nothing close to being simple when it comes to the regiOn And where things are going right now. Who putin for Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan conricus. Its good to have you. Thank you so much for coming on. John all right. 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It is already the third deadliest hurricane to hit the united states in the last 50 years. The storm left a trail of destruction, at least six states in North Carolina, the governor just told kate that the storm and wiped entire towns off the map Cnns Melissa Gonzalez is in asheville, North Carolina, which has seen so many problems where we know this morning yeah, the devastation is very, very much here in asheville, North Carolina Take A Look right behind us. The rainfall has subsided, but were now beginning to understand the damage that are left behind this is just one of the hundreds of roads that have been closing that remained close this morning. And you can see why look at the heavy heavy sludge, the mud on The Streets, making them impassable. Two people walking by and also to cars. We saw some of them slipping and sliding, creating very dangerous conditions now, right now this morning, as the sun has come up, weve seen people, groups of people going into the hes businesses were actually surrounded by a lot of