5 00 a. M. Here on the u. S. East coast and were tracking developments in the middle east of a simmering standoff between israel, syria, and iran. The United States says its deeply concerned but israel has the right to defend itself. All of this comes after israel says it launched strike into syria against iranian targets there. The wave of attacks come after an israeli warplane crashed after being hit by syrian antiaircraft fire. It was taking part in a raid inside syria, after an iranian drone entered israeli air space. The Prime Minister of israel Benjamin Netanyahu had this message to say on saturday. Listen. Israel holds iran and its syrian host responsible for todays aggression. We will continue to do whatever is necessary to protect our sovereignty and our security. Were covering this across the region with our correspondents. Cnns Oren Liebermann in jerusalem and our Senior International correspondent ben wedeman live in the lebanese capital of beirut. Oren the responses were hearing from the United States, russia, israel and others about where things stand and where things could go. Well it seems the rhetoric is still flying. Prime minister netanyahu once again reiterating that israel is willing to strike iran if it feels like its violating one of its red lines. Either getting too close to israeli air space or israel accusing iran of flying a drone into israeli air space. The rhetoric still flying. The drones and the antiaircraft missiles, that, at least as of right now, seems to have quieted down. The level of military tension seems to have peaked about saturday afternoon. That was after israels retaliatory strike against a dozen targets in syria. Some of which were iranian. Some of which were syrian. Now the question of where things go from here. The two players we were looking at, regional players, are the americans and the russians. The americans put out a short statement, and this is no surprise, firmly siding with the israelis saying israel has a right to defend itself. The russians, however, took a much more evenhanded approach against both israel and iran. Russia remains an ally of both and has leverage over both. And when russian says deescalate the situation and dont let it get any worse from here or any more tense from here that means something to both israel and iran and it seems from that point on from roughly yesterday afternoon, we havent seen a continuation of the escalation in military tensions. So where things go, its still relatively early. Ist less than 36 hours after this all began Early Saturday Morning here so the situation remains tense. But in terms of the military tension, that could be starting to ebb here. George . All right. The response there from the United States, from russia, and from israel. Lets bring in our Senior International correspondent ben wedeman. Ben what are you hearing regarding responses, as well . What were seeing, were hearing from iran, from syria, from hezbollah, is the belief that the downing of this israeli f16 yesterday morning is a game changer. It is the First Time Since perhaps as far back as the 1982 israeli invasion of lebanon that an Arab Military force has been able to bring down an israeli plane. So that is significant in itself. Now where it goes from here is not at all clear. Israel since the beginning of the Syrian Civil War back in 2011 has launched well over 100 strikes on targets within syria. Israeli officials normally claiming that the purpose of those strike was to stop the shipment of advanced Weapons Systems from syria to hezbollah in lebanon. Now whats also significant about this is that it is the first time that israel has targeted Iranian Forces within syria itself. And you have to see that within the broader context of this big rivalry between the United States, israel, saudi arabia, and other gulf states on the one hand, against iran, against syria, and hezbollah on the other. Now as oren was pointing out the russians are sort of playing in the middle here. Two months ago israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu did go to moscow. Hes in regular contact with the russians who do seem to have more strings to pull in this conflict than the americans who dont really have any friends in dams acass. They certainly dont have any friends in tehran. They have a very rocky relationship with the turks. And really their only friend at the moment is israel. And its clearly not going to be a passive player in this current situation. It does appear that the tensions have been reduced, but there is an underlying conflict here that has yet to play out. George . Well see how it plays out, gentlemen. Thank you for the reporting. Well stay in touch with you. Now lets get some context with the chair of contemporary middle east studies at the London School of economics live in our London Bureau this hour. Thank you so much for being with us. Lets talk about what were seeing here. Two longtime rivals drawing a line in the sand. Where do you estimate this goes from here . I think, george, not a sign. Not israel nor iran would like allout war. They have made it very clear that theyre not very interested in really expanding the rivalry in syria and lebanon. The fact is what you have now is both sides walking a tight rope. Theyre trying to establish a position of dominance and superiority, but at the same time, they are very worried about any kind of expansion of that conflict because this means both sides will lose. The reality is what you have now is that russia, and president putin in particular, has ee emergencied as the power, the u. S. Is nowhere to be seen. It has a very weak hand. The reality is, think about it, george, after the downing of the israeli fighter jet yesterday and the israeli attacks, basically it was netanyahu talking to president putin, and the iranians talking to the russians. The u. S. Was nowhere to be seen. And this tells you a great deal. Whats happening is that russia now is the most important and powerful player in syria, the u. S. Has a very incoherrent strategy. President trump has marginalized strategy in the area. In fact most of the regional powers, you have iran, you have turkey, everyone is coordinating with russia as opposed to really trying to coordinate with the United States. Lets give a little context there. In recent months, over the last several years, quite frankly, looking at how the United States position has changed in the region, many were upset with the change the United States made with calling jerusalem the capital of israel. How is that playing into all of this . Very badly. In fact yes. What im trying to say is that, i mean, President Trumps decision to recognize jerusalem as the capital of israel has really basically been met with a major opposition. Throughout the region with the exception of course, of israel. And really this has turned the u. S. Position, this has made the u. S. Position very difficult. And it undermines american credibility in the reege. Even American Allies in the region are trying to keep a particular distance from the u. S. Position. So this is on the palestinian israeli conflict. On syria, the u. S. Really has a very weak hand. Russia has invested major strategic capital. I mean in his latest strategy on syria, President Trump and his secretary of state have basically announced major goals. Goals stlat turned turkey, i mean imagine turkey is a full member of nato and a strategic ally of the United States. Turkey now opposes the american presence in syria because turkey perceives the United States to be helping the kurds. Who are basically seen as intrinsic enemies of turkey. All in all the u. S. Position is in a terrible shape not only in syria, and the region itself, and the u. S. Really has very few parts to play in the region. Thank you so much for your time and your perspective on all of this. A lot to talk about. And im sure well be talking in the days ahead as we continue to watch this conflict play out. Thank you. Syria and israel will likely be on the agenda as top u. S. Diplomat kicks off a middle east trip. The secretary of state Rex Tillerson is set to arrive in cairo, egypt, in the coming hours. Hell meet with the egyptian president abdel fatah el sisi and other officials there. Tillerson may raise u. S. Concerns about human rights abuses, and ensuring free and Fair Elections in egypt. Iranian state media say that millions of people across the country are coming together, rallying, to mark the 39th anniversary of the islamic revolution. Thats when the government of the u. S. Backed shah was overthrown and the ayatollah khomeini, who had returned from exile, became head of the new islamic republic. Earlier the president of that nation, hassan rouhani, spoke to the crowds in tie iran. He said the celebrations were a testament to National Unity against the quote, subversive plots of the United States. But keep in mind just weeks ago antigovernment protests rocked that country. The aid agency oxfam, it is denying that it covered up allegations that some of its senior employees paid for sex in haiti. Now this apparently happened shortly after that earthquake that took place there in 2010. An investigation by the Times Newspapers of london says a confidential oxfam report found quote children may have been among those sexually exploited by aid workers. Now keep in mind, cnn has not independently reviewed that report, and the Aid Agency Says sexual allegations involving minors were never proven. Well, i think at the time oxfam took serious and immediate action, and it was open, oxfam was actually proactive in going to the british public, the department for international development, and the charity commission, to explain that there had been serious misconduct, and wed taken action. What oxfam didnt do was describe the detailed nature of the offenses, which included the use of prostitution. Lets bring in cnns Erin Mclaughlin following the story. It goes back to that ageold question, which is worse, the alleged crime or the alleged coverup . Tell us what are we hearing from oxfam about all of this . I think its important to remind our viewers what haiti was like in the wake of that devastating 2010 earthquake. Hundreds of thousands of people were killed. 1. 5 Million People displaced. It was a truly des spratt situation for that country. Now allegations of Sexual Misconduct by the very people that were supposed to be helping them. Allegations of a coverup by one of the main aid organizations, oxfam, on the ground there. This is all just coming to light now due to an investigation by the london times. London times managed to get access to an internal oxfam report that detailed oxfams own investigation into the allegations of Sexual Misconduct by seven of its employees. Allegations that they had tired female prostitutes for sex, not able to rule out that investigation that some of those women had, in fact, been minors. Now, at the time, as you heard the ceo there say, they did disclose to the public that an investigation into employee misconduct was under way. But theyre coming under criticism now for not disclosing to haitian authorities, not disclosing to the public, not disclosing to their trustees, the nature of those allegations, the exact nature of that misconduct, and now we are hearing from some of the trustees including the uks department for international development. They released a statement of their own saying, quote, we often work with organizations in chaotic and difficult circumstances. If wrongdoing, abuse, fraud or criminal activity occur we need to know about it immediately in full. The way this appalling abuse of Vulnerable People was dealt with raises serious questions that oxfam must answer. It also says that its reviewing its current work with the aid organization. We also heard from the haitis ambassador to the United Kingdom express his outrage. Take a listen. Le. It is clear its a coverup case. The fact that those folks were allowed to leave the country without any punishment, without even informing haitian authorities about that, it was a coverup. And now, the fact that they did such a crime, or there was such a coverup, now we are wondering how many of those cases are still being happening in haiti. Now seven oxfam employees were dismissed or their resignations accepted as a result of oxfams own internal investigation. But the london times also reporting that some of those employees went on to continue to work for other aid organizations in other countries. Those other aid organizations not knowing what had happened in haiti. Not knowing about that oxfam investigation. Oxfam releasing a statement about that, saying that they had not provided those employees with references. But acknowledging that they could have done more to prevent those employees from being able to work in the aid sector. George . And those employees could have gotten references from other people. Not the official oxfam reference, but, you know, references from others to go on to other aid organizations. A serious report there, erin, thank you for explaining the details. And well, of course, stay in touch with you on it. Youre watching cnn newsroom. Still ahead the u. S. President seems to dismiss accusations of Domestic Violence against two former white house staffers. Well, as mere allegations. 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Fact check this ad in good housekeeping. Olay regenerist. Ageless. Were following the story of Emergency Rescue operations under way in the grand canyon. This after a fatal crash of a sight seeing helicopter there. At least three of the seven people on board are confirmed killed. Officials say the area is extremely rugged there. Plus, poor weather conditions and darkness are slow something the rescue efforts. The helicopter went down in an area known as the Quarter Master canyon. Were also following the Domestic Abuse allegations against former aide rob porter. The white house, and a group of democratic senators, demanding to know how long the white house officials knew about that. Keep in mind, porter resigned last week when the accusations came to light. Sources tell cnn the information was known inside the west wing for months. But the u. S. President , donald trump, on saturday suggested in a tweet that the turmoil was a mere allegation. That doesnt square with the testimony of porters first wife. She released this photo showing a black eye that she says she received from her husband in 2005. We get the very latest now from cnns ryan nobles. Reporter the white house dealing with yet another Public Relations crisis. This time involving two, now former, staffers who are pushing back against claims of Domestic Violence. One of those staffers, rob porter, the former staff secretary, a very important job in this white house resigned earlier this week. And then on friday it was David Sorensen a speech writer who said that he approached white house officials knowing that he had similar accusations against him and tendered his resignation so he wouldnt be a distraction to the administration. And the president himself, seeming to defend both of these men without mentioning them by name