Beach back to cleveland. But will Everyone Welcome lebron james back . Also in world news, after taking back one Strategic Cold war chip in ukraine, Vladimir Putin is right now visiting the castro brothers. One presumes hes in cuba for more than sun and rum. Is this part of his whole get in the wests Head Campaign . Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to the lead. Im jake tapper. The world lead, right now millions living with the fear that a an rocket or missile col forever change their lives or take their lives. Israel now on alert from an attacking from two fronts after a rocket was fired from lebanon today likely from hezbollah tied up in that civil war in syria. Its not difficult to see how with just the slightest miscalculation or provocation, this could explode into a greater conflict. No one died in that attack from lebanon or for that matter, from the 100 rockets fired by hamas militants in gaza todayed. 100 more since monday. The body count on the israeli side is zero. Though one was serious will i injured when a rocket hit a fuel tank near a gas station. But the israeli air strikes on gaza have been punishing. There are no signs is israel will ease off soon. Health officials are blaming israeli repa israeli air strikes for at least 100 victims. When the sirens go off, the only thing moving faster than your feet might be your heart and we got a taste of what its like living in israel right now when wolf blitzer was forced to take cover from a hamas rocket. Take a look. I can hear the sirens have just gone off. Were all being told to get to a shelter. So were running in. Wolf blitzer joins us now from jerusalem. From your Vantage Point on the ground, how are things looking for this conflict . Is there any chance of a ceasefire . It doesnt look like there is any time soon. There are some efforts behind the scenes but i havent heard of any progress whatsoever. I suspect its going to get worse in the coming days. The israelis are really threatening to not only continue their punishing air strikes as you point out but also massing thanks, armored personnel carriers lots of troops on the border with gaza. No one here would be surprised if they start moving in at some point. There is dramatic clot escalate whats going on. The fallout from that is certainly unpredictable. What happens as far as other fronts opening up from the north in lebanon, for example. So its a very, very tense situation right now. I suspect its about to get worse. A Ground Invasion youre talking. What would that achieve, wolf . Well, the israelis say they have no intention of reoccupying gaza. They occupied gaza till 2005. Then they withdrew. Hamas eventually took over. They were democratically elected in an election and took over. Whats going on now, obviously, is whats going on. What the israelis would do with a Ground Invasion at least according to what im hearing is try to destroy as much of hamass arsenals, the missiles and weapons that they have and then they would move out and presumably get a year or two breathing before they would once again be rearmed. I dont think the israeliss have in any inclination of trying to reoccupy gaza. This is a very small area with about 1. 5 palestinians if not more. There are a lot of questions being asked in israel, what would be the achievement, if any, and presumably a lot of israeli troops would get killed in the process. So its a very difficult decision whether to send in the ground forces, a decision that the Prime Minister and the security cabinet in jerusalem have to make. Wolf blitzer, thanks. Youll have more in your special twohour edition of the situation room tonight at 5 00 p. M. Eastern. Pointing fingers, assessing blame is easy. Finding a solution, thats difficult. So lets bring in two expert whos know the situation in the middle east. Michele dunne was a long time middle east specialist at the state department and now a senior associate of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the Washington Bureau chief. Michele, welcome to both of you. Benjamin netanyahu said no International Pressure will prevent us from striking the terrorists who are attacking us. But as you know, as even the israelis concede, not everyone theyre striking is a terrorist. Some of them are innocent victims, the individuals watching the world cup, the 4yearold and other children we hear about all the time. Are israelis not feeling any heat internationally . Is the Obama Administration putting any pressure on them . President obama did telephone Prime Minister in thennia hugh and offer to mediate. I would say this isnt the first one of these limited wars between hamas and israel. Theres been one almost every year the last six years. Typically they last about a week or so, some of them have gone on longer. Unfortunately were still in an escalating phase of this. At some point, there will be room for mediation. Im not sure how much of a role the United States will actually play in that case but there will be probably be escalating international condemnation. We saw criticism even today from the u. N. Envoy for human rights saying some of the attacks that israel is carrying out could be considered crimes against humanity and so forth. So i think there will be probably as the palestinian casualties escalate, they are escalating and certainly if israel goes in on the ground, they will escalate vet very sharply. Then well see International Calls theres got to be something done. Also israel at some point might turn to the United States and say help us find a way out of this. Hisham, lets talk about the civilian casualties in gaza right now. The israelis say as they always say theyre doing everything they canning to target terrorists, militants and not hit innocent civilians. They say the reason innocents are dying is because of human shields and because hamas embeds within the local population. What are you hearing from your sources on the ground there. Why are so many civilians dying . Its the most depsly populated region in the whole world. Thats one. This is the israeli m. Offering. Theyve been saying this since they were attacking the plo in lebanon and the invasion in lebanon in 1982. They are hiding behind human shields. You cannot because the area is full of people. And so and the israelis have been reckless when it comes to civilian casualties whether the lebanese and palestinians and others. Now sometimes they are warning people. Its as if the palestinians should be grateful they have been warned to leave their homes so their homes and property will be destroyed and there will be a massive collective punishment they have been subjected to. The problem with this particular crisis now is its taking place at a time when the whole region from beirut in the west to alexandria in the south is sliding towards hell. And thats one of the reasons by the way, you dont see tlests outcry because the arabs are trying to put out fires in their own countries and everybody is watching the world cup and the israelis found this moment very opportunistic to do so. But there will be a time when as michele said, with the mounting palestinian casualties, the israelis will find themselves doing again something that is absurd. You visit gaza with your airplanes and your thanks every year or 18 months. And every time you try to achieve something different. Every time they are radicalizing the population further and now the types of hamas leadership they are facing is more more lethal to them than the liedership they faced 15, 20 years ago. Michele is, most palestinians like israelis just want peace and to go about their lives. I dont know how well served they are bill hamas when they elected hamas but that is who they elected. Is it possible that both the idf and what hisham said just now the are correct, they are using human shields embedded in the population and the israelis are not as careful as they claim to be and going after people within the most densely populated area in the world . Are both sides to a degree at fault . Thats certainly the case and certainly gazans are not well served by hamas, havent been since 2007. If you look at Public Opinion polls, the popularity of hamas has fallen sharply. Unfortunately, these engagements with israel have a contradictory effect of bolstering the credibility of hamas somehow. And undermining moderates. Thats right. Theyre the only ones fighting israel and so forth. So the and i think hamass actions here have been very desperate. You know the . I mean, that they almost have nothing left to lose here. Theyve been cut off economically. Theyre sort of at economic siege on gaza. And especially since the coup. Egypt last year, the egyptian side of the border has been very tight and so you know, hamas i think doesnt have much to lose and i think they hope by fighting with israel, theyll become more popular and have more of a role. Hisham, what do the leaders of the palestinians need to do to stop this on their side . Obviously sft israelis need to stop it but on the palestinian side. The there is a sense on the part of hamas. Theyre squeezed between hamas and merciless israel. No resolution. The israelis are not going to find a military solution to the palestinian patron problem. And overall palestinian problem problem boils down to single issue which is the occupation. I think an occupation can only be maintained by a system of coercion. This is the ralt they will live under and the reality the israelis should understand at one point that they have to undo. I also worry just like the moderate palestinians are being undermined so are the moderate israelis. Thank you so much. We appreciate your time. Lets break for peace in the region. He was called a coward and worse by his hometown teams owner. How hard was it is for lebron james to put aside the insults and play for him again . Plus, did king jong u. N. Have to go to the United Nations over a Hollywood Comedy . Why he says the film is an act of terrorism. Coming up. Moderate to severe Crohns Disease is tough, but ive managed. I got to be pretty good at managing my symptoms, except that managing my symptoms was all i was doing. When i finally told my doctor, he said my crohns was not under control. 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The city of cleveland, ohio, its had more rivers go on fire than sports championships in the past 40 years. Im sorry its just a fact. Today, finally, they had something to cheer for and boy, did they. We got lebron james. Thank you. Thats the reaction to lebron james announcing he was returning to his home two, the land of cleave and to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the franchise that took him as the number one overall pick in the draft in 2003, believe it or not. Its the kind of serve you only see in maybe star wars, the hero turned villain gets redemption. He announced it in a Sports Illustrated essay. Saying i looked at other teams but i wasnt going to leave miami except for anywhere but cleveland. The more time passed, the more it felt right. This is what makes me happy. So lebron is happy. But this guy, well, this guy right here might be it the saddest man in america today, a guy with a miami sized is lebron tat. Well see if cleveland is clearing just as loud in june as they are now. Martin savidge is live today. Whats it like in cleveland right now. We are at the center of euphoria when it comes to cleveland, ohio. Im here with all my cleveland friends. On what we know is a wonderful, wonderful day. Let me talk. Im going to talk to a couple of you. Sir, look at you, head to toe cavalier. I assume this has been in the closet for a couple years but you brought it out now. I havent missed a cavs game in 11 years. How does it feel to have lebron . It feels like coming home. I left for a while and i came back home. Its about 360, full circle. A lot of people say that too, are i should say that sometimes cleveland, we know you got to leave to realize you love it. And what are you hoping now when he comes back . Im hoping for a Championship Ring and get some oomph in this business to be done. He can shape these young guys to a championship. Young guys. The guys a young guy himself. But the thing is, what many of the fans really like, jake, is the wait that will lebron said it. It was about coming home. Pretty cool. Martin savidge in cleveland. Thank you so much. Joining us now to talk lebron is the host of espn clevelands the really big show, aaron goldhammer. Good to see you. Alls forgiven . Well, at this point, yeah. I mean after reading that essay, jake, you know, it was beautifully written. He said all the things in that essay today that we hoped he would say, but didnt say in 2010. You know, its been a wild ride for us covering lebron over the course of the last ten years. This is just another crazy turn. He goes from villain to hero in cleveland in the span of one internet post. Explain to viewers who have not been to your lovely land of cleave be what this exactly means for your city. Its huge. You know, cleveland is a city that, as you said in the come back from break, is the butt of jokes. Rivers on fire and people who have never been here dont understand what a great place it really is and the wonderful people that are here. Im not originally from cleveland but i moved here eight years ago in part to cover lebron. Ive grown to love it here and to consider myself a clevelander. Its all about the civic pride. You know . Our sports history is colored in things like the drive and the fumble and the shot and lebron leaving the browns moving to baltimore back in 1995. This is finally a Huge Positive to put on our ledger. Its a huge day for civic pride. And i think it is hands down the greatest cleveland sports day of the last 50 years. You covered lebron when he played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and then when he left, he became for a while there the most hated athlete in america. Somehow he turned it around somehow with his championships he turned it around. How is he as a person different than he was then . You know, i think hes matured a lot. Oddly enough lebron and i are close to the same age. Im a few years older. Your priorities, whats going on in your life when youre 26 is much different than it is when youre 30. So i think family and home and those things are a lot more important now than they were in his mid 20s. I think hes grown up a lot. Hes gotten married. He has a third kid on the way. And even though i dont cover him on a day to day like i did back in the early part of his career, you could feel that maturity ringing through the essay that was posted on si. Com earlier today. The love not felt everywhere. We were just showing images of a mural defaced in miami. I want to read from a letter written by cabs owner dan gilbert. Killing lebron for leaving four years ago. Might keep him from returning to cleveland. Part of the letter said i personally guarantee the Cleveland Cavaliers will win an nba championship before the selftitled former king wins one. You can take it to the bank. Two points lebron. Can these two coexist at the cavs . I think they can. There was a report out in the last hour that dan and lebron met face to face on sunday in miami. And there was a total airing of the grievances. Dan had a right to be upset at lebron for everything that happeneded in 2010. Lebron had definitely a right to be upset about dan. There are things written in that letter that seemed important to us in cleveland in 2010 and now appear ridiculous like the stretch that you just read. So i think that the two the can coexist because in this meeting, there was some. Real forgiveness and there was a real honest conversation and i think its a real lesson about not burning bridges in business but also being open and honest with people who you have disagreements or issues with, that stuff can be overcome. I think lebron and dan, if its not totally overcome at this point, theyre on the road to overcoming it together. Otherwise, i dont think you would see lebron resigning a festivus moment. Now theyre back together. Aaron, thank you so much. Coming up next, i hear the cigars are great. Putin, the russian president showing up 90 miles off the United States for facetime with the castros. Is his real reason for the visit just to get under obamas skin . , and definitely part of the family. Were so lucky that lucy picked us. [ female announcer ] purina cat chow c