>>> HELLO, EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO "AMANPOUR & CO." HERE'S WHAT'S COMING UP.

EARLIER TODAY ISRAELI DEFENSE FORCES ANNOUNCED THEY ARE EXPANDING GROUND OPERATIONS IN GAZA.

WE BRING YOU HOW ALL OF THOSE DEVELOPMENTS QUICKLY UNFOLDED WITH RETIRED FOUR-STAR U.S. GENERAL WESLEY CLARK, FORMER IDF COLONEL MARY EISEN, AND REPORTERS ON THE GROUND.

"AMANPOUR & COMPANY" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY CANDACE KING WEIR, THE FAMILY FOUNDATION OF LEILA AND MICKEY STRAUS, JIM ATTWOOD AND LESLIE WILLIAMS, MARK J. BLECHNER, SETON J. MELVIN, CHARLES ROSENBLUM, KOO AND PATRICIA YUEN, COMMITTED TO BRIDGING CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG.

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY THESE FUNDERS AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.

>> WELCOME, TO THE PROGRAM EVERYONE.

I'M SITTING IN FOR CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR.

GAZA CITY IS CURRENTLY BEING ROCKED BY A SERIES OF LOUD EXPLOSIONS.

JOINING ME NOW ON THIS IS WESLEY CLARK, A RETIRED FOUR-STAR GENERAL IN THE U.S. MILITARY.

HE SERVED AS A SUPREME ALLIED COMMANDER OF NATO AND THE COMMANDER OF U.S. SOUTHERN COMMAND.

GENERAL, SO GREAT TO HAVE YOU ON ESPECIALLY NOW GIVEN WE'RE SEEING AN INCREASE IN SOME SORT OF TARGETED ASSAULT INTO GAZA.

WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THIS?

AND COULD IT BE WHAT THE DEFENSE MINISTER HAD WARNED JUST YESTERDAY OF THE SIGNS OF THE THIRD WAVE OF THEIR RESPONSE?

>> WELL, I THINK THIS IS PART OF THE ISRAELI WHAT THEY CALL SHAPING OPERATIONS.

SO THIS IS A COMBINATION OF EFFORTS TO GO AFTER SOME HIGH-VALUED TARGETS THAT COULD IMPEDE AN INCURSION.

ITS AN EFFORT OF FEINTING AND SHOWING DIFFERENT ASPECTS TO HAMAS.

IT'S A CHANCE TO CHECK HAMAS REACTIONS.

AND SO ALL OF THAT IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW PREPARATORY TO A MAJOR GROUND OFFENSIVE.

>> AND IS THIS SOMETHING THAT SUGGESTS TO YOU THIS GROUND OFFENSIVE WILL BE IN LARGE IN SCALE AS EVERYONE FROM THE DEFENSE MINISTER AND PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU HAD WARNED IN THE DAYS IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE OCTOBER 7th ATTACK OR DO YOU THINK THIS COULD BE A SMALLER SCALE INCURSION GIVEN SOME OF THE INTRICKACIES WITH THE PRESSURE FROM THE UNITED STATES AND WEST AND PERHAPS A CHANGE IN STRATEGY FROM ISRAELI FORCES?

>> YOU KNOW, IT'S DIFFICULT TO SPECULATE WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE INSIDE AT THE CLASSIFIED LEVEL, BUT IT SEEMS TO ME ISRAEL IS GOING TO GO AHEAD WITH THIS OFFENSIVE.

NOW, HOW IT UNFOLDS IS GOING TO BE VERY INTERESTING BECAUSE TYPICALLY THE PATTERN IN AN URBAN ACTION IS YOU RUSH IN, YOU MAKE A LOT OF HEADWAY, AND THEN EVERYTHING SLOWS DOWN, YOU GET BOGGED DOWN, YOU'RE USING A LOT MORE AMMUNITION, YOU'RE TAKING CASUALTIES.

THE LOGISTICS ARE DIFFICULT BECAUSE OF BLOW DOWN AND RUBBLE IN THE STREETS.

AND IT SLOWS DOWN.

AND THAT'S THE PATTERN OF ALMOST EVERY URBAN OPERATION.

IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THE ISRAELIS WILL SET A DIFFERENT PATTERN.

SO, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY COULD CONCENTRATE ONLY ON A SMALL SECTION OF GAZA WITH THEIR GROUND TROOPS, CLEAN IT, STAY WITH IT, AND THEN START TO REBUILD IT.

EVEN BRINGING IN GAZANS BACK TO THE AREA IN WHICH THEY LIVED.

AND THIS COULD TAKE MANY MONTHS OF GRADUALLY SQUEEZING HAMAS INTO A SMALLER AREA.

THERE'S ONE THING THAT'S REALLY DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS OPERATION THAN WHAT THE AMERICANS DID IN IRAQ.

AND THAT IS WHEN WE WERE GOING INTO SYRIA OR FULUGEA OR ANY OF THESE OTHER CITIES WE WENT INTO THE IDEA WAS TO DRIVE OUT THE TERRORISTS.

HERE THE IDEA IS TO PIN THE TERRORISTS AND ELIMINATE THEM, ELIMINATE HAMAS.

THERE'S NO ESCAPE ROUTE FOR HAMAS HERE.

THIS WILL BE A BATTLE TO THE DEATH FOR HAMAS IF THE ISRAELIS FOLLOW THROUGH ON WHAT'S BEEN ANNOUNCED.

IT'LL BE A CHALLENGE TO SET -- GO AHEAD.

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY ANOTHER DIFFERENCE IS THAT THIS IS NOT THOUSANDS OF MILES AWAY FROM AMERICAN BORDERS.

THIS IS LITERALLY JUST KILOMETERS AWAY FROM ISRAEL'S BORDERS.

AND I'M CURIOUS TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON HOW THESE TUNNELS THAT WE HAVE REPORTED IN GREAT LENGTH UPON AND THE DETAIL IN THESE TUNNELS AND THE AMOUNT OF INVESTMENTS THAT HAMAS HAS MADE INTO BUILDING THEM IMPACTS WHAT THIS OFFENSIVE MAY LOOK LIKE.

>> WELL, WE'VE SEEN SOME INDICATIONS THAT THE ISRAELIS HAVE A PARTIAL NETWORK DIAGRAM OF THE TUNNELS.

WE DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S COMPLETE, AND THEY DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S COMPLETE.

SO I THINK THE ISRAELI'S BEST APPROACH AT LEAST THE ONE I WOULD BE ADVOCATING IF I WERE INSIDE ON THIS IS TAKE IT STEP BY STEP.

WHEN YOU'RE WORKING ABOVE GROUND TO CLEAR THE BUILDINGS OF THE ENEMY, YOU'VE GOT TO WORK BELOW GROUND SIMULTANEOUSLY.

AND YOU'VE GOT TO HOLD IT, SO YOU DON'T WANT THE ENEMY POPPING OUT FROM A TUNNEL BEHIND YOU AND KNOCKING OFF FUEL TRUCKS AND LOGISTICS AND INNOCENT PEOPLE BACK THERE.

YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE IT STEP BY STEP, AND THE TUNNELS ARE BIG PART OF THAT.

SO THEY'RE GOING HAVE TO GO INTO THE TUNNELS.

THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TRY TO MAP THEM OUT.

THEY MAY BE USING ROBOTS, MAY BE USING UNMANNED VEHICLES DOWN IN THOSE TUNNELS.

THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES THAT CAN BE USED IN ADDITION TO WALKING THROUGH THE TUMS WITH TROOPS AND WEAPONS.

BUT THEY'RE GOING TO WORK IT VERY SYSTEMATICALLY TO MAKE IT A SUCCESSFUL OPERATION.

>> SO THUS FAR WE HAVE SEEN A NUMBER OF TARGETED RAIDS INTO GAZA, AND THE IDF REPORTING THAT THEY'VE KILLED A COUPLE AT LEAST HIGH RANKING HAMAS OFFICIALS AND LEADERS THERE, AT LEAST RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT THEY SAY THEIR ROLE IN THE OCTOBER 7th ATTACKS.

HOW EFFECTIVE HAVE THOSE TARGETED RAIDS BEEN THUS FAR IN YOUR VIEW?

>> WELL, THE TARGETED RAIDS MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN DIRECTED PRIMARILY TO KILL INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE.

THEY ALSO MAY SHOW A DECEIVING PATTERN TO THE -- TO HAMAS ON WHERE ISRAELIS COULD GO IN.

THEY MAY BE A TEST OF ISRAELI BREACHING EQUIPMENT WHERE THEY GO IN THROUGH THE FENCE.

AND THERE MAY BE A CHECK OF HOW HAMAS IS GOING TO DEFEND THESE AVENUES OF APPROACH THAT THE ISRAELIS ARE GOING TO USE.

SO A LOT OF THINGS COULD HAPPEN.

ONE THING WE DO KNOW IS WHEN YOU TAKE OUT HIGH RANKING MEMBERS OF AN ORGANIZATION, IT DOES HAVE AN IMPACT RIGHT AWAY ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE ORGANIZATION.

BUT OVER TIME, DAYS, WEEKS, MONTHS, OTHER LEADERS STEP IN.

THEY MAY NOT BE QUITE AS SKILLED, BUT THE STRUCTURE OF THE ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN PRETTY RESILIENT IN OUR EXPERIENCES WITH THESE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE HAMAS.

>> WELL, IN SPEAKING WITH IDF REPRESENTATIVES AND SPOKESMEN OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, THEY HAVE WARNED US AND TOLD US THIS OPERATION WOULD INDEED LOOK DIFFERENT, THAT IN THE PAST WE'VE GROWN ACCUSTOMED TO SEEING RAPID IN AND OUT OPERATIONS INTO GAZA.

AND OBVIOUSLY IT'S BEEN QUITE A NUMBER OF YEARS SINCE ISRAEL HAS CONDUCTED THOSE OPERATIONS.

THIS ONE, THEY SAY, WILL BE LONGER.

HOWEVER SIZE, WHATEVER SIZE THEY CHOOSE TO MAKE OF IT, THAT HAS ITS OWN CHALLENGES, DOES IT NOT?

>> IT DOES.

AND ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WE'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW IS YOU'VE GOT OVER 300,000 TROOPS MOBILIZED THAT ARE AROUND GAZA.

THEY'VE BEEN PULLED FROM VARIOUS SECTORS OF THE ISRAELI ECONOMY.

THERE ARE OTHER TROOPS IN THE NORTH.

MOST OF THESE ARE RESERVISTS, SO YOU'RE TAKING AN ECONOMIC HIT KEEPING THESE TROOPS MOBILIZED.

BUSINESSES AREN'T AS PRODUCTIVE.

IT'S MORE EXPENSIVE ON THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT, SO THERE'S A QUESTION OF THE DURABILITY, THE SUSTAINABILITY OF AN OPERATION OF THIS MAGNITUDE.

AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THE UNITED STATES IS SO DETERMINED TO PROVIDE THIS SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE THAT ISRAEL NEEDS.

BUT IF YOU GO BACK TO WHAT PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU SAID WAS THE OBJECTIVE, WHICH IS TO DESTROY HAMAS, HE DIDN'T SAY RUN THEM OUT.

HE DIDN'T SAY KNEECAP THEM OR MOW THE GRASS.

THIS WAS TO GET RID OF THEM.

IF THE MILITARY FOLLOWS THROUGH ON THAT POLITICAL DIRECTIVE, IT'S GOING TO BE VERY LONG, DIFFICULT SUSTAINED OPERATION.

>> YEAH, AND WE'RE JUST SEEING MORE INFORMATION NOW IN OUR REPORTING.

GAZA RESIDENTS SAYING THESE AIR STRIKES ARE THE, QUOTE, MOST INTENSE THEY'VE SEEN THUS FAR.

WE HAVE REPORTED THAT A THREE-STAR U.S. GENERAL, GENERAL GLENN, HAS TRAVELED TO THE REGION THERE TO ISRAEL TO WORK ALONGSIDE MILITARY OFFICIALS.

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT HIM?

WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT HIM?

AND WHAT PARTICULAR ROLE HE COULD BE PLAYING IN THIS.

>> WELL, HE'LL BE THE DIRECT LIAISON TO THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE AND THE CHAIRMAN JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF TO THE ISRAELI MILITARY.

HE'S GOING TO SHARE THE EXPERIENCES THAT COLLECTIVELY THE U.S. MILITARY HAS LEARNED OVER THE YEARS FIGHTING IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND ESPECIALLY URBAN OPERATIONS.

HE'S GOING TO HAVE ACCESS TO U.S. INTELLIGENCE SOURCES.

HE'S GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CONNECTION BETWEEN U.S. AND ISRAELI INTELLIGENCE IS SOLID.

HE'S GOING TO LOOK AT HOW THE ISRAELIS AS BEST THEY SHARE THEIR SYSTEMS WITH HIM, HOW THEY'RE SEYNERGIZING AND PULLIN THEIR INFORMATION TOGETHER.

WE KNOW THAT'S THE GREAT STRENGTHS OF MILITARY OPERATIONS, WE USE ALL OPERATIONS, WE GET EVERYBODY COORDINATED AND ALL ON THE SAME SHEET OF MUSIC SO TO SPEAK.

WE'VE GOT AIR, GROUND, EVERYTHING WORKING TOGETHER.

HE'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE DISCUSSING THOSE KIND OF TECHNIQUES AS WELL AS SPECIFIC LESSONS LEARNED FROM HIS OWN MILITARY EXPERIENCE IN THE REGION.

>> HOW CONCERNED ARE YOU ABOUT THE POTENTIAL OF NEW FRONTS OPENING IN THIS WAR ESPECIALLY IF THESE ARE THE EARLY STAGES OF A GROUND INVASION INTO GAZA?

AND OBVIOUSLY I'M SPECIFICALLY TALKING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IN NORTHERN ISRAEL.

>> YEAH, IT HAS TO BE A CONCERN.

BUT HISTORICALLY THE MOVERS IN IRAN HAVE BEEN PRETTY CAUTIOUS ABOUT EXPOSING HEZBOLLAH.

IF THEY MOVE THE DICE AND THINK ISRAEL IS ON THE BRINK OF DESTRUCTION, THEY MIGHT DO THIS, BUT ISRAEL'S NOT ON THE BRINK OF DESTRUCTION.

I THINK THERE IS A CHANCE THAT YOU'LL HAVE MORE INTENSE FIRE COMING OUT OF HEZBOLLAH.

BUT AS I LOOK AT IT RIGHT NOW, LOOK AT IRANIAN REACTIONS, THEY'RE BEING GOADED BY THEIR OWN RHETORIC INTO SMALL STEPS OF RETALIATION.

IN ISRAEL HARASSING FIRES AGAINST U.S.

FORCES IN THE REGION, BUT THEY HAVEN'T MADE THE DECISION TO GO ALL-IN WITH HEZBOLLAH.

AND THAT'S GOING TO DEPEND REALLY ON THE PROGRESS THAT THE ISRAELIS MAKE, HOW THEY'RE MOVING THROUGH GAZA, HOW EMBROILED THEY ARE THERE, WHAT THEIR SPARE RESOURCES ARE, WHAT'S AVAILABLE TO DEFEND IN THE NORTH.

IT'S GOING TO BE A BIG DECISION FOR IRAN TO RISK THE SURVIVABILITY OF HEZBOLLAH IF IT REALLY OPENS UP IN THE NORTH AGAINST ISRAEL.

BECAUSE HEZBOLLAH IS CERTAINLY GOING TO BE AT RISK OF TOTAL DESTRUCTION WHEN IT OPENS UP AGAINST ISRAEL, IF IT DOES SO.

>> YEAH.

AND, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE NARRATIVES IN ALL OF THIS IS THAT A LARGE SCALE INCURSION IS EXACTLY WHAT HAMAS IS HOPING FOR, HAS EXPECTED, AND IS IN A SENSE GOADING ISRAEL TO DO.

THAT HAVING BEEN SAID, GENERAL, WHAT ARE ISRAEL'S OPTIONS HERE GIVEN THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE SAID THEY HAVE TO RESPOND.

THE UNITED STATES AND WESTERN ALLIES HAVE ALSO SAID ISRAEL HAS A DUTY TO RESPOND, SO IN YOUR VIEW WHAT IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE RESPONSE LOOK LIKE?

>> I DON'T SEE REALLY ANY EFFECTIVE OPTION FOR THE ISRAELIS OTHER THAN TO GO INTO GAZA.

AND IF YOU REALLY ARE GOING IN THERE TO ELIMINATE HAMAS, THEN YOU ARE GOING TO GO IN LARGE.

SOME TARGETED RAIDS, YEAH, YOU'LL TAKE OUT SOME LEADERS.

IF YOU WANT TO RUN HAMAS OUT, YOU OPEN UP A CHANNEL, TELL THEM TO LEAVE.

BUT THAT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE THE INTENT.

AND TO ISRAELIS, TO MOST OF THE ONES I'VE TALKED TO, GAZA IS NOW ON EXISTENTIAL THREAT.

THEY'RE NOT GOING TO LIVE WITH GAZA UNDER HAMAS ON THEIR BORDERS BASED ON WHAT'S HAPPENED.

GAZA, AFTER ALL HAMAS WAS MASQUERADING IS MOSTLY INTERESTED IN THE WELFARE OF THE PEOPLE IN GAZA.

ALL THE WHILE IT WAS PREPARING FOR THIS ASSAULT.

SO YOU CAN'T TRUST IT.

YOU CAN'T MAKE AN ARRANGEMENT WITH IT.

YOU COULDN'T SETUP AN AGREEMENT.

THERE'S NO WAY TO POLICE IT IF YOU SET IT UP.

SO THAT'S WHY I THINK ON BALANCE THE ISRAELIS DESPITE THE RISKS, DESPITE THE COSTS, DESPITE THE FEARS, THEY'RE GOING TO GO IN AND THEY'RE GOING TO GO IN LARGE.

THAT WOULD BE MY -- YES.

>> THERE IS A SENSE OF VULNERABILITY AMONGST ISRAELI POPULATION BUT EVEN IN THE MILITARY JUST KNOWING HOW WRONG THEY WERE ABOUT HAMAS' LONGER TERM INTENTIONS.

SO, GENERAL, I WANT TO KEEP YOU ON STANDBY, PLEASE.

I WANT TO GO TO NIC ROBERTSON WHO IS JOINING US NOW FROM ISRAEL.

AND NIC, I'M JUST READING YOUR REPORTING FROM MOMENTS AGO AND WHAT YOU DESCRIBE AS UNUSUAL, INTENSE, AND SUSTAINED MILITARY ACTIVITY FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF HOURS.

GIVE US MORE DETAIL AS TO WHAT YOU'RE SEEING.

>> YEAH, ARTILLERY FIRE COMING FROM TWO DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS, TWO DIFFERENT ARTILLERY BATTERIES THAT ARE FROM THE IDF THAT ARE BEING FIRED INTO GAZA.

YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO HEAR SOME OF THE RUMBLING IN THE BACKGROUND THERE, BUT DIFFERENT TO PREVIOUS NIGHTS NOT JUST THE INTENSITY AND TEMPO OF THOSE ARTILLERY BATTERIES FIRING, BUT TANKS FIRING FROM QUITE CLOSE TO WHERE WE ARE.

AND THEREFORE WE KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING DIFFERENT, MULTIPLE TANKS FIRING MULTIPLE ROUNDS THAT WERE SUSTAINED OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.

WE ARE HEARING AS YOU PERHAPS HEAR IN THE BACKGROUND THERE, FIGHTER JETS OVERHEAD.

THEY HAVE BEEN DROPPING SOME HEAVY MUNITIONS INTO GAZA AS WELL.

BUT, AGAIN, ANOTHER THING THAT MADE TONIGHT DIFFERENT TO PREVIOUS NIGHTS, A HEAVY, DENSE BANK OF SMOKE, THE SORT OF SMOKE THAT IS ACRID ON THE THROAT, THAT TINGLES INSIDE THE NOSE FLOATED ON THE WIND UP FROM GAZA, UP FROM THE BORDER FENCE, WHICH IS LESS THAN A MILE AWAY.

THAT'S THE SORT OF SMOKE THAT THE MILITARY WILL OFTEN USE TO MANEUVER FORCES SO THEY CAN'T BE SEEN BY THE ENEMY TO KEEP THEM SAFE.

WHEN YOU COMBINE THAT WITH THE TANK FIRE FROM HERE THAT WE HAVEN'T HEARD BEFORE WITH THE FACT THAT THE IDF SAYS THAT THEIR LIMITED INCURSION TWO NIGHTS AGO, THE ONE LAST NIGHT ARE THE PRECURSOR FOR CONTINUING INCURSIONS NIGHT BY NIGHT TO PREPARE THE WAY FOR A BIGGER GROUND INCURSION.

IT ALL BEGINS TO PAINT A PICTURE OF A POSSIBLE INCURSION IN THIS AREA THIS EVENING.

WE CAN'T SAY THAT DEFINITIVELY.

I SPOKE EARLIER TO A SPOKESPERSON FROM THE ISRAELI DEFENSE FORCE.

THEY WERE UNABLE TO SAY ABOUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN REALTIME ABOUT THAT SMOKE SCREEN WE WERE SEEING BLOWING THROUGH HERE BUT TOOK QUITE LITERALLY 20, 30 MINUTES TO BLOW THROUGH.

IF YOU CAN SEE BEHIND ME THE HOUSES THERE QUITE CLEARLY, WHEN THAT SMOKE BLEW IN THEY DISAPPEARED.

THEY WERE JUST SHROUDED IN THIS DENSE SMOKE.

THE STREETLIGHTS, YOU COULD SEE THE SMOKE LITERALLY COME AROUND THEM AND THEN FILL THE SKY BEHIND WHERE JOHN IS STANDING WITH THE CAMERA RIGHT NOW.

SO THIS WAS NOT A PASSING CLOUD.

THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT APPEARED TO HAVE A DEFINITIVE MILITARY USE.

BUT IT WILL BE PROBABLY TOMORROW TYPICALLY THAT WE'LL HEAR CLARIFICATION FROM THE IDF ABOUT WHAT PRECISELY WE WITNESSED THIS EVENING.

THE INTENSITY OF ARTILLERY AND TANK FIRE AT THE MOMENT HAS DIED DOWN.

TYPICALLY THAT'S HOW WE'VE SEEN BATTLES GO HERE.

THAT INTENSE FIRE, THEIR GUNS GET A CHANCE TO COOL DOWN BEFORE OTHER TARGETS ARE IDENTIFIED AND FIRED AT.

BUT A BARRAGE HERE OVER A NUMBER OF HOURS, SUSTAINED AND HEAVIER THAN I THINK WE'VE WITNESSED IN RECENT NIGHTS AND DOES FIT A PATTERN OF WHAT THE IDF HAS BEEN DESCRIBING AS -- AS A MOVEMENT TOWARDS A LARGER INCURSION.

>> AND NIC, HAVE WE HEARD AT ALL YET FROM THE IDF OFFICIALLY RESPONDING TO WHAT YOU SAID HAS BEEN AN INCREASE IN ACTIVITY?

>> THEY HAVEN'T AS FAR AS I KNOW SPOKEN AND CLARIFIED WHAT WE'RE SEEING TONIGHT.

THE CLARIFICATION I SUPPOSE ABOUT THESE STRIKES THAT WE'RE GETTING HAD BEEN COMING FROM INSIDE OF GAZA, WHERE WE KNOW THERE HAD BEEN STRIKES REPORTED BY -- BY PEOPLE IN GAZA, BY THE AUTHORITIES, THE HAMAS LED AUTHORITIES THERE IN BOTH GAZA CITY, IN THE REFUGEE CAMP, AND ALSO QUITE CLOSE BEHIND US, JUST A COUPLE OF MILES THERE.

AND ALSO THE MAIN PALESTINIAN TELECOMS CARRIER WAS APOLOGIZING FOR ITS LACK OF SERVICE INSIDE GAZA.

WE DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS A TEMPORARY GLITCH.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT HAS CAUSED IT TO GO DOWN, IF IT'S BEEN A MILITARY STRIKE, OR IF IT IS SOME OTHER INTERVENTION.

BUT THAT CARRIER IS SAYING THAT THEY ARE UNABLE TO PROVIDE THEIR NORMAL LEVEL OF SERVICE TONIGHT.

THAT SORT OF, IF IT IS THE IDF TAKING DOWN THIS INTERNET AND PHONE CAPACITY, THAT ALSO IS SYMPTOMATIC OF A POTENTIAL -- POTENTIAL BIGGER SIGNAL FOR GROUND INCURSION.

WHEN YOU HAVE A LARGER INCURSION YOU WANT TO DISABLE THE COMMUNICATION OF THE ENEMY.

AGAIN, WE DON'T HAVE DEFINITIVE KNOWLEDGE OF THAT THAT THE IDF IS "A," RESPONSIBLE, BUT "B," THAT'S THE INTENT.

>> MULTIPLE RESIDENTS TELLING CNN THESE AIR STRIKES ARE THE MOST INTENSE THEY HAVE SEEN AND CONFIRMING WHAT YOU JUST SAID THAT THE PHONE SERVICE HAS BEEN CUT OFF FOR THEM.

NIC ROBERTSON, KEEP US POSTED.

MARY EISEN IS RETIRED COLONEL IN THE ARMED FORCES.

GIVE US YOUR THOUGHTS AND GIVEN YOUR BACKGROUND AS TO MOST LIKELY WHAT THIS MEANS IN TERMS OF THE NEXT PHASE OF THIS WAR.

>> WE'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR WEEKS NOW FOR THE GROUND OPERATION, AND I I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S WHAT'S STARTING NOW, BUT I THINK WE'RE ALREADY SEEING THE INTENSIFICATION THAT COMES WITH IT PERHAPS RIGHT BEFORE IT.

THAT MEANS THAT THE IDF, THE ISRAELI DEFENSE FORCES, HAVE BOTH INTENSIFIED THE AIR ATTACKS AND THE GROUND ARTILLERY AND TANK ATTACKS, AND THAT'S TO PREPARE THE WAY TO BE ABLE TO GET TO THE OPENINGS OF TUNNELS TO WHERE THE HAMAS TERRORISTS ARE BOTH HIDING.

BUT IT'S ALSO WHERE THEY HAVE BEEN PREPARING THEMSELVES FOR LITERALLY A DECADE.

>> LET ME INTERRUPT YOU BECAUSE WE DO WANT TO TAKE YOU TO A NEWS CONFERENCE BY THE IDF THAT'S BEING HELD RIGHT NOW.

LET'S LISTEN IN.

>> THE IDF AIR FORCE MANAGED TO ELIMINATE IN THE RED SEA.

WE ARE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH EGYPT TO ELIMINATE ATTACKS IN THE RED SEA.

WE ARE WORKING HARD TO PROTECT THE INTEREST OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL.

IN THE CENTRAL COMMAND PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS.

THEY ARE GOING TO SAVE YOUR LIFE.

THE ENEMY IS LAUNCHING MISSILES, AND YOU'VE GOT TO SAVE YOUR LIFE.

RECENTLY WE MANAGED TO GET MANY ALERTS FROM CITIZENS REGARDING TROUBLES WITH THE APPLICATION OF THE CENTRAL COMMAND.

THIS APPLICATION IS ONE TOOL IN ORDER TO LET YOU KNOW -- ALERT YOU IN REALTIME.

THERE ARE ALERTS IN TELEGRAM OF THE CENTRAL COMMAND.

PLEASE USE ALL THE TOOLS IN ORDER TO BE INFORMED.

SO FAR WE NOTIFIED TH310 DEAD SOLDIERS AND 229 ABDUCTEES.

OUR HEART IS WITH THE ABDUCTEES IN THIS SHABBAT EVENING.

WE ARE COMMITTED FOR THE NATIONAL MISSION TO RETURN THEM HOME.

WE ARE SUMMARIZING THE THIRD WEEK OF THE WAR.

HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF IDF SOLDIERS ARE ALL AROUND THE BORDERS OF THE STATE, IN THE AIR, GROUND, AND SEA IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE STATE.

IN THE LAST DAY WE SEE MANY MORE ROCKETS LAUNCH TOWARDS ISRAEL.

I SAID AND I'M GOING TO SAY AGAIN, WE HAVE GOOD PROTECTION FOR THE STATE OF ISRAEL, AND WE KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH THREATS.

AND WE SAW THE AIR FORCE.

THIS IS NOT A DEFENSE.

PLEASE LISTEN TO THE INSTRUCTIONS OF THE CENTRAL COMMAND AND THE SAFE SPACES SAVING LIVES, AND WE'RE GOING TO INTERCEPT AS MANY AS POSSIBLE.

BUT IT'S NOT AUTOMATIC.

DOES IT MEAN IDF IS GOING TO ATTACK THERE, AND IS THERE GOING TO BE ANY DEAL FOR THE CEASE-FIRE FOR HOSTAGES?

WE'RE GOING TO BRING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND MANY MORE VIDEOS OF INTERROGATIONS OF TERRORISTS.

WE'RE GOING TO BRING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING USING INFRASTRUCTURE, BY USING HOSPITAL OR CIVILIAN INFRASTRUCTURE.

SIMILAR USAGE THAT USING THE CIVILIAN AS A LIVE SHIELD, A HUMAN SHIELD.

WE CANNOT LET TERROR BE ACTIVE FROM HOSPITALS AND ATTACK OUR CITIZENS.

WE CANNOT LET IT HAPPEN, NOT THE STATE OF ISRAEL.

WE'LL NOT LET IT HAPPEN.

REGARDING THE RUMORS ABOUT A DEAL WITH THE HOSTAGES, I ADVISE YOU NOT TO DEAL WITH RUMORS.

WE TALK IN TERROR AND PSYCHOLOGICAL TERROR AND A CYNICAL USAGE OF HAMAS.

WE ARE GOING TO BRING YOU ANY RELIABLE INFORMATION AND RELEVANT -- WE'LL GIVE IT TO THE FAMILIES AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO UPDATE THE PUBLIC.

UNTIL THEN, PLEASE DON'T GIVE INTO MANIPULATIONS OF THE PSYCHOLOGICAL TERROR OF HAMAS.

LAST QUESTION.

FEW GRAIN TARGETS THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO BE SAFE AND CONTINUE THE SCHOOL ACTIVITY THAT WERE DEFINED BY THE CENTRAL COMMAND WERE ATTACKED TODAY.

WE ARE TRYING TO HAVE ROUTINE IN THE SHADOW OF WAR WITH THE COORDINATION OF THE MUNICIPALITIES AND THE REST OF THE MUNICIPALITIES.

WE'RE GOING TO REVIEW IF WE CAN HAVE ROUTINE TO LET THEM HAVE EDUCATION -- THE EDUCATION SYSTEM WORKING.

IT'S A BIG DILEMMA, BUT WE ARE IN CHARGE OF IT.

THE CENTRAL COMMAND AND THE PUBLIC WILL KNOW ABOUT THE INSTRUCTIONS.

>> ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE JUST BEEN LISTENING TO A PRESS CONFERENCE FROM THE IDF SPOKESMAN REAR ADMIRAL.

THE MAIN TAKE AWAY IS THAT ISRAEL IS EXPANDING THEIR GROUND OPERATIONS INTO GAZA.

THEY HAVE WARNED RESIDENTS OF GAZA CITY TO MOVE SOUTH AND SAID HUNDREDS OF IDF FORCES ARE IN THE AIR, GROUND, AND SEA.

HE ALSO TOLD THE ISRAELI CITIZENS THAT THEY ARE COMMITTED TO THE NATIONAL TASK OF RETURNING HOME THE MORE THAN 200 HOSTAGES CURRENTLY HELD IN GAZA, AND, YOU KNOW, REAL STARK WARNING TO ISRAELIS ALSO THAT THEY WILL INTERCEPT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE IN TERMS OF INCOMING ROCKETS.

OBVIOUSLY IRON DOME HAS BEEN VERY EFFECTIVE AND SUCCESSFUL.

BUT THE INCOMING AMOUNT OF ROCKETS MAY MAKE SOME AS WE SAW TODAY IN TEL AVIV NOT ABLE TO BE INTERCEPTED.

LET'S BRING BACK MARY EISEN, RETIRED COLONEL IN THE ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES, TO REACT TO EVERYTHING WE JUST HEARD.

MARY, SPECIFICALLY THE MAIN HEADLINE, THOUGH, IS THE IDF ANNOUNCING THEY ARE EXPANDING THEIR GROUND OPERATION.

>> IT'S INTERESTING YOU HEAR IN THE ENGLISH AND WHAT I WAS HEARING WHEN I WAS LISTENING TO HIM.

BECAUSE WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT WAS TO THE ISRAELI PUBLIC.

WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT IS WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO REMEMBER NOT JUST HAMAS IS A TERROR ORGANIZATION AND HOLDING THE HOSTAGES BUT THE GROUND OPERATION IS THE WAY WE'RE GOING TO GET TO THE HOSTAGES AND WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THEM ALL THE TIME.

HE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE FACT THAT THERE HAVE BEEN 8,000 ROCKETS FIRED INTO ISRAEL, AND IRON DOME IS AMAZING.

AND THANKS TO THE UNITED STATES, IRON DOME IS AMAZING BUT TOGETHER WITH THAT IT'S 9 #.5%, AND WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO ACT IN A VERY IMPORTANT WAY, THAT WE ACT IN A WAY THAT PEOPLE INJURED IN TEL AVIV TODAY FROM A ROCKET THAT GOT THROUGH.

IT'S NOT HERMETIC.

IN THAT SENSE WHEN WE'RE ALL WAITING FOR THAT GROUND OPERATION, THE GROUND OPERATION DOESN'T MAKE ANYBODY HAPPY.

IT IS A NECESSITY, AND HE SAID THAT VERY CLEARLY.

IT'S THE NECESSITY TO GO IN AGAINST THIS HAMAS, THIS HAMAS THAT IS TERRORIZING ITS OWN PEOPLE.

IT TERRORIZES US, AND IT DOES, IT TERRORIZES US, BUT WE'RE STANDING UP AGAINST IT, AND TO GET INTO THE HOSTAGES, HE SAID ALL OF THOSE THINGS, AND ON THE SIDE OF IT, HE ALSO MENTIONED THERE WAS AN ATTACK FROM THE SOUTH TODAY.

AND IT HIT EGYPT WHERE IT SEEMS AGAIN PERHAPS FROM YEMEN SOME KIND OF FLYING SUICIDE DRONE, BUT IT CAME INTO THE EGYPTIAN SIDE, AND HE PUT ALL THOSE ON THE TABLE RIGHT NOW.

>> HE BEGAN BY TALKING ABOUT ATTACKS ON THE RED SEA AND WORKING IN COOPERATION WITH EGYPT IN RESPONSE TO THAT.

MARY, IT IS A DELICATE BALANCE HE WOULD TO WALK THERE.

AND IT WAS BOTH NOTABLE HE NOTED THE EXPANSE OF THE UP AERATION.

AS YOU SAID AND INTERPRETED AS AN ISRAELI CITIZEN, THEIR FOCUS REMAINS LARGELY ON BRINGING THESE HOSTAGES AT THE SAME TIME.

THE QUESTION IS CAN BOTH OPERATIONS CONTINUE AT ONCE?

>> THEY HAVE TO CONTINUE AT ONCE.

LOOK AT HOW THE SPOKESPERSON ON BEHALF OF THE IDF IS THE ONE WHO SAID THAT WE PRESENTED THE HOSPITAL TODAY, WE, ISRAEL.

WE KNOW THAT HAMAS IS UNDERNEATH IT, AND WE WOULD NEVER ATTACK IT EVEN THOUGH WE KNOW HAMAS IS UNDERNEATH THAT.

BUT LOOK AT THAT CYNICAL USE OF HAMAS.

THE GROUND OPERATION IS THE WAY YOU CAN GET INTO THE SUBTERRANEAN ARENA THAT'S UNDERNEATH ALL THE GAZA STRIP, UNDER THE CITY OF GAZA.

THAT'S WHERE THE HOSTAGES ARE, AND I SAY THIS SADLY BUT CLEARLY.

I HAVE VERY STRONG MEMORIES FROM 2006, WHEN HEZBOLLAH ONLY KIDNAPPED TWO ISRAELI SOLDIERS, AND THEY HELD THEM FOR TWO YEARS AND ONLY THE DAY THEY BROUGHT THEM BACK, WHEN THEY ARRIVED AT THE BORDER, ONLY THEN DID THEY SAY THEY WERE DEAD.

FOR TWO YEARS THEY HELD THEM AS DEAD BODIES.

AT THIS STAGE WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE HOSTAGES I SAY WITH A HEAVY HEART I WISH EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM IS WELL, BUT YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND PART OF HAMAS' MEDIA MANIPULATION AND THAT PSYCHOLOGICAL TERRORISM IS THEY HAVEN'T SAID ANYTHING ABOUT THE 230 ISRAELI CITIZENS FROM A 9 MONTH BABY TO AN 87-YEAR-OLD MAN, THEY HAVEN'T SAID ANYTHING.

AND THE ONLY THING THEY'RE SAYING IS THAT THEY'RE SOLDIERS.

REALLY?

SO WE DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION FROM HAMAS, THE WAY TO GET TO THEM, THE WAY TO GET AGAINST THE HAMAS TERRORISTS IS TO GO INTO THIS GROUND OPERATION.

AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S SOMETHING, AGAIN, YOU'LL WANT TO START AND CONTINUE.

IT ISN'T SOMETHING THAT YOU START AND STOP.

>> MARY EISEN, PLEASE STANDBY FOR US AS WE DO WANT TO GO TO JIM SCIUTTO WHO IS JOINING US NOW LIVE FROM GOLAN HEIGHTS NEAR THE SYRIAN BORDER.

JIM, WE JUST SPOKE IN THE LAST HOUR WHAT HAD BEEN REPORTED, INCREASED ACTIVITY.

NOW WE HAVE THE IDF CONFIRMING THEY'VE BEEN EXPANDING THIS OPERATION.

TELL US WHAT YOU'RE HEARING FROM YOUR SOURCES AND WHAT YOU'RE SEEING ON THE GROUND THERE.

>> WELL, THE IDF SAYS IT'S EXPANDING.

IT'S NOT CLEAR HOW THEY DEFINE EXPANDING AT THIS POINT.

IT IS CERTAINLY CLEAR THE AIR STRIKES, THE TANK FIRE, THE ARTILLERY FIRE DIRECTED AT NORTHERN GAZA IS MORE THAN WE HAVE SEEN SINCE OCTOBER 7th, AND THAT TYPICALLY PRECEDES A GROUND INCURSION.

IT IS NOT CLEAR FROM THE IDF'S COMMENTS JUST THERE AND WHAT WE KNEW PRIOR TO THOSE COMMENTS ABOUT AN ONGOING DEBATE ABOUT THE EXTENT OF ANY GROUND INCURSION.

IT'S NOT CLEAR HOW FAR THEY ARE NOW WILLING TO GO AND FOR HOW LONG.

I BELIEVE AS YOU SAID, BRIANA, HE WAS DESCRIBING HUNDREDS OF ISRAELI FORCES INVOLVED BY LAND, SEA, AND AIR.

AS YOU KNOW THEY'VE MOBILIZED MORE THAN 300,000 RESERVERISTS IN THIS COUNTRY.

IF IT WAS A LARGE SCALE YOU MIGHT IMAGINE TENSF THOUSANDS INVOLVED.

AGAIN, WE'LL HAVE TO SEE WATCH CLOSELY WHAT EVIDENCE DO WE SEE ON THE GROUND THE EXTENT OF THIS.

IS IT TEMPORARY INCURSIONS WE'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST SEVERAL DAYS.

THE DEGREE OF THOSE AIR STRIKES IN ADVANCE INDICATE SOMETHING BIGGER IS GOING ON.

IT'S NOT CLEAR AT THIS POINT HOW BIG IT IS.

>> AND THE FOCUS WILL OBVIOUSLY NOT STAY ON GAZA BUT IF ANYTHING HAPPENS WHERE YOU ARE THERE ON THE BORDER IN NORTHERN ISRAEL.

JIM, STAY SAFE FOR US AND KEEP US POSTED ON EVERYTHING YOU HEAR IN THE NEXT HOUR.

I DO WANT TO BRING GENERAL WESLEY CLARK BACK INTO THE CONVERSATION.

GENERAL, I HOPE YOU WERE ABLE TO HEAR THE IDF SPOKESPERSON MAKE CERTAIN WHAT WE HAD BEEN REPORTING AND THAT LOOK LIKE THE BEGINNING OF A GREATER EXPANSION INTO THEIR OPERATION INSIDE GAZA.

WHAT STOOD OUT TO YOU FROM WHAT YOU HEARD FROM DANIEL HAGARI?

>> EVERYONE OF THESE OPERATIONS BRINGS MORE INTELLIGENCE BECAUSE THERE'S A REACTION FROM THE OTHER SIDE, FROM HAMAS.

IT MAY BE MANEUVER.

IT MAY BE SOMETHING ON THE RADIO.

IT MAY BE DRONES THAT ARE FLYING.

THEY'RE PROBING.

THEY'RE GETTING THE REACTION AND GETTING THE REACTION THAT'S GIVING THEM INFORMATION THAT CAN BE USED TO TARGET HAMAS.

AND SO THAT'S -- THAT'S THE PATTERN WE'RE SEEING UNFOLDING.

WHAT THEY'RE DOING, YOU CAN CALL IT SOFTENING UP.

YOU CAN CALL IT AGAINST YOUR ADVERSARY.

YOU COULD CALL IT BY A NUMBER OF THINGS.

IT'S PREPARATORY I THINK TO THE MAIN EFFORTS.

WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO COME IN.

NEITHER DOES HAMAS.

ISRAEL IS PROBABLY EXPLORING DIFFERENT OPTIONS ITSELF.

IF MAY NOT HAVE MADE A FINAL DECISION ON THIS AND IS GOING TO GRADUALLY RAMP THIS UP INFLICTING GREATER AND GREATER LOSSES ON HAMAS, GETTING GREATER AND GREATER INFORMATION TO WORK AGAINST HAMAS IN THIS.

AND AT THE SAME TIME THEY'RE NOT TAKING ANY ISRAELI LOSSES, SO IT SEEMS TO BE VERY POSITIVE.

AND HERE'S ANOTHER THING TO THINK ABOUT.

MAYBE IT'S COVER FOR SOMETHING WE DON'T SEE.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THOSE TUNNELS.

IF I WERE AN ISRAELI GENERAL, I'D BE GOING AFTER THOSE TUNNELS RIGHT NOW UNDER THE COVER OF THE TANKS AND THE ARTILLERY FIRE AND SO FORTH, I'D BE PUTTING IN FORCES INTO THAT TUNNEL NETWORK.

WE DON'T KNOW THAT AND CAN'T GIVE IT AWAY.

>> AS YOU SAID WE DON'T KNOW THE SPECIFICS OF WHAT EXACTLY IS HAPPENING ON THE GROUND.

WE JUST KNOW WHAT WE'RE BEING TOLD BY THE IDF.

WHAT DID YOU MAKE OF HIS INITIAL COMMENTS, REPORTING ATTACKS IN THE RED SEA AND WORKING WITH EGYPT IN RESPONSE?

>> WELL, I THINK THIS IS PART OF THE HORIZONTAL ESCALATION THAT WE'RE WITNESSING ALL AROUND ISRAEL.

AND HERE FROM THE RED SEA OBVIOUSLY THE HOUTHIS DOWN IN YEMEN ARE TAKING ACTION.

WE ASSUME IT'S HOUTHIS.

THEY'RE THE ONES THAT FIRED THE MISSILES THE U.S. NAVY INTERCEPTED A FEW DAYS AGO.

AND THIS IS ALL AN EFFORT BY IRAN -- ORCHESTRATED BY IRAN TO PUT GREATER PRESSURE ON ISRAEL AND ON THE UNITED STATES.

IRAN'S PLAYING A VERY DANGEROUS GAME HERE.

THEY'RE RISKING THEIR ASSETS.

THEY'RE DARING THE WEST, THE UNITED STATES AND ISRAEL AND OTHERS TO COME BACK IN COUNTER ESCALATION AGAINST THEM.

IT'S A DANGEROUS GAME FOR IRAN, AND IT RISKS REGIONAL ESCALATION.

IT ALSO MAKES IT MUCH HARDER TO BRING IN OTHER NATIONS IN THE R REGION AND TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS NEXT IN GAZA.

THEY'RE ALL SITTING ON THEIR HANDS RIGHT NOW WAITING TO SEE HOW THIS ALL UNFOLDS.

THEY KNOW THAT THE INFORMATION WAR HAS BEEN HEAVILY IN FAVOR OF HAMAS.

THE ISRAELI SIDE OF THIS HASN'T BEEN TOLD AS EFFECTIVELY.

HAMAS LIES.

HAMAS IS WELL PREPARED.

IT'S OUT THERE, AND SO IT'S GOING TO TAKE A WHILE TO WORK THROUGH THIS.

AND SO ALL OF THIS IS DIRECTED AT PUTTING THE PRESSURE ON ISRAEL.

>> OKAY, MARY, CAN I GET YOU TO WEIGH IN AS WELL, YOUR TAKE AND WHAT WE JUST HEARD FROM DANIEL HAGARI ABOUT NOT READING TOO MUCH INTO RUMORS ABOUT A POSSIBLE BREAK THROUGH IN HOSTAGE NEGOTIATIONS AND JUST THE TIMING OF THIS HOURS BEFORE WE KNOW IS AN EXPANSION OPERATION IN GAZA?

>> THE TERRORISTS IN HAMAS ARE NIGHT NOW FIGHTING FOR THEIR LIFE.

THEY'VE NOT SAID IN THREE WEEKS ANYTHING ABOUT THE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE THEY TOOK SO BRUTALLY OUT OF THEIR HOMES ON OCTOBER 7th.

SO THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY PLAYING THE TERROR MEDIA GAME.

THEY WANT TO GIVE OUT THEY'LL BRING SOME PEOPLE OUT.

MAYBE, IT'LL BE TWO, THREE, FOUR.

THEY NEVER SAID ANYTHING ABOUT THE HUNDREDS THAT ARE THERE.

AS I SAID THIS BEFORE AND I'VE SAID THIS SADLY I BELIEVE MANY ARE ALREADY DEAD, THEY WERE TAKEN DEAD INTO THE GAZA STRIP AS AN ASSET.

WHEN YOU'RE A TERROR ORGANIZATION, THE HOSTAGES ARE YOUR ASSET.

YOU PLAY IT AND YOU PLAY IT AS A VICTIM, AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO NOW.

I THINK DANIEL HAGARI SAID THAT VERY CLEARLY.

BUT I'M AN ISRAELI.

I WANT TO BELIEVE ALL OF THEM WILL COME ALIVE AND OUT.

THE HAMAS ORGANIZATION WANTS TO PLAY WITH THAT MIND, WANTS TO IMPACT NEGOTIATIONS, WANTS TO ESPECIALLY IMPACT ISRAEL'S ALL OVER MILITARY OPERATIONS, BOTH THE GROUND OPERATION AND THE AERIAL OPERATIONS, EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING TO DEFEND OURSELVES IN THE LAST THREE WEEKS.

>> ON THIS SHABBAT EVENING AS WE SAW THAT SOBERING WARNING TO ISRAELIS, THAT IDF WILL TRY TO INTERCEPT AS MANY INCOMING ROCKETS AS IT ANTICIPATES TO SEE IN THE HOURS AND DAYS TO COME, BUT THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET ALL OF THEM.

WE'VE SEEN SOME HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HIT CITIES WELL INSIDE THE COUNTRY, IN THE CENTER OF THE COUNTRY THERE.

WHAT ARE ISRAELIS RESPONDING TO TONIGHT AND GOING INTO THIS WEEKEND NOW?

>> WE ARE RIGHT NOW AT MY SISTER'S HOUSE.

THAT'S WHY YOU CAUGHT ME NOT AT HOME.

AND WE'VE ALREADY GONE INTO THE SAFE ROOM TWICE.

AND IT'S SHABBAT DINNER.

MY HUSBAND IS INHISTED, MY THREE KIDS ARE ENLISTED.

REMEMBER ARE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.

THE STATE OF ISRAEL IS MOBILIZED.

WE TRY TO FOLLOW ALL THE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE HOME FRONT TO SAVE OUR LIVES.

AND I WOULD SAY TO GAZANS THEY SHOULD FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS OF THE IGF TO SAVE THEIR OWN LIVES.

WE'VE BEEN SO LOUD ABOUT THAT.

WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO RIGHT NOW IS KEEP OUR SPIRITS STRONG.

WE VERY MUCH BELIEVE NOT JUST IN THE STRENGTH OF THE IDF BUT IN THE FACT THIS IS SUCH A PIVOTAL MOMENT FOR US AS THE STATE OF ISRAEL THAT WE DIDN'T VIEW HAMAS AS AN EXISTENTIAL THREAT.

BUT A HAMAS TERROR ATTACK LIKE THIS THAT SUCCEEDS AND THAT THEY MANAGED TO USE THE HOSTAGES, THAT BECOMES AN EXISTENTIAL THREAT NOT JUST FOR ISRAEL BUT FOR THE WORLD.

SO WE'RE STANDING STRONG.

WE'RE GOING TO BE BEHIND OUR HOSTAGES.

WE ARE GOING TO GO IN TO TRY TO DO WHAT WE CAN AGAINST HAMAS.

AND IN THE MEANTIME WE'RE TRYING TO HAVE SHABBAT DINNER IN BETWEEN THE ROCKETS.

>> AND WE ARE THINKING ABOUT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY ONCE AGAIN HIGHLIGHTING THIS IMPACT EVERYONE IN ISRAEL AS SO MANY RESERVISTS INCLUDING MANY MEMBERS OF YOUR OWN FAMILY HAVE BEEN CALLED UP TO DUTY NOW.

MARY, STANDBY FOR US.

WE WANT TO GIVE OUR VIEWERS AN UPDATE.

IF YOU'RE JUST JOINING US NOW, THE NEWS THIS HOUR ISRAELI DEFENSE FORCEVISE JUST ANNOUNCED THEY'VE EXPANDED GROUND OPERATIONS IN THE GAZA STRIP.

OUR REPORTERS IN THE AREA HAVE BEEN WITNESSING A SERIES OF LARGE EXPLOSIONS.

THIS VIDEO YOU'RE LOOKING AT WAS TAKEN JUST MOMENTS AGO AS OUR CORRESPONDENT SAM KILEY JOINS ME NOW FROM LONDON TO DISCUSS WHAT A GROUND INVASION MIGHT LOOK LIKE.

WE HEARD FROM MARY EISEN HOW THIS IS IMPACTING HER FAMILY.

OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF PALESTINIANS THAT ARE ALSO IMPACTED BY THIS EXPANSION OF OPERATIONS INTO GAZA.

TELL US MORE WHAT WE CAN EXPECT TO SEE.

>> WE KNOW FROM THE UNITED NATIONS THAT 1.4 MILLION GAZANS ARE NOW DISPLACED FOLLOWING THE AIR STRIKES THAT HAVE BEEN VERY HEAVILY CONCENTRATED IN THE NORTH BUT NOT CONFINED -- THESE ARE ISRAELI AIR STRIKES TO THE NORTH OF THE GAZA STRIP.

IT IS IN THE NORTH I THINK ACCORDING TO NIC ROBERTSON.

HE'S OPPOSITE SORT OF THE NORTHERN EDGE OF GAZA.

HE'S SEEN MAIN BATTLE TANKS FIRING THERE.

HE'S BEEN REPORTING WHAT IS PROBABLY SMOKE SCREEN GOING UP IN ORDER TO TRY TO OBSCURE GROUND MANEUVERS WHICH HAVE NOW BEEN CONFIRMED AS AN EXPANSION OF THE GROUND MANEUVER OPERATIONS INTO GAZA.

WHETHER THESE MATERIALIZE INTO AN ALL-OUT LONG-TERM ASSAULT OR WHETHER THIS IS ONCE AGAIN AND WE'VE SEEN IT NOW FOR THE LAST 48 HOURS MORE OF A KIND OF FIGHTING PATROL OR A RAID INTENDED TO TRY TO ATTACK VERY SPECIFIC TARGETS IS NOT YET CLEAR.

BUT WHAT IS CLEAR, I THINK, IS THAT THE ISRAELIS HAVE MADE THIS MOVE IN THE FACE OF AS THEY SAID VERY PUBLICLY, THE ONGOING NEGOTIATIONS THAT THEY BELIEVE THAT HAMAS HAS BEEN SOMEWHAT STALLING OVER FOR THE RELEASE OF MORE THAN 200 HOSTAGES, NOT ALL OF THEM JUST ISRAELIS BUT OF COURSE LOTS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE DUAL NATIONALITY OR INDEED HAVE ANY KIND OF ISRAELI NATIONALITY AND HAMAS AND IMPORTANTLY OTHER EVEN MORE EXTREME GROUPS LIKE PALESTINIAN ISLAMIC JIHAD, WHICH IS ALSO FOCUSED OR HAS BEEN TRADITIONALLY FOCUSED IN THE NORTH OF THE GAZA STRIP AND NO DOUBT WILL BE THE FOCUS OF WHATEVER IS GOING ON WITH THE IDF IN THIS LATEST MILITARY MOVE.

OF COURSE, THE IDF'S ENEMY IN THIS, NAMELY HAMAS AND OTHER MILITANT GROUPS WERE ALSO AS THEY SAY MILITARY CIRCLES GET A VOTE IN THIS.

HOW THEY RESPOND TO THESE MOVEMENTS PARTICULARLY WHETHER OR NOT THEY CAN USE THEIR TUNNELS TO TRY TO AMBUSH THE MOVING IDF TROOPS INTO THAT LANDSCAPE IS GOING TO BE ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL.

WE'VE SEEN IN MOSUL, FOR EXAMPLE, IT TOOK NINE MONTHS FOR IRAQI FORCES WITH INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT TO CLEAR THAT CITY.

AND THAT CITY WAS LARGELY EMPTIED OF CIVILIANS.

ALL OF THE CIVILIANS OF THE GAZA STRIP ARE STILL THERE, 2.3 MILLION PEOPLE MOSTLY CONCENTRATED IN THE SOUTH, AND THEY'LL BE ANXIOUS TO KNOW WHETHER OR NOT THIS INCURSION IS GOING TO STRETCH INTO THE SOUTH.

AT SOME STAGE PERHAPS THE IDF MAY HAVE PLAN TUESDAY DO THAT.

THEY ARE, OF COURSE, UNDERSTANDABLY AND RIGHTLY PLAYING THEIR PLANS ENTIRELY CLOSE TO THEIR CHEST.

>> ALL RIGHT, SAM KILEY, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THAT WAS REALLY HELPFUL.

STANDBY FOR US.

WE DO WANT TO GO BACK TO GENERAL WESLEY CLARK.

AND GENERAL, TIMING OF THE DAY, EVENING IN ISRAEL NOW, MANY WOULD SUSPECT THIS BENEFITS THE ISRAELIS AND IDF SPECIFICALLY WITH SOME OF THEIR ADVANCE TECHNOLOGY, NAMELY NIGHT VISION.

GIVE US MORE INSIGHT INTO THE TIMING OF AN OPERATION TO EXPAND IN THE EVENING.

>> SURE.

WHEN YOU GO INTO AN AREA LIKE THIS, YOU REALLY DON'T KNOW WHERE THE ENEMY IS.

THIS IS A BUILT-UP AREA THAT HAS SOME HIGH BUILDINGS, SO IT HAS GOOD LONG-RANGE VISIBILITY.

SO IF YOU GO IN AT NIGHT, IF YOU HAVE A TECHNICAL ADVANTAGE AND NIGHT VISION GOGGLES AND NIGHT VISION DEVICES, WHICH THE ISRAELIS DO, IF YOU USE SMOKE, ALL THOSE THINGS GIVE YOU THE ABILITY TO MANEUVER WITH LESS RISK TO YOUR OWN FORCES.

THEY ALSO CAN BE USED FOR DECEPTION.

SO YOU CAN PUT SMOKE WHERE YOU AREN'T GOING, AND THE ENEMY CAN'T TELL WHETHER YOU'RE THERE OR NOT.

SO WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS INCREASINGLY SOPHISTICATED WORK BY THE ISRAELIS.

WE DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE GOING TO STAY IN.

THEY COULD.

THIS COULD BE SOMETHING THAT'S ON CALL.

WE CALL THESE OPERATIONS IN THE AMERICAN ARMY, IT COULD BE A RECONNAISSANCE ENFORCE.

IT ALSO COULD BE A FEINT, A DECEPTION.

IT COULD BE JUST A RAID TO GATHER INTELLIGENCE.

IT COULD BE PREPARATORY.

SO THEY MIGHT GO IN MANY DIFFERENT PLACES.

ALL OF THIS IS STILL SPECULATIVE AT THIS POINT.

BUT WHAT IS CLEAR IS ISRAEL IS PUTTING ITS GROUND FORCES IN.

IT IS RISKING ITS PRECIOUS SOLDIERS TO GO AFTER HAMAS, AND WE HAVE TO BELIEVE THIS IS ONLY THE FIRST STEP.

>> DOES IT SERVE AS AN ADVANTAGE OR A DISADVANTAGE TO THE IDF GIVEN THAT WHAT MANY EXPECTED TO BE AN OPERATION THAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED JUST IN THE DAYS AFTER THE OCTOBER 7th ATTACK, IT NOW LOOKS LIKE IT'S HAPPENING SOME THREE WEEKS LATER?

>> I THINK, OBVIOUSLY THE HEAT N THERE AND GET THEM.

BUT OUR EXPERIENCE IN MODERN WARFARE SAYS DON'T GO IN WITHOUT A THOROUGHLY WORKED OUT PLAN THAT'S BEEN BRIEFED AT ALL LEVELS, THAT'S REHEARSED, THAT HAS VARIOUS BRANCHES AND SEQUELS DEPENDING ON WHAT THE ENEMY DECIDES TO DO.

GET YOUR LOGISTICS FORWARD, MUSTER YOUR INTELLIGENCE SOURCES, GET EVERYTHING PREPARED BECAUSE WHEN YOU GO IN, AS YOU STAY IN THERE, YOU'RE COMMITTED.

AND THAT COMMITMENT TAKES COSTS.

AND ALL OF THE EXPERIENCE INDICATES IT'S REALLY EASY TO CHARGE INTO A CITY.

IT'S NOT EASY TO EXPAND THAT BRIDGE HEAD IN THE CITY, TO SECURE IT, AND TO SECURE YOUR OWN FORCES.

AND THAT TAKES TIME AND A LOT OF PLANNING.

SO NO READY, FIRE, AIM, ON THESE OPERATIONS.

GET IT SET, GET IT PLANNED, AND THEN LAUNCH IT UNDER THE MOST FAVORABLE CONDITIONS.

AND AT NIGHT WITH SMOKE PRETTY FAVORABLE.

>> SO, UNFORTUNATELY, THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF VIEWERS AROUND THE WORLD HAVE BECOME FAMILIAR WITH WAR ONCE AGAIN, AND U.S. ASSISTANCE AND SUPPLIES AND AID BOTH IN UKRAINE AND NOW IN ISRAEL.

TALK TO US ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE IN THESE TYPE OF BATTLES THAT WE'VE SEEN PLAY OUT FOR OVER A YEAR AND HALF.

IN UKRAINE OBVIOUSLY A MUCH LARGER SIZED COUNTRY AND BATTLEFIELD, AND WHAT WE CAN EXPECT TO SEE NOW IN ISRAEL, IN GAZA?

>> SURE.

THE BATTLE IN UKRAINE HAS GONE THROUGH VARIOUS PHASES.

THERE WAS THE INITIAL RUSH TO GET INTO KYIV, POORLY CONCEIVED, POORLY EXECUTED.

THE UKRAINIANS BLOCKED IT.

THEN THERE WAS THE RUSSIAN EFFORT IN ORDER TO EXPAND THE FRONT, COME IN FROM THE SOUTH, COME IN FROM THE EAST.

THEY RAN AGAINST PREPARED DEFENSES FROM THE UKRAINIANS IN THE EAST.

IN THE SOUTH, IN THE VICINITY OF K KHERSON, THERE WAS SOME MANEUVERABILITY TO THE RUSSIANS BECAUSE SOME OF THE MINE FIELDS WEREN'T ACTIVATED.

BUT THEY STOPPED OUT AND IN THE LATE SUMMER OF 2022 ROLLED BACK THE RUSSIAN CONQUEST IN THE SOUTH AND THEN FOUND A HOLE IN THE RUSSIAN DEFENSES IN THE NORTH EAST.

AND THERE WAS A MOVEMENT PHASE.

DURING THIS PERIOD, THE UNITED STATES STEP BY STEP DELIBERATELY PROVIDED ADDITIONAL REINFORCING EQUIPMENT TO THE UKRAINIANS.

STEP BY STEP THE UKRAINIANS HAD TO GO THROUGH A PROCESS OF JUSTIFYING IT.

THE ADMINISTRATION WENT THROUGH A PROCESS OF APPROVING IT, AND THEN CAREFULLY WORKING WITH ALLIES TO MAKE SURE ALL OF NATO WAS IN STEP.

SO IT WAS A VERY DELIBERATE EFFORT.

THE UKRAINIANS MOBILIZED THEIR FORCES.

THEY KEPT MOST OF THE MEN INSIDE UKRAINE.

THERE'D BEEN A LOT OF TERRITORIAL UNITS FORMED UP.

AND THIS IS HIGH INTENSITY WARFARE BECAUSE THE RUSSIANS ARE USING MASKED ARTILLERY, HELICOPTERS, MISSILES, AIR STRIKES AGAINST THE FORCES, AS WELL AS STRIKES AGAINST INFRASTRUCTURE AND CIVILIAN TARGETS.

>> OKAY, GENERAL CLARK, I DO WANT TO JUST ASK YOU TO PLEASE STANDBY FOR US BECAUSE WE'RE HEARING THERE'S SOME DEVELOPMENT SURROUNDING WHERE NIC ROBERTSON IS, SO WE WANT TO GO STRAIGHT TO HIM.

NIC, WHAT ARE YOU SEEING?

>> SO WE'RE SEEING LARGE FLASHES IN THE SKY THERE.

JOHN IS POINTING THE CAMERA UP TOWARDS THE SKY.

YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO PICK UP SOME LARGE FLASHES.

THOSE ARE IRON DOME INTERCEPTS, INTERCEPTING MISSILE WE'VE JUST SEEN FIRED OUT OF GAZA.

WE CAN HEAR IN THE VERY DISTANCE THE ALERTS, THE SIREN ALERTS.

THE DETONATIONS YOU'RE HEARING THAT'S THE IRON DOME PROTECTIVE DEFENSIVE MISSILE SHIELD INTERCEPTING A LOT OF THOSE OUTGOING MISSILES FIRED FROM GAZA.

I CAN HEAR THE SIREN WARNING, THE ROCKET WARNING COMING FROM THE DIRECTION OF ASHKELON AND ASHGARG WHERE OUR JEREMY DIAMOND IS LOCATED.

IT DOES APPEAR DESPITE THAT HEAVY BOMBARDMENT THAT WAS ON GAZA JUST A LITTLE WHILE AGO, IT DOES SEEM THAT HAMAS OR PALESTINIAN ISLAMIC JIHAD, ONE OF THE GROUPS HAD BEEN ABLE TO RESPOND WITH IT'S OWN OUTGOING ROCKET FIRE.

WE SAW THIS EARLIER IN THE DAY.

THERE WERE ROCKETS FIRED THROUGH TEL AVIV AND SOME MANAGED TO GET THROUGH THE IRON DOME IMPACT SHIELD AND IMPACT RESIDENTS IN TEL AVIV.

IT IS SORT OF MIDWAY THROUGH THE EVENING HERE.

THE INTENSE BARRAGE OF FIRE, OFTEOF ARTILLERY, OF TANK FIRE AND AIRCRAFT MISSILES WE WERE HEARING HOURS AGO AND PRECEDED BY SEVERAL HOURS OF THAT INTENSE BARRAGE HAS PERHAPS EASED OFF SLIGHTLY.

IT HAD EASED OFF SLIGHTLY SO THERE WERE OCCASIONAL ARTILLERY STRIKES.

IT DOES SEEM THAT DIMINUTION IN FIRE FROM THE ISRAELI SIDE, HAMAS OR WHOMEVER HAS TAKEN THAT SLIGHT PAUSE, THAT SLIGHT EASING TO FIRE OFF ROCKETS INTO THE REST OF ISRAEL.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE WERE WITNESSING THERE, THE IRON DOME INTERCEPTS AS THEY WERE TAKEN OUT, THOSE ROCKETS FROM GAZA WERE TAKEN OUT OF THE SCHOOL.

>> WHICH IS WHY WHEN WE HEARD FROM THE IDF SPOKESPERSON JUST MOMENTS AGO IT WAS A WARNING, A DIRECT WARNING TO ISRAELI AND TO RESIDENTS THERE THEY'LL DO ALL THEY CAN TO INTERCEPT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE OF THE INCOMING MISSILE.

BUT GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF MISSILES THAT ALREADY YOU'RE REPORTING AND WILL LIKELY SEE IN THE HOURS AND DAYS TO COME, SOME MAY MAKE THEIR WAY THROUGH.

THE PENTAGON IT HAS BEEN REPORTED PLANS TO SEND MORE DEFENSE SYSTEMS TO ISRAEL GIVEN THE INCREASE IN ACTIVITY THAT WE'RE SEEING IN THIS LARGER SCALE GROUND OPERATION THAT'S JUST BEGINNING.

NIC, WHAT IF ANYTHING, ARE YOU HEARING FROM THE IDF BESIDES WHAT WE JUST HEARD FROM THE SPOKESPERSON?

>> THERE ARE WARNINGS TO TAKE SHELTER, THAT THERE ARE MORE ONE WAY TO HEAR THE WARNING BECAUSE THERE ARE WARNING APPS HERE FOR PHONES.

THERE'S THE WARNING SIREN.

YOU CAN ALSO HEAR THE IRON DOME FIRING OFF ALL THOSE INDICATORS FOR PEOPLE TO STAY CLOSE TO PLACES OF SHELTER AND SEEK THAT SHELTER WHEN IT'S REQUIRED.

I THINK THE OTHER THING OBVIOUSLY WE'VE HEARD FROM THE IDF THIS EVENING IS THAT THEY'RE EXPANDING THEIR GROUND OPERATIONS.

THIS IS IN KEEPING WITH WHAT THEY'VE SAID AND EVOLUTION WHAT THEY'VE SAID THEY'VE ALL THE LIMITED INCURSIONS.

ORY NOT SAYING AN INCURSION IS UNDER WAY NOW, BUT THEY'RE VERY MUCH ALLUDING TO THE FACT THE INCURSIONS WE'VE SEEN OVER THE PAST NIGHTS ARE NOW BEING EXPANDED.

WILL THEY BE LIMITED?

WILL THE TROOPS THAT CROSS AND GO IN, WILL THEY COME OUT IN A SHORT PERIOD?

IN THE PAST FEW NIGHTS THEY'VE BEEN OUT BY MORNING.

IS THAT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO WITNESS NOW?

AND/OR DOES EXPANDED GROUND OPERATIONS MEAN SOME OF THOSE TROOPS WILL STAY INSIDE GAZA?

TOO EARLY TO KNOW THAT.

AND THEY TYPICALLY WILL CLARIFY THE MORNING AFTER.

THE FACT MISSILES ARE STILL COMING OUT OF GAZA THIS EVENING, AN INDICATION THAT HAMAS' RESPONSE, PALESTINIAN ISLAMIC JIHAD'S RESPONSE TO THE HEAVY BARRAGE ON THEM IS TO COME BACK AND FIRE OUT MORE.

>> AND TO QUOTE SPECIFICALLY WHAT WE DID HEAR FROM THE IDF AS YOU JUST SAID, THEY ARE EXPANDING GROUND OPERATIONS THIS EVENING INTO THE GAZA STRIP.

WHAT DID YOU MAKE, NIC, ABOUT THE REMARKS OF AN ATTACK IN THE RED SEA WITH ISRAELI FORCES COOPERATING WITH EGYPTIAN FORCES?

>> YEAH, I MEAN, THIS SEEMS TO FALL INTO THAT SAME REALM THAT WE HEARD OF U.S. -- A U.S. DESTROYER ENTERING THE RED SEA FIVE, SEVEN, EIGHT DAYS AGO.

AND IT INTERCEPTED LARGE MISSILES, CRUISE MISSILES THAT WERE BEING FIRED BY THE HOUTHIS IN YEMEN TOWARDS ISRAEL.

THEY ALSO INTERCEPTED AS WELL A NUMBER OF LARGE DRONES.

THESE ARE MISSILES, WEAPONS SYSTEMS THAT THE HOUTHIS HAVE RECEIVED IN THE PAST FROM IRAN.

THE HOUTHIS HAD NOT BEEN FIRING THEM FOR SOME TIME BECAUSE THEY HAD A PEACE AGREEMENT WITH -- WITH -- RATHER SAUDI ARABIA HAD A PEACE AGREEMENT WITH IRAN THAT WAS BROKERED BY THE ICHEESE, AND THE HOUTHIS HAD ESSENTIALLY NOT FIRING THESE IRANIAN MADE MISSILES INTO SAUDI AND INTO SAUDI ARABIA'S NEIGHBORS.

NOW THEY STARTED TODAY RESTARTED AND FIRED THEM TOWARDS ISRAEL.

THE WAY THAT'S BEING READ IS THAT WILL BE BEING DONE UNDER THE -- UNDER THE INSTRUCTIONS OF IRAN.

THERE'S NO CONFIRMATION OF THAT, BUT THAT'S THE PERCEPTION IN THE REGION AT THE MOMENT.

AND THAT'S THE WAY IT WILL BE PERCEIVED IN ISRAEL.

AND I THINK TO YOUR POINT THERE THAT THE UNITED STATES IS SENDING MORE MISSILE DEFENSIVE SYSTEMS INTO THE REGION, THE PATRIOT SYSTEM, THE FAD SYSTEM, THE THAAD, IT'S A HIGH ALTITUDE INTERCEPTOR SYSTEM, THEY'RE BEING SENT TO UNDISCLOSED LOCATIONS IN THE REGION.

I THINK WE CAN EXPECT THE UNITED STATES' ALLIES IN THE REGION SPECIFICALLY THIS CASE SAUDI ARABIA THAT'S GOING TO BE IN THE LINE OF FIRE OF THOSE HOUTHI MISSILES AS WELL, THAT WE CAN EXPECT THEM TO BE POSITIONED IN COUNTRIES LIKE THAT AS WELL, AND THEREFORE THEY'LL ALSO BE ABLE TO INTERCEPT ANY HOUTHI MISSILES THAT CAN POTENTIALLY BE FIRED TOWARDS ISRAEL.

BUT IF ONE OF THOSE LARGE CRUISE MISSILES THAT HAS A PAYLOAD OF 400 OR SO DIAGRAMS OF HIGH EXPLOSIVE, IF ONE OF THOSE WAS TO IMPACT AN ISRAELI CITY AT THE END OF THE RED SEA, THAT WOULD BE A CATASTROPHIC ESCALATION OF THE SITUATION AND A POTENTIAL TERRIBLE ADDITIONAL LOSS OF LIFE.

REMEMBERING AS WELL MANY PEOPLE EVACUATE FROM GAZA AROUND HERE ARE SEEKING REFUGE.

>> YEAH, AND THIS COMING JUST HOURS AFTER THE U.S.

CARRIED OUT AIR STRIKES TARGETING TWO FACILITIES LINKED TO IRANIAN BACKED MILITIAS LINKED TO EASTERN SYRIA OVER ATTACKS WE HAVE BEEN REPORTING ON U.S. FACILITIES AND SERVICEMEN IN THE REGION.

THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT MAKING CLEAR THIS IS SEPARATE FROM THE WAR HAPPENING IN GAZA.

BUT AS YOU SAID IT IS VERY DANGEROUS GIVEN THE SLIPPERY SLOPE OF EITHER UNINTENDED EVENTS OR THIS JUST ESCALATING GIVEN WHAT IRAN MAY DO, WHAT ITS PROXIES MAY DO IN RESPONSE TO THIS.

ALL OF THIS AS WE'RE WAITING TO SEE HOW -- IF HAMAS RESPONDS IN ADDITION TO SOME OF THE ROCKETS THAT YOU ARE SEEING THERE INTERCEPT BY THE IRON DOME BEHIND YOU.

NIC ROBERTSON, PLEASE STAY SAFE FOR US.

OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A VERY FAST MOVING DEVELOPMENT.

WE'LL KEEP FOLLOWING IT ALL.

AND THAT'S IT FOR OUR PROGRAM TONIGHT.

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING "AMANPOUR & CO." ON PBS.

TUNE IN AGAIN NEXT TIME.