Good morning. Welcome to cnn this morning. Im victor blackwell. And im amara walker. Israels army appears to be entering a new phase of war. An Army Spokesperson from the idf confirmed to cnn that idf Ground Forces are in gaza right now. Infantry, artillery and other units moved into gaza from the north overnight. As troops march in the north, israel continues to fire missiles across the border. The idf have been launching heavy and continuous air strikes throughout the night into the morning. Idf reserve soldiers are calling it the most intense night of bombing of the conflict so far. Cnns jim sciutto is with us now from northern israel. So, israel promised a major Ground Offensive after the attacks by hamas on october 7th. Is it clear yet that this is the beginning of that . That we are seeing that Ground Incursion in a major way or is this potentially Something Else . Reporter well, victor, its the beginning of something. Thats no question. Because israel is now confirming the Idf Spokesperson confirming that israeli Ground Forces are inside gaza and operating. Those Ground Forces include infinity, armor, Engineering Units as well and this, of course, follows what we were witnessing last night, our teams on the border including Nic Robertson were witnessing last night which is a vastly expanded air campaign. That includes air strikes from war planes as well as Artillery Fire and other strikes on targets there in advance of this Ground Operation. So, a bigger Ground Operation than we had seen previously, since october 7th. The open questions remain, victor and amara, how big exactly and the duration of this Ground Operation and what the objective is. We heard the objective described as eliminating hamas, but how to define victory or the accomplishment of the objective. That remains like the other questions an open question. And obviously the other open question is, could this expand into a wider conflict. I wanted to ask you more about whats happening along the israeli lebanese border because the idf and hezbollah continue to exchange fire. And were also hearing that israel used a drone to strike a terrorist cell. What are you learning about that . Reporter yeah. So, since weve been up here the last several days, this has been a daily event. Hezbollah firing in this direction. Israeli forces firing back. Hezbollah using a range of weapons to do so. Its sniper fire. Small arms fire, antitank rockets and missiles. And also surface to air surface to surface missiles i should say. And Israeli Forces firing back. And the last 24 hours, at least twice israel has carried out strikes on lebanese territory against hezbollah targets. That has maintained a relatively controlled pace. It hasnt reached a fever pitch in recent days. But, the concern, of course, is that it will expand, that hezbollah will show its power against israel, particularly the concern has been in response to an expanded Ground Operation in gaza. But we havent yet seen an enormous escalation in hezbollah activity. Our Nic Robertson, of course, he is down on the border with Gaza In Ashkelon and has been there really since the beginning. Nic, i wonder i should acknowledge our vision into gaza is limited and our scope is limited to what the idf is telling us. From your perspective there, is this the large scale Ground Offensive that we had been anticipating or is it possible its something more limited . Reporter yeah. Jim, were just about a mile from the border fence here. This is a place ive been for three weeks. We have a good Vantage Point to compare and contrast what we have seen and heard over recent weeks. Absolutely last night there was a lot more Artillery Fire, a lot more bombardment going into gaza and taking that into connection with what the idf is saying about an incursion the night before that and incursion the night before that, limited ones. And that being the increase. I think we can put this picture together along with the fact that the Telecom Service inside gaza was partly destroyed last night. The fact that electricity was cut into areas of gaza last night. A lot of it left in darkness. The intensity of that fire does speak towards a growing level of Ground Incursion activity. Again, as you rightly say, we dont know the precise nature until the idf brief about it with some specificity. But i think what were seeing today further emphasizes that this broadening scope and deepening nature of the incursion is under way. Why do i say that, today we heard a lot of Artillery Strikes. Im going to step out of the way just now and john is going to zoom in on a small hill top here. You dont see any smoke rising from it now, but about five minutes ago there was a lot of smoke rising from that tiny hill top in the fields there on the just right by the border to gaza. And john, if you can go across the hillside there, you can see smoke rising again from this field area. Now, this is different to what we were seeing from this position over the past couple of weeks. We were seeing air strikes and Artillery Strikes that were going into the towns, one of the towns behind us. The strikes were going into those towns. Now theyre hitting tiny hill top positions in the fields. Were hearing small and heavy Machine Gunfire coming from those fields and other fields in this area. So, when you see the artillery taking out targets on these small hill tops, you can understand those are likely be hamas or potentially hamas, palestinian, Islamic Jihad positions, Fighting Positions on hill tops that a Ground Incursion, if it were happening, would necessarily want to knock out to allow the Ground Troops to move through that area more safely with greater ease. So, the picture that unfolds here, the type of Artillery Strikes, what is being hit today. That level of small arms and heavy Machine Gunfire in contrast to what we heard over recent weeks, tends to paint that picture of this growing, expanding Ground Incursion that the idf spokespeople are talking about. But again to your point, precisely what theyre achieving at the moment and how many troops are in there we cannot speak to that at the moment, jim. Yeah. Yeah, limited view of those Ground Operations. Of course, we should acknowledge as well, no vision into what is essentially under ground city, a network of tunnels built by hamas, as defensive positions and that certainly concern of those Israeli Forces. Its why they have engineers with them to help breach some of those defenses. Our Nic Robertson there in southern israel, very close to the gaza border. Victor and amara, well continue to watch those events, both on the southern border and up here on the northern border as well. All right, jim. Well check back. Thank you. The white house says that the president is not drawing any red lines for israels Ground Operation into gaza. But the increase in air strikes is complicating the white houses efforts to ensure that humanitarian aid enters gaza and the on going negotiations to get the hostages held by hamas freed. Were joined now by cnns ken l liptack of wilmington delaware. How is the white house responding so far . Reporter yeah. Theyre being very careful, very deliberate in how theyre talking about this. Theyre not saying whether they got a heads up from israel that this was going to expand. But we can say that this is complicating their objectives on the ground there. Chief among them, the release of those hostages that are being held by hamas, including potentially americans. There are ten americans who are unaccounted for. Some of them may be held hostage. And really as early as yesterday we did hear that these negotiations to release these hostages had been intensifying, brokered in part by the qatari government. Really the hope had been that there would be a large number of hostages released. And remember, guys, the u. S. Government had been encouraging israel to delay its full scale Ground Invasion as those negotiations progressed in the hopes that a breakthrough could be reached. But really this will complicate it deeply. What youve been hearing from the white house and from President Biden, much more vocally over the last several days is talk of a humanitarian pause. Some break in the fighting, in the violence that would allow these hostages to be released because certainly, logistically, it would be very complicated to release a large number of people if gaza is being bombed by the israelis. We did hear from john kirby yesterday that there are active conversations about a humanitarian pause with the israeli government. Certainly the u. S. Is not giving up on these negotiations to release these hostages. I was told last night by an e a hour talks. Certainly very complicated and very complex negotiations with hamas to get those hostages out. Now, the other thing that a humanitarian pause could allow for is for more aid to go into gaza. That has been a priority of the Biden Administration and also allow civilians to leave, including hundreds of americans, many palestinianamericans who want to get out. So certainly this complicating all of those factors today, guys. Sure is. Kevin liptak, thank you. Were joined by former commanding general of the u. S. Army europe and seventh army, Lieutenant General mark he hertling. Good to see you this morning. Lets start with the Ground Forces inside gaza right now. We understand they entered overnight from the north and the forces are in the field right now fighting according to an Idf Spokesperson. It was first described as two targeted raids, general. Is this the beginning or part of israels major Ground Invasion that theyve been promising . Well, good morning, amara. First of all, i would like to comment on what both jim and nic said because theyre being hesitant. Yes, theres an increase in operational tempo of the israeli Ground Forces. This does not mean that this is the ground assault, the Ground Incursion. I would agree that theres potential for different kinds of actions. What i see in the films and the folks ive talked to who are involved in this, theyre saying not yet. This is the initial, limited incursion to gain more intelligence. Were seeing a lot of tanks and Infinity Carriers and bulldozers, but thats not all were seeing. For those of us experienced with this, theres a lot more going on. Theres Intelligence Analysis of what is happening on the other side of the border. There are special operators more than likely with this force going in. They are preparing for additional assaults. They have joint Tactical Air Controllers on the ground that can that can direct the air platforms. There will eventually be helicopters. So this is a combined arms fight. I would suggest were still in the opening phases where israel is gathering intelligence and, in fact, probably sending a message to hamas, saying this is about what youre going to get and youre going to get a lot more of it unless you release the hostages and do some other things we have been asking you to do. You think this is gathering intelligence and laying the ground work before this major Ground Invasion begins. What about these two targeted raids that the idf mentioned. Do you believe that that was aimed at trying to specifically rescue some of those hostages . Yeah. It could be either that or, again, gathering more intelligence. The key issue for the israeli army right now is to find out where the terrorists are, what to strike. And when you send the force in for these kinds of raids, or these what we call reconnaissance in force is to either confirm or deny the intelligence you already have. Is what we think there or is it not . And should we continue to put energy and resources into a location to try and strike it because thats where we believe the enemy is. And what about this Communications Blackout . Were hearing from Many Organizations and activists, w. H. O. , doctors without borders, theyre alarmed they cant get in touch with their medical staff or their employees. They obviously need some critical information about whats happening there on the ground. Is this Standard Operating Procedure before an invasion is supposed to take place . Well, it is but its also specifically geared toward this fight because what israel wants to do is first of all cut off communication from hamas aboveground, not within the tunnels. They dont have that kind of connectivity inside the tunnels themselves. But aboveground. Its not only for the enemy, but truthfully, amara, ill say it for the first time, its also to reduce the Information Operations of different facilities within a gaza, showing films of the civilian casualties, showing injuries from local palestinians, showing buildings being hit because that is one of hamas weapon, to play the Victim Doctrine that they use so effectively, showing how the local populous is being harmed. So when israel shuts off all the telecommunication, were not talking to the doctors in charge of the hospitals. Were not talking to local news men, news people inside of the strip. So all of that contributes to tamping down the Information Ops that hamas always uses or any terrorist group uses. I did mention the committee to protect journalists. They mentioned at least 29 journalists have lost their lives since the conflict began on october 7th. They say its the deadliest period for journalists since theyve been covering conflict since 1992. I understand that reuters and press reached out to the idf this week to get some kind of assurance, you know, that journalists on the ground would not be targeted or they would make efforts to limit casualties of journalists. The idf told the organizations they cannot guarantee the safety of journalists who are reporting in gaza. Im bringing you this question because i know that you have had journalists embedded with you in war zones. Can you talk about this and israels response . What is your reaction . Well, it is the responsibility of the organization that has the journalists with them to protect them. As you know, because youve had folks with me when i was in combat. So it was my job to protect them. But if you put a journalist in a situation where theyre going to be part of a force, and there is the potential for striking that force by the opposing force, in this case israel, then it is on the current, the commander on the scene. So, israel certainly will always attempt to use the Law Land Wear Fare and doctrine they call proportionality and necessity. If they have a target they think is necessary to strike, they will consider whats around it and then determine the proportionality of the strike. So if theres a journalist on the scene that israel does not know about and it is a scene where theres a terror cell or a terror target, that journalist is unfortunately putting themselves in harms way. So it is a horrific thing. This is the challenge with having civilians and journalists the middle of a fight. And they are going to get hurt and oftentimes killed which is just the horror of warfare. But israel has a responsibility to check out the targets they are striking. But at the same time understanding that journalists cant put themselves the middle of a fight because theyre going to be harmed as combatants. Such a difficult situation. Lieutenant general mark hertling, thank you. Were expecting an update from officials in maine. Police have confirmed the suspect in the Mass Shootings there is dead. Were live in maine with the latest there. Also, jordans Foreign Minister will join us live as israel confirms it has forces on the ground in gaza. Well ask about concerns the conflict c could expanand. Nearly twoday manhunt is other. Police found the body of a suspect accused of killing 18 people in lewiston, maine, on wednesday. They believe the suspect died of a self inflicted gunshot wound. Investigators say he left a note indicating that he did not expect to be alive by the time it was found. They havent revealed many details about a possible motive behind the massacres. Cnns omar jimenez joining us now from lisbon, maine, not far from where the suspects body was found. Omar . Reporter yeah, so amara and victor, yeah, as you mentioned, were not far from where the suspects body was found. Police believe or Law Enforcement sources tell cnn that the body was found near recycling plant, likely somewhere in the area in