Good evening. Thank you for joining us. David muir is off tonight. Im byron pitts. We begin with americas new mission in iraq. One that president obama warned today would be, quote, a longterm project. And just tonight, the pentagon announcing four new air strikes. Earlier today we saw these images of the first u. S. Air strikes on terror targets in northern iraq. The gunners eye view of missiles taking out militants and weapons below. Meanwhile parachuting from u. S. Cargo planes, huge bundles of food and water. For humanitarian aid for refugees stranded on a mountain top. Today the refugees are on the move again. Looking to escape the violence. We have team coverage. We begin with abc white house correspondent, jonathan karl, traveling with the president. Jon . Reporter good evening. The president arrived in Marthas Vineyard this afternoon. He already played a round of golf but also spoken to the leaders of germany, france, and britain. The attention focused thousands of miles away on the military operation in iraq. As 500pound bombs dropped from fighter jets and missiles fired from predator drones, pummeled targets in northern iraq. President obama bluntly acknowledged there is no clear end date on this military operation. I dont think well solve this problem in weeks. I think this is going to take some time. The Iraqi Security forces. In order to mount an offensive, and operate effectively with the support of populations in the sunni areas, will have to revamp. Get resupplied, have a clear strategy. Reporter although the president reaffirmed his promise not to send Ground Troops because we should have learned a lesson from our long and immensely costly incursion in iraq. Reporter he described a Broader Mission for u. S. Air strikes than he did just two days ago, when he said the sole objectives, were to protect americans, especially 150 americans serving in the northern iraqi city of erbil and prevent a genocide of a Minority Group surrounded on a mountain top by a terror group known as isil. Today, he said something more. We have to make sure isil is not engaging in actions that could cripple a country permanently. Reporter of immediate concern, the terrorists have taken control of iraqs largest dam which not only sblies electricity to some 1. 5 million iraqis, but if destroyed, could send a tsunami of water all of the way from mosul, from the north to baghdad, even threatening the u. S. Embassy. The president said hes keeping congressional leaders informed about the situation in iraq but doesnt need to go back to congress yet to ask for additional money for air strikes. Jonathan karl, thank you. I want bring in abcs correspondent, martha rad its who was just in iraq a nothing ago. What is the concern here . Reporter the crisis can be mitigated in the next few weeks but not going away. What if they move towards baghdad. You have to ramp up the air strikes again. The goal of protecting americans is not going to end as long as americans are in iraq, and they have to be there to make sure terrorists dont establish a safe haven and the humanitarian crisis is ongoing until you get those people off that mountain and into a safer place. That will be complicated and dangerous and take time, byron. Martha, what is the bottom line here . Reporter the bottom line, were back in iraq in a significant way, and to sustain what president obama said he wants to sustain, and it will keep us involved and on alert there for the foreseeable future. Martha raddatz in washington. Thank you, martha. Martha will have the latest on the growing crisis in iraq tomorrow when she hosts this week. In hawaii, tropical paradise. The storm made matters the Tropical Storm that brought massive waves. Reporter the Tropical Storm that brought massive waves, more than a foot of rain, and powerful winds is gone. But for nearly 10,000 people on hawaiis big island, the misery is just beginning. This is a huge hassle. I have three kids. Reporter today on the highway, with cars trying to get to the Police Station where they were handing out cases of water and ice. Hundreds, waited in a line, that stretched for hours, and susan lay was at the end of it. Normally, we have food spoiling in the refrigerator and freezer. Reporter to get their drinking water. Bob and his family normally use an electric pump. Without electricity, no pump, no water. Reporter an the second storm, hurricane julio will probably miss, in coming days, the islands could see dangerous riptides and high surf. Reporter you can see the problem. Iselle took out all of the trees and the power poles. Thousand are still without electricity and the Power Company says it could be days before the lights are back on. Byron . Clayton, thank you. Meteorologist from our miami affiliate joins us now, julie durda. What can hawaii expect from the hurricane julio . This is impressive. Hurricane julio is moving over the pacific. With winds around 75 mile miles per hour, this system will not be impacting the hawaiian islands. Very happen to say. Terrific. Now to the mainland. Fires in the west. More than 700 homes in danger. Firefighters whip up flames. More than 700 homes are in danger. Julie, what does it look like out there. More bad news for them. The Pacific Northwest will stay hot and dry. Expanding heat wave will continue from Northern California towards oregon and washington. We are expecting wind gusts up to 40 miles per hour. You can see red flag warnings as well as fire weather watches in effect, the rains will not be getting in any time soon. Temperatures running anywhere between 10 to 15 degrees above average. What about the storms in the south . I wish we could take the rain from the south and take it to the northwest. This morning, you see shower activity and will continue through the weekend. Were expecting heavy rain across the carolinas. Areas of flooding, travel problems. By sunday evening, were estimating anywhere between 2 to 4 inches of rain. Flooding will be a huge concern tore them. Meteorologist, julie durda from miami. Thank you. Next, big changes for College Athletes. Ncaa insists student athletes amateurs and could not be paid. Now a federal judge ruled they should be paid for use of their names or images. Abcs Ron Claiborne explains. Reporter ed obannon was the star offal team and won the ncaa championship in 1995. Years later after a brief pro career, he happened to see his image as a College Player on a video game. I hadnt been compensated or told i was going to be on a video game. Reporter in 2009 he filed a lawsuit demanding colleges compensate student athletes. Friday a federal court agreed finding the court finds that the challenged ncaa rules unreasonably restrain trade. This has always been the right of College Athletes. Present, past and future. Reporter the decision sent shock waves through the world of College Sports where schools make hundreds of millions of dollars a year from football and basketball and Television Rights and marketing, while players make nothing. This decision puts an end to amateurism. Amateurism is now dead. End zone. Reporter under the ruling, starting in 2016, College Football and basketball players will be entitled to a minimum of 5,000, for each year they play. Which they can access only after they leave college. This ruling doesnt specifically Pay College Athletes for their play, it specifically pays College Athletes potentially for their name and likeness associated with tv broadcasts, and video games. Reporter in a statement, the ncaa said, we disagree with the courts decision that ncaa rules violated antitrust laws. We are reviewing the full decision. And ironically, ed obannon and 19 other former College Athletes who joined this lawsuit. They will get nothing. They gave up their right to damages by choosing to have their case heard by a judge not byron. Nothing for ed obannon and the other plaintiffs. Ron claiborne, thank you. You can see more of that interview with ed obannon tomorrow morning on Good Morning America and this week. And next. Where a 9yearold by encountered a nasty alligator. The alligator nibbled on him and the boy took action. Linzie janis with the story. Reporter tonight 9yearold james barnie jr. Is alive and well, thanks to his quick thinking and incredible bravery. I was scared. I didnt know what to do. I immediately hit it and it let go a little. And i got a little bit of space, of clearance, to where i could let go, and i slid myself out. Reporter james had been riding his bike with friends in st. Cloud, florida, thursday afternoon when he decided to take a dip in this lake, in an area off limits to swimmers and known for its gators. At first i thought someone was playing with me. I didnt know what happened. Reporter this is the roughly 9foot long, 400pound alligator that bit james three times and swiped him with his claws. My friend got bit by an alligator. We were swimming and just sitting up here and we heard him screaming. Reporter james is being treated for 30 bite marks. And they pulled out a tooth and showed it to me. I said, oh, i want to put it on a necklace, so i can tell all my friends. Reporter wildlife Officials Say more than 1. 3 alligators roam florida waters. The reptile that pounced on james, still on the loose. Doctors say if james wounds dont become infected he should be able to go home sunday. What a story hell have to tell when he goes back to school. Amen, amen. Linzie janis, thank you. We move on now to an anniversary. It was 40 years ago today that Richard Nixon walked out of the white house for the very last time. The only president to leave office. Now were hearing his personal recollection from the final moments to an interview he gave to a former aide. Heres abcs washington correspondent, jeff zeleny. Reporter Richard Nixons famous last words from the oval office. I have never been a quitter. To leave office before my term is completed is of harm to every instinct in my body. But as president , i must put the interests of america first. Reporter we know what happens next, but for the first time in a generation, we hear it in his own voice. All of the family was gathered in the west hall, and then suddenly they all got up and came around and surrounded me, sort of a huddle, sort of a family embrace. Saying nothing. And saying everything. Reporter he recalls how that day, august 9th, 1974, unfolded. And how he said his goodbyes to those around him. Spoke from the heart. Told them that they must not allow what happened to me to discourage them. Reporter and then, time to go. I kind of raised my hand. I didnt know whether it was a salute or a wave. But that was it. As the helicopter began to rise, i heard mrs. Nixon, who was sitting in the seat next to us, speaking to no one in particular, but to everyone, and she said, its so sad. Its so sad. Reporter sad for a president. Sad for a nation. Jeff zeleny, abc news, washington. Still ahead, when lightning strikes, the storm that injured eight people, even though they were indoors. How you can stay safe when the skies start rumbling. And the boy and the butter fly, watching nature unfold. But the butterfly was watching him, too. Wait until you see what happens next. Veggies youre cool. Reworking the menu. Mayo, corn dogs. You are so out of here ahh. The complete balanced nutrition of great tasting ensure. 24 vitamins and minerals. 9 grams of protein. With 30 less sugars than before. 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Both of our hands went to our ears, and all i could see was my son on the ground and his his foot was smoking. Reporter the vast majority of lightning strikes are outside like this one on a field or this one on a country road. But lightning is unpredictable. It could strike anywhere. It is still safest to get inside during a storm, but once there, stay off your computer. And away from anything thats plugged into wiring that could conduct electricity. Stay out of the kitchen and bathroom because water is also a conductor. You dont want to be taking a shower and you dont want to be washing dishes. Reporter and stay near the center of the room as far as possible from doors and windows. A few precautions to avoid a shock this summer. Bazi kanani, abc news, washington. Coming up, another supermoon on the rise, but this is expected to outshine them all. Why its being called the extra supermoon. Our instant index is up next. And the best move of all . Having the right partner at my side. 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The owner who lost it never thought hed see that camera again, or this video, him and his friends playing on the beach or these shots that the camera got as it tumbled overhead. A surfer overhead, even a fish swimming by. Our san diego affiliate helped track the owner. Cameron brandt. So happy to have the gopro back. And a boy who had a close experience with a butterfly, earned him the name butterfly boy and youre about to see why. Oh thats okay. Just leave him be, leave him be. Mr. Thompson wasnt expecting that. He wasnt sure if he wanted to laugh or cry as the butterfly stretched its new wings but he wished it well as it fluttered off. Its in the neighbors window. The butterfly boy video going viral tonight. And time for a moon dance. The moon has been putting on spectacular shows but tonight is most superof the bunch. Brighter and closer to the earth. Send your pictures for the next instant index. And still ahead tonight only you can prevent forest fires. You know who that is. 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