this is the source. we start with breaking news. as the u.s. retaliation for the deaths of three american soldiers is underway tonight. the u.s. hitting more than 85 targets in iraq and syria against iranian-backed militias. b1 bombers flying nonstop from an air force base in texas ultimately striking 7 facilities in a mission the white house says was successful but also not over yet. it is without a doubt a sharp escalation of the war in the middle east. those bombers in the air today as president biden was attending the dignified transfer for those three soldiers at dover air force base. we start with team coverage tonight. oren leiberman at the pentagon, retired air force colonel cedric leighton in washington, and nic robinson in tel aviv. the pentagon confirming these strikes and laying out their rationale. what s the latest you re learning tonight? the u.s. carrying out strikes in iraq and syria. going after not specifically iran. the u.s. didn t strike directly in i
nation. zelenskyy says when? the lead starts right now. let me in the message from the ukrainian president who showed up at the nato summit, cheered on in a city square as he pushed to join the international alliance. his criticism about the process as russian strikes were hitting his cities back hoeme. and will donald trump be indicted a third time? today a new grand jury was selected to decide just that while a different federal grand jury in d.c. is also hard at a work. plus do you believe that white nationalists are racist? yes, if that s what racist is, yes. it s not really a difficult question. white nationalists are racists. that s what the term means and yet senator tommy tuberville of alabama keeps making a spectacle of himself and his struggle with trying to discuss this issue. he just gave yet another answer on the topic. welcome to the lead , i m jake tapper. we start with the world lead in one of the most consequential gatherings. today the alliance
you with us. more on cnn newsroom more retaliatory strikes. a dangerous atmospheric river bears down on southern california as residents prepare for the possibility of life threatening floods. and soccer fans in hong kong are fired up. a sold out game featuring legendary lionel messi. we ll have a live report coming up. a short time ago the u.s. announced a new strike against houthi targets destroying an anti-ship cruise missile in yemen that was prepared to launch. earlier saturday american and british forces and other allies struck 36 targets in yemen at 13 locations. fa-18 jets and a pair of u.s. destroyers hit what the u.s. says were facilities involved in attacks on international shipping. british jets also took part in the opoperation. the british defense secretary saying the strikes are about protecting innocent lives. the u.s., u.k., are at the forefront of an international coalition trying to stop the houthi attacks. in a statement the group said today s strike
hello and welcome. i m lynda kinkade. ahead on cnn newsroom. the u.s. led coalition said the latest strikes in yemen are about protection and not escalation. but the houthi rebels say they won t be deterred. u.s. president joe biden is projected to win his first official primary victory of the 2024 campaign. and i am honored to stand here as foreign minister. we mark a moment of equality and a moment of progress. after two years of political gridlock northern ireland s government returns to a power sharing agreement with a new first minister. live from atlanta this is cnn newsroom with lynda kinkade. we start with breaking news. just minutes ago the u.s. announced it had shot down an anti-ship cruise missile in yemen. it comes after the u.s. along with british and coalition forces struck at least 30 targets in yemen at ten different locations. fa-18 jets and a pair of u.s. destroyers hit what the u.s. said were facilities involved in attacks on international shi
conflict. all of that of course on the line tonight and of course this saturday morning where will is right now.w. thanank you all l for being g w and thanksks to will. it s time now for ac 360. tonight, which candidate benefits when the roads to the white house freezes over. we re live in iowa where blizzard conditions and subzero temperatures threaten to be a decisive factor in monday s caucuses. also a night after the u.s. and british air strikes on houthi targets in yemen a new message from a top houthi leader. and later cnn s donee o sullivan investigating how skeptical officials can face backlash from conspiracy theorists. thank you for joining us. we begin with iowa three days from the caucuses and the state is being hammered by winter weather. this is video of the capital des moines where the temperature is now 9 degrees. the wind chill is minus 13, and a blizzard warning is in effect. cnn s jeff zeleny is there for us tonight. jeff, i don t know how we conv