NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Thursday, June 19, 2025

Episode Date: June 20, 2025

Iranian missile strikes hospital in Israel; Trump to decide on Iran strike within two weeks; SpaceX Starship explodes during ground test; and more on tonight’s broadcast.

Tonight, the president's new deadline over whether to bomb Iran. The new escalations, Iran striking an Israeli hospital as chaos erupts inside. Patients and staff running to get out, the ceiling torn apart, our team reporting from the rubble. This as Israel strikes another Iranian nuclear facility. President Trump now asserting he'll make a decision to strike Iran within two weeks as the conflict spirals. The small circle now advising him. Also Starship setback, the world's biggest rocket exploding into a massive fireball. What went wrong during SpaceX ground test and how

Elon Musk is reacting? Federal agents refused access to Dodger Stadium, the confusion in the parking lot. Tonight, both sides firing back, a flashpoint in the immigration showdown in Los Angeles. The shark spotted feet away from beachgoers today and the terrifying moments for one family after a nine-year-old girl is attacked, what she remembers as first responders

race to save her hand. In our series, The Cost of Denial, how this pediatric brain surgeon is taking on Goliath, her fight with an insurance company to get the money she says she's owed, and The Need for Speed, filmed at real Formula One races around the world, our interview with Brad Pitt and his co-stars, how they train to drive up to 180 miles per hour. Nightly News starts right now. This is NBC Nightly News with Tom Yamares. And good evening.

We start with President Trump now saying he'll make a decision about whether the US will take action in Iran Within two weeks the day was filled with new explosions an Israeli hospital You see hit by an Iranian missile and the building Shredded apart as staff raced to get patients out Iran firing missile after missile one hitting several Tel Aviv high rises. And the IDF sharing this video, they say, shows them taking out Iranian nuclear sites. There are still questions about how close Iran really is to a nuclear weapon. What we know for sure, the bombing is not stopping.

Richard Engel and his team tonight showing us where some of those missiles landed. A new video shows the direct hit from an Iranian ballistic missile on the biggest hospital in southern Israel. Inside, staff and patients run for cover. Parts of the ceiling caving in. Smoke filling the hallways. And this is where the missile impacted. It went right through the hospital's roof and said debris throughout this

area this was a significant strike. There were no deaths or serious injuries reported Israeli prime minister Netanyahu said the hospital strike proved Iran's intentions. They're targeting civilians because they're a criminal regime. They're the arch terrorists of the world. Israel's defense minister claimed the order to strike the hospital came directly from

Iran's supreme leader. This man absolutely should not continue to exist, he said. Iran claims it was targeting a military site near the hospital. NBC News has confirmed the hospital is within a mile of an Israeli military intelligence compound. Israel says Iran launched dozens of missiles today towards civilian centers, most intercepted, one hitting a residential area in Tel Aviv. High-rise is damaged.

We have five buildings that were hit by the missile. Israel is continuing its attacks in Iran, targeting the nation's nuclear program and military. New video showing smoke near Tehran's police headquarters. And these images of an Israeli strike on the Handab heavy water reactor, which Iran announced it had planned to restart. Richard joins us now live. So Richard, we're now into day seven of these Israeli strikes and Iran's missile barrage.

What is Israel's end game here? Well, Tom, Prime Minister Netanyahu says the goal of this entire operation is to eliminate Iran's nuclear threat, get rid of its missile threat. Now they're also talking about getting rid of the supreme leader. In terms of what comes next, Israel isn't being very clear, saying that would be up to the Iranian people. Tom? Richard Engel leading us off tonight.

Richard, thank you. Now to Washington, where President Trump is saying he wants more time for diplomacy. Gabe Gutierrez is at the White House. Tonight, a new deadline as the world awaits President Trump's critical decision on whether to order a U.S. airstrike targeting Iran's nuclear program. I have a message directly from the president, and I quote, based on the fact that there's a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks.

European diplomats are expected to meet with Iranian officials tomorrow in Geneva. The White House says any deal with Iran would have to include a ban on enriching uranium, a demand Iran has so far refused. There's a chance for diplomacy. The president's always going to grab it, but he's not afraid to use strength as well. The two-week timeframe, one the president often uses from peace talks with Russia. I'll let you know in about two weeks. To trade negotiations with China.

At some point in the next two weeks or three weeks, I'm going to be setting the deal. Now he's stressing why he's considering a U.S. airstrike on Iran's underground Fordo nuclear facility. The U.S. is the only country with the bunker-busting bombs that could destroy it. Iran can't have a nuclear weapon, too much devastation, and they'd use it. You know, I believe they'd use it. Others won't use it, but I believe they'd use it. The president is increasingly relying on a small group of advisers for critical input,

according to two defense officials and a senior administration official. The inner circle includes Vice President Vance, Secretary of State and Interim National Security Advisor Marco Rubio, Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. The officials tell NBC News that Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has been sidelined. In March, Gabbard testified the intelligence community did not believe Iran's supreme leader had authorized a nuclear weapons program. The IC continues to assess that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon.

Earning this rare public rebuke. I don't care what she said. I think they were very close to having one. The U.S. CENTCOM commander just warned that if Iran wanted to move forward, it could have enough enriched uranium in roughly a week. Experts say it could then take more than a year to build a nuclear weapon. Tom? Gabe Gutierrez at the White House.

For millions across the eastern part of the country, the weather threat is here. Intense floodwaters blowing out a river in Tennessee. You can see I-40, a major artery through the Smoky Mountains, completely washed out there. In Washington, D.C., trees down everywhere, these power lines spotted sparking. And 53 million are under severe weather alerts tonight, and the bad weather already delaying more than 5,000 flights. Tonight, SpaceX engineers are investigating

an explosion involving the company's Starship rocket, the biggest ever built, which NASA and Elon Musk hope will one day fly to the moon and even Mars. It happened during an early morning ground test in Texas. Here's Tom Costello. I mean, even the other day when they...

Whoa! Whoa! For SpaceX, yet another spectacular setback. This one caught on camera by space enthusiasts in Texas. Oh my God. The uncrewed mega rocket exploding during a static rocket ground test. SpaceX described the explosion as a major anomaly while preparing for a test flight later this month. No injuries, though local residents posted on social media that the blast shook their homes.

media that the blast shook their homes. Standing nearly 400 feet tall starship is critical to NASA's hopes of returning humans to the moon and one day landing on Mars, but this is the 4th explosion so far this year. There is no. In January and March the rocket came apart minutes after launch in May the upper stage made it to space but then into a spin, breaking apart over the Indian Ocean. While astronauts could one day fly on Starship, today's CEO Elon Musk made light of the explosion, posting on X,

just a scratch. Musk has promised to increase the pace of launch attempts this year. Each launch is about learning more and more about what's needed to make life multi-planetary. SpaceX says an initial analysis indicates a potential failure of a pressurized tank which contained gaseous nitrogen in Starship's nose cone area. A full review is ongoing, Tom. An incredible explosion. All right, Tom, we thank you. Now to the ongoing immigration enforcement operations in Los Angeles. After federal agents requested access to the grounds of Dodger Stadium,

today the team says it turned them away. Here's Jacob Soboroff. Please leave now. A dramatic scene at a Home Depot in Los Angeles today. You're not running here. Federal agents in tactical gear detaining several people. It's not a Berlin. federal agents and tactical gear detaining several people. While over at Dodger Stadium, more federal agents were gathering. According to the team, they showed up this morning and asked to enter the parking lots. The Dodgers say they turned the agents away.

A small group showing up to protest. Here at Gatie of Dodger Stadium, where reportedly these agents tried to get in, but they couldn't get into the gates. And you can tell people are angry. It's not clear why the agents were at the stadium. Homeland Security later posting this had nothing to do with the Dodgers. Adding customs and border protection was at the parking lot very briefly and it was unrelated to any operation. Enforcement operations are continuing daily across Los Angeles.

President Trump has directed all of our ICE officers to do everything in their power to carry out the single largest mass deportation operation in history. Some Dodger fans say they're frustrated the team hasn't done more to support immigrant communities. Dodgers, they thrive off the fan base that is Latino, off the workers that are Latino. This is, they're not a detriment to our city or community. They are a benefit.

Over the weekend, Dominican American singer Neza sparking controversy after she sang the national anthem at the stadium in Spanish. After the team asked her to perform in English. Some criticizing the move, others celebrating. 80% of the people here are Latino. I'm gonna do this for them, regardless of what the consequences

may be. The Dodgers say they will announce a plan to assist immigrant communities, and tonight's game against the Padres will go on as planned. Jacob Soboroff, NBC News, Los Angeles. Now to our series, The Cost of Denial, and a slightly different look at the insurance industry. Tonight, an investigation into the financial relationship between a healthcare giant and doctors' practices. Vicki Nguyen has our story. Do you feel like this is a David versus Goliath situation? Absolutely. She's beautiful. Brain

surgeon Dr. Kathy Mazzola opened the New Jersey Pediatric Neuroscience Institute 17 years ago. I'm going back to sleep. To provide care to the state's most vulnerable, including the pediatric neuroscience Institute 17 years ago to provide care to the state's most vulnerable, including kids with neurological conditions like brain tumors, epilepsy and autism. The child gets hit by a car at 11PM on a Friday night in New York where they're taking their skull off taking out the blood clot saving their lives.

The massive cyber attack against a healthcare giant and the chaos it's causing. Last year, hackers targeted United Health Group, crippling its claims processing unit. So instead of getting reimbursed for the patient care her practice already provided, Dr. Mazzola was getting zero dollars. Maybe three days into the hack

when there was no money coming in, I just walked into my office, close the door. I cried for about 5 minutes because I couldn't believe this was happening. United Health stepped in to help through a bank it owns Optum offering a $535,000 loan to Missola and its CEO made this promise will provide assistance for as long as it takes to get provide his claims and payments flowing.

this assistance for as long as it takes to get providers' claims and payments flowing. I really believe that Optum would give physicians a reasonable amount of time to repay the loan with the understanding that this financial crisis almost bankrupted us. Despite United saying the loans didn't need to be repaid until doctors' practices were back to normal, United Health told Missouola in January that she had 5 days to pay the money or it might start clawing back reimbursements Missola says she'd already started paying back $10,000 a month, but then she learned in April that checks issued from United Health to her practice for taking care of children on

Medicaid more than $70,000 worth were being redirected to UnitedHealth's bank Optum to pay off the loan. I sent emails saying, like, we can't afford this, you can't do this. UnitedHealth declined to be interviewed, but in a statement said in part, Optum has and will continue to actively work with providers to identify flexible repayment plans based on the individual circumstances of providers and their practices. Meanwhile the company reported 9 billion dollars in earnings in the first quarter of this year up

15% from last year. After Missoula started complaining to the American Medical Association United Health finally stopped redirecting her reimbursements. We easily lost over a million dollars because of that hack. I'm just a pediatric brain surgeon, right? So what do I know? But we didn't cause this problem. We were just financially devastated by it.

And in my opinion, UnitedHealth Group should be held responsible. Vicki Nguyen joins us now live in studio. So Vicki, the big question, how does this happen? You have a doctor who was the victim of a cyber attack now facing bankruptcy. How does this happen? Yeah, Tom, the experts we spoke to say part of the problem is United Health Group owns an insurance company,

a claims processor, and a bank. It's too big, it's all in one company. Dr. Mazzola says she wants Congress to step up and look into this. All right, Vicki Nguyen for us. Vicki, we thank you for that. We'll be right back with the view from the air. The moment a shark is spotted in the water Congress to step up and look into this. All right. Vicki Winfrey. Vicki, we thank you for that. We'll be right back with the view from the air, the moment a shark is spotted in the

water at a bustling Florida beach, plus the nine-year-old girl speaking out for the first time after she nearly lost her hand in a shark attack. Stay with us. In Florida, we have a dramatic moment as a shark is spotted in shallow waters near beachgoers. This is we're learning more about a shark attack. The nine-year-old girl recovering after nearly losing her hand. Our Morgan Chesky on her story. Tonight, a shark sighting clearing waters near Fort Lauderdale.

This aerial video showing just how close two Florida swimmers came before the shark darted away. The encounter coming one week after a frightening Florida attack. Mother Nadia Lindell captured on body cam following a shark attack on her young daughter Leah. It is applied the attack happening on Boca Grant a barrier island with gorgeous beaches and no lifeguards today at a hospital 9 year-old Leah sharing what she remembered. I was just snorkeling that I went up to read and then

something hard bit me and then and try to take me away that I think of my hand is all in blood. With her hand all but go on crews airlifted Leah to Tampa for emergency surgery. Meanwhile, in South Carolina, another attack reported just yesterday when officials say a 12-year-old girl was bitten in the water

off Hilton Head Island. Now as Leah faces a long recovery, her family hopeful, crediting a team of talented surgeons. I was holding her hand in my hand. And I didn't think there was any chance at all of saving it some sort of miracle that God did in our life that now she has a hand tonight her loved ones grateful promising to be back on the water sometime soon. Morgan Chesky

NBC News. We're back in a moment with Hurricane Eric roaring ashore, topping out as a cat four and bringing intense flooding with it. Plus, the emotional homecoming for Iran Alexander, returning to his hometown after he resolved captive in Gaza. That's next. Back now with major flooding in Mexico. Hurricane Eric's slamming Oaxaca as a category three storm.

You can see the streets there turning into rivers. So far, no injuries or deaths have been reported. According to our NBC News climate units, parts of Mexico could see up to 16 inches of rainfall. Also tonight back here in the States, a remarkable homecoming for Edan Alexander, the freed Israeli-American hostage who was released from captivity in

Gaza last month. You can see him waving to the cheering crowd in his hometown of Teneflay, New Jersey. Alexander was held by Hamas for nearly 600 days and the last living American to be released. And on this Juneteenth holiday, huge crowds in Fort Worth, Texas, participating in Opal's Walk for Freedom. The two and a half mile walk symbolizes the two and a half years that passed after the Emancipation Proclamation but before News of Freedom reached enslaved people in Texas. The walk is named after activist Opal Lee known as the grandmother of Juneteenth who played a critical role in making it a federal holiday and that was

just one of the many celebrations we saw across the country today. And when we come back on track with Brad Pitt as the star is in the driver's seat for real on some of the most iconic courses in the world. Savannah Sellers with the crew of F1, the movie that's next. Finally tonight there's a new movie putting audiences right in the middle of Formula One racing with star Brad Pitt at the wheel for real. Savannah Sellers has the inside track. It's the ultimate thrill ride.

F1 the movie puts the audience in the driver's seat like never before. The story of a veteran race car driver back on the track was filmed at real Formula One races around the world. Joey called first with this audacious plan to put actors in the car, put the cars on the track, embed ourselves into the F1 season. It was director Joseph Kaczynski's idea. Action. We had to develop a brand new camera system for this film. Son is here for the audition. After Brad Pitt and co-star Damson Idris really drove race cars, hitting speeds up to 180

miles per hour. I couldn't get enough time in the car. It was a happy place. It's exhilarating, you know. We trained for about four months and we really did become a part of the world. Did you ever lose yourself in racing versus acting? Yeah, hell yeah. We were shooting this tense scene and Brad was going through this famous curve one

and every time he'd go through it he'd have a big smile on his face. At some point I'd be like, Brad, please stop smiling. It's such a rush. A rush producer Jerry Bruckheimer was prepared for. Is there such thing as an insurance policy on Brad Pitt going 180 miles an hour? We could have an insurance policy. Actress Kerry Condon could barely even watch

her co-star speed around the track. I watched once. It was very nerve-racking, so I didn't enjoy it. I just need one of my cards across the finish line. Javier Bardem plays the team's owner, who recruits Pitt's character. The two not shy about their bromance. I'm going to say it, we make a pretty hot couple. Yeah, exactly.

It was an honor, it was a pleasure. What makes this movie so immersive is the story. The redemption, the second chance, the teamwork, all the things that we want in our lives. Last question, who's faster? We go back and forth on this one. He is faster than me. He's faster.

Come on. No, we're both really, really fast. We're never going to get to the end of this question, ever, until you put us on the same track at the same time. Relapse the lifetime. Savannah Seller's NBC News. We thank Savannah for that. And one programming note, tonight be sure to catch Center of the Storm, a two-hour Dateline

special on the Karen Reed trial tonight at 9, 8 Central, right here on NBC. That's Nightly News for this Thursday. Thank you so much for watching. I'm Tom Yalmas. Tonight and always, we're here for you. Good night.