our bill neely has the latest >> reporter: tonight americans evacuated and fears growing after a short range rocket slammed into the iraqi headquarters of exxon mobil. 21 workers flown out iranian backed militia now blamed by iraqi securitys. news today of two other attacks in two days on bases housing u.s. military personal in iraq. this comes after explosions on oil tankers last week. the u.s. navy showing evidence says is an iranian mine and the magnet that fixed it to the side of the ship. >> the mine that was used does bear a striking resemblance to that which wa iranian military parades. >> the u.s. navy now saying they have high confidence that was caused by a mine we're also learning the u.s. has finger prints of at least one. >> reporter: iran denies it carried out the attacks. all this as another 1,000 american troops are being sent to the region. president trump says the tanker attacks are very minor. but the number of strikes and threats on u.s. facilities in the region is growing, causing u.s. officials real concern. lester >> bill neely, thanks. >>> prosecutors charge fou

joining me now is chief correspondent bill neely in the persian gulf and ambassador wendy sherman, whoiated the iran nuclear deal. bill, we'll start with you. what are you hearing in the region about these latest threats from iran? >> reporter: well, no official reaction yet from saudi arabia or from the gulf states here. of course, they've always been, you know, very quick to jump in and blame iran when the four tankers were attacked in may. saudi arabia and the gulf states blamed iran. so far for thursday's attacks, mohammed bin salman, crown prince, didn't directly point the finger at iran but i think it's fairly obvious that they are suspecting iran as the u.s. is, as the uk has said. but, as you say, some other allies like japan and germany are asking for more evidence. because although that video of the iranian revolutionary guard removing a mine from the side of the ship was strong, it wasn't conclusive proof. so, you know, the world is still looking for that kind of proof and secretary of state pompeo said just yesterday there's lots of data, lots more evidence. >> ambassador s

. >>> details now from nbc bill neely in normandy and nbc's hans nichols in ireland. and by bill, i want to start with you. and president trump touched on the sacrifice of the americans that served and lost her lives in normandy and reaffirmed america's alliance with europe. but he, of course, was reading from scripted prepared remarks. and when the president is off script, as you know, he time and time again complains that u.s. allies don't spend enough on their own defense and he's also made clear that he sees little use for multi-national organizations. so how should we pars, how should we digest when we heard from president trump today? >> reporter: jeff, you're absolutely right. he's been tough on naty, the organization and on nato allies for not contributing what he believes they should contribute to the organization. but, look, this day of all days was not a day for berating allies and president trump did not. and he was on message. he had, as say sh as you say, a beautiful script and, he handles it well. two because the other was from president macron and it wa

. >> nbc's hallie jackson was at that press conference and bill neely outside 10 downing streets and on the streets of london for protests and also joining us tom former adviser to theresa may and former u.s. ambassador to nato and nicholas burns. good to see all of you here. so, hallie, let me start with you. it was a wide-ranging press conference for only 24 minutes. a lot to unpack. let's start with what is our arguably maybe one of the real nuts and bolts of this conversation that is trades and tariffs and the possibility of a deal. >> yes. yeah. and on a couple different fronts, chris. because you have the possibility of a trade deal with the uk after this brexit didli trdeadle end of october. what you heard from both sides president trump and may they have to deal with the brexit stuff before the u.s. trade stuff. very positive for the chances that something may happen. theresa may was pleased to hear that the president did reaffirm the alliance with the uk and personally praised her, as well, for how she has handled this fallout from brexit. even though the two of them don't s

for nbc news, bill neely.l, good to talk to you today. take us through, from your perspective, what we can expect from the president today, what we are expected to hear, of course, in the tone and the delivery of his speech, and what he plans to say really. >> reporter: well, this is a very solemn day. as you know, the president revels in uncertainty and disruption. this is not the day for any of that. i'm sure his speech has been well prepared, well in advance. he is on his way. he's due to arrive here very shortly. he'll be greeted by france's president macron. and together they will pay homage, well, to the men that you see behind me, those nearly 10,000 graves, the marble head stones with stars of david, the american and french flags at the base of each of those crosses, and he'll pay tribute to the veterans who are here, a very few. i was here for the 60th anniversary 15 years ago. there were thousands of veterans here than there are just a few hundred, a few dozen sometimes here now. d-day now passing fr

we'll start with bill neely, who is there. bill, good morning. >> good morning, savannah. well, the flashpoint we ave been talking about got very real overnight where for the first timeth in crisis, iranian troops destroyed a u.s. military targ target. shooting down anunmanned, unarmed drone. a serious escalation and also a warning from iran overnight, and at the white house and pentagon this morning, no doubt serious discussions. the u.s. military says one ofts i global hawk drones was shot down by a surface-to-air missile overnight in an unprovoked attack. iran claims the drone violated its air space. the u.s. says it happened over the straits of hormuz, international air space, and no u.s. aircraft flew over iran. iranian state tv aounced the attack within hours. misidentifying the drone as a h globalk, saying the country's elite revolutionary guard had shot down a u.s. spy drone. the guard commander says the shooting down sends a clearm sage to america, and while iran don't want war, it's ready for i it's the second time in a week that iran has fired at a u.s. surveill

thank you so much, bill neely. i'm so glad bill brought up angela merkel. i'll tell you something i noticed this year that it didn't notice as much 15 years ago. many more german voices. we were talking before about how perhaps the strongest, the most adept german fighters were on the eastern front fighting stalin. we had a lot of 15, 16, 17-year-old boys, a lot of older germans here. but as we talk about what type of world these young men built and our leaders built, a world that's being debated by many not only in america but across the west, you have to look at the irony that here we are talking about a bit of victory over germany and yet it is angela merkel who is standing strong for many of those western values that george marshal, harry truman and our leaders after the war, the world that they built, david ignatius, and not only are the germans doing it now, but as the west germans like to tell the united states during the cold war, we are your most loyal allies. >> that's the great triumph of world war ii. it transformed a germany that had been a men

says it's a clear message to america we've got complete coverage in the region we'll start with bill neelyho's there. bill, good morning >> reporter: good morning, savannah well, the flash point we've all be talking about got very real overnight when for the first time in this crisis iranian troops destroyed a u.s. military target, shooting down an unmanned, unarmed drone. so a serious escalation and also a warning from iran overnight and at the white house and the pentagon this morning, no doubt serious discussions. the u.s. military says one of its global hawk drones was shot down by a surface to air missile overnight in an unprovoked attack iran claims the drone violated its air space. the u.s. says it happened over the straits of hormuz, international air space and that no u.s. aircraft flew over iran. iranian state tv announced the attack within hours, misidentifying the drone as a global hawk, saying the country's elite revolutionary guard had shot down a u.s. spy drone. the guard commander says the shooting down sends a clear message to america and that while iran doesn't want war i

bill neely is in t region as the pentagon releases what it says is new evidence. >> reporter: the u.s. is building its casehat iran attacked two ships in the gulf last week, with new photographs. the u.s. says these iranian troops are removing an unexploded mine from the side of a japanese tanker. pieces of the mine still atta attached by magnets. iranian fingerprints all over an attack that iran denies carrying out. iran's president saying this morning, we will not wage war against what he called a group of politicians with little experience. ira raising the stakes with its own pressure. one thing that is producing so much uranium, it will soon reach and possibly breach the limit alied under the nuclear deal. it says it's not breaking the deed president trump walked away from, but threatening to increase the quantity and quality of the nuclear fuel it makes. president trump tweeting a single apparent headline, iran to defy uranium stockpile limits. within the last few days we have a military buildup, attacks on tankers and another nuclear threat from iran. the problem is, there is no

nbc's chief global correspondent bill neely is in the capital of qatar for us. bill, good morning, what's this about? >> reporter: good morning, savannah. from a very nervous persian gulf, the u.s. is insisting there's lots more evidence tying iran to the explosions on oil tankers last week. some allies, japan and germany, are asking for more proof. just this morning, iran is threatening to ramp up its nuclear stockpile production, putting pressure on the west but deepening the crisis with the u.s. after the crimes at seas, e detective work on landnd. the two ships damaged by explosives, now forensically examined for clues the u.s. accusing iranian forces of tampering with evidence, boarding one tanker before international investigators. the ship's crews are safe. shipping in the gulf is not. six tankers targeted now in five weeks. america's top diplomat in no doubt. >> it's unmistaken what happened here these were attacks by the islamic republic of iran on commercial shipping, on the freedom of navigation, with a clear intent to deny transit through the strait >

. >> nbc's chief global correspondent bill neely reports on the growing crisis from the persian gulf.>> reporter: after thee dtective work on land, the two ships now forensically examined for clues. the u.s. accusing iranian forces ofng tamperiith evidence, boarding one tanker before international investigators. the ship's crews are safe, shipping in the gulf is not. six tankersow targeted in five weeks. the u.s. says this video is proof. apparently showing iranian revolutionary guards at the scene of the crime, removing a mine that didn't explod the u.s. military says iran's rmy tried to shoot down a u.s. drone try totop it filming the tanker. it is a dangerousoment with some ship owners now suggesting military escorts for tankers.pr russia's esident putin is suggesting america is making baseless allegations. and he met a defiant president of iran. he's now threatening to ramp up iran's nuclear fuel production. the speaker of iran's parliamenh suggesting u.s. was behind the attacks to provoke conrelic. for pdent trump, big decisions loom. truth or talk. he said they aren't ready to m

. >> joining me now from doha, nbc news chief correspondent bill neely. reports that iran will violate the 2015 nuclear deal. can the deal be saved at this point? and are the europeans going to go along with this demand? >> reporter: yeah, i think, casey, the deal is on life support. at the moment the u.s., of course, has pulled out, president trump calling it the worst deal ever. iran threatening today that it may breach the deed. it didn't say it would, but it threatened that it may and, of course, the europeans haven't been able to give iran the benefits of the deal. like, for example, selling its oil, economic benefits that would counteract the u.s. sanctions that are absolutely strangling iran's economy. so, that's why the iranians are trying to put as much pressures a as possible on the europeans, and the european foreign policy chief said today it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep this deal alive. so iran is trying to pressure europe, if you like to separate europe even further from the united states. president rouhani saying time is runnin

. >> bill neely is following this developing story from london. , talk us through what we're hearing about this video and the response from iran who keeps saying we didn't do it. >> reporter: the response is really interesting. let's start with the video. it's what a detective might call strong but circumstantial, not conclusive, not perhaps the smoking gun in the gulf. so we see it here. u.s. central command says that's an iranian revolutionary guard boat and it's removing a mine that's attached by magnets. it's taking it from the side of the ship and putting in the iranian boat. it says iran is simply removing the evidence. there are two photographs that show what the u.s. says is that mine attached to the side of tanker. now, remember the video was taken several hours after the incident. interestingly, iran has not reacted to the release of this video. indeed, the video didn't feature on the state tv news in iran in the last few hours. iran, however, did react angrily to secretary of state pompeo's news conference in which you said he blamed ira

bill neely is sin the capital of qatar for us this morning. what is this about? >> from a very nervous persian gulf, the u.s. is insisting there's lots more evidence tying iran to those ilexplosions on o tankers last week. japan and germany are asking for more proof. just this morning, iran is threatening to ramp up its nuclear stockpile ,production putting pressure on the west and deepening the crisis with the u.s. after the crimes at sea, the detective work on land. the damage from explosives now forensically examinedor clues. boardi one tanker before international investigators. the ship's crews are safepi sh in the gulf is not. six tankers targeted now in five weeks. america's top diplomat in no doubt. >> it's unmistakable what happened here. these were attacks by the islamic republi of iran with a clear intent to deny transit strait. the >> the u.s. says this video is proof. apparently showing iranian revolutionary guards at thesc ene of the crime. removing a min that didn't explode. pompeo says there's, quote, lots of evidence, though he gave no details and

other world leaders will pay tribute to the troops who laid the groundwork for victory we go to bill neely in normandy. good morning . >> reporter: good morning from the sacred ground overlooking omaha beach. bloody omaha as it was known in a few minutes time, president trump and president macron from france will pay homage to the brave. many of them you see behind me, nearly 10,000 buried here each one designated by a marble cross or star of david you can see the american and french flags have been planted at the base of each of these graves president trump and president macron will also pay tribute to survivors, a few of whom are here today they will remember this morning 75 years ago, the biggest sea bourne invasion in history when around 160,000 american, british and canadian troops came off around 5,000 ships around five beaches of this coastline to begin the liberation of europe from the nazi regime president trump is on route. he spent the night in his gulf club in ireland. he will arrive in about an hour's time. he will give a speech along with president macron of france they will

bill neely, nbc news, dohalf qatar. >>> and now to decision 2020. president trump will kick off his campaign in the swing state of florida. he's denying a poll showing him behind five democratic challengers. several republican lawmakers are defending what the president said about taking information from foreign governments. >> this was a mistake to say this. i mean, clearly -- >> the president said he would report that to the fbi. >> nowjournal" shows half of the public saying no to impeachment hearings. it also shows the president's job approval at 44%. which is down 2 points from last month. >>> bad news to report today out of new york city. fashion icon artist and sociali vanderbilt has died. she was known for her fashion in particular. that popular line of blue jeans. her son journalist anderson cooper released a statement reading in part, she 95 years old and ask anyone closer to her and they'll tell you she was the youngest person they knew. the coolest, most modern. she died this morning the way she wanted to, at home surround by family and f

bill neely, nbc news, dohar, qatar. >>> now, the highly anticipated trial of a decorated navy s.e.a.l. is underway in s speci accused of serious war crimes. prosecutors say gallagher went rogue killing an isis detainee and opening fire on a young girl and eldery man and the navy s.e.a.l. who witnessed the stabbing is set to testify today. >>> a historic move, the governor is apologizing for the genocide of native americans and sat down with tribal leaders yesterday as he issued an executive order expressing regret for the instances of violence throughout the state history. the governor also announcing truth and healing council which is the first for any state in the country. the purpose is to provide a way for native americans to clarify -- the record and provide perspective on the alert. a flurry o over a thousand small earthquakes have rattled the area for the past three weeks. the quakes have occurred in an area covering less than a square mile in san bernardino and riverside countries. 40 miles east of downtown los angeles. experts say earthquakes swarms are typical in a state cri

. >> bill neely, thas. > prosecutors charge four men today in the shooting down of a passenger plane five ar ye ago over ukraine. all 298 people on board that plane wer killed. richard engel has details. >> reporter: after nearly five years of pain staking work, international investigators finally named the suspects they say were responsible for shooting down a inassenger jet over ukrae. >> i just want to know the trutth is the truth. >> the malaysian airlines flight was aveling from amsterdam in july 2014. as it crossed over ukraine, it was hit. investigators say by a russian antiaircraft missile sending and luggage into fields below. today investigators said three russian inte igence officers and the commander of a russian backed militia in ukraine would be charged with murder under dutch law. the research group helped link russian intelligence directly to the .disast >> russia says it didn't shoot down that plane. >> they faked evidence. oghey faked a satellite photph. at some point you just have to stop taking them seriously. >> reporter: investigators think the plane wasikely sh

bill neely, nbc news, dohar, qatar. crimes trial for a navy>> seal is now underway. he's accuses of murdering a captured isis fighter and sq.oting civilians in irala edward ger has denied all the charges. several outlets reported president trump was consider g pardoningallagher, and several other service members accused or convicted of war crimes. his legalea defense tm says the charges stem from junior seals who coun't stand being called howards. >> the defense plan is to aovihilate the gernment's case. to show these witnesses are lying. >> prosecutors have a difficult case to make it. there's very little physical evidence for the military jury consider. today that jury is set to hear from a navy s.e.a.l. who says he witnessed gallagher killing a teenaged detainee. >>> no arrest in theou mysteri murders of a northern virginia father and son. >> they were found dead in their home last november. local authorities and the fbi are announcing a big reward. they hope will bring new tips. >> northern virginia bureau chief julie carrie has an update on thetory she's followe

nbc's chief global correspondent bill neely has more. bill, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, guys. the u.s. is building its case against iran this morning with new evidence that it's shown to nbc news here in the gulf. the president appears to be playing down the significance of the attacks on those oil tankers as minor. meanwhile, in iraq this morning, a rocket attack on workers evacuated from a u.s. oil company. at the u.s. base on the persian gulf, fragments of mines and the magnets used to attach them. made by iran, says the u.s., to attack oil tankers last week. >> the mine that was used does bear a striking resemblance to that which has been publicly displayed in the iranian military parades. >> reporter: more proof, say u.s. officials, of iranian guilt. to add to the photograph and the video that show iranian revolutionary guards next to the damaged ship. president trump is now playing down the attacks, telling "time" magazine, so far, it's been very minor. he said it was questionable whether he'd take military actio

nbc's own bill neely snapped this photo of larry underneath the beast refusing to leave, which meantf the united states couldn't looeeave either. but curiosity couldn't kill this cat. he eventually went on his mousing duty. i had no idea they had a cat at 10 downing. >>> but the prince of sussex seemed to snub the world after video from last night's soiree showed harry talking to melania trump and others, but he seemed to dodge president trump at all costs. while we don't know why, it is alleged the duke dodged the donald after he called meghan markle nasty for her 2016 comments saying she would leave the united states if trump won. larry and harry, that's going to wrap us up this hour. ali picks things up in new york. >> great to have you. >> great to see you. >>> this is a very special place. that's how the president characterized the united kingdom as he responded to questions over his repeated support for brexit after an awkward start to his trip with a tax against the london mayor and voicing his support for two successors for prime minister. the president is wrapping up day two

that the saudis who bear responsibility for this, according to the report, should pay some price bill neelyc news, do ha, qatar. >>> a u.s. official told nbc news that an american military drone was shot down in international airspace over the strait of hormuz as you can see there, brent is trading up 2.4%. wti up about 2.7% on the back of this development hadley gamble joins us with the latest from dubai. this attack is just the latest in a series of incidents in the region how significant is this development? >> that's a very good question at the end of the day it's all about the u.s. response here already we heard there is some pentagon statement or perhaps even a briefing forthcoming. we have not seen much el other than the fact that a u.s. official confirming earlier to nbc news that a drone was shot down they say it was shot down in international airspace over the strait of hormuz earlier this morning we brought you reports from iranian press tv, the iranians claiming the drone was shot down over iran. the u.s. disputing that. they say this is a significant escalation they're calling

let's take you there where bill neely is standing by. bill, give us an update. >> reporter: yes, steph, i would have to agree with one of your former guests who called that news conference insubstantial. and i would sail it's one of the most insubstantial news conferences i've heard. president trump meeting a woman who will be not her party leader on friday and out of power completely next month. there were no major agreements announced, no major disagreements. i would say domestically, it had significance because president trump simply threw a hand grenade into british politics, rounding on the labor opposition leader, jeremy corbyn, calling him a very negative force, saying that he wouldn't meet him. and then having a go at the end at the various people who might take over from theresa may, boris johnson, jeremy hunt, the foreign secretary, who was sitting in the front row listening to him and of course, michael gove, the environment secretary who he will meet laddlater today. but in terms of real substantiative talking points, not a lo

. >>> details now from nbc bill neely in normandy and nbc's hans nichols in ireland. with you. and president trump touched on the sacrifice of the americans that served and lost her lives in normandy and reaffirmed america's alliance with europe. but he,

bill neely joins me from qatar. let's start with iranian officials and what they're talking about. put it in perspective for us. >> reporter: interesting that this message, this warning, this threat, if you like, was made at the iraq nuclear plant in iran. so very, very direct messaging to the world. iran saying that within ten days it's making so much uranium it's likely to reach the limit of its production agreed in this nuke ler deal and after that it may breach the limit because it has increased its production so drastically. it's not just the quantity that it's producing, it's the quality as well. as you say iran at the minute is producing at a quality of 3.6%. so it's low grade uranium fuel. it's saying that it could increase that to 20%. now, why is it doing this? well, i mean, principally it's to pressure the europeans who are part of the deal. remember, america pulled out of that deal. the president rouhani saying to europe that time is running out to save the deal. but, look, it's also a message to the u.s. it's flexing its muscles, washington's saying, yup, you can stick

also from dohar, qatar, bill neely. bill, what's the latest? >> well, on top of the u.s.imum pressure campaign on iran, we might now have maximum resistance from iran. resistance is build into iran's dna but more than that, also maximum pressure of their own from iran with that announcement yesterday on its ramping up its production of low-grade uranium and threatening to breach the nuclear deal limit. iran's president saying this morning we don't want to wage war but taking a swipe at the u.s. saying those facing us are a group of politicians with little experience. and as you say, from u.s. central command and the pentagon, an announcement of another thousand u.s. troops to the region. they'll be used for surveillance and intelligence gathering on iran and its proxies. also used to protect u.s. troops from what the pentagon calls a credible threat and it will be used not just here in the gulf but likely in iraq, possibly in syria, too. so just within days we have a military buildup, we have a tax on tankers, we have a nuclear warning from iran and really the problem is

bill neely is in the capital of qatar for us once again this morning. g bill,d morning. >> good morning, savannah. yes, yet another show of force. more u.s. troops on their way here soon. more tension in the persian gulf. almostay by day. iran vowing this morning it won't wage war, but of course, threatening to ramp up its nuclear production. and the u.s. releasing new evidence of iranian troops at work. another boost for american firepower in the gulf. the u.s. will send another 1,000 troops to the middle east, citing hostile behavior by iran. that's onop of an extra 1500 annound just weeks ago. the u.s. is building its case that iran attacked twohips in the gulf last week, with new photographs. the u.s. says these iranian troops are removing an unexploded mine from the side of a japanese tanker. pieces of the mine still attached by magnets.ia iran fingerprints apparently all over an attack that iran denies carrying out. iran's president saying this morning, we will not wage war against what he called a group of politicians with little experience. iran

>> bill neely for us in qatar, thank you. >>> now the shakeup at the ag penton. acting secretary of defense patrick shanahan stepping down and withdrawing from the possibility of taking over the post after domestic violence surfaced in his family. kristen welker has the story on this. good morning. >> reporter: good morning to sou. president trump iacing mounting questions about the sudden departure of his acting defense secretary. the president is aiming to quell concerns about any instability in the agency, and has vowed to name a permanent replacement soon. st it comes at a critical moment with major foreign policy challenges from iran, iraq, and north rnrea. this g, a sudden shakeup inside the defense department, after patrick shanahan told president trump he's whihdrawing nomination for secretary of defense. >> difficult time for pat, but he is going to take a little time off for family service. >> reporter: shanahan, a former boeing executive, saying in a statement, continuing in the confirmation process would force my three children to relive a traumatic c