wonder what the contestants had to say about the game? find out at... ♪♪ captioned by los angeles distribution and broadcasting, inc. right now on america this morning, new us airstrikes in the middle east prompting new concern about a wider conflict. this after a deadly training accident kills five us troops. new video shows the widespread

destruction as israel wages war through gaza. and now new information on the american is held hostage by hamas, including a three year old. >> breaking overnight, one less republican in the race for president. why senator tim scott is dropping out. and will he endorse anyone? >> morning commute. nightmare one of the busiest highways in the country shut down after this massive inferno. the safety questions now being raised across the country. >> two dramatic moments caught on camera in texas. a good samaritan rescues the police officer during a shootout. elsewhere, an emergency sends a plane crashing into a car. >> plus, a new study finding one simple thing that could immediately lower your blood pressure. >> and stunning payout. the staggering sum that won former college football coach will be paid not to coach his team anymore. >> from abc news in new york,

this is america this morning. >> good monday morning, everyone. i'm andrew dymburt. good morning to you. >> i'm rhiannon ally. we want to begin in the middle east with the new us airstrikes targeting fighters supported by iran. >> we're also learning more about the americans who were taken hostage by hamas. they include a three year old orphan. new video shows the vast destruction as israel's war on hamas rages is in gaza, the region's largest hospital is now apparently on the front lines. >> abc's justin finch has the latest. now, beginning with those new us airstrikes. justin, good morning. >> rihanna and good morning. the us military has destroyed more facilities linked to iran. the pentagon not yet confirming the number of casualties. a new escalation in the middle east. the pentagon says us forces conducted new airstrikes in syria hitting facilities used by iran's armed forces and militant groups supported by iran. the targets a weapons storage facility and a command center. an official confirms the iran

backed fighters were present at both locations. the sites are linked to at least 46 drone and rocket attacks on us forces in iraq and syria since mid-october, which resulted in dozens of injuries and now a helicopter crash in the region has left five us service members dead. the chopper carrying special operations forces went down in the eastern mediterranean due to a mishap while conducting a routine air refueling mission during training. >> special operators, they need to be able to operate and to succeed in any place in the world. and so they deploy to very challenging places and they learn and they train in places where they're going to eventually have to fight. >> the troops were deployed to potentially evacuate american citizens kidnaped by hamas. nine americans are still missing since the militant group attacked israel on october 7th. we've now learned that among the american hostages is a three year old whose parents were killed. hamas still holding 239

hostages. in all. >> we know the number of missing, and that's the number the israelis have given. but we don't know how many of those are still alive. >> with the war now raging near gaza's largest hospital, israel claims hamas is running a command center beneath the facility. these premature babies have been removed from incubators due to a lack of electricity at the hospital. israel has offered to help evacuate the newborns, but doctors say fighting outside has made that impossible. israel's prime minister is rejecting calls for a cease fire and will not commit to allowing palestinians to govern gaza after the war. >> there has to be an overriding and over reaching israeli military envelope because we've seen any place that we leave, we just, you know, exit, give it to some other force very soon. terrorism resurgence. so we've achieved nothing. >> netanyahu also saying there could be a potential hostage deal with hamas, but would not give any more details on those

negotiations. rhiannon >> all right, justin finch, thank you for that. south carolina senator tim scott has dropped out of the race for the white house. scott the only black republican in the senate, kicked off his campaign with a message of optimism and a $22 billion war chest. but he struggled in the polls. he made the announcement on fox news last night just days after the third primary debate. >> i'm trying i'm trying to process this this information and i'm trying to do it on on live television. so forgive me. you have plenty of money. you have the highest approval numbers of any candidate, and you are suspending your presidential campaign. >> i think the message is clear for me right now. i am indeed suspending the campaign, but i am going to remain as committed to making sure that this country choose iss the right person. >> so scott says he does not plan to endorse another candidate and says he is not interested in being vice president. >> in washington, another

government shutdown is looming. friday night, the house is expected to vote as early as tomorrow on a spending plan to prevent a shutdown. speaker mike johnson's plan does not include funding for israel or ukraine, and it does not include spending cuts. three republicans already oppose it, and the white house calls the plan, quote, unserious . >> commuter chaos in los angeles this morning, both directions of a major freeway are closed and a state of emergency has been declared after a fire beneath the highway. abc's alison kosik reports the cause of the fire is raising questions about safety, not just in california, but across the country. >> this morning, more commuter trains are being scheduled in l.a. as the city braces for a traffic nightmare. >> the traffic is going to be horrendous. it's going to really impact los angeles. >> a one mile section of interstate ten shut down after this massive fire engulfed part of the freeway. damaging an overpass. >> 300 plus thousand vehicles go

through this corridor every single day. it's of significant consequence to the economy to the health and safety of angelenos. >> the inferno erupting in a storage yard, housing flammable pallets, trailers and cars. wind pushed the heat and flames under the freeway and across the street, igniting a second storage yard. the flames burn through the equivalent of six football fields. it took more than 160 firefighters to put out the flames. as the governor says, the company's storing the material under the bridge and has violated its lease. >> in fact, our inspectors have been out there on consistent basis with citations, their leases expired. they're in arrears. >> contractors are now testing the hazardous material. california transportation secretary says storage yards under highways are common across the state and the country. he says now the practice will be reevaluated. and in the

meantime, la's mayor with this message. >> we are hoping for downtown businesses to join us and lean in on work from home policies to help alleviate traffic. >> officials say it will be at least a couple of days before the freeway reopens. they have to evaluate its stability and clear the hazardous material. rhiannon andrew allison, thank you. >> police are investigating a mass shooting at a flea market near houston. three adults and two children were shot in pearland, texas. one of the children later died. police say two men were arguing and started shooting and the children were just caught in the crossfire. >> now to a dramatic rescue caught on camera during a deadly shootout on a texas highway. a good samaritan rushing in to help save a police officer. more on a houston man is being praised for his heroics after helping drag this police officer to safety during a shootout on the highway.

>> i get you. >> houston police say they were pursuing a stolen car when the suspect crash into several vehicles got out and started shooting. i don't know who john lawley says he was nearby when he saw one officer get shot, so he ran towards the gunfire to help him. >> just kind of ran over there. and i grabbed that guy with the other police officer and me and him together. we grabbed him by his vest and we dragged him behind the truck. and i kind of tucked him underneath the truck so he wouldn't get shot again. >> listen, lawley, comforting the officer as others rush in to treat the wound. what's your name? >> my name is john. two. you're going to be okay, bro. i promise you that. i've been to jail a million times, man. and i love cops, too, bro. >> lawley, who's had previous run ins with the law himself, is now being hailed as a good samaritan by the police chief, says lawley may have saved that young officer's life. >> it truly reformed individual

is a person that we can use and he stepped up. >> it'll be a time that we'll acknowledge him formally. >> i believe that if you see somebody in dire need, it's our job to help each other out. >> that suspect was shot and later died. >> and as for why lawley was shooting video of everything he says, he started recording in traffic to show his boss why he was late for work. >> concern about a possible volcanic eruption has forced thousands of people in iceland to evacuate their homes. small earthquakes have already damaged homes and roads and forced the closure of the famous blue lagoon, an eruption in iceland back in 2010 caused flight disruptions across the atlantic. it is time for a look at your monday weather. >> much needed rain will soak the gulf coast this week and by later in the week, some areas could see more than five inches of rain. but the risk of flooding is considered minimal.

while looking at the radar, some rain is also expected in florida today and another storm moves into the pacific northwest today, bringing rain and heavy wind. checking today's high temperatures warmer than usual across the midwest, but the northeast only warms into the 40s after a chilly start this morning. 66in new orleans, 60in chicago, 66 in denver. >> coming up, why more christmas tree farms are shutting down this year. >> but first, that emergence landing. a small plane comes crashing into a car and the growing problem of retail thefts and robberies. >> why one sheriff blames the store thieves for the problem

there is nothing like it dancing is my passion. but with my moderate-to-severe eczema, it hasn't always been easy. i was constantly itching. whatever i was doing now, i'm staying ahead of my eczema there's a power inside all of us to live our passion. and dupixent works on the inside, to help heal your skin from within. it helps block a key source of inflammation inside the body that can cause eczema. so, adults can have long lasting, clearer skin and fast itch relief serious allergic reactions can occur, that can be severe. tell your doctor about new or worsening eye problems, such as eye pain or vision changes, including blurred vision, joint aches and pains, or a parasitic infection. don't change or stop asthma medicines without talking to your doctor.

healing from within is a powerful thing. ask your eczema specialist how dupixent can help heal your skin from within. >> an emergency landing caused a

small plane to crash into a car near dallas. the plane failed to stop as it landed in mckinney, veering off the runway through a fence and onto an adjacent road where it slammed into that moving car, injuring the driver. >> we turn now to the growing problem of retail theft. it's prompting law enforcement to call out major retailers claiming the stores are part of the problem. here's abc's derrick dennis. this morning. >> growing fallout after a sheriff in california accused major retailers target and walgreens of blocking police efforts to crack down on shoplifting. sacramento county sheriff jim cooper says target asked for help, but refused to allow officers to handcuff shoplifters in their stores. cooper saying target didn't want to create a scene inside the store. they didn't want negative press. the sheriff says his deputies watched a woman steal products, then go to customer service and return them for money. but he claims target chose to do nothing, adding locking up deodorant and raising

prices on everyday items. we need to survive is their best answer. >> this isn't helping solve the problem. you know, let's sit down. let's let's talk. let's have a conversation. >> rachel michelin, president of the california retailers association, accuses the sheriff of online bullying. she says part of the problem is a california law that made nonviolent retail theft under $950 a misdemeanor. she's now pushing to overturn that law. >> we need people to understand it is a legal to steal from stores. >> but the problem is nationwide . in philadelphia, more than 100 juveniles were seen recently storming into stores to steal. these were criminals. >> these were people that took advantage of an opportunity. >> and in washington, dc, cvs even took toilet paper off the shelves, locking it up due to rampant shop lifting. the problem has cost retailers an estimated $112 billion, and those costs are being passed along to you. the consumer, for adding up to an average of $500 in extra spending per consumer each year. experts say retail

theft and the drug epidemic often go hand in hand. back in california, a target is not responded to the sheriff's concerns, and he did not elaborate on his accusation against walgreens, which also has not commented. andrew rhiannon all right, derrick, thank you. >> some christmas tree farms are being forced to close in multiple states due to a shortage this year. a christmas tree farm outside new orleans says it suffered extensive damage due to the drought and the heat. this year. and in new york, one farm says a major shipment of frazier trees was canceled due to the shortage, forcing the farm to close for the season. >> we didn't want to open just partial and have people come in and be disappointed. we felt the right decision was to close the farm. this year, let the field get a little bit bigger, give us time to source some trees for next year. >> another factor in the tree shortage, the historic wildfires in canada this year. >> coming up, the one simple thing that can immediately lower your blood pressure. what a new

study found. also ahead, a california murder mystery. >> the son of a well-known hollywood executive heads to court with his wife and in-laws court with his wife and in-laws missing ♪ cheerful holiday music throughout ♪ sometimes it can feel like there's no way out of treatment-resistant depression. you take one antidepressant after another and...they aren't working for you. it's like you're...going in circles. turn to a different choice. spravato® is the first fda-approved nasal spray, taken with an oral antidepressant, for adults

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with fewer depression symptoms, you may begin to feel like yourself again. ask your doctor about spravato®. spravato. >> we are back now with a whirlwind near tampa. the dust devil was spotted recently at a work site in newport richey, florida. dust devils can grow to more than half a mile high. luckily, no one was hurt. >> now to a murder mystery in southern california. the son of a former hollywood agent is preparing to face a judge today with three of his family members, including his wife missing. this morning, the son of a once prominent hollywood executive is due in court in a southern california murder mystery. police taking samuel haskell the fourth into custody in connection with a dismembered female torso found in a dumpster in a strip mall parking lot next to a city bank on review, a possible body inside trash cans. authorities not yet identified the torso, but they're now urgently searching for haskell's

missing wife. may lee, and her parents, who lived with them. the couple also has three kids now in the care of other family members. police say they trace the suspect using surveillance video from the strip mall, along with a separate 911 call last week reporting suspicious bags outside haskell's home. >> what was discovered was evidence of a crime, including some blood evidence in other items. >> haskell is the son of prominent hollywood executive samuel haskell, the third who served as ceo of miss america and is a former agent who once represented stars from george clooney to dolly parton. neighbors now fearing the worst utter shock to think that my next door neighbor, you know, a few feet away from my kids rooms, that's something like that transpired there is insane to me. it's unclear how long haskell's wife and her parents have been missing. haskell was held on suspicion of murder ahead of today's court appearance. >> there's new research on a simple way to bring down your

blood pressure. a study on middle aged elderly people found reducing salt intake by just one teaspoon per day can lower blood pressure, just as much as medication. the results held true whether people were already on blood pressure, medication or not. and a safety recall to tell you about more than 13,000 child nightgowns sold on amazon by immunes are now being recalled because of a fire hazard. here's a picture of them. the company is offering refunds. >> coming up, a big payday for college football coach who just got fired. >> plus, taylor swift's latest >> plus, taylor swift's latest tribute to travis kelce life, diabetes, there's no slowing down. each day is a unique blend of people to see and things to do. that's why you choose glucerna to help manage blood sugar response. uniquely designed with carbsteady. glucerna. bring on the day!

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inside the body that can cause eczema. so, adults can have long lasting, clearer skin and fast itch relief serious allergic reactions can occur, that can be severe. tell your doctor about new or worsening eye problems, such as eye pain or vision changes, including blurred vision, joint aches and pains, or a parasitic infection. don't change or stop asthma medicines without talking to your doctor. healing from within is a powerful thing. ask your eczema specialist how dupixent can help heal your skin from within. >> time to check the pulse. we begin with a record pay day for a man to stop doing his job. >> jimbo fisher was just fired as head football coach at texas

a&m and will be paid more than $75 million to walk away from the job. that is because his contract, which ran through 2031, was fully guaranteed. he coached the aggies for six seasons. >> fisher's contract calls for him to get paid a whopping $26 million of his buyout by march next. skin as smooth as a baby's bottom apparently comes at a hefty price. >> dior just launched a new luxury line of skincare. yes, for infants, the baby dior collection includes a $230 bottle of scented water and a $115 moisturizer. >> well, they promised to soothe and protect children's delicate skin. next, adam sandler reprising his character from waterboy. >> the comedian, visited milwaukee, where he tried to say hi to an old friend. take a look. nike coach k, hey, something mighty koska come to me, mama sandler posted a video of himself speaking to the city's bronze bond statue and his bobby boucher voice.

winkler, of course, played sandler's coach in the waterboy. >> and finally, the tribute heard around the world, taylor swift changing the lyrics to one of her songs during a concert in argentina. >> take a close listen in time. taste all my friends to the summit. >> comma is the guy on the chiefs 300 karma is the guy on the chiefs. >> yes, a reference to her boyfriend, travis kelce. kelce was seen dancing along with swift's father to swift, later gave kelsey a huge hug and kiss running over to him when the show was over. show was over. >> so it wasn't patrick have fun, sis! ♪ can't stop adding stuff to your cart? get the bank of america customized cash rewards card, choose the online shopping category and earn 3% cash back. numbers move you. but some can stop you in your tracks. like the tens of thousands of people who were diagnosed with certain hpv-related cancers. for most people, hpv clears on its own.

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the news commuters in los angeles can expect a traffic nightmare this morning. >> look at this now at five, the raging fire that shuts down one of the busiest interstates in the country. and we don't know when it could reopen. >> another government shutdown could be just days away. negotiations underway right now on capitol hill ahead of the deadline on friday. >> one final vote for oakland. it could be the biggest week yet on determining if the a's will stay in the bay area.