This is bbc news. Lets go straight back to that breaking news of the last few minutes. We will you knew the live scenes In Beirut. A massive explosion in the last little while from beirut. There you see the seconds after the explosion. We are hearing that there have been multiple explosions. That is coming to us from our correspondents on the ground in terms of the pictures you can see. Hugo bachegais pictures you can see. Hugo bachega is In Beirut for us, telling us this explosion is in one of the strongholds in the south of beirut. The Israeli Military also updating in the last few minutes, saying that they are currently striking Terror Targets, that is how they describe it, currently striking Terror Targets belong to hezbollah in the southern lebanon. This happened about five or seven minutes ago. You can see just the skyline, beirut, and the size of that explosion. Of course that fits entirely with what we have seen in terms of tactics from israel since monday, the sort of strikes. And of course the lebanese authorities saying that between 700 800 people have been killed since monday and the start of those aerial attacks on different targets in lebanon. But we have seen the hezbollah leadership directly targeted in multiple different attacks. But many of those different attacks in the route itself. We saw this time last week, one of the senior commanders and about a Dozen Seniorfigures of one particular unit killed in a strike also In Beirut. Very similar to this. That is the sort of pattern to the domino effect, to the precipice. Again, we are seeing more of these attacks been carried out by israel. They describe them as targeted. Hezbollah, also local television talking about the strikes against Leadership Figures in hezbollah. Of course, all of this comes back to what we heard from Benjamin Netanyahu at the Un General Assembly. He was explaining to World Leaders what he was trying to achieve. He kept saying, we had to continue to defend our country. We want to get our citizens back into northern israel. But We Saw so many leaders walk out even before he started speaking. That is so much concern about this new phase of this new conflict. We have seen rockets being fired from lebanon by hezbollah. And of course they are a prescribed Terror Group by the uk and us government, and other governments, and they have fired rockets into israel since october 7. But a new phase, only a couple of weeks ago, israels Prime Minister adding a new war goal, and that was to enable israeli citizens to return to their homes in northern israel. This is what were seeing, this new phase of that operation. But so many military analysts saying that you cannot do this simply from the air. Hezbollah wont stop firing rockets, they wont allow those people back until the sums are a wider agreement in gaza. So, the leg of how they actually achieve their objective remains unclear. It was one of the things that was unsaid at the un in new york, exactly how Benjamin Netanyahu intends to actually make good on that promise. If the ultimate goal is to get israeli citizens back into their homes in those communities that have been evacuated, well, can he do that without a further Ground Incursion . That is what so many people fear, that this is the pre lua two may be a Ground Incursion. That was tied, of course, in 2006. In The End it did not work. Hezbollah continue to exist. That particular phase of the conflict was devastating to both sides. But we arrive back at a very similar place all these years on. There are warnings inside israel, there are said to be splits between various figures in the defence forces about the wisdom of potentially going in. But of course it is a very fragile Coalition Government that Benjamin Netanyahu leads, and of course there are far right figures and that coalition who want him to press on, who dont want him to press on, who dont want to talk about any sort of ceasefire that has been talked about by the international community. You can see from the live pictures In Beirut that black Plume Subsiding slightly. We will get some pictures from Ground Level as we continue to get reports of more explosions heard In Beirut. I was referencing what was happening in new york, because of course over the last couple of days it was a Real Push by The Americans, the french, to get some sort of ceasefire in this border region. There were reports that the Israelis And Benjamin international, who are given a verbal assurance that he would go along with that, but then when Benjamin Netanyahu spoke of the first time about it, that was dismissed. Over the last 2a hours new words have been put out, because certainly The Americans surprised by what they heard from israels Prime Minister, and the rebuff that it was, and of course it meant that the Ceasefire Talk went absolutely nowhere. Of course we have been reporting and reaction to that from the us. But we are still in a very dangerous place, with the talk of ceasefire ebbs away, and this is what we are seeing playing out come up with more explosions, Another Day of strikes from israel, Another Day of hezbollah launching rockets in the opposite direction. We will speak to Anna Foster In Beirut injust a moment. We will bring her in, she is there on the ground, giving us a new sense of what is happening there. But this is the skyline short of the route that also gives you a clear picture of what is going on. The Israeli Military also updating. They are very quick to say what they are trying to do. They talk about the hezbollah stronghold. About 15 minutes ago it was when we had the first of these very, very large explosions. We continue to remain on this precipice, where the israeli Foreign Minister was talking about the real fears of a minister was talking about the realfears of a Domino Minister was talking about the real fears of a domino effect. But Benjamin Netanyahu but Benjamin Neta Nyahu absolutely but Benjamin Netanyahu absolutely clear on what he was saying. He started that speech at the un saying, we are winning. That is what he was saying to World Leaders in reference to gaza. He talked about the huge numbers of fighters in gaza, the Hamas Fighters in gaza, the Hamas Fighters that they had killed. He talked about the infrastructure that they had destroyed, he talked about the tunnels that had been destroyed. He said, we will continue. He was talking about trying to wipe out hamas completely. It is very clear that she does not want hamas to be involved in any way in that whatever happens in terms of reconstruction of gaza. He couldnt have been clearer in those words he used about gaza. But then he turned to what we are seeing in lebanon. Of course, what we are seeing turned into a completely new phase two mondays a group of those thousands of pagers exploding, what is believed to be a mossad operation, which targeted and infiltrated their intelligence, their security, to somehow sabotage those pagers, make them blow up. Those A500 Pagers had been circulated principally to hezbollah fighters, but were also used by many other people in lebanon, and hence the number of casualties that We Saw. That was when the new phase started. The Pager Explosions was followed in X Day by the exploding walkie talkies. Just a few days later, the start of these aerial strikes that initially were around the border areas, where in the Southern Suburbs of beirut, but also at the southern part of lebanon. And then peppered amongst them, these huge strikes that have been conducted In Beirut itself. I think we can bring in Anna Foster, who is In Beirut. We are pretty close to getting hurt on the line. When things like this happen, communications get disrupted on the ground. Anna, Let Me bring you in. Forthe the ground. Anna, Let Me bring you in. For the last 12 15 minutes we had been looking at the pictures of these huge blasts there In Beirut. You are there. Just ascribe to us what you have seen, what you have heard, and what youre hearing about where this actually has taken place. About where this actually has taken place taken place. First of all, it was a question taken place. First of all, it was a question of taken place. First of all, it| was a question of hearing, taken place. First of all, it was a question of hearing, but also a question of actually physically feeling, because there blasts were so loud that you could actually feel them reverberating through. I was just on the spot here, and the Sun Wasjust just on the spot here, and The Sun was just setting, and then we heard very, very loudly these repeated blasts, may be about eight of them, that absolutely split the air here In Beirut. Just around the corner of the building im on, we could see down to the Southern Suburbs, and a great cloud of smoke rising into the sky, tainted by the setting sun, the repents and oranges. Im really trying to explain and express the size of that cloud. We have seen pictures of the last few days of these columns of smoke rising into the air. If there were even car alarms going off in the street, such was the force of that blast. We know it was in the Southern Suburbs, an area i was in yesterday, because there had been another what israel calls Prison Strikes on a building where they targeted one of hezbollah top commanders. It would appear thats what theyre trying to do again today. Theyre trying to do again toda. , theyre trying to do again toda ,. , theyre trying to do again toda. ,. , , today. Sorry to interrupt, but iwant today. Sorry to interrupt, but i want to today. Sorry to interrupt, but i want to put today. Sorry to interrupt, but i want to put these today. Sorry to interrupt, but i want to put these new today. Sorry to interrupt, but i want to put these new live i i want to put these new live pictures on, because those blasts are still going on. The Afp News Agency is reporting a real� S Army saying they have struck hezbollah House Headquarters in a suburb of beirut. Also, hezbollah� s Tv Arm are saying and showing what they are as a Smouldering Crater also inviteds Southern Suburbs. ,. , suburbs. Even as we are speaking. Suburbs. Even as we are speaking. I suburbs. Even as we are speaking, i am suburbs. Even as we are speaking, i am looking i suburbs. Even as we are| speaking, i am looking at pictures on the lebanese tv stations, things that people have filmed on their phones. One im looking at nowjust shows you the size and the scale. When i told you we had these multiple explosions, you can see them sort ofjoining together in the pictures that somebody has taken here or their phone, which is being played on lebanese tv at the moment. The suggestion is that it is actually near a restaurant that we drove pass only yesterday. It is a very large grand building, with coloured glass in the windows. There is no suggestion that is the building that has been targeted, but certainly around that area. The reports are that israel is saying it has targeted the hezbollah Command Centre, which they are suggesting is underground in the area. It is sort of at that stage now where there are so many different lines coming in, people really suggesting that the size of the blast, it would be suggestive of a significant Death Toll. Because there is a very highly populated area. You will have seen yesterday he had on bbc news, when i was down there, when i went to the site of a similar strike yesterday, we are talking about Apartment Buildings very densely packed together, shops on bbc news, when i was down there, when i went to the site of a similar strike yesterday, we are talking about Apartment Buildings very densely packed together, shops underneath. It was still just about together, shops underneath. It was stilljust about light together, shops underneath. It was still just about light when happened, so people were on the streets in the area. As we await to see more details, the one thing that we do now and do anything that you are showing there is the size of this cloud of smoke. I can describe to you at the Sound And Feel of those explosions. At this stage this would really appear to be the most significant attack we have seen On Beirut since the latest phase of this conflict began. Really significant last sentence that you have just said. I suppose what if its with is everything we heard from israels Prime Minister in that speech at the un, where he said about these operations in lebanon, that they will continue until all of their objectives are met. Exactly. We were Talking Objectives are met. Exactly. We were talking about objectives are met. Exactly. We were talking about that objectives are met. Exactly. We were talking about that on objectives are met. Exactly. We were talking about that on the i were talking about that on the programme not long ago at the conclusion of that speech. You and i were discussing what he did and didnt talk about. While he has said that the operations against hezbollah would continue, that they will do everything they need to do to get people in the north of israel back into those homes they left nearly a year ago now, he didnt mention that ceasefire. The day before yesterday, it was an american french proposal, but other allies involved as well. What they were meeting with a 21 Day Ceasefire between israel and hezbollah, 21 days when the israeli Air Strikes on lebanon would stop, and the Hezbollah Firing of missiles into israel would stop, while the two sides would stop, while the two sides would attempt to try and come to some sort of arrangement that will be to de escalation. He made that speech, he didnt refer to the ceasefire in the speech at all. You do wonder about the timing, about 90 minutes after that speech concluded in new york, you do wonder if it was a very physical representation of that message delivered at the un by Benjamin Netanyahu. Let message delivered at the un by Benjamin Netanyahu. Message delivered at the un by Benjamin Netanyahu. Let me ust udate Benjamin Netanyahu. Let me Ust Update you i Benjamin Netanyahu. Let me Ust Update you with i Benjamin Netanyahu. Let me Ust Update you with another � Benjamin Netanyahu. Let me Ust Update you with another Line H Update you with another line coming to us from writers out ofjerusalem. The israeli of jerusalem. The Israeli Military ofjerusalem. The Israeli Military have just given a Press Conference in the last little while. Their spokesman saying that the central Command Centre was embedded deep within civilian areas. You are talking about exactly that, but we still dont have any sort of word about numbers of casualties here. But i suspect thatis casualties here. But i suspect that is a significant line, to actually acknowledge that the centre they say they have had was embedded deep within civilian areas. Was embedded deep within civilian areas. Just looking at that cloud civilian areas. Just looking at that cloud of civilian areas. Just looking at that cloud of smoke civilian areas. Just looking at that cloud of smoke that civilian areas. Just looking at that cloud of smoke that we | civilian areas. Just looking at. That cloud of smoke that we are seeing, in my mind i am comparing that to what We Saw yesterday, which was the most recent israeli Air Strike in the area, where they targeted a single hezbollah commander, who they killed. In that case, the idf will very often release pictures after the event. What they release were the sort of black and white pictures you receive from the cockpit of a plane, almost. They use the geolocation tools. Then you saw the small blast around this one apartment. When i was there it was notable that the building was notable that the building was still standing. It had very muchjust was still standing. It had very much just targeted one or two floors of apartment. But these pictures coming in, this does not look like that. Were just trying to piece together any bit of information we can at the moment. It is at the pictures. Certainly what we seem to have had in the last hour or so seems a very different. It seems a lot bigger. That line you are saying about israel sent this was embedded deep into a civilian area. Just looking at those pictures and some of the Social Media pictures, very can see these multiple columns of smoke rising into the sky, it is difficult to sort of get a picture, a handle on what kind of damage that might have caused, and what kind of civilian impact that might have had. But what i can tell you having been in the area just yesterday is that it is a very densely populated area. A lot of people live there, there are other people on the streets, they will have been people in their homes. At this sort of stage, but we tend to get some statements from the Israel Defence forces. We will also get some kind of statement from hezbollah. Of course our own bbc teams are trying to work out what is going on, sort of try to find out what is happening at the scene as well so we can bring as much information as we can answer or verify that and let you know what is really happening. But what is really happening. But what i can tell you is what has happened here in the rate over the last hour or so is clearly a very significant exclusion. Im reading the very latest that reuters is reporting, citing Security Sources in lebanon, agreeing that these strikes were the biggest attack On Beirut� s Southern Suburb since the beginning of this conflict. So, unanimity in terms of what people on the ground are concluding after the events of the last half an hour. I suppose it comes back in terms of objectives, because as far as we can tell Benjamin Netanyahu thinks he can actually achieve his objectives from the air, in terms of degrading hezbollah, these sorts of strikes. That is still an Open Question though, isnt it . , an Open Question though, isnt it . U u, , an Open Question though, isnt it . U u, a, an Open Question though, isnt it . U, a, it . What if you have said is that they it . What if you have said is that they have it . What if you have said is that they have got it . What if you have said is that they have got this that they have got this two pronged approach. They have said that there Air Strikes in the South And East were designed to actually degrade hezbollahs infrastructure. They say they are targeting Military Strike two cites, Missile Launch cites, weapons stores. It is important to point out that around 800 people or so, not including what has happened to this afternoon, but so far at the Death Toll was nearing 800, many of them civilians. We know that at least 50 children have been killed. That was sort of one focus of what israel was doing. The other is what we have been seen In Beirut, in the Southern Suburbs here, where they have targeted senior hezbollah commanders. It is also a say at this point that the head of hezbollah, hassan nasrallah, a well known figure who only appears on tv nowadays, he will be somebody they will try to target, but i think it is unlikely he will be In Beirut. We will keep you up today here In Beirut. Iuttuiiiiii In Beirut. We will keep you up today here In Beirut. Will take a very short today here In Beirut. Will take a very short break. Today here In Beirut. Will take a very short break. And today here In Beirut. Will take a very short break. And just i today here In Beirut. Will take a very short break. And just a| a very short break. And just a moment we will be back live In Beirut. We will also have reaction from ourjournalists. To stay with us for the latest developments after the strikes on Hezbollah Headquarters in southern beirut. Back in a moment, dont go away. Hello there. Its been a very wet start to the day across central and southern areas, exacerbating already existing flooding issues. Weve got saturated ground across much of england and wales. The good news is, though, for this afternoon it is brightening up for many with plenty of sunshine. There will be a few scattered showers. Thats the earlier Rain Clearing away with that Weather Front into the near continent. Strong northerly winds develop and drag down some colder air from the arctic across all areas as we push towards The End of the day. It could be a slow clearance across the far south east, but Skies Brightening Up for many. There will be scattered showers. These will have heavy wintry elements across the hills in scotland and the winds picking up, as well. A chilly northerly, it will feel quite bracing across North Sea coasts, where it will be very strong at times. Those temperatures below par for the time of year. Were just into the low teens for many of us, but even cooler than that for northern scotland. Tonights going to be a chilly one under Clear Skies. Well have showers peppering coastal areas. Some thicker cloud pushing into the North And West of scotland with some rain here. Temperatures recovering here by The End of the night, but a chilly one to come for many. Cold for northern england, Eastern Scotland under Clear Skies with a touch of frost. High pressure builds in from the south for the start of the weekend. That will bring very pleasant conditions. A lot more sunshine around. Though a chilly start, it will be dry and sunny for england and wales. The cloud across scotland and Northern Ireland will filter a little bit further southwards and eastwards through the day. A few showers here. Most of the rain across the far north of scotland. It should stay dry with a good deal of sunshine for the midlands southwards. Temperatures perhaps a little bit higher, up to 15 degrees in the south east. Low teens further north. Saturday night will be another cold one under clearer skies. Sunday starts fine, but our area of High Pressure is short lived. It retreats out towards the near continent and low pressure begins to wind itself up, bringing wet and windy conditions across southern and western areas as we go through the day on sunday. Weve got yellow warnings in force for strong winds for the South West here. Further north it will stay dry, though turning cloudier through the day and temperatures beginning to lift a little bit. Mid teens in the south, low teens further north. Monday will be wet and windy in the south, that clears away. A quieter spell for the middle part of the upcoming week with temperatures recovering, but then it turns more unsettled again by The End of the new week. Live from london. This is bbc news. Israel continues its attacks in lebanon despite international pressure for a ceasefire. Live pictures, huge clouds of smoke In Beirut after several explosions hit the city. The blast happened moments after Benjamin Netanyahu told the Un General Assembly that the fight against his hezbollah would continue. We will continue until all our objectives are met. We we will continue until all our objectives are met. We will continue until all our objectives are met. We will be live with anna objectives are met. We will be live with Anna Foster objectives are met. We will be live with Anna Foster Who Objectives are met. We will be live with Anna Foster who is i live with Anna Foster who is there In Beirut injust a moment or two. One other headline, though, here. Tibutes pour in for oscar winning Actress Dame Maggie smith has died in hospital aged 89. Welcome to bbc news. Straight to that breaking news because the Israeli Military says it is carrying out fresh strikes against hezbollah targets in south lebanon. Told the operations against the lebanese armed group will continue. Let me show you the live pictures, because within the last half hour, huge clouds of smoke has
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