Transcripts For BBCNEWS Verified Live 20241005

Well be live with Anna Foster in Beirut And Nick beake whos in northern israel. Mps will get a vote on assisted dying in england and wales. Campaigners in favour welcome the move others remain cautious. Hello. Welcome to todays verified live. We start with the crisis in the Middle East irans supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has defended his Countrys Missile Attack on israel earlier this week as a � minimum punishment� in a rare Public Speech as he led Friday Prayers in tehran for the first time in five years. He told a huge crowd of supporters that iran and its allies must prepare for action as He Led Commemorations for the Hezbollah Leader, hassan nasrallah, who was killed by israel last week. Iran fired nearly 200 ballistic missiles into israel on Tuesday Night in retaliation for his assassination, and israel has promised to hit back. Overnight, there were more huge explosions in beirut, close to the main airport. Us officials say israel was targeting the potential successor to nasrallah. There have also been reports of 20 rockets being fired from lebanon into israel. Let me show you the live pictures. You can still see smoke on the skyline there of the lebanese capital, with more israeli strikes. The israeli military is saying in the last hour or so that 200 has bowler fighters have been killed in Southern Lebanon since the start of the ground operations. Those live pictures. We will talk to our correspondent in the Moment. Talk to our correspondent in the Moment. ,. , , the Moment. This was designed as a show the Moment. This was designed as a show of the Moment. This was designed as a show of respect. As a show of respect. Supporters gathered to commemorate the Hezbollah Leader killed in a strike a year ago today. Then, the Supreme Leader appeared. Last friday he was reported to have gone into hiding, today he came out in public to deliver a sermon for the first time since the start of 2020, when irans top Military Commander had just been killed in an american Air Strike. And he came with a message of defiance, saying that Hamass Attack in october had been legitimate. So too had the response on tuesday. What the response on tuesday. What our armed the response on tuesday. What our Armed Forces the response on tuesday. What our Armed Forces did the response on tuesday. What our Armed Forces did was the response on tuesday. What our Armed Forces did was the least our Armed Forces did was the least response in the face of the astonishing crimes. Speaking partly in fussy, sparkly in arabic, it was an attempt to restore irans credibility. 0n Attempt to restore irans credibility. On Tuesday Night, it fired around 200 ballistic missiles at israel, and the world is now bracing for israels retaliation, wondering how iran will respond to that when it comes. And israel is continuing its battery of hezbollah. These explosions Last Night in the suburbs of beirut, close to the airport, are thought to be targeting the next leader of the group. Nothing has been said by Iran Or Israel today, none of it provides much hope beyond anything but destruction. Lets talk to Anna Foster in beirut. We have had more Strikes Today that that huge blast in beirut yesterday, apparently to take hezbollah� s next leader. Could you feel that Last Night . It next leader. Could you feel that Last Night . Next leader. Could you feel that Last Night . It was a huge, a really significant, that Last Night . It was a huge, a really significant, blast. That Last Night . It was a huge, a really significant, blast. It. A really significant, blast. It could be felt right across the city and heard right across the city and heard right across the city as well. Interesting, as you say, those reports from the israeli media, saying that the target of that was one of the man who is tipped to become the next leader of hezbollah. It has been a week since he was killed here in Beirut And Hezbollah are yet to name a successor. We also dont know what happened with his funeral. There are some suggestions that his body will be taken to a rack, perhaps buried in the holy city. But everything on that front has gone really quite right to live right in terms of information. It is worth probably taking a Moment to reflect, when we look at the live pictures, the city of beirut, the lebanese capital, with smoke rising up to the skyline. The fact that that is now a constant, daily image. Again, in the last few hours, we have seen strikes around the suburbs which are very close to the airport. We are seeing far fewer flights than were used to. The lebanese nationalflyer still carry are still flying. Governments have been trying to remove their that there arent tickets on commercial flights to be had any more. Some of those Air Strikes are extremely close to the airport. 0ne those Air Strikes are extremely close to the airport. One of them very close to a Sports Stadium this morning. The sounds of sirens, you can possibly hear that on the wind. And the sound of drones, a constant sound in the skies of beirut at the Moment. Notjust here in the capital, that fierce fighting is continuing. I will come back to you in a Moment. I will bring in nick peake, who is in israel. Soldiers killed in combat in northern israel. And i was giving us a sense of what it is like in beirut. Give us a sense of what it is like where you are. Try the idf, have been updating us about what they have been doing over the past four days. They say they have killed 250 hezbollah fighters. They have got quite a detailed breakdown of who they say they have killed. have killed including 20 commanders. Have killed including 20 commanders. The have killed including 20 i commanders. The israelis talking commanders. The israelis talking about hitting more than 2000 talking about hitting more than 2000 targets in all. They say they 2000 targets in all. They say they have gathered weapons as they have gathered weapons as they have gathered weapons as they have gone about their operations. A lot of hezbollah fighters operations. A lot of hezbollah fighters have been fleeing from the fighting. I think, without breaking the fighting. I think, without breaking news, two more israeli soldiers breaking news, two more israeli soldiers have been killed in the fighting. Just over the hills the fighting. Just over the hills behind us, just into the border hills behind us, just into the border with lebanon, hills behind us, just into the borderwith lebanon, is hills behind us, just into the border with lebanon, is a reflection of what is a very tough reflection of what is a very tough fights for the israelis. They tough fights for the israelis. They are tough fights for the israelis. They are operating on land which they are operating on land which hezbollah knows very well indeed which hezbollah knows very well indeed. 0n the fighting itself, the israelis are talking about the israelis are talking about the continuing carrying out of limited the continuing carrying out of limited targeted operations. What limited targeted operations. What we are seeing from these evacuation orders, show that a lot of evacuation orders, show that a lot of civilians clearly, and lebanese civilians, are affected by this. The fact that the israeli military is giving out orders for people to leave, move out orders for people to leave, move north, at very short Notice Move north, at very short notice to move north, at very short notice. To take whatever possessions they can. There are parallels possessions they can. There are parallels with what the israeli military parallels with what the israeli military have been telling families in gaza to do for the best families in gaza to do for the best part families in gaza to do for the best part of a year. Absolutely. Lets go back to anna on that point. More people in villages being ordered to move by the israeli authorities. Tell me more about the movement of people, their numbers displaced, how hospitals are actually coping with the many civilian casualties. In with the many civilian casualties. With the many civilian casualties. ,. ,. , casualties. In terms of that geography. Casualties. In terms of that geography. In casualties. In terms of that geography. In very casualties. In terms of that geography, in very simple l geography, in very simple terms, after the war in 2006, the area of south lebanon, south of the weather, was supposed to become a Buffer Zone to prevent a war between lebanon and that. Happening again. It was based take all of the fighters, weapons, out of the fighters, weapons, out of the area. It was supposed to be a Buffer Zone to keep the northern part of it as well say. Its never really happened. Even though there when un keepers there. Peacekeepers. What is interesting in the evacuation orders, they now reach an area actually above that Buffer Zone. As far as the wily river, which is quite a lot further than that area that was covered. It raises question about how far israel intends to go with this. You are right, the displacement, the eternal Displacement Crisis here is to use two. The last we heard was 1. 2 million people out of their homes. Many of them have gone north but of course there are real poverty issues in lebanon. Some of the places in the north, places around tripoli, are some of the poorest places in the region. Tripoli is the poorest city in the mediterranean. So they are not in any position to be able to take the influx of people, offer them shelter and what they need. We have seen, again, coming into day in the airport in beirut. The commercial airlines relieve flying at the Moment, i told you, but some are carrying aid. Another crucial issue which adds to the Displacement Crisis is an Air Strike on the main civilian crossing between lebanon and syria. Most people cannot go out that way, but here are 11 on for several years now, there have been a large number of refugees who fled the Civil War in that country. Many have chosen now to go back, feeling they would be safer. Actually, they would be safer. Actually, the Moment they were back in syria, here in lebanon. They have said that hezbollah were using it to bring in weapons from syria, but that is another route out for people which is now closed. Now closed. Lets go back to nick. Thank now closed. Lets go back to nick. Thank you. Now closed. Lets go back to nick. Thank you. With now closed. Lets go back to nick. Thank you. With all i now closed. Lets go back to nick. Thank you. With all of| nick. Thank you. With all of that, another huge Strike And Loss of life. This time in the west bank. Tell me more about that. ,. , , that. This happened Last Night. The israelis that. This happened Last Night. The israelis used that. This happened Last Night. The israelis used a that. This happened Last Night. The israelis used a jets that. This happened Last Night. The israelis used a jets to the israelis used a jets to carry the israelis used a jets to carry out the israelis used a jets to carry out this Air Strike. We are carry out this Air Strike. We are told carry out this Air Strike. We are told that 18 people were kitted. Are told that 18 people were killed, among the dead. A mum and her killed, among the dead. A mum and her two children. This was and her two children. This was a very. And her two children. This was a very. Very and her two children. This was a very, very densely packed place. A very, very densely packed place. Because it is a Refugee Canto place. Because it is a Refugee Canto the place. Because it is a refugee camp. The place it was either a cafe, camp. The place it was either a cafe, or camp. The place it was either a cafe, orjust next to a cafe. Last cafe, orjust next to a cafe. Last night cafe, orjust next to a cafe. Last night showed a great deal of devastation. Also images of people of devastation. Also images of people being rushed to hospital. A lot of people were injured hospital. A lot of people were injured in hospital. A lot of people were injured in this as well. The israetis injured in this as well. The israelis are saying that they successfully targeted a senior hantes successfully targeted a senior hamas figure. That was the purpose hamas figure. That was the purpose of this Air Strike. It is not purpose of this Air Strike. It is not unprecedented for a jet to he is not unprecedented for a jet to be used in such a situation, where to be used in such a situation, where there are so many people. But it where there are so many people. But it is where there are so many people. But it is unusual. So the israetis but it is unusual. So the israelis say they targeted this hantes israelis say they targeted this hamas leader. As the palestinians, there was some response palestinians, there was some response from the preSident ial Office Response from the preSident ial office. The palestinian authority, a spokesperson, saying authority, a spokesperson, saying that this amounted to a heinous saying that this amounted to a heinous crime and, in fact, it was heinous crime and, in fact, It Wasa heinous crime and, in fact, it was a massacre, in their words. We witi was a massacre, in their words. We will leave it there. Anna foster in beirut, nick in israel. Let me give you more of an idea of what is happening on the ground in addition to what Nick And Anna were telling me there. Our Correspondent Lucy Williamson has been filming on the israeli Side, where there have been more clashes between hezbollah fighters and israeli troops. Were starting to see more signs of resistance to israeli forces on the other Side of the border. Even a year of Air Strikes, intelligence operations, raids by Special Forces have not destroyed Hezbollahs Ability to fight back just a few miles in, spread out. Weve just heard some bursts of small Arms Fire and what sounded like some grenades from the israeli army. And now you can hear the sirens are going off telling us to get out of the area. Explosion we just heard a series of very loud explosions. What seems to be rockets landing nearby . Some small Arms Fire across the border. It seems the israeli army is pushing in to a location. And this was the response. Yeah. Good. Good to go, jojo. Come on. Time to go. Lucy williamson, our correspondent in the border areas, giving us a realfeel, an idea of what it is like theyre on the ground. Breaking news coming on in the last minutes, israeli official saying that two more have been killed in the clashes in those areas. Also saying that more 2000 sites have been hit during those operations in Southern Lebanon. Lets return to what we had a little bit earlier from irans Supreme Leader, giving that speech. Former Uk Ambassador to iran. Ambassador, thank you so much for being on the programme. Start with your assessment of what you heard from irans Supreme Leader today. I from irans Supreme Leader toda. , today. I was living in tehran the last time today. I was living in tehran the last time he today. I was living in tehran the last time he led today. I was living in tehran the last time he led to today. I was living in tehran the last time he led to the l the last time he led to the Friday Prayers, after the killing by the us five years ago. The regime fell on the back foot then. I think it probably feels much more on the back foot. I think what khamenei was trying to do today were three things, show defiance to irans enemies, gained the support of other islamic countries. I think he knows there is very limited support among other regional countries for iran. Thats particularly to rally the support of his loyalist supporters, both in the country and in the acts of resistance from across the region. He knows the from across the region. He knows the responses coming from israel. They are being quite clear about that. What you think the calculation currently are in tehran . I think the calculation currently are in tehran . Are in tehran . I think there will be a are in tehran . I think there will be a lot are in tehran . I think there will be a lot of are in tehran . I think there will be a lot of very are in tehran . I think there will be a lot of very difficult j will be a lot of very difficult discussions going on Behind Closed Doors in tehran. Although iran has options of what to do, and when they see what to do, and when they see what israels discount to strike is against them, they are not very attractive options. The Big Deterrent they have had for years now is hezbollah. That is destruction. They have a large arsenal of bitstring missiles that they could fire back at israel again. But they know what that will need to. Then they have the option of going after economic targets in the region, particularly Oil Infrastructure has been speculated as their own infrastructure is hit in an israeli strike. But that brings the risk of bringing the united states into conflict. That is the last Thing Iran will want. How vulnerable do iran is . You have touched on it for years. The proxies give them cover, hezbollah with its huge arsenals. All of that landscape has been so altered. How vulnerable is tehran . That is the calculation that is being made by the israelis. The regime. Made by the israelis. The regime, this made by the israelis. The regime, this is made by the israelis. The regime, this is not made by the israelis. Tie regime, this is not about winning a war. This is about regime survival. They will be calculating the risk from the regime to make to the regime, from feeling too weak, from bringing a very severe military attacks down on it. They are they have many vulnerabilities. They have played their hand well over the years but they have been outplayed over recent months in particular. And they will be feeling weak and vulnerable. At the end of the day, iran will still be there. Unless these military situations comes into a political track of some sort, the conflict will not be over for either Side. The conflict will not be over for either Side. Given what you have ust for either Side. Given what you have just said, for either Side. Given what you have just said, how for either Side. Given what you have just said, how dangerous| have just said, how dangerous to think the current Moment is . There is clearly a risk of further escalation. Harm to civilians in numerous places and that could get worse. I think, honestly, one of the biggest risks, and it may not be the most likely scenario, but one of the worst things that could happen is that iran feels it needs to make a dash for a Nuclear Weapon in order to have that response and preserve itself. I think there will be many people inSide tehran who will be counselling against that because they will see what the response will bring. But there will be people saying, if we have a Nuclear Weapon, we wouldnt be in the situation now. Situation now. Benamin Netenyahufi Situation now. Benamin netenyahu for H Situation now. Benjamin netenyahu for Decades L Situation now. Benjamin I Netenyahu for decades has situation now. Benjamin netenyahu for decades has been warning exactly about that threat. There are so many analysts suggesting that perhaps that is part of his calculation, that this opportunity, he tries to remove that potential threats. A final thought, in terms of the wider region. There have been assets over the last few years to normalise relations between israel and the arab world. Where does the last 12 months, the last couple of weeks, leave all of that do you think . It is all of that do you think . It is very striking all of that do you think . It is very striking that all of that do you think . It is very striking that the all of that do you think . It 3 very striking that the arab neighbours have wanted to keep out of their fight. So they have not. Those that have started the process of normalisation, they have not reversed that. Frozen net, in terms of where the populations are. It is very hard to see that continuing in the short term. That in the long run, that has to be the most positive outcome for the regions. It needs to have a normalisation and that is what will counter the disruptive and destabilising impact of iran and its proxies. Latte destabilising impact of iran and its proxies. Destabilising impact of iran and its proxies. We have to leave it there, and its proxies. We have to leave it there, thank and its proxies. We have to leave it there, thank you i and its proxies. We have to | leave it there, thank you so much for speaking to us on bbc news. Around the world and across the uk. You are watching bbc news. You are watching bbc news. Lets get back to our main story. The crisis in the Middle East. We were with our correspondence on the ground. Also the Uk Ambassador to iran. He is there injerusalem. Welcome to the programme. Where do you think we are in terms of any sort of negotiations . Is that all now something that is in the past . In the past . The formal negations in the past . The formal negations are in the past . The formal negations are frozen. In the past . The formal negations are frozen. However, there is another deal on the table. One that hamas has communicated to me both in Writing And Voice messages. And i have communicated it to all the players involved. It is on the players involved. It is on the desk of Sident-biden'>PreSident Biden, the desk of Sident-biden'>PreSident Biden, the head of intelligence in egypt. As well as into a netenyahu here in israel. It is a deal that hamas says they are willing to end the war in three weeks. To have israel withdraw from gaza entirely for the agreed exchange of prisoners and release of all israeli hostages. This can all be done in three weeks. To top it off, hamas says theyre willing to transfer. To a civilian government that they will now be part of. If this is all true, and if it can be verified by the media. Then i think the prime Minister Netenyahu has to be forced to accept this deal. If he doesnt grab it himself, it will be the victory he is talking about. Hamas is defeated, the hostages come back. And the government will no longer be run by hamas. Stand no longer be run by hamas. And et onl no longer be run by hamas. And yet only a no longer be run by hamas. And yet only a few no longer be run by hamas. And yet only a few days later we had the Un And Bass sa all the talk now of De Escalation is over. Isnt the reality that if thatis over. Isnt the reality that if that is the case, we are now totally in a Military Phase to try, in terms of the Israelis Condition to try and head to this, once and for all, the variety of the threats, is that realistic . I variety of the threats, is that realistic . ~ , realistic . I think it is realistic realistic . I think it is realistic if realistic . Ithink it is realistic if we realistic . I think it is realistic if we understand that Sident-biden'>PreSident Biden has delivered over israel. If the americans are convinced this deal is real, and that hamas will not control gaza. We are not talking about american interest, we are all set on bout the legacy of Sident-biden'>PreSident Biden. Who has to decide, is he going to be known in history as the preSident of the war in gaza . Orthe the preSident of the war in gaza . Or the person of the united states who brought an end of the war in gaza and bought i know hostages . That is the choices facing in the coming days. If this deal that hamas communicated to me israel, the people of israel want it. They dont want this escalation. The israeli military does on escalation with iran. The people are in a fortunate situation that the ballistic Rocket Attack by iran against israel didnt to end in israeli casualties. We can have a subsonic live symbolic response. The war in hezbollah with. Can end. Make sure that there is a sustainable ceasefire in place. Briefly, if it doesnt ceasefire in place. Briefly, if it doesnt go ceasefire in place. Briefly, if it doesnt go like ceasefire in place. Briefly, if it doesnt go like that, ceasefire in place. Briefly, if it doesnt go like that, if ceasefire in place. Briefly, if it doesnt go like that, if It L it doesnt go like that, if it is a really hard response, which is what Benjamin Netanyahu has already said, and neptune is a harsh response from iran, where do you think we are left . I from iran, where do you think we are left . We are left . I think we are better off we are left . I think we are better off. We we are left . I think we are better off. We have we are left . I think we are i better off. We have reached we are left . I think we are better off. We have reached no escalation in a really horrible situation. I think the americans have told the israelis they dont want to see escalation here. The Israelis Cannot attack iran without american backing. PreSident biden made it pretty clear that the us is not going to have boots on the ground, it is not going to be party between a war between iran and israel. They have to respond to the Missile Attack that took place, but that response can be rather limited. And then we can move onto the next chapter. Latte limited. And then we can move onto the next chapter. We shall watch in the onto the next chapter. We shall watch in the coming onto the next chapter. We shall watch in the coming days watch in the coming days because crucial decisions are going to be made. Thank you for joining us from jerusalem. More from the region here in a Moment or two. Lets turn to a really important so we have been having here on bbc news. Campaigners for assisted dying in the uk have welcomed the news that parliament is to get an opportunity to vote on legalising the practice. Proposals will be introduced later this month, mps rejected a bill on the issue in 2015. Our political Correspondent Nick eardley reports. We want choice the debate over assisted dying has raged for years. This was nine years ago, when parliament rejected changing the law. Has the debate now reached a Turning Point . Campaigners like Esther Rantzen think so. The broadcaster has stage four cancer and, with the backing of her family, has been urging parliament to rethink the law. I did not expect to be alive when such a debate happened. I did not expect to be around. I did not think it would happen in time. We are talking about people who have a very serious terminal diagnosis, who will die within six months, it is about shortening that death, about the last few days, giving somebody dignity, giving somebody the choice. There will now be a vote in parliament, possibly within weeks. The prime minister previously backed assisted dying, and this morning he welcomed the opportunity for a new vote. I am very pleased that i am able to make good on the promise i made to Esther Rantzen. The government will be neutral on this, as you know. But i did make that commitment to a free vote and im sticking to that commitment. A lot has changed since mps last voted on the issue. Countries like canada and New Zealand have decided to allow forms of assisted dying. The decision here will now fall to a parliament with more than 300 new mps. We simply do not know where many of them stand on the debate. But campaigners who want a change in the law think they have a better chance than ever. The details of what has been proposed have not been finalised. It could mean terminally ill adults with six months to live have the option of help to end their own lives. But some are uneasy. The health secretary, who backed assisted dying in 2015, is now conflicted and said to have concerns. This peer and former paralympian is worried too. Theres a lot of worry out there about how this law could expand if it comes in, because theres already a Campaign Group saying it does not go far enough, we need euthanasia, we need to have no restrictions, to remove the six month terminal diagnosis, thats before we have even got to this stage. The debate is complicated and controversial, but it is one mps are being asked to grapple with again. Nick eardley, bbc news, westminster. More from campaigners on both Sides of the argument, here in a Moment or two. Hello, there. Good afternoon. Well, weve seen some respite from all of the wet weather across the south of england over the last couple of days. And for the rest of this afternoon, the Blue Sky and the sunshine are just set to continue with high pressure dominating. Its slowly drifting a little further eastwards, but its still helping to block these Weather Fronts approaching from the north and the west. But still more cloud, outbreaks of patchy rain across Western Scotland, Northern Ireland as we head through the rest of the day. More cloud too, increasing for eastern scotland. Well see quite a fresh southerly to south easterly wind blow, particularly across the western isles. Rather windy here, but a lot of sunshine for england and wales, with some Fairweather Cloud at times. And temperatures in the best of the sunny spells could get as high as perhaps 16 18c. Of course, cooler underneath The Cloud and the rain, but here its going to be a milder night. Of course, as all of that cloud and outbreaks of patchy rain tend to push their way further eastwards into Southern Eastern Areas of scotland, perhaps through Northern England as well. So double figures underneath all of The Cloud. But where we keep the clear skies, further south and east, temperatures could dip back to mid single figures. So quite a chilly start locally here. And then this is saturday. Low pressure approaches from the atlantic, sending these Weather Fronts further eastwards. But for most of us, its still dry and bright on saturday, with a bit of rain out towards the west. Turning heavier, and then that cloud pushes across the whole of the uk. So a much greyer day on sunday, with some patchy outbreaks of rain for most of us. So this is saturday, then. Some of that Rain Heavy and persistent across Northern Ireland, pushing up through Northwestern Scotland as we head through the morning into the afternoon. More cloud developing across western wales and the southwest of england. But again, a lot of sunshine for most of us and for the vast majority it will be a dry day, but then it will turn wetter overnight on saturday into sunday. With these fronts gradually pushing further eastwards. Its a cloudier looking day on sunday, The Clouds spreading into eastern scotland, parts of Eastern England too, with rain across Southwest England and much of wales up through Northwest England and Western Scotland as we head through the latter part of the day. Temperatures again 13 17c. Now, that low pressure pushes further eastwards, its going to introduce very unsettled conditions as we head into the start of next week. Heres the outlook for our capital cities. Bye bye for now