Us and brItIsh operatIons. You are watchIng bbc lets return to our top story. A senIor Un OffIcIal has told a SecurIty CouncIl MeetIng populated resIdentIal dIstrIct of dahIeh. CallIng thIs a precIsIon strIke, the target was the Veteran Hezbollah mIlItary leader IbrahIm aqIl. Israel saId he had been elImInated, along wIth about ten commanders of an elIte unIt. At the tIme of the strIke, aqIl and the commanders of the radwan forces were gathered underground under a resIdentIal buIldIng In the heart of the dahIeh In BeIrut, hIdIng among lebanese cIvIlIans, usIng them as human shIelds. They were In the mIddle of plannIng more Terror Attacks agaInst IsraelI cIvIlIans. AqIl had plenty of enemIes. The us had put a 7 MIllIon bounty on hIs head, accusIng hIm of Involvement In the kIllIng of amerIcans In BeIrut In the 1980s. SIren waIls day after day now, hezbollah Is beIng hIt and beIng weakened by warfare from a dIstance. We were repeatedly prevented from reachIng the scene by locals and the lebanese army. SIren waIls well, Emergency VehIcles have been comIng and goIng. Weve counted at least ten ambulances comIng up and down the road, goIng to pIck up casualtIes. The dead are stIll beIng counted. Theres a lot of anger here, a lot of tensIon. ThIs was another major strIke on hezbollah, here In Its stronghold In south beIrut. Rescue workers stIll dIggIng In the rubble for people who lIved here. She gIggles among the mIssIng four year old naya ghazI, a threat to no one. Orla guerIn, bbc news, beIrut. Of course, we have a LIfe Page monItorIng the sItuatIon In the regIon, and we are what updatIng our colleagues and the Team Injerusalem as well, monItorIng the sItuatIon. Any developments, we wIll brIng them to you Is that changes. Now, we are goIng to go to colombo, SrI Lanka, where Polls Havejust colombo, SrI Lanka, where polls have just closed. People there are votIng In the fIrst electIon sInce the countrys economIc meltdown a few years ago. Holes ofjust closed across SrI Lanka, were voters are choosIng a new presIdent In that fIrst electIon sInce those mass protests we saw whIch were started by the countrys worst economIc crIsIs when the Government Leader was unseated backIn Government Leader was unseated back In 2022. It was wIdely regarded as a referendum on economIc reforms, whIch were meant for the country on a road to recovery, but many people stIll tax hIkes, cuts to subsIdIes, and candIdates vyIng for that top PosItIon. 38 candIdates for the presIdent Ial PosItIon, no women In that. No women are puttIng themselves forward or are In a PosItIon to put themselves forward. MonItorIng that polls have just closed, results expected tomorrow, so our colleagues there wIll be brIngIng us up dates throughout the regIon. The Labour Party wIll today hold Its fIrst annual conference sInce Its landslIde general electIon wIn. DespIte delegates celebratIng the partys electoral success, mInIsters wIll be urgIng Party Members at the LIverpool Conference to prepare for more tough decIsIons In next months budget. It come after DownIng Street saId that the prIme mInster, hIs deputy and the chancellor wIll no longer accept any donatIons for clothIng followIng GrowIng CrItIcIsm over gIfts from party donors. Our polItIcal correspondent IaIn Watson has thIs report. Labour returns to lIverpool for Its annual conference, but wIth one bIg dIfference. Last year they were In opPosItIon, and now they are In government after a landslIde electIon wIn. Delegates wIll want to celebrate but they wIll hear soberIng messages from mInIsters. They wIll be told the foundatIons of the economy needs to be fIxed, and that means more dIffIcult decIsIons lIe ahead. And If that hasnt made the bubbly go flat, what about thIs from labour together a Pro LeadershIp groupIng. In a weIghty new report, they warn that. And Is. All thIs comes after a dIffIcult week for sIr keIr starmer. He had to declare last nIght he would not take more donatIons to pay for clothIng and specs. But even wIth the new eyewear, crItIcs say he lacks vIsIon. The gIant UnIte UnIon Is claImIng voters trust could be lost wIthout a change of dIrectIon from sIr keIr starmer. They want the conference to dIscuss a MotIon CallIng for and behInd closed Doors Therell be a meetIng between mInIsters and unIons to thrash out dIfferences over how far to extend workers rIghts. That successful ElectIon CampaIgn may now feel a long tIme ago. The challenges of government are dIfferent from the dIffIcultIes of opPosItIon. IaIn watson, bbc news. Our polItIcal correspondent, Helen Catt Is In lIverpool and weIghs up whether labour can draw a lIne under the row about gIfts. Well, I thInk well fInd out In the next 2a hours or so whether It has managed to move on by sayIng, as you heard at the start there, that keIr starmer, Angela Rayner and rachel reeves, who are goIng to be the three really bIg faces that we see speakIng at the conference over the next few days, wont be receIvIng or takIng any more gIfts of clothIng. That mIght leave questIons open to other thIngs. And also, Its not the only story that has been makIng thIngs a bIt rocky for the government In the last week or so. There have also been these reports, claIms and leaks about problems behInd the scenes at number ten and some of the tensIons there. So that that Is another thIng thats formIng a backdrop to thIs conference. But havIng a Party Conference does gIve you a Shop WIndow for a few days, If you lIke, and labour wIll be wantIng to take advantage of that, to try and take back the conversatIon, to put It back onto what they are doIng In government, what they plan to do In government, puttIng It back more onto polIcy. So everywhere you look around thIs hall, whether Its on the sort of hoardIngs here, If Its on pIllars, on gIant banners hangIng from the ceIlIng, Is thIs slogan, change begIns. And that Is the message that labour Is goIng to be tryIng to use thIs conference to push. Of course, how successful that Is In changIng the conversatIon, In movIng away from those rocky patches wIll depend, to some extent, on what happens on the Conference Floor here. We know, as you heard In IaIn s pIece, that there are some efforts to try and get some of the polIcy Issues that are have caused a few tensIons, lIke the cut to the WInter Fuel Allowance dIscussed. There are also some meetIngs about Israel and gaza, and that has been a long RunnIng TensIon wIthIn the party. So well have to see what happens over the next few days. But It wIll be. And also, of course, there wIll be an element of celebratIon to to an extent, because of course, thIs Is a Party MeetIng that Is In government for the fIrst tIme In a decade and a half, wIth a very large majorIty. Yeah, very dIfferent set of cIrcumstances to the last conference. But also were hearIng of warnIngs of more tough choIces. So that dIffIcult messagIng stIll contInuIng from the Labour Party In government now, as you say. It Is. And If you talk to labour mps, as I have been over the last few weeks, there Is a real sense from them that that they do thInk more Bad News Is comIng down the lIne. So, as I was sayIng, there wIll be an element of celebratIon, I thInk, In thIs conference, but that Is goIng to be muted to a degree because wIthIn that context of thIs also beIng a government that says Its goIng to have to make more dIffIcult decIsIons because of thIngs lIke an awareness of theIr Voter Base and what gave them that majorIty, as you just them that majorIty, as you just heard In IaIn s report there, heard In IaIn s report there, so I thInk that Is partly It. So I thInk that Is partly It. And I thInk also and I thInk also there wIll be a thIs conference for the sake of It. There wIll be a thIs conference mIght be used as an opportunIty mIght be used as an opportunIty to explaIn some of these to explaIn some of these decIsIons that, you know, decIsIons that, you know, that thIs message that that thIs message that the government Is sayIng the government Is sayIng Is theyre notjust choosIng Is theyre notjust choosIng to make dIffIcult decIsIons to make dIffIcult decIsIons for the sake of It. They are probably goIng to keep pushIng that message about the InherItance. About the InherItance they say theyve been left by the conservatIves as beIng a cause for some of these, but also tryIng to Inject perhaps a lIttle bIt of optImIsm Into thIs, because there has been crItIcIsm In recent weeks, too, that the messagIng has been too bleak, too doom and gloomy. So well see If labour try to just Inject that lIttle bIt of, of optImIsm that Is suggested by that Conference Slogan of change begInnIng. ThIs weekend marks the 80th AnnIversary of one of the major a poIgnant day was mIck poIgnant Indeed, and hugely symbolIc. 700 paratroopers from eIght nato natIons are takIng part In thIs drop. It looks so peaceful now, but 80 years ago, thIs was the scene of some of the most ferocIous fIghtIng durIng the second world war. I have some experts wIth me who can explaIn just what thIs was lIke. You actually took part In a sImIlarjump Re Enactment 20 years ago . I a sImIlarjump reenactment 20 years ago . Years ago . I Umped From The Dakota wIth years ago . IjUmped From The Dakota wIth a years ago . IjUmped From The Dakota wIth a round years ago . Ijumped from the L Dakota wIth a round parachute, paratroopers were landIng on, and when the round parachute, from dakota wIth a round parachute, from about 900 feet, and landed dakota wIth a round parachute, from dakota wIth a round parachute, from about 900 feet, and landed very heavIly on my backsIde, so very heavIly on my backsIde, so It Is etched very heavIly on my backsIde, so It Is etched very heavIly on my backsIde, so It Is etched In my memory. ThIs It Is etched In my memory. ThIs place It Is etched In my memory. ThIs place It Is etched In my memory. ThIs place was It Is etched In my memory. ThIs place was so dIfferent, because place was It Is etched In my memory. ThIs place was so dIfferent, because thIs place, on the afternoon of and when they thIs place, on the afternoon of the 18th the 18th thIs place, on the afternoon of the 18th Of September 1944, It thIs place, on the afternoon of the 18th Of September 1944, It Is what Is what the 18th Of September 1944, It Is what Is the 18th Of September 1944, It Is what Is called dz why, drop the 18th Of September 1944, It Is what Is the 18th Of September 1944, It Is what Is called dz why, Drop Zone Is what Is called dz why, Drop Zone y. Is what Is called dz why, Drop Zone Is what Is called dz why, Drop Zone y. Is what Is called dz why, Drop Zone y, one of the many Drop Zone y, one of the many Drop Zones zone y, one of the many Drop Zones that zones zone y, one of the many Drop Zones that zone y, one of the many Drop Zones that the brItIsh paratroopers were landIng on, zone y, one of the many Drop Zones that the brItIsh paratroopers were landIng on, and when paratroopers were landIng on, and when paratroopers were landIng on, and when they landed that afternoon, It was contested. The afternoon, It was contested. The germans were fIghtIng out of the the germans were fIghtIng out of the Tree LIne just behInd us WIll Stop of the Tree LIne just behInd us WIll Stop the heath was on fIre WIll Stop the heath was on fIre. There Is MachIne Gun FIre goIng fIre. There Is MachIne Gun FIre goIng on fIre. There Is MachIne Gun FIre goIng on across the Drop Zone, and as goIng on across the Drop Zone, and as the goIng on across the Drop Zone, and as the aIrcraft came In and thIs fIeet and as the aIrcraft came In and thIs fleet of dakotas cayman, 2000 thIs fleet of dakotas cayman, 2000 paratroopers from the fourth 2000 paratroopers from the fourth parachute brIgade, there Is a Bayonet Charge goIng on by the men Is a Bayonet Charge goIng on by the men who were chasIng the germans the men who were chasIng the germans of the Drop Zone back Into the germans of the Drop Zone back Into the Wood LIne so these guys Into the Wood LIne so these guys who land here safely. It was guys who land here safely. It was a guys who land here safely. It was a scene of really hIgh drama. Was a scene of really hIgh drama, and a scene that, because drama, and a scene that, because the Back Door essentIally started well the Battle EssentIally Started Well the Battle EssentIally started weII, Battle EssentIally Started Well, and then It Battle EssentIally Started Well, and then I normandy, from operatIons from normandy, from the netherlands, and then they forces were dropped behInd enemy lInes, and the Idea Is that they wIth secure strategIc brIdges. James holland, you are a hIstorIan. What we are hearIng and seeIng now behInd us are about 100,000 people have gathered to commemorate what Is often referred to as an hIstorIc faIlure, yet there Is more to It than that . More to It than that . Yes, because more to It than that . Yes, because the more to It than that . Yes, because the Idea more to It than that . Yes, because the Idea behInd I more to It than that . Yes, because the Idea behInd Itj more to It than that . Yes, because the Idea behInd It was, as you because the Idea behInd It was, as you say, because the Idea behInd It was, as you say. To because the Idea behInd It was, as you say. To get because the Idea behInd It was, as you say, to get In because the Idea behInd It was, as you say, to get In through I as you say, to get In through the back as you say, to get In through the Back Door, as you say, to get In through the Back Door, and as you say, to get In through the Back Door, and had as you say, to get In through the Back Door, and had thatl the Back Door, and had that work. The Back Door, and had that work. I the Back Door, and had that work, I could the Back Door, and had that work, I could have the Back Door, and had that work, I could have four work, I could have four shortened work, I could have four shortened the work, I could have four shortened the war work, I could have four shortened the war by l work, I could have four shortened the war by a work, I could have four. Shortened the war by a of months. Shortened the war by a of months, and shortened the war by a of months, and so shortened the war by a of months, and so the shortened the war by a of months, and so the prIncIpals were months, and so the prIncIpals were entIrely months, and so the prIncIpals were entIrely laudable. Months, and so the prIncIpals were entIrely laudable. HIgh I were entIrely laudable. HIgh RIsk OperatIon were entIrely laudable. HIgh RIsk OperatIon for were entIrely laudable. HIgh RIsk OperatIon for certaIn, I were entIrely laudable. HIghl RIsk OperatIon for certaIn, but one RIsk OperatIon for certaIn, but one could RIsk OperatIon for certaIn, but one could have RIsk OperatIon for certaIn, but one could have worked, RIsk OperatIon for certaIn, but one could have worked, I RIsk OperatIon for certaIn, but. One could have worked, I thInk. A lot one could have worked, I thInk. A lot of one could have worked, I thInk. A lot of hIstorIans one could have worked, I thInk. A lot of hIstorIans dIsagree a lot of hIstorIans dIsagree wIth a lot of hIstorIans dIsagree wIth that a lot of hIstorIans dIsagree wIth that take a lot of hIstorIans dIsagree wIth that take up a lot of hIstorIans dIsagree wIth that take up In a lot of hIstorIans dIsagree wIth that take up In my. A lot of hIstorIans dIsagree. WIth that take up In my vIew, havIng wIth that take up In my vIew, havIng walked wIth that take up In my vIew, havIng walked thIs wIth that take up In my vIew, havIng walked thIs ground I wIth that take up In my vIew, I havIng walked thIs ground and studyIng havIng walked thIs ground and studyIng It havIng walked thIs ground and studyIng It In havIng walked thIs ground and studyIng It In some havIng walked thIs ground and studyIng It In some detaIl, havIng walked thIs ground and studyIng It In some detaIl, I. StudyIng It In some detaIl, I thInk studyIng It In some detaIl, I thInk you studyIng It In some detaIl, I thInk you could studyIng It In some detaIl, I thInk you could have studyIng It In some detaIl, I. ThInk you could have worked. What thInk you could have worked. What these thInk you could have worked. What these people thInk you could have worked. What these people here thInk you could have worked. What these people here and I thInk you could have worked. I what these people here and the people what these people here and the people commemoratIng what these people here and the. People commemoratIng elsewhere are commemoratIng people commemoratIng elsewhere are commemoratIng Is people commemoratIng elsewhere are commemoratIng Is that are commemoratIng Is that effort, are commemoratIng Is that effort, an are commemoratIng Is that effort, an attempt are commemoratIng Is that effort, an attempt to are commemoratIng Is that. Effort, an attempt to lIberate them effort, an attempt to lIberate them early effort, an attempt to lIberate them early as effort, an attempt to lIberate them early. As It effort, an attempt to lIberate them early. As It turned effort, an attempt to lIberate them early. As It turned out, | them early. As It turned out, It dIdnt them early. As It turned out, It dIdnt work them early. As It turned out, It dIdnt work out. Them early. As It turned out, It dIdnt work out. Arnhem I It dIdnt work out. Arnhem Itself It dIdnt work out. Arnhem Itself Is It dIdnt work out. Arnhem Itself Is left It dIdnt work out. Arnhem Itself Is left pretty It dIdnt work out. Arnhem l Itself Is left pretty shattered and the Itself Is left pretty shattered and the dutch Itself Is left pretty shattered and the dutch lIvIng Itself Is left pretty shattered and the dutch lIvIng here Itself Is left pretty shattered I and the dutch lIvIng here had Itself Is left pretty shattered. And the dutch lIvIng here had a terrIble and the dutch lIvIng here had a terrIble wInter and the dutch lIvIng here had a terrIble wInter In and the dutch lIvIng here had a terrIble wInter In 1944 and the dutch lIvIng here had a terrIble wInter In 1944 and terrIble wInter In 1944 and 1945 terrIble wInter In 1944 and 1945 untIl terrIble wInter In 1944 and 1945 untIl they terrIble wInter In 1944 and 1945 untIl they were terrIble wInter In 1944 and| 1945 untIl they were fInally lIberated 1945 untIl they were fInally lIberated by 1945 untIl they were fInally lIberated by the 1945 untIl they were fInallyl lIberated by the canadIans, 1945 untIl they were fInally lIberated by the canadIans, but the prIncIples lIberated by the canadIans, but the prIncIples behInd lIberated by the canadIans, but the prIncIples behInd It lIberated