Of an escalation in fighting between Israel And Hezbollah is � acute� and � real�. Lets show you the situation right now as we look across the israel lebanon border. Saturday has seen a string of Cross Border attacks between israel and the iranian backed lebanese group hezbollah. Israels military said its Air Force struck thousands of Rocket Launchers that posed an immediate threat. Lebanons Health Ministry now says 37 people were killed in yesterdays israeli attack on beirut. Hezbollah has confirmed two of its senior commanders were killed in those strikes. Jake sullivan said the killing of a top Hezbollah Leader was justice, describing it as a good outcome. The Cross Border attacks follow the Pager And Walkie talkie explosions in lebanon last week which killed 37 people and injured thousands, thought to be carried out by israel. We start with this report from our Middle East correspondent, hugo bachega. As morning broke, the destruction became clear. An israeli Air Strike hitting dahieh, hezbollah� s heartland in southern beirut, its conflict with israel returning with force to a place they considered safe. Many here were still incredulous. Translation people were walking, going. Out and coming home. People were heading back from work, and there were those who were coming to pick their children up from the nursery. This is a terrorist act. Unbelievable. Among the missing, a four year old girl caught up in a war without being a threat to anyone. This is as close as we can get to the site of the attack. And as you can see, this is a densely populated neighbourhood of beirut. And all morning theres been intense activity from emergency services. The search continues for people who are believed to be under the rubble. And the situation here is still very tense. This footage captured the moment of the attack. Israel has called it a Precision Strike targeting top hezbollah officials. It says they were meeting on the ground of this building to plan more attacks. Among the dead is ibrahim aqil, a senior military commander. The us had put a 7 Million bounty on his head, accusing him of being involved in the killings of americans in beirut in the 1980s. This is another humiliation for hezbollah but it is also a blow to a country already exhausted by this conflict. Translation the israeli army, with all its continued crimes with the excuse of pursuing the hezbollah movement, has targeted a residential compound. Its committed a massacre in a residential building against unarmed children, women at home. How hezbollah is going to respond isnt clear. It doesnt want to spark a wider war with israel, and its supporters in iran dont want a major confrontation, either. But israel says this is just the beginning. Hugo bachega, bbc news, beirut. The hamas run gaza Health Ministry says at 22 people have been killed in an israeli Air Strike on a school sheltering displaced people. The un has found numbers from the Health Ministry in previous conflicts reliable. The Health Ministry says most of the victims were women and children. The Israel Defense forces say a Hamas Command Room at the school was targeted. There are reports of an unborn child being among the killed. Bbc verify has looked at several videos of the aftermath and clips appear to show a foetus being carried by a civil defence worker. We can cross to beirut and speak to senior International Correspondent, orla guerin. Those attacks on hezbollah over recent days, how damaging have they been to hezbollah . I recent days, how damaging have they been to hezbollah . They been to hezbollah . I think they been to hezbollah . I think the organisation they been to hezbollah . I think the organisation is they been to hezbollah . I think the organisation is very the organisation is very exposed and very much weakened after the attacks of the past few days, which really have been unprecedented. First of all we had the wave of explosions of pagers and walkie talkies, which basically shattered the internal Communication Network used by hezbollah. Then yesterday we had the high Profile Israeli Assassination here in beirut in the Hezbollah Stronghold and that targeted a senior Hezbollah Leader who was killed along with about a dozen other seniorfigures, and some of them have been buried today. There is a real sense that people just dont know what is coming next. At the funerals of some of those hezbollah Fighters Today we did hear plenty of the usual defiance, pledges that the organisation would fight on. But i think there is a big question now about what is it capable of doing now that so much damage has been inflicted. Throughout the day we know hezbollah has been Fighting Rocket to cross the border into northern israel. Once again about 90 rockets, the israelis say. Israel, for its part, has carried on with an Intense Bombardment of Air Strikes about 100 so far today. Thats about 100 so far today. Thats a huge optic on the volume of the last two or three days, even though we have seen Cross Border fighting even though we have seen Cross Borderfighting going on Cross Border fighting going on for the Cross Borderfighting going on for the past year. The lebanese government is certainly extremely worried about what may come next. The Prime Minister has cancelled a planned trip to the un general assembly, saying that nothing is more urgent than trying to stop what he called the massacre is being carried out by israel. Mil massacre is being carried out by israel by israel. All are, thank you very much. By israel. All are, thank you very much, our by israel. All are, thank you very much, our senior very much, our senior International Correspondent in beirut. International correspondent in beirut. Lets get more from nomi bar yaacov, international Negotiator And Expert in diplomacy and the Middle East, and associate fellow at chatham house. I wonder, given what has been said in recent days, what sense are you getting off the appetite for escalation . I think there is definitely going to be an escalation. It is very unfortunate but that is very clearly the case. On tuesday we saw the peepers, the pages go. On wednesday the radio communication. Huge, huge toll, both in terms of deaths and in terms of very serious injuries including blindness, and then the targeted assassinations of very senior Hezbollah Leaders. This was followed by Intense Bombardment of Hezbollah Rocket launchers. So there is definitely an escalation. It is not a question of whether there is going to be an escalation. This is a huge escalation to the crossfire we have steadily seen operate under unwritten rules since the 8th of october. How do you assess the potential for this to spill Out Of Control . For this to spill Out Of Control . ~ , , control . Whether it is spinning Out Of Control, control . Whether it is spinning Out Of Control, it control . Whether it is spinning Out Of Control, it certainly Out Of Control, it certainly will have regional ramifications. I think militias in iraq, in syria, we have the houthis in yemen. There is no doubt whatsoever that there will be a response. The question is the Nature And Scope of that. And how things are going to evolve in gaza and the West Bank. And it is not looking good. It doesnt look like there is going to be a ceasefire in gaza but the Military Operation is continuing there. There are hostages home and it is dividing israeli society. I think as long as netanyahu is in power, at least until november, at least until the us elections, i dont think there is going to be a ceasefire. And that really is terrible because that really is terrible because thatis that really is terrible because that is the key to stability and the De Escalation in the region. And at the same time the West Bank is on the brink of explosion. Of explosion. You mentioned october the of explosion. You mentioned october the 8th. Of explosion. You mentioned october the 8th. We of explosion. You mentioned october the 8th. We have i of explosion. You mentioned october the 8th. We have course are nearly a year since the terrible events of october the 7th. Where does this end . Does it . � ,. , 7th. Where does this end . Does it . � ,. , 4 7th. Where does this end . Does it . � ,. , ~ , it . Its not looking like it is auoin it . Its not looking like it is going to it . Its not looking like it is going to end it . Its not looking like it is going to end anytime it . Its not looking like it is going to end anytime soon| going to end anytime soon unfortunately. It looks like the israeli Government And Army have made a decision to continue the attacks against hamas, escalate the attacks against hezbollah and they are using quite a lot of force in the West Bank. And at the same time you are seeing more and more resistance, strengthening of hamas in the West Bank, and i think the attacks on hezbollah will only embolden them. They are maybe we militarily at the moment. Their communications have been disrupted, and certainly they have taken a moral hit and a physical hit on launchers, but it will only embolden them and make them want to fight even more once they recover, and they will recover their capabilities. They will recover their capabilities. They will recover their caabilities. , ~ ,. , capabilities. Thank you very much for capabilities. Thank you very much for talking capabilities. Thank you very much for talking to capabilities. Thank you very much for talking to us. You can see the anti government demonstrations in Tel Aviv and calling similar return of those hostages we have been talking about. More than 100 people still in captivity, being held by hamas, taken on october the 7th. The anniversary is fast approaching but the number of people out in their thousands on the streets of Tel Aviv. You can see so many people and such strong feelings about the current situation there in israel. Votes are being counted in sri Lankas President ial election widely seen as a referendum on the governments handling of the economy. There were a record 38 candidates running to lead the country, including the incumbent, ranil wickremesinghe. All of them are men. The full results are not expected until at least sunday. Sri lankans are looking for a leader who will be able to further repair the countrys finances, after an economic collapse two years ago. Thousands of protesters faced with skyrocketing inflation and severe Food Shortages forced the Countrys President at the time to flee and later resign. Our correspondent Samira Hussain is following the story from colombo, and sent this update. We are seeing everyday Sri Lankans are paying higher taxes and they are paying much more for basics like food and medicine. At the same time what also been important is to see political stability. That economic crisis was largely due to financial mismanagement by previous governments. And so a lot of voters were also talking about looking for a government that was no longer corrupt, that would actually have the best interest of Sri Lankans in terms of their mandates. If you look at the Voter Turnout we see that about 75 8 of people came out to cast a ballot in these elections. And Thatis Ballot in these elections. And that is A Little Bit lower than what we have seen in the past two elections in sri lanka. And there are some that are actually attributed that to a real loss of confidence among the people in terms of their political leaders. Going forward, in terms of when we are going to get some kind of results, most people dont expect to know any clear winner until well into sunday. That is because there are 38 candidates that are vying for the position of president , which means it is going to take, notjust everyones first choice into consideration, but it is going to have peoples second and third choices into consideration when calculating who has won these elections. Will bring you the results of the sri lankan president ial election as we get them here on sunday. A first for us president Joe Biden this Weekend Hell be hosting foreign leaders at his house not the White House, but rather his home in delaware. Leaders from the � quad an alliance of the us, australia, India And Japan are arriving in the city of wilmington today. Maritime security is expected to be high on the agenda, particularly issues concerning the south china sea. Reuters, citing a senior us official, are reporting that Quad Leaders will announce at the summit their Firstjoint Coast Guard exercises. Lets speak to former us assistant secretary of state for public affairs, pj crowley. Hello to you. Thank you for talking to us. Among all the international alliance that we hear about what is so important about the quad . What is it . The quad is about the quad . What is it . Iie quad is focused about the quad . What is it . Tie quad is focused on about the quad . What is it . Ti2 quad is focused on the indo pacific region. During the biden administration it has been upgraded from a periodic meeting to a leadership meeting. So you have the Prime Ministers ofjapan, meeting. So you have the Prime Ministers of japan, Australia And India meeting with the president. They will be focused on issues such as the growth of the chinese presence in the south china sea. It has more of an humanitarian focus perhaps that a security focus. I think they will announce, for example, an initiative on combating cancer across the indo pacific region. In a way it is perhaps a means of counteracting the chinese Road Initiative that has had a similar focus across the similarfocus across the region. Similar focus across the re. Ion. , similar focus across the region similar focus across the reuion. , i , similar focus across the reuion. I, i , i, region. How much can be read into the fact region. How much can be read into the fact that region. How much can be read into the fact that this region. How much can be read into the fact that this is into the fact that this is actually at the president s home. It is not a formal setting like the White House but it feels a bit more special. But it feels a bit more special but it feels a bit more special. But it feels a bit more secial. I i, special. The president of the united states, special. The president of the united states, the special. The president of the united states, the United I united states, the united states have long standing and deep relations with japan and australia. They are treaty allies, for example. The biden administration has spent a lot of time courting prime Minister Modi of india. They have a very solid relationship but i think this is simply a gesture that there is a Comfort Level across there is a Comfort Level across the four of them and it is a reflection of the deepening conversations, regional conversations, regional conversations, that they are having across japan, Australia And India and the united states. I, i, i, , i i, states. You mention how special and important states. You mention how special and important india states. You mention how special and important india is states. You mention how special and important india is to states. You mention how special and important india is to the and important india is to the united states. We remember only a couple of months ago we saw the Renter Modi in moscow hugging vladimir Putin And Putin calling modi my dearest friend. Is that a problem for the us . It friend. Is that a problem for the us . , i, i, i, the us . It is not a problem for the us . It is not a problem for the united the us . It is not a problem for the united states. The us . It is not a problem for the united states. It the us . It is not a problem for the united states. It is the us . It is not a problem for the united states. It is a the united states. It is a reflection of indias cautious rise, if you will, regional and potentially a global power. And so i think this is something thatis so i think this is something that is a work in progress. The united states is trying to build a relationship with india on the regional and global stage. But it is also a reflection of indias caution, that it doesnt want to put itself in the middle of a great Power Struggle between china united states and russia. It has its own challenges with china and obviously that element of security of the region will be an important topic of discussion. But region will be an important topic of discussion. Topic of discussion. And on Everyones Topic of discussion. And on Everyones Mind Topic of discussion. And on Everyones Mind will topic of discussion. And on Everyones Mind will be. Topic of discussion. And on | Everyones Mind will be the fact there is a forthcoming us president ial election in a matter of weeks. How do they make deals or talk about Stuff Thatis make deals or talk about stuff that is Future Proofed against a major change in administration . ~ , ~ administration . Absolutely. And this is not only administration . Absolutely. And this is not only a administration . Absolutely. And this is not only a challenge this is not only a challenge for the united states. It is also a challenge forjapan. They are in a Leadership Transition as well. But i think the biden administration to to institutionalise the quad, bring it to leadership level, is going to be a long Term Focus of the united states and these leaders and these countries. It will outlast the biden administration. Thank you very much biden administration. Thank you very much for biden administration. Thank you very much for talking biden administration. Thank you very much for talking to biden administration. Thank you very much for talking to us very much for talking to us from the united states. President zelensky says ukraine still does not have permission from the united states or the uk to use long range western supplied missiles, on targets in russia. Overnight, there were explosions at a russian Ammunition Warehouse in the krasnodar region. Ukraine says the warehouse contained weapons from north korea. Its the second such strike inside russia this week, after a suspected Drone Attack on the town of toropets, on wednesday. Jessica parker sent this report from kyiv. A Fireball Erupting into the night sky. Russian authorities say the debris from a downed ukrainian drone sparked these explosions in what is reportedly an ammunition depot. It comes just days after a similar strike inside russia, over 900 miles further north in the tver region. Ukraine has been ramping up these kinds of attacks and there has been a big focus here on building up domestic drone production, but what kyiv really wants is permission to use sophisticated, western made long range missiles on targets inside russia a plea President Zelensky will likely take to the us next week where he will meet president Joe Biden. The ukrainian leader said overnight that the us and britain had not yet given authorisation for such use of long range missiles, explaining he thinks there are fears in the west that the war could escalate. Nevertheless, Mr Zelensky is preparing to present what is being billed as a new strategy to his nations backers. Translation we are going i to present a very concrete plan on how ukraine can not only endure this war, not only maintain the level of resistance as it is now, but also grow stronger at this very moment, grow stronger in a way that will really bring us together to a just peace, really bring us closer to victory. Meanwhile, devastation in the ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih where a woman and her 12 year old grandson were reportedly among those killed in yet another russian strike. While moscows troops try to push advances in ukraines east, here talk of Victory And Peace may feel as far away as ever. Jessica parker, bbc news, in kyiv. Dozens more women have come forward to the bbc or their own legal teams to make fresh sexual assualt allegations against the former Harrods Boss, mohamed Al Fayed. Hes been accused of Sexual Assault and rape. A woman who worked at harrods when Al Fayed owned the store says other bosses there colluded with his misconduct. The current harrods owners have said they are appalled by the allegations and that the Business Today is a very different organisation. And Fulham Football Club has said its trying to establish if anyone at The Club has been affected. Al fayed bought The Club in 1997 for £30 million. The manager of fulhams former Womens Team said precautions were put in place to protect female players from him. Dean Armstrong Kc is one of the barristers representing the alleged victims he outlined to my Colleague Azadeh moshiri the developments over the past two days. The bbc was, and has been, and continues to be fundamental to the ability to allow these women to show bravery to come forward. In terms of the. Its important that i stress the distinction. We still are 37 signed up in terms of clients. But obviously since the documentary and since the press conference, there have been a wealth of enquiries to our team over the last couple of days. Doing the best i can, we are certainly, and including the 37 already, i think were now at a number of, including inquiries, therefore, of about 150. And in terms of some of what you mentioned there yesterday at that press conference, you urged more women to come forward. You said theres a community there to support them. Harrods, the current owners, have said that theyve set up a process that will allow women to settle their claims quickly, therefore avoiding a lengthy legal process. I wonder what your advice is to women as they consider their options. Well, my first piece of advice is whoever, if they get justice, thats the most important thing. And it is ironic, and theres a huge sense of irony as far as i am concerned, that harrods are now suggesting that theres a speed of process about this. But lets be clear about this. Harrods was sold in 2010. There were allegations going back as far as 1997. They then say in 2023, were very sorry and we want to proceed very speedily with this. I find all that, im afraid, rather unacceptable. Its particularly unacceptable for these incredibly courageous survivors whove had the courage to come forward and contribute to the programme on the bbc on thursday evening, and for harrods to say they are pursuing this effectively, or certainly the inference is with expedition, ijust candidly do not accept that. Sir Keir Starmer has promised to show how his government will Fix The Foundations and rebuild the country, during his address to the Labour Conference in liverpool. There have been protests outside the Conference Calling for an end to the war in gaza and urging the Uk Government implement a full Arms Embargo on israel. Our political correspondent Iain Watson is following events. Cheers for Keir Starmer, but its been a difficult week. His suits, specs and his staff salaries, dominating the headlines. The Labour Leader now wants to shift the focus. Welcome back to liverpool. Welcome to conference. Our biggest conference ever. Last time labour held a conference in government was 15 years ago. So long ago, some of its many new mps werent even old enough to vote. The last time we were in government, i was a teenager. I couldnt even grow a beard back then. Its now turning grey. So its great to be here and great to be in government. But there are rather sober messages amid the celebrations. The head of the pro starmer group, labourtogether, lost his seat and he warns that Labours Victory is more fragile than some of its mps might think. Voters can easily give, they can easily take away. If anything, i am the living, breathing, walking, talking proof of that. The days of safe seats or mps having seats for life are long gone. And that is why my message to my colleagues in the parliamentary Labour Party is to really focus on the peoples priorities. Despite labours massive majority at the election, there are fears here about voter volatility. Unions have been meeting Keir StarmerBehind Closed Doors and some of them are suggesting there might even need to be a change of direction for some key policies to maintain voterss trust. Labour, now in government, are having to face the harsh realities. If labour fails to listen to us on the issues about realjobs in places like Oil And Gas and Steel And Manufacturing and industry, the difficulty they will have is, communities will get hollowed out, people lose theirjobs and the only winners will be the far right in this country. Should you have taken those freebies, Prime Minister . I the row over who paid for his specs hasnt subsided, but this week, Keir Starmer wants to refocus on his political vision. Iain watson, bbc news, liverpool. Us president ial hopeful Kamala Harris has challenged Donald Trump to a second debate. In a statement, the Harris Campaign says the Vice President has accepted an invitation from cnn for a debate on october 23. Theres been no word yet from Donald Trump or his team. Hello there. Weve had a lot of stubborn fog around the North Sea Coast today, but also some big thunderstorms, Torrential Downpours really nasty if youre caught in one of those. They will continue through this evening, overnight, and indeed, theyll be around through sunday and monday. There are met office warnings because were expecting quite a lot of wet weather to come along a Months Worth of rain potentially in places. So notably, weve had those big storms through the midlands, to name but a few areas those continue through this evening, meandering around an area of low pressure, and actually becoming more widespread, we think, as they move up from the south. Whilst further north, A Little Bit of Mist And Fog a fresher night here, so quite warm and close in the south but the return of the mist and low cloud off the North Sea Coast. Lets focus on some of that wetter weather this is what the Computer Model thinks of the rainfall amounts in the next 2 3 days. So you can see were edging towards a Months Worth of rain in some parts of england and wales. It really could be quite wet, so theres a concern for flooding, clearly. And once again, as we come into sunday morning, as i say, theyll become more numerous overnight as outbreaks of rain with embedded thunderstorms in them, lightning, certainly, there around as we go into sunday morning. Rather grey and misty again near the North Sea Coast, and damp, damp and drizzly but further west, under the clearing skies overnight, we may have had A Little Bit of Mist And Fog to clear away, as well, and that does linger till mid morning at this time of year, as well. But once it clears, good spells of sunshine again hopeful that that cloud will also break for the Central Belt where it didnt during the day today. But look at this further south because weve got more extensive outbreaks of rain, Thundery Rain, therell be more clouds, so temperatures wont be quite as high. But once again, if youre caught in those Torrential Downpours, with a spray and standing water, really quite treacherous on the on the roads. Now that low pressure eventually moves out of the way, but not till the end of monday. A little bit of rain towards the north, but weve got another low pressure rushing in midweek this time, more rain again in the south and perhaps strong winds. But lets get back to monday still that band of slow moving, heavy, Thundery Rain with us again, mostly across england and wales, not for all, but more widely, as ive said, than weve seen today. Theres just uncertainty as to how far north its going to drift. By tuesday, A Little Bit of rain also for the far north of the country, but some brighter weather in between. But, as that brighter weather comes down from the north later, it will see the temperatures tumbling away, but theres more wet and windy weather to come midweek on, as i say. This is bbc news, the headlines. Israel and hezbollah exchange Cross Border attacks. Waves of rockets are fired into northern israel, while targets are struck in southern lebanon. Hezbollah confirms senior commanders are among at least 37 people killed in an israeli strike on beirut. Lebanons Health Ministry says women and children are among those killed. Israel attacks a school in gaza, saying it was being used as a Hamas Command Room. The gaza Health Ministry says at least 22 people including children were killed. Here, the Labour Party conference begins this weekend its first in government for 15 years. But ministers are expected to deliver sobering messages. Dozens more women contact the bbc and legal teams with fresh allegations about the former Harrods Boss mohamed Al Fayed