Organising aid In Beirut. Meanwhile, the Lebanese Army says, that two of its soldiers have been killed, by israel in separate incidents in Southern Lebanon. Lets speak to our correspondent nick beake, whos in northern israel. In Terms Of what you are seeing just bring me right up to date. We have seen more israeli tanks being taken towards the border with lebanon, that is the reflection of the way the israelis are intensifying this operation against hezbollah. I say operation, it is a mission now and they insist it is made up now and they insist it is made up of lots of separate targeted operations. Some teams going in and then in some cases retreating. But certainly it seems to be gathering pace. In Terms Of a snapshot of where we are, i think in Terms Of what we heard in the skies above us so far today that has been considerably less than yesterday. But of course that is just a snapshot of one particular location. The Israeli Army is saying its carried out a lot of strikes in the past day or so. Just as i say that a helicopter is in the sky. Carrying out more than 200 results mainly in the south Of Lebanon and once again the israelis are saying they are targeting hezbollah positions but at the same time we have had these reports of civilians being caught in this and also that the Lebanese Army saying today that two of the soldiers have been killed because of israeli fire and in one case they fired back and that is the first time we have seen that sort of exchange between the Lebanese Army which is separate from hezbollah and the israeli forces. In from hezbollah and the israeli forces.. ~ , forces. In Terms Of Rockets Auoin forces. In Terms Of rockets going the forces. In Terms Of rockets going the other forces. In Terms Of rockets going the other way forces. In Terms Of rockets going the other way fired i forces. In Terms Of rockets going the other way fired from hezbollah into israel, what has gone over that particular border over the last 2a hours . We have heard some of them. The israelis are saying more than 120 have been fired in that direction from Southern Lebanon into israel itself. That is the Justification Benjamin Netanyahu Justification Benjamin Neta nyahu says Justification Benjamin Netanyahu says for the Neta Nyahu says for the operation, netanyahu says for the operation, the fact the israeli troops have gone into Southern Lebanon as part of this invasion and his ultimate aim is that they can be a Buffer Zone created that hezbollah are pushed back and their weapons destroyed and have the capabilities degraded so that lots of israelis from the north of the country nearer the border are able to return home. But as we saw from the deaths of eight israeli Soldiers Yesterday and also other injuries, its not as straightforward as that and this is a different mission what they were playing out in gaza. That particular operation down in gaza. Down in gaza. Thank you very much for down in gaza. Thank you very much for the down in gaza. Thank you very much for the latest down in gaza. Thank you very much for the latest where down in gaza. Thank you very | much for the latest where you are. We showed you in the headlines that huge explosion overnight in central beirut. Sally nabil, our correspondent from bbc arabic, is near the location of the strike In Beirut overnight. Its a very chaotic scene. People are very angry, they are concerned and worried about the coming days and may be the coming days and may be the coming hours. Right behind me is the medical centre that has been shelled by the israeli Air Strikes overnight. It lies within a very busy residential area. We have been talking to the people of this morning and they told us that as soon as they told us that as soon as they heard the strike they ran out, children were screaming, one of them told me i felt as if my heart was going to stop. We have seen a lot of medical Kit Lying in the street. Masks and gloves and blankets. They are still trying to lift the rubble from the area and people have left this building, they dont know where they are going to go. A lot of the centre is meant to send to that shelter the displaced are overcrowded and people are staying out in the streets because they have nowhere to go. I have been asking him about this medical centre that has been targeted by an israeli Air Strike and they said it has been serving everybody in the area and most of those who have been killed or injured are medics. The civil defence usa the Air Strike has targeted this medical centre specifically. It believed to be affiliated or backed by hezbollah. But for the time being its the scene of rage here. The people who are waiting for the unknown. Lets speak now to jeffrey feltman, who served as the us ambassador to lebanon from 2004 to 2008, including during the war between Israel And Hezbollah in 2006. He joins me from washington. You were ambassador during that last war in 2006. What are the parallels and what are the differences this time . ne differences this time . One significant differences this time . One significant difference differences this time . One significant difference is differences this time . he significant difference is we have all been bracing ourselves for the Israel Hezbollah wore this time whereas in 2006 it was a surprise. Hezbollah to the Cross Border Raid in 2006 and kidnapped israeli soldiers which triggered the war. But there was no preparation. This time people have had the time to think about how they would evacuate and how they would leave the country. The airport is still operating which it was not operating in 2006. One of the first targets in 2006 was the first targets in 2006 was the airport. But this is a far more serious battle than the 2006 battle. Already in the past two weeks more people have been killed in lebanon than were killed during that entire 34 were killed during that entire 3a Day War in 2006. That War Endedin 3a Day War in 2006. That war ended in stalemate and both sides have taken the last 18 years to implement the lessons they learned out of that stalemate. In Terms Of israel we have seen the type of Intelligence Penetration Israel has clearly brought to bear on hezbollah. We have seen the results of that over the past two weeks. For hezbollah its much more like a regular army now. Think of the fighting they did in syria to prop up as that. So both sides have implemented lessons learned in 2006. We have seen real tactical success on the israeli side in Terms Of the degradation of hezbollah s arsenals. But as we saw from the eight soldiers killed yesterday on the Ground Offensive against hezbollah with bankers and bad experience from syria on the Home Turf and the geography that is far different from the gaza strip, much more rugged, many more places for ambushes, its going to be a tough fight than dropping bombs on buildings. Tell me more about that because as wounded as hezbollah are, their leader has been killed, thousands of fighters killed, half they are still apparently gone according to the israelis, but how resilient you think the group is . I but how resilient you think the arou is . ~ but how resilient you think the arou is . ~ ,. group is . I dont think israel can eliminate group is . I dont think israel can eliminate hezbollah. Group is . I dont Think Israelj can eliminate hezbollah. Its more than leadership question. There is loyalty among a large segment of the population. Its part of the fabric. Its not something you can eliminate through bombs. But you certainly can degraded and i would say hezbollah has been seriously degraded militarily. Whats important is what is iran thinking because hezbollah was not only lebanese political social military organisation, but it also is irans first line of defence. Its irans Strike Back Capability of his role would go after irans nuclear programme. So the degradation of hezbollah s military capabilities at least for now has an impact on the Deterrence Capability of iran against an israeli strike. Its against an israeli strike. Its very interesting against an israeli strike. Its very interesting you talking about the potential Domino Effect on the pressure that puts on iran. He was saying to a producer that you think lebanon now is at a crossroads, just elaborate and tell me what you mean and potentially the two avenues they could go down . Some of your views me remember the history but in 2005 when the history but in 2005 when the former prime minister Of Lebanon was assassinated, he was the premier sunni leader Of Lebanon with influence throughout the entire area, he was assassinated in lebanon. A political Earthquake Led ultimately to the expulsion of the city and occupying troops that had been there since The End of the civil war. The assassination of Hassan Nasrallah is an even bigger deal. What will this political Earthquake Lead to in lebanon . Will it enable lebanese to come together and to build a stronger state because hezbollah have become a state within a failed state you could say in Terms Of its social services and employment. The dignity had offered to lebanons population. Orders or will the hezbollah fighters feel victimised and aggrieved, mourning the death of their leader, will they try to tip the scales Inside Lebanon to have further hezbollah Domestic Control Of Lebanon. Hezbollah has both domestic constituency and domestic rule it has decided for itself. I think the risk is that this limited israeli occupation will last longer than what you and i might think limited means. Does limited mean limited in Terms Of geography . In Terms Of time . If israel stays in Southern Lebanon and tries to reoccupy Southern Lebanon its going to recreate the conditions are created in 1982 when israel invaded lebanon which gave rise to hezbollah to begin with. We are really grateful for your time but we have to end it there. Thank you so much for being with us on the programme. Just in the last few minutes we have had a response from president by then, he was asked as he was getting onto a plane what are the plans in Terms Of israel that striking, he said there is nothing thats going to happen today on those israeli strikes. The reporter asked what are the plans to allow woodrow to strike back against the run . He continued, we dont allow israel, we advise israel and there is nothing thats going to happen today. So that is the latest from Joe Biden as he was leaving the white house. He was talking about strikes on nuclear Facilities Yesterday when he spoke. We will be exploring that avenue here on the programme in a moment or two. Around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. You are watching bbc news. Meanwhile, Benjamin Netanyhu has held a Security Meeting to discuss exactly how israel will respond to the wave of Ballistic Misiles iran launched on tuesday. Yesterday, Presisdent Biden said he was against Israel Ta rgetting irans nuclear facilities. David albright is an american physicist and a Weapons Expert whos the founder of the Institute For Science And International Security in washington. I began by asking him how close iran was to having a Nuclear Weapon. I think dangerously close. Iran has shown i think dangerously close. Iran has shown it can make Weapon Grade has shown it can make Weapon Grade uranium in sufficient quantities for local weapon within quantities for local weapon within days and accumulate enough within days and accumulate enough that several Nuclear Weapons in a month. So that part weapons in a month. So that part is weapons in a month. So that part is settled. That is the raw part is settled. That is the raw ingredients for a Nuclear Weapon raw ingredients for a Nuclear Weapon but they have worked on Nuclear Weapon but they have worked on Nuclear Weapons a lot in the past Nuclear Weapons a lot in the past and Nuclear Weapons a lot in the past and so they know how to do it. Past and so they know how to do it my past and so they know how to do it my own past and so they know how to do it. My own estimate is in about six months it. My own estimate is in about six months they could put together a crude nuclear explosive device. We could declare explosive device. We could declare themselves a nuclear powen declare themselves a nuclear Powen I declare themselves a nuclear power. I dont think it would be deliverable by missile, that will take be deliverable by missile, that will take longer, but nonetheless if you look at other nonetheless if you look at other countries like Pakistan And Indie other countries like Pakistan And India in north korea, they didni and india in north korea, they didnt wait until they had a missile didnt wait until they had a Missile Deliverable nuclear warhead to declare themselves a nuclear warhead to declare themselves a nuclear power. So warhead to declare themselves a nuclear power. Nuclear power. So if israel were to nuclear power. So if israel were to try nuclear power. So if israel were to try to nuclear power. So if israel were to try to hit nuclear power. So if israel were to try to hit those i were to try to hit those facilities and how easy or difficult would it be . It facilities and how easy or difficult would it be . Difficult would it be . It is certainly difficult would it be . It is certainly a difficult would it be . It is certainly a difficult difficult would it be . It is certainly a difficult problem and its certainly a difficult problem and its not like when israel attacked and its not like when israel attacked the syrian reactor in 2007~ attacked the syrian reactor in 2007~ its attacked the syrian reactor in 2007. Its a much more diffuse programme involving enrichment of Uranium Stocks of 60 enriched of Uranium Stocks of 60 enriched uranium which is a slight enriched uranium which is a slight step from Weapon Grade. Its slight step from Weapon Grade. Its not slight step from Weapon Grade. Its notjust one reactor. So its its notjust one reactor. So its a its notjust one reactor. So its a difficult problem. But over its a difficult problem. But over two its a difficult problem. But over two years ago the israelis were over two years ago the israelis were pretty clear that they said were pretty clear that they said we were pretty clear that they said we need to plan an attack on irans said we need to plan an attack on irans Nuclear Facility. Those on irans Nuclear Facility. Those two years are up and so they those two years are up and so they have those two years are up and so they have been thinking through how to they have been thinking through how to do this and i think they can do how to do this and i think they can do things that will surprise us. Who would have thought surprise us. Who would have thought they would have put Explosive Material in pages and decimate Explosive Material in pages and decimate hezbollahs mid level operatives. Sol decimate hezbollahs mid level operatives. So i think the israelis operatives. So i think the israelis have been thinking about israelis have been thinking about this and its something they about this and its something they probably could do and they could they probably could do and they could do they probably could do and they could do damage to the iranian nuclear could do damage to the iranian nuclear programme. Could do damage to the iranian nuclear programme. Could they do it on their nuclear programme. Could they do it on their own . Nuclear programme. Could they do it on their own . That nuclear programme. Could they do it on their own . That has do it on their own . That has been their do it on their own . That has been their plan. Do it on their own . That has been their plan. They do it on their own . That has been their plan. They want i do it on their own . That has l been their plan. They want us assistance but from what i understood from discussions when understood from discussions when this was being discussed over when this was being discussed over two when this was being discussed over two years ago, they plan to do over two years ago, they plan to do it over two years ago, they plan to do it alone. They would look to do it alone. They would look to the to do it alone. They would look to the united states obviously for help to the united states obviously for help in Rearming And Intelligence and help against any iranian retaliation. But i think any iranian retaliation. But i think the any iranian retaliation. But i think the idea was they would be think the idea was they would he selt think the idea was they would be self in think the idea was they would be self in order to attack. 30 be self in order to attack. So when you be self in order to attack. Sr when you hearJoe Biden saying israel should not target those facilities, is there a possibility there is one public message and the strategy behind the scenes that could be different . The scenes that could be different . ~ ,. different . Very likely. I dont think president different . Very likely. I dont think President Bidens different . Very likely. I dont think President Bidens it different . Very likely. I dont| think President Bidens it was very think President Bidens it was very helpful in this current situation very helpful in this current situation and particularly israel situation and particularly israel doesnt listen to President Biden often. Its israels President Biden often. Its Israels Existence that they are thinking about. I hope whats are thinking about. I hope whats happening between Military And Military is more helpful Military And Military is more helpful. Clearly israel attacking irans Nuclear Facility attacking irans Nuclear Facility is a big deal and i feel facility is a big deal and i feel the facility is a big deal and i feel the risk of that is higher because feel the risk of that is higher because iran is vulnerable. Their because iran is vulnerable. Their ability to lash back doesnt their ability to lash back doesnt seem to be that powerful based on two attacks with missiles. And the weakening of Hezbollah And Harnas weakening of hezbollah and hamas. So i think israel would attack hamas. So i think israel would attack but hamas. So i think israel would attack but it is a big deal and they attack but it is a big deal and they need to think about it very they need to think about it very carefully. They need to think about it very carefully. Just in Terms Ofthe very carefully. Just in Terms Of the dangers very carefully. Just in Terms Of the dangers of very carefully. Just in Terms Of the dangers of attacking | very carefully. 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