With syria, cutting off a road used by many trying to flee the bombardments. Im Geeta Guru murthy in london. Also coming up. A man who cable tied the hands of three children in western australia, after he caught them in his swimming pool, has been found guilty of two counts of aggravated common assault. The Uk Government is set to announce a plan to invest nearly £22 billion in projects, hoping to � capture and store carbon dioxide. Researchers say the worlds first vaccine for ovarian cancer, being developed in the uk, could wipe out the deadly disease. You are live with bbc news, i am Anna Foster here in beirut bringing you the latest on the developing situation, the escalating crisis here in the middle east. We will hearfrom our correspondent here in beirut and Northern-israel'>Northern Israel and a couple of minutes, and also look at the situation in tehran. Irans supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali khamenei has denounced irans enemies for trying to sow the seeds of division in the islamic world, as He LedFriday Prayers in tehran for the first time in five years. The ayatollah told a huge crowd in the grand Mosalla Mosque that iran and its allies must roll up their sleeves and prepare for action. The ceremony began with commemorations for the hezbollah leader, hassan nasrallah, who was killed here in beirut by israel last week. Iran fired nearly 200 ballistic missiles into israel on Tuesday Night in retaliation for his assassination, and israel is expected to hit back. Israel has continued to intensify its attacks on hezbollah across lebanon. A lebanese Security Source says an israeli strike has wounded three hezbollah linked Rescue Workers in the southern suburbs of beirut. Overnight, a big Strike Hit the same area, with israeli officials saying the target was the man tipped to succeed the assassinated hezbollah chief, hassan nasrallah. Of course, he was killed a week ago today. As yet, no Sign Or Indication from hezbollah who his replacement might be. The Israeli Army issued a new order for residents in more than 20 towns in the south to evacuate immediately. And an israeli Air StrikeHit A Road near the Border Crossing with syria, used by Hundreds Of Thousands of refugees fleeing the country. Im joined by our correpsondents, Nick Beake in NorthernIsrael And Lina sinjab whos with me here in beirut. First to you, nick. What have you been seeing and hearing this morning . Yes. Hearing this morning . Yes, the israeli helicopters have israeli helicopters have been in the sky this morning. Some fighterjets overnight, quite a lot of them. That was a really distinctive sound here, we also know that more israeli troops are sent towards the border, towards lebanon behind me, as israel intensifies its campaign. The Israel Defense forces have given some photos and videos and information about what they have been doing, as they carry out what they continue to call limited and targeted operations. In some cases, they are going not too far across the border and then retreating, because we know they have faced some intense fighting with hezbollah over the last couple of days or so. The israelis are also saying they have been able to capture some of the weapons that the hezbollah fighters have left behind after they fled their positions stop of course, it is worth stressing, we are limited in what we can here, what we can see. Certainly, there are all the noises of war. I would suggest in the last 48 hours or so, the amount of booms and explosions in the distance, which we would assume it is really outgoing fire, has diminished. I dont think that is a reflection of the temple has decreased, but certainly where we are they may be in a different phase of this operation, which are still in its early days. Its early days. Im going to turn to our its early days. Im going to turn to our correspondent | its early days. Im going to turn to our correspondent here in beirut. Lets talk a lot about those evacuation orders, because nick described the situation when she is seeing from Northern-israel'>Northern Israel. This Area South of the river is what is are supposed to be looking at, this buffer area, but what has happened is that people in times above that have also been asked to evacuate as well now, havent they . Havent they . That is exactly the fear here, havent they . That is exactly the fear here, but havent they . That is exactly the fear here, but israels i the fear here, but israels intentions are different than what intentions are different than what they are saying, basically. They said this whole operation is calculated, and a small operation is calculated, and a small one operation is calculated, and a small one just to secure the Northern small one just to secure the Northern border of israel, where Northern border of israel, where 60,000 israelis have been forced where 60,000 israelis have been forced out where 60,000 israelis have been forced out of their homes, and they forced out of their homes, and they want forced out of their homes, and they want to secure that area for them they want to secure that area for them to go back. Actually, their for them to go back. Actually, their action is to push further their action is to push further. Push further hezbollah, and get inside and further hezbollah, and get inside and further north into towns and cities further north into towns and cities. Something that is really cities. Something that is really worrying people in lebanon, worrying families and villages lebanon, worrying families and villages in the south, and something that could trigger further something that could trigger further escalation and further confrontation with hezbollah as Israel Confrontation with hezbollah as israel goes into a Ground Operation. Israel goes into a Ground Operation israel goes into a ground oeration. , israel goes into a ground 0 eration. ,. , operation. Tell me as well, a key civilian operation. Tell me as well, a key civilian crossing operation. Tell me as well, a key civilian Crossing Betweenj key civilian crossing between Lebanon And Syria which had been used a lot by people trying to leave the country in the last week or so has also been targeted by an israeli Air Strike . ,. , been targeted by an israeli Air Strike . , strike . Yes indeed. If you look at the Pictures Strike . Yes indeed. If you look at The Pictures of strike . Yes indeed. If you look at The Pictures of the at The Pictures of the crossing, the main Border Crossing crossing, the main Border Crossing between syria and lebanon, this is order the border lebanon, this is order the Border Crossing near the valley. Border crossing near the valley, another area which has been valley, another area which has been targeted by israelis over the last been targeted by israelis over the last week or so, people are, the last week or so, people are, this the last week or so, people are, this is a main route, a main are, this is a main route, a main passenger Border Crossing, but isreel main passenger Border Crossing, but israel says that hezbollah is using but israel says that hezbollah is using it to traffic personnel, and over the past decade. Personnel, and over the past decade, when hezbollah had weapons getting into syria or out of weapons getting into syria or out of lebanon, they had so many out of lebanon, they had so many routes other than the official many routes other than the official Border Crossing that civilians official Border Crossing that civilians are using. That is no active civilians are using. That is no active service completely, another active service completely, another reason putting people here another reason putting people here at another reason putting people here at really high alert, fearing here at really high alert, fearing that they may have nowhere to flee if they want to run for nowhere to flee if they want to run for safety. A nowhere to flee if they want to run for safety. Run for safety. A quick word on the Number Run for safety. A quick word on the number of run for safety. A quick word on the number of people run for safety. A quick word on the number of people who run for safety. A quick word on the number of people who are| the number of people who are displaced now here in lebanon. The caretaker Prime Minister was seeing 1. 2 million. Where are they going . Are they going . They are stretched are they going . They are stretched out are they going . They are i stretched out everywhere in lebanon. Look around you here in beirut lebanon. Look around you here in beirut. You will find family stretched in beirut. You will find family stretched everywhere, every empty stretched everywhere, every empty building has been turned into housing facilities, schools have been turning to housing schools have been turning to housing facilities, but those who housing facilities, but those who are housing facilities, but those who are in better situations where who are in better situations where they have the money, they are either where they have the money, they are either staying in hotels or renting are either staying in hotels or renting their own apartments. Some renting their own apartments. Some went up north to the mountains, where it is safer, especially mountains, where it is safer, especially away from the mountains surrounding the southern part of lebanon, but even southern part of lebanon, but even the southern part of lebanon, but even the airport, there are thousands still on the go, thousands still on the go, thousands trying to find commercial flights to leave, and mind you, it is only the Middle And Mind you, it is only the middle eastern airline that is operating out of lebanon, because operating out of lebanon, because all other international flights because all other international flights are cancelled or postponed their operations is that they are fearing because of this that they are fearing because of this intensified clashes in lebanon of this intensified clashes in lebanon. , ~ of this intensified clashes in lebanon of this intensified clashes in lebanon. ,. , lebanon. Thank you. We are also heafina lebanon. Thank you. We are also hearing as lebanon. Thank you. We are also hearing as well lebanon. Thank you. We are also hearing as well about lebanon. Thank you. We are also hearing as well about the lebanon. Thank you. We are also hearing as well about the view i hearing as well about the view on the israeli side of the border. We heard from our Correspondent Nick Beek who is there. We have teams right across the region following this developing story for you. One of our correspondent, Lucy Williamson, has been filming in that area this morning, where there was a change of Fire Exchange of fire. Have a listen. ~. ,. , exchange of fire. Have a listen. ~. ,. ,. , listen. We are starting to see more signs listen. We are starting to see more signs of listen. We are starting to see more signs of resistance listen. We are starting to see more signs of resistance on l listen. We are starting to see l more signs of resistance on the other side of the border. Even a year of air other side of the border. Even a year ofairstrikes, a year of Air Strikes, intelligence operations, a year ofairstrikes, intelligence operations, raids by Special Forces have not destroyed has a lot� s ability to fight backjust destroyed has a lot� s ability to fight back just a destroyed has a lot� s ability to fight backjust a few miles in. Wevejust to fight backjust a few miles in. Weve just heard some bursts of small Arms Fire is and what sounded like grenades from the Israeli Army. You can hear the sirens going off telling us to get out of the area. Hezbollahs ability to fight back. You 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 into a location, and this was the response. Good to go . Come on, time to go Lucy Williamson in Northern-israel'>Northern Israel describing some of the fire that was coming back from hezbollah positions here in lebanon. You heard the sound of the sirens going off in israel. Probably worth noting that on the lebanese side, there are no sirens. There are no sirens when rockets are coming or Air Strikes might be being launched. It is a really different sound when you hear from somebody who is in israel as opposed to when you hear from somebody who is in lebanon and weapons might be coming in. As i say, we have correspondence all across this region who are keeping an eye on this story as it escalates, and we will keep bringing you that on bbc news. Studio anak, thank you to you and all the teams, we will be back with you in the next hours. Irans Supreme Leader has been leading Friday Prayers in tehran for the first time in nearly five years. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei denounced irans enemies, accusing israel of trying to sow the seeds of division in the islamic world. The ayatollah told a huge crowd in the grand Mosalla Mosque that iran and its allies must roll up their sleeves and prepare for action. Translation we should open our e es translation we should open our eyes today. Translation we should open our eyes today. We translation we should open our eyes today, we should translation we should open our eyes today, we should be eyes today, we should be awakened. We should fasten the Seat Belt of resistance from iran to afghanistan, from gaza to lebanon, in every islamic country, we should fasten the Seat Belt of resistance. With me is Parham Ghobadi from bbc persian. How significant is what we have heard today from tehran . Extremely significant. It was his first Friday Prayer in almost half a decade, when the iranian general and commander of the Coutts Force was assassinated by us drones back in 2020. That was at the direct order of us president donald trump. The time before that was backin trump. The time before that was back in 2012, so usually he delivers Friday Prayers when it is a time of heightened tensions. That was one of the significant. The tone he used to, he was extremely furious. He used a very strong tone in condemning and criticising both israel and the united states. He called Israel A Vampire Regime and the united states a rabid dog in the region. Really strong terms are used. Obviously this is because of hassan nasrallah, one of the oldest allies and best allies in the region, who was assassinated. He talked about Irans Strategy against israel, and he said that they will neither hesitate not procrastinate when it comes to retaliation. He also said that he praised the armed forces, and said the second strike against israel was the minimum punishment for israel. Also, quite interestingly, he began delivering his sermon in arabic, which shows that he believes he is not only the leader of iran but also the leader of iran but also the leader of iran but also the leader of not only all them muslims in the world but also all the shiites in the world. And iran and all its proxies in the region, from the houthis in yemen to those in serie a. He also expressed support for hamass October The 7th attack, saying it was a legitimate and appropriate attack against israel. , ~ ,. , appropriate attack against israel. ,. , israel. Thank you for giving us a bit of the israel. Thank you for giving us a bit of the context israel. Thank you for giving us a bit of the context from israel. Thank you for giving us a bit of the context from what| a bit of the context from what we saw from Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Lets speak to miri eisin, a retired colonel for Israel Defense forces and Senior Fellow at the international institute for