Explosions. Also tonight the South Carolina Death Row Inmate asking the Supreme Court to halt his execution after a key witness said he is innocent. The race for the white house, the controversial change in georgia requiring ballots to be hand counted. The major problems critics say it could cause. Kamala harris in that key Battleground Today slamming Donald Trump over abortion. The Secret Service admitting to failures during the July Assassination attempt on mr. Trump. And after that apparent second attempt, the agency now pleading for more resources. The kentucky sheriff behind bars accused of fatally shooting a judge in his chambers. What was the motive. Our update on a story about americans crushed by medical debt. One man owing Tens Of Thousands for Cancer Treatments for his late wife and the major change since our first report aired. And the founder of the 50 50 club, Shohei Ohtani, slugging and stealing his way into Baseball History. Starts the 50 50 club. Announcer this is Nbc Nightly News with lester holt. Good evening, and welcome, everyone. The mideast on Tenterhooks Tonight after israel launched a targeted Air Strike Inside Lebanon that killed a top Hezbollah Commander and at least 13 others according to state media. Israel saying ten commanders are among the dead. Killed today, the Man Israel identifies as the head of the iranbacked militia groups operations. And a figure the u. S. Believes played a role in the deaths of more than 300 people in the bombings of the American Embassy And Marine Barracks in beirut in 1983. His death coming as Hezbollah Today Unleashed Waves of its own rockets towards Northern Israel in apparent retaliation for those deadly attacks against hezbollah that employed electronic devices rigged with explosives. All as the region appears to be sitting closer to the edge of a wider war. Keir simmons reports now from beirut. Reporter the bomb that hit Beirut Today assassinating highranking Hezbollah Commanders, israel says, blew the walls from the front of a Building Killing at least 14 and injuring 66 according to state media. This, the impact of a single israeli strike, as lebanon lives with the threat of allout war. President Biden Insisting today, peace is still possible. A lot of things dont look realistic until we get them done. We have to keep that. Reporter israel says its Air Raid killed a shadowy Hezbollah Commander. Ibrahim akil. This picture of him from decades ago. The u. S. Accused him of involvement in two 1983 deadly bombings in beirut. The u. S. Embassy and the marine corps barracks. His life ended today by an israeli jet over the same city. Our goals are clear. Our actions speak for themselves, prime Minister Netanyahu posted. After a week that saw pagers and walkietalkies explode in the hands of hezbollah operatives, the dead and injured including children. Its a nightmare. Reporter we met this Eye Surgeon rushing between hospitals. If youre going to go down and talk to the parents and tell them, were sorry, we couldnt save any of your kids eyes. Reporter hezbollah returning Fire Today launching katyusha rockets over the border after an israeli bombardment overnight. Israels Defense Minister Tonight vowing, we will continue operating against hezbollah until we achieve our mission ensuring the safe return of israels north communities to their homes. Tonight more war seems inevitable. Keir, you were there today when that strike happened. Reporter lester, we heard the israeli Jet Overhead then minutes later saw pictures of the destruction. Lester, this is not what deescalation looks like. Lester. All right. Keir simmons in beirut beirut, thanks. In South Carolina a Death Row Inmate said to be executed tonight for a murder nearly three decades ago making a Lastditch Request for a reprieve after a key witness changed his story. Laura jarrett is with us. Some Breaking News about this. We just got the order in from the justices minutes ago. The High Court declining to block the execution of freddie owens. Now he still has an opportunity with this pending petition before the governor of South Carolina, he was set to be executed at 6 00 p. M. Eastern tonight so we await word all while the victims family is stilling waiting for closure here. He said he was innocent. After years of appeals came up short, 46yearold Freddie owens making a Lastminute Plea for clemency this week. His lawyer securing a sworn affidavit from a man who provided Key Testimony Against Owens but who now says he lied, and owens didnt kill irene graves, a mother of three who was shot in the head during a robbery of a speedway in 1987. Steven golden, 18 at the time of that shooting, now says he was high on drugs when police initially questioned him and prosecutors offered him a deal to flip On Owens adding, quote, i was scared that i would get the Death Penalty if i didnt make a statement. Its remarkable the two days before a scheduled execution to have someone come forward as Steven Golden did. He did not want to see an innocent man die for something that he didnt do. Candidly none of us should. Reporter yet The State Supreme Court rejected those arguments from Owens Defense Team finding that newly recanted testimony from golden insufficient without knowing more about how and why he signed it now. The High Court also pointing to other evidence of Owens Guilt including his multiple past confessions to killing graves. Graves son archie, who lost his mother just as he was starting his Freshman Year in college, told Nbc News today, im just ready to close this chapter on this part of our lives. Laura jarrett, Nbc News. In Georgia Vice president harris today attacking former President Trump on Abortion Rights as election officials in that key Battleground State make a controversial change. Heres gabe gutierrez. Reporter Tonight Inperson early voting is already under way in three states, virginia, South Dakota and minnesota. This is the most consequential vote in my lifetime. Reporter and now a new controversy over how ballots will be counted in Battleground Georgia, The States gopled Election Board voted to require counties to hand count all ballots cast on election day, a move critics say could delay the reporting of results. So, what are we trying to do here . Were trying to sow chaos . Reporter even though their Attorney General says the Election Board may be overstepping its authority, Republican Supporters say Hand Counting is important for election integrity. Allowing our elected offices to have as much data as possible should ensure that they will certify. Reporter Vice President harris traveling to Battleground Georgia highlighting Abortion Rights. This is a Health Care crisis, and Donald Trump is the architect of this crisis. Reporter Last Night at a starstudded virtual rally hosted by oprah winfrey, relatives of the 28yearold pregnant woman, amber thurman, blamed her death two years ago on delays in her care because of georgias restrictive abortion laws. I want yall to know amber was not a statistic. Reporter meanwhile former President Trump arguing he should be getting more of the jewish vote. If Kamala Harris wins instead of the most proisrael president ever, you will have the most antiisrael president by far. Reporter saying the Jewish Community would be partly to blame if hes defeated. If i dont win this election and the jewish people would really have a lot to do with that if that happens reporter both president ial campaigns now ramping up outreach to younger voters. In battleground wisconsin, this firsttime voter tells us he thinks trump will improve the economy. I feel like he was the first politician that says what he wants. Reporter while harris supporter, fourth year med student kaitlin landry, who wants to be an obgyn says Abortion Rights are critical. Im super excited about someone who has a female perspective, a perspective of someone who is a minority. I think Thats Something we need. Reporter tonight the Vice President is rallying supporters here in wisconsin where polls show the race is a dead heat, lester. All right, gabe gutierrez, thank you. Secret service out with a new report admitting to failures in the July Assassination attempt on President Trump. Our Kelly Odonnell reports. Reporter new details about what went so dangerously wrong. Major mistakes in planning and communications by the Secret Service that allowed a Wouldbe Assassin to shoot former President Trump firing from an unsecured rooftop in butler, pennsylvania. While some members of the advanced team were very diligent, there was complacency on the part of others that led to a breach of security protocols. Reporter today the Secret Service released a portion of its internal review calling the Assassination Attempt a security failure. The Acting Director says, disciplinary action is coming. These employees will be held accountable. Reporter but with so many threats, the agency says more resources, technology, and manpower are needed to keep up an intense pace of protection for the candidates. Will they have to live differently in order to be safe . We want them to make sure that they can live their lives with some type of normalcy, but they must do so with us providing the highest levels of protection which we have been doing since july 13th. Reporter one immediate change to better coordinate plans and communications. The Secret Service says local agencies must be present inside the federal Command Center at events. Lester. Kelly, thank you. A kentucky sheriff is behind bars charged with shooting and killing a judge in his chambers. The two knew Each Other well, but as Adrienne Broaddus reports, the motive is a misery. Reporter a sheriff who vowed to protect and nerve serve now on the other side of the law. Shots fired. Shots fired. Reporter police say sheriff shawn mickey steins shot and killed Judge Kevin mullins in his chamber thursday. Investigators are searching for a motive. We know that it was an argument between the two that led to it but what exactly transpired prior to the shots being fired still were trying to get answers to. Reporter the 54yearold Judge served for over a decade on the bench. In a word, patient, is what he was and compassionate. Reporter Attorney Seth combs is a longtime colleague of the judge. Big loss in a lot of ways, honestly just trying to accept that its real. Reporter according to court documents, Sheriff Steins is listed as a defendant in a 2022 lawsuit where one of his deputies is accused of sexually abusing a woman in judge and alleged steins the lawsuit alleges that steins failed to adequately train and supervise the deputy. Meanwhile, the sheriff turned suspect is behind Bars Tonight leaving the tightknit community stunned. My heart goes out to the family, both of them, but i this is shocking really. Reporter and tonight the sheriff who has been charged with murder has not hired an attorney. Lester. All right, adrienne, thank you. Just ahead progress on crushing medical debt after our recent report, what one major company has agreed to do for thousands of americans across the country facing millions in debt. Thats next. with Wet Amd, i worry im not only losing my sight, but my time to enjoy it. But now, i can open up my world with vabysmo. vabysmo is the first fdaapproved treatment for people with Wet Amd that improves vision and delivers a chance for up to 4 months between treatments, so i can do more of what i love. vabysmo works differently, its the only treatment designed to block 2 causes of Wet Amd. Vabysmo is an eye injection. Dont take it if you have an infection, active eye swelling, or are allergic to it. Treatments like vabysmo can cause an Eye Infection or retinal detachment. Vabysmo may cause a temporary increase in Eye Pressure after receiving the injection. There is an uncommon risk of Heart Attack or stroke associated with blood clots. Severe swelling of Blood Vessels in the eye can occur. Most common Eye Side effects were cataract and broken Blood Vessels. Open up your world with vabysmo. A chance for up to 4 months between treatments with vabysmo. Ask your doctor. Limu emu doug. And if we win, we get to tell you how Liberty Mutual Customizes Car Insurance so you only pay for what you need. Isnt that what you just did . Service stand back im going to show ya, how doug and limu roll, yeah you know you got to live it, if you want to win. [bump] Time Out only pay for what you need. Liberty, liberty, liberty, liberty. An update to a story we brought one week ago. An update to a story we brought one week ago. We introduced you to terry belk, one of the millions of americans drowning in medical debt facing grueling financial pain, but now as christine his wife was diagnosed with Breast Cancer that would ultimately take her life. The hospital sued for his own Prostate Cancer Treatment with Interest A Debt of 8,000 and all changed with a call he received early this week days after his story was featured on nightly news. What did they say on the phone . Well, he said that i had been through a lot and that theyre moving forward in a new direction as it relates to, you know, Patient Care and theyre going to be Lifting Liens and canceling judgments on all expatients. Reporter for terry and thousands of others atriums parent, Advocate Health, now announcing it is canceling all Judgment Liens previously placed on homes and Real Estate as part of its efforts to collect unpaid medical bills and that it will also forgive the outstanding debts associated with those liens. We are sick and tired of waiting. Reporter rebecca is a Health Care Advocate in north carolina. What a weight off their shoulders that this is no longer an issue, so were thrilled. Were excited. By the way, were hoping other Hospital Systems follow suit to what atrium has done. Reporter in all Advocate Health is canceling more than 11,500 liens across six states, some like terry belks dating back more than 20 years. Look at that. Whoa. Reporter for our initial story on the 220 Billion americans owe in medical debt, belk told us this. Im sure im going to take this debt into the afterlife. Reporter now he and thousands of others can breathe a sigh of relief. Im sure that my wife in heaven is looking down and is pleased because she know that she did not leave a defeated, broken man here on earth to carry on. Well, christine, first of all, thanks for doing this followup. Great news for terry and potentially thousands of others, but why now for this Health System . Advocate says it was the next logical step in a process that began in 2022 with its leaders examining ways to improve access and the affordability of Health Care. All right, christine, thanks. Were back in a moment with an nbc exclusive. Could whats happening to pregnant mothers in one state be a warning for other states . 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