Breaking news from The Middle East, new and growing tension following confirmation from lebanon, the leader of hezbollah was killed friday in an israeli airstrike on an apartment complex. We dont have that sound. We will get that for you. You can see the effect of the airstrikes that continue today and plumes of smoke can be seen rising over Southern Lebanon. Protesters have gathered on The Streets Of Tehran today. Officials in iran say one of its military generals was also killed friday adding they expect to soon deploy troops to lebanon. The biden administration says it has no advanced warning of the israeli strikes. President biden in a statement moments ago said hassan Nasrallahs Death is a measure of justice for his many victims including thousands of americans, israelis and lebanese civilians. We have reporters and analysts in place across the world ready to go over these developments for us. We will go to Matt Bradley who joined us from beirut. Welcome. I know you heard a lot of gunfire after hezbollah announced earlier today there leader was killed. What is the situation now . Reporter we dont know exactly what that was about but it came from this neighborhood which was the site of that assassination yesterday. We saw that right from my position outside of our window. A huge column of smoke rising after a low rumble that seemed to last forever. Thats because this was not your typical airstrike. This was deep penetrating bonds definitely designed to penetrate into a bunker they believed and were ultimately right housed Hassan Nasrallah and some of his top lieutenants ultimately killing them. Now we are hearing a little bit more of the gunshots and we think this is out of morning because its coming from a neighborhood in beirut that is quite supportive of hezbollah. Its a shia majority neighborhood. Now we have also been seeing and hearing some further blasts up and down the coast of lebanon here. Further down behind me and also in that neighborhood off to my right. We are still seeing the situation preceding today. Its likely to go On And on. Not everybody is going to be mournful about the loss of Hassan Nasrallah. There is a lot here may be more privately he will be celebrating because the fact is that hezbollah and had an Iron Grip on the country. They werent dictators but they had a major stake in the leadership, they were a political arm of hezbollah and participated in the government and were a major part of the governing alliance. They had seats in parliament, and a Stereo Posts and by far the most powerful Fighting Force in this country far more powerful than lebanons army. Lebanon agreed to a Deal Back in 2006 that was supposed to see hezbollah disarmed and the army taking over defense of this country. Hezbollah never agreed. Hassan nasrallah back in 2006 dragged it lebanon into a war with israel that proved hugely destructive and very deadly. Its not this entire Country Morning for the leader of this militant group. Theres quite a few people particularly those who dont adhere to the shia islamic faith who will be pleased to see the death of Hassan Nasrallah and maybe hoping that the new leadership will release its grip on lebanese politics. By your reporting it seems like the israeli airstrikes have yet to stop. Me a sense of whether there are Air Raid sirens, things like that. Are the lebanese people able to find safety . Reporter theres not Air Raid sirens, there have never been since ive been here in beirut. We have been seeing quite a lot of thugs. Theyve been as always rattling the windows of our hotel versus where im standing now. We have seen images of people fleeing in the streets. Israelis told people in that neighborhood of dahiyeh to get out. A lot ran for their lives. While they are all not in immediate danger this is a dangerous city for civilians. Thank you so much. We go now to Aaron Mclaughlin joining us from Tel Aviv. What is israel saying today about the death of nasrallah . Here in Tel Aviv they are bracing for potential retaliation. Minutes following the assassination when israeli officials were Briefing Reporters that Hassan Nasrallah was the target of that strike those same officials said retaliation was expected. Israeli officials bracing for potential retaliation not only from lebanon but other countries across the region. Just hours ago sirens sounded here in Tel Aviv according to the israeli military a missile was fired from the direction of yemen. It was intercepted. Explosions could be heard here in Tel Aviv as people were directed to their shelters. No injuries reported. Israeli officials are bracing for more of the same going forward. Now that Hassan Nasrallah is confirmed to have been killed by both israeli military officials confirming that news as well as hezbollah The Question becomes, given the number of hezbollah leaders who have been killed in israeli strikes in recent days does that create space for a potential pause in the fighting . Andrea mitchell put that very question to a senior israeli official shortly following the assassinatiOn And he made it clear that israel intends to build on its momentum in this fight saying quote there is something called momentum, you take advantage when your opponent is down. You keep moving and that is what we have seen play out today. A number of israeli military strikes not only there in that neighborhood in beirut, but also in Southern Lebanon as well in recent hours is really military confirming they have killed yet another significant figure within hezbollahs ranks. They show no signs of slowing down. Hezbollah has continued to Fire Rockets from Southern Lebanon where the sirens ringing out from that Rocket Fire across israel so this is a region bracing for more violence. We will check in with you again as well. Lets bring in peter baker. And john brennan, former Cia Director and msnbc senior national Security And Intelligence analyst. Thank you for joining me. From an Intelligence Perspective are you surprised that israel could pinpoint exactly where nasrallah was or did the hezbollah leader maybe not expect to be targeted while Benjamin Netanyahu was in New York addressing the u. N. . What does this mean strategically . Im not surprised. Israeli intelligence capabilities are among the best in the world and i think theyve spent the last year ever since the attacks on hamas In Gaza to do everything possible to find the location of their enemies. It demonstrates the tremendous capabilities on their Intelligence Front but on the Military Prowess they have. They have degraded hezbollah Communication System with the attacks and walkietalkies, they degraded their control by knocking out a number of their senior hezbollah leaders. Now with Hassan Nasrallah killed im sure that hezbollah is flailing in terms of how to respond and what types of capabilities they can bring to bear this point. I think we are at a very fraught time. Its uncertain in terms of how hezbollah will respond as been pointed out. A very good job of laying out the situation. Hezbollah is a very large organizatiOn And has a militia but also it has tremendous capabilities as far as the capabilities inside of lebanOn And from a political, social perspective. A lot of uncertainties, the big uncertainty is how iran is going to react to this. Benjamin netanyahu feels unbridled at this point by the u. S. Political environment because he knows the United States will continue to support israel in its efforts to try to Decapitate Hezbollah and i think the israeli military is on a roll and continue the pressure. The question is how far and fast is this going to escalate . Will there be a pause so hezbollah can basically get its footing back . I believe they will retaliate at some point and they cant go to the toe with the israeli military its clear. What they can do and have exercise before his terrorist capabilities abroad. How significant is the report we are hearing that iran will soon deploy troops to lebanon . How much would that change the equation . It might be a move to demonstrate irans continued support for hezbollah. I dont believe the iranians are interested in getting involved in a Military Conflict with israel. It would be more a demonstration of support with the israelis poised to be able to go across the border into Southern Lebanon. I dont think the iranians are prepared to do battle inside of lebanon, but at this point i think they have to do something because hezbollah has been the principal proxy over the past several decades. I read part of it earlier, but certainly the president releasing a statement on the death of nasrallah. Heres another part. The United States fully supports israels right to defend itself against hezbollah, hamas, the who these and any other iranian supported terrorist groups. Yesterday i directed the secretary of defense to further enhance the Defense Posture of u. S. Military forces in the region to deter aggressiOn And reduce the risk of a broader regional war. Is it clear that the biden White House sees this as a potential Tipping Point . This is a moment that put biden in a bind. On one hand he has supported israel for the last year since the Hamas Attack on October 7th and believes in that statement to defend itself against hezbollah which has fired rockets over the last year at northern israel and also killed americans over the years. At the same time hes trying to De Escalate the region. He wants to avoid the broader war that might draw in iran and go even further than its already gone in the last 12 months. He had been negotiating the idea of a 21 Day Ceasefire put forward by United States and france a couple days ago only to be brushed off even though the americans thought the israelis were open to it. Theres attention right now between the government. They did not get advanced notice of this strike and they are worried its going to lead to exactly what biden has been trying to avoid all along. To that point, is there a sense of how much the u. S. Might have known about this plan or is there a preference for plausible deniability on the u. S. End . With a rather not know . I think the United States is able to see the preparations that israel undertakes in order to carry out the strikes. It is my View And Experience that israel will not give advanced notice of a specific strike the one that killed Hassan Nasrallah to the United States. They may notify the United States officials while a strike is taking place but not in advance because they dont want to be in the difficult position of having told the United States saying no dont do that but going ahead on their own. As peter said that yahoo right now sees this as an opportune moment because he can brush off criticism knowing that the president ial election is coming up and the administration is going to be forced in many respects to continue to support israel despite the fact that israel seems to be ignoring the number of civilian casualties that are incurred in these strikes. Theyre going after leadership and they know there will be many civilians killed and injured they seem undeterred by that. They want to use this as an opportunity to really decapitate and destroy as much as possible the capabilities of their adversaries on their borders whether in Gaza Or Lebanon from being able to carry out strikes against israel. Are both the harris and come campaigns going to have to respond in some fashion . I would imagine so. I havent seen as of a few minutes ago any truth social or online posts by former President Trump yet on this nor have i seen a statement i the Vice President. Traditionally they wait until the President Statement comes out to make a statement of her own. We may see one now. Its a Fine Line to walk. Its not what Kamala Harris want at this point. She wants to focus the campaign on the future, why trump is a danger to the country, why things will be better under her. She does not want to focus on turmoil in The Middle East. To the extent this war seems to go on it opens up to criticism from both the left and right. The left is unhappy with the biden Administration Support for israel and the right said theyre not getting enough support. Its a distraction thats completely unwelcome. You hear suspicions on Biden Harris of whether netanyahu is doing this deliberately to try to elect Donald Trump. It tells you how deep the suspicions are. Let me ask, with the White House saying efforts for Cease Fire Deal were underweight what would have to happen now for that to be in play . I find it hard to believe theres any prospects for Cease Fire either In Gaza or in lebanon. There could be a pause the israelis decide to engage in because they are going to watch what hezbollah does in response to these most recent strikes but at this point i do think the biden administration will do everything possible to counsel restraint on the part of the various actors there. They have very limited ability at this point to deter netanyahu and his War Cabinet from continuing to roll along. They built up this momentum and feel they have hezbollah on the ropes right now by killing the leader. They may go ahead and try to take out some of those very much entrenched Missile And Rocket sites that hezbollah still has in the south of lebanon. Gentlemen, i appreciate your insights on this momentous day, thank you. We are not stopping here. We have more Breaking News to share. Live pictures of Cape Canaveral florida. Any minute now spacex will launch a Capsule Set to bring home the astronauts stuck in space. The mission has two empty seats. Those are for Butch Wilmore and sunni williams. Lets go right to Nbc News Senior Correspondent who has more on this. This was delayed because of Hurricane Helene correct . The launch is set for 13 1721. Theyve got to go right at exactly that second, not any later at all or they miss intersecting with the Space Station. This is true nine, a scheduled launch to the Space Station to rotate crew into the station but as you mention only two astronauts going instead of four because in february those two astronauts who have been stuck on the station will come back with crew nine. This is commanded. They are leaving at exactly 13 17 21. We are going to listen right now. They said they are ready and go with all feels loaded at the moment. Standing by for the first launch. From Space Launch complex 40. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two. One. Ignition. Liftoff. Liftoff now soaring to the international Space Station. Those nine engines providing 1. 7 million pounds of thrust propelling Falcon 9 and crew nine and continuing from the ground. These views we are just a little bit past 30 minutes 30 seconds into our ninth rotational crew mission. Onboard Dragon And Falcon 9 with good callouts from Mission Control that everything is looking good. Stage one is Throttling Down which is the period of maximum dynamic treasure on Falcon 9. Confirmation of Max Q. And the Falcon 9 is now traveling faster than the speed of sound. That call out for one bravo means we are in the final Board Note for the first stage and continuing to get good performance. The crew is pulling just over two geez at this point. Next we heard the engine on the second stage has begun and we will have nico on the first stage and Cut Off the head of the first and second stages and separate from one another. That single Vacuum Engine on the second stage will ignite and continue to carry crew 9 to orbit while the first stage begins its journey back to earth. Two minutes in and the crew is traveling over 2600 miles per hour. They were docking with the station tomorrow. Confirmation from Mission Control. Stage one is Throttling Down as we prepare for main engine Cut Off. Followed by Stage Separation and second engine start one. You heard Mission Control. There is confirmation. [ applause ] we have had confirmation of the ignition of our engine onboard stage two. Our next major milestone is going to be the beginning of Stage One boost back a burn which is expected in just a couple seconds here. A critical time in this flight. If you are joining us you have the views on the Lefthand Side of your screen and burning with our crew 9 astronauts aboard up in space on the right hand side. We stay with these images until we know the astronauts are safely in space. Traveling over 4000 miles per hour and 76 miles downrange. Again, this is crew 9 headed to the international Space Station. We are tracking a Landing Attempt Today of Landing Zone 1 not too far from where we lifted off. Thats the Booster Rocket they are talking about there. It means its all going well. The commander is the american now in charge of crew 9 and the russian onboard is alexander. Fascinating the americans and russians continue to operate despite open hostility as it relates to ukraine and the open threats by vladimir putin. They are scheduled to dock with the international Space Station tomorrow at 5 30 p. M. Eastern time. That is when you will see these two who were on crew 9 meet up with the crew thats been on the Space Station since june. Suni williams and Butch Wilmore thought they were going out for 10 days on a starlike Nurse Patient back in june but they have been there ever since because nasa was concerned that Star Liner Wasnt safe to bring them home. Star liner returned without them safely landing in new Mexico But Butch and suni will be on board until february. Suni williams has now been named the Space Station commander. A long stay she wasnt expecting and now shes in charge of the entire Space Station as crew 9 now is approaching, it will approach Docking Tomorrow at 5 30 or so eastern time. That is cool. Has a woman ever been the commander of the Space Station . Several. Its not uncommon. Nasa is a total equal Opportunity Employer and empowering everybody. We have had previous commanders who are women. Look to the left of yourself if youre able to see there. How high up are they and what are we seeing . That is live i presume . Youre looking at the Booster Rocket coming back Down To Earth. The Signa