bbc news. are we about to see war between lebanon and israel? what is hezbollah? why is it attacking lebanon? all of those questions are being searched online tens of thousands of times, questions will attempt to answer in the next half an hour. here on bbc news were also going to unravel and analyse an extraordinary last days in the middle east, from exploding pagers and walkie—talkies to israel opening up a new phase in the conflict. so let me bring in my expert bbc colleagues. injerusalem we have daniel de somone, who has been bringing us the latest updates on the ground in israel during this ongoing conflict. and here in london our correspondence frank gardner, he is an expert in spying, security and world news. and lyse doucet, she is our chief international

correspondent with decades of experience reporting from conflict zones around the world. let's get to it. it has been an extraordinary day so far where you are. just give me a sense of the mood over the last few hours. i of the mood over the last few hours. ., �* ~' ., hours. i don't know if the cuests hours. i don't know if the guests can _ hours. i don't know if the guests can hear - hours. i don't know if the guests can hear the - hours. i don't know if the - guests can hear the ambulances around me. it's a terrible day in the country and we feel it in the country and we feel it in beirut. hundreds of air strikes that took place in southern lebanon pushing hundreds of thousands of civilians out of their homes. the latest figures the ministry of health have given is that over 120, 182 people have been killed including women and children and paramedics and more than 700 injured. these

figures are likely to arise in the coming hours as the rescue operation is still ongoing and hospitals are running to receive all the injured and also we've heard reports from the government they opening schools in lebanon as shelters for the families fleeing the war. ,., , for the families fleeing the war. ,. , ., war. the lebanese health ministry _ war. the lebanese health ministry has _ war. the lebanese health ministry has updated - war. the lebanese health ministry has updated the | ministry has updated the figures saying 274 people have now been killed in events today so you get a sense ofjust how fast—moving things are on the ground and how changing it is. let's go tojerusalem. daniel, give us a sense of what the israelis are saying they are trying to do. israelis are saying they are trying to tie-— trying to do. the israeli military _ trying to do. the israeli military and _ trying to do. the israeli military and the - trying to do. the israeli - military and the government has set out a goal which is to return home 60,000 israelis in the north of the country who have been displaced by hezbollah rocket fire and they

say they are doing that by targeting hezbollah infrastructure, missiles, rockets. this morning they announced they were going to carry out an extensive bombing campaign in southern lebanon and they warned people living in villages in southern lebanon to leave if they live near places where hezbollah was storing weapons. they didn't specify which villages and i think people they would have felt like they didn't know where they were being asked to go whether they villages would be targeted. they announced a bid later in the day they were also going to be carrying out an extensive bombing campaign in the valley in the north—east of lebanon. in the last few minutes they have announced they have struck around 800 targets today so far.- targets today so far. frank, ou targets today so far. frank, you have — targets today so far. frank, you have watched - targets today so far. frank, you have watched since - targets today so far. frank, - you have watched since october the 7th, but an extraordinary

last seven days, how close are we to the all—out war people have talked about for months as being the option they feared most? �* , ., ., , ., most? it's not inevitable and very very _ most? it's not inevitable and very very good _ most? it's not inevitable and very very good reasons - most? it's not inevitable and very very good reasons for i most? it's not inevitable and i very very good reasons for both sides to constrained from a full on war. we have marched up to the precipice before. in april it looked really close to be a much wider scale war that drew in iran and the us and others and there was that israeli air strike on the iranian consulate in damascus which resulted then on the iranian response of barrage of 300 missiles on israel. things looked serious then. but they managed to match both sides down from the brink. in this particular case it's a case of who blinks first. israel is clearly hoping to so degrade hezbollah�*s ability to hit it that hezbollah essentially sued for peace. israel wants is a

ceasefire deal that sticks. at the end of the 2006 war they fought there was a un resolution that stipulated that hezbollah had to stay north of the natalia river which is about 30 kilometres north of the border. it didn't and subsequently they have been the exchange of fire across the border. we are not at the no turning point yet but they are rushing things up and there is a lot more damaged both sides could do to the other.- could do to the other. there is a question _ could do to the other. there is a question here _ could do to the other. there is a question here from - could do to the other. there is a question here from nora. . could do to the other. there is| a question here from nora. she says what is the fundamental reason for the war and what has lebanon got to do with it? what lebanon got to do with it? what lebanon got to do with it? what lebanon has _ lebanon got to do with it? what lebanon has to _ lebanon got to do with it? what lebanon has to do _ lebanon got to do with it? what lebanon has to do with - lebanon got to do with it? what lebanon has to do with it - lebanon got to do with it? what lebanon has to do with it is - lebanon got to do with it? what lebanon has to do with it is a i lebanon has to do with it is a question— lebanon has to do with it is a question that has been asked by the lebanese since october the 8th. hezbollah which emerged

out of— 8th. hezbollah which emerged out of the civil war in lebanon and _ out of the civil war in lebanon and the — out of the civil war in lebanon and the israeli invasion of lebanon _ and the israeli invasion of lebanon is a state within a state _ lebanon is a state within a state it_ lebanon is a state within a state. it is a political force with— state. it is a political force with members in the parliament, it is also— with members in the parliament, it is also a — with members in the parliament, it is also a heavily armed miiitary— it is also a heavily armed military organisation, a non—state military organisation. more powerful than — organisation. more powerful than the _ organisation. more powerful than the lebanese military. the lebanese — than the lebanese military. the lebanese government cannot stop it and — lebanese government cannot stop it and sees itself helpless in the midst of these rising tensions.— tensions. as well as the individual _ tensions. as well as the individual questions - tensions. as well as the individual questions we | tensions. as well as the - individual questions we have had income our teams have been going through the various searches people are doing and thousands of searches and are asking a straightforward question, what is hezbollah? it means party of god and it was founded back in 1982 in the wake of his row�*s invasion of lebanon which drove out the palestinian liberation organisation. it got replaced by this iran backed proxy

militia and it was exporting its islamic revolution. hezbollah started out as this cell planted by iran amongst lebanese society and it has grown into this extremely powerful and effective well armed and well trained force thatis armed and well trained force that is nevertheless a proscribed terrorist organisation by the uk, us and other governments. it has a huge arsenal of missiles in. these are things which israel's ties are hidden in peoples houses and garages and part of the reason we are doing these air strikes is try and pre—empt hezbollah from launching all of those. the thing that really terrifies israeli citizens is something that hezbollah has got which is an elite reading

party trained by iran is revolutionary guards which are designed to go across the border and commit the sort of attack that had lasted in southern israel on october the 7th. that scares people who might want to go back to their homes in northern israel. 50 homes in northern israel. so are three — homes in northern israel. so are three questions around iran and i will ask those of you in and i will ask those of you in a while. let's go back to beirut. i have a question which asksis beirut. i have a question which asks is hezbollah hindering civilians to leave their homes and areas where they live after the israeli warning? it's worth you perhaps telling our viewers what israel did earlier in the day which was these texts and phone messages they sent out to many people. this phone messages they sent out to many people-— many people. this morning started with _ many people. this morning started with this _ many people. this morning started with this panic - many people. this morning started with this panic that| started with this panic that spread across people in southern lebanon when they received these warnings from the israelis on their whatsapp

groups or on the phone asking people to leave and be separated from many areas where hezbollah is stationed because it really is about to launch an attack in southern lebanon to attack in southern lebanon to attack hezbollah. since then many families have already started leaving and since october the 8th and since the cross—border violence started many villages right at the border emptied from civilians. they moved further north and they moved to villages and towns closer to either cities that are away from the hostilities. today the expansion of the operation that spread many slaves of areas from the northern side of the board is forced thousands of families to flee. they fled to cities in the north but also

arrived here in beirut. even the government is preparing several schools as shelters for the families who have fled. we have seen that happening before in cities closer to the border but now the families and those who are fleeing are getting closer to the capital beirut. daniel, we heard those israeli warnings earlier in the day. did they articulate where they expect people to go? ihla did they articulate where they expect people to go?- expect people to go? no they didn't. this— expect people to go? no they didn't. this morning - expect people to go? no they didn't. this morning the - didn't. this morning the israeli military said they would be carrying out extensive air campaigns in southern lebanon and during the video message that announced that they showed a map of lebanon and there were various places named on the map that they didn't specify where they would be targeting. they said hezbollah was using what they call civilian infrastructure to

store weapons and rockets and missiles and that they would be targeting those places. they said if you live in places where hezbollah are storing weapons or live near their you should get out for your own safety. they didn't say where people should go. the area we are talking about is a large area so you are talking about huge swathes of lebanon where people would not have known if they particular village or town would be targeted. later today a similar message which then said a similar campaign would be carried out in the beqaa valley in the north—east and again telling people to leave for their own safety. but there was no way specified where they should go and there are places opening up in other areas of lebanon to house people who are fleeing those areas. by,

lebanon to house people who are fleeing those areas.— fleeing those areas. a question from ryan _ fleeing those areas. a question from ryan and _ fleeing those areas. a question from ryan and he _ fleeing those areas. a question from ryan and he says, - fleeing those areas. a question from ryan and he says, how. fleeing those areas. a question | from ryan and he says, how can israel do such extensive bombing of a neighbouring country without declaring war? it's the history of the region. it's the history of the region. i was — it's the history of the region. i was based in the middle east and jerusalem in 1996 when there — and jerusalem in 1996 when there was a similar kind of escalation and a similar kind of concerns about pushing hezbollah from the border and stopping the rocket fire. then in 2006 _ stopping the rocket fire. then in 2006. again and again they keep— in 2006. again and again they keep going back to this kind of confrontation and now to the brink— confrontation and now to the brink of— confrontation and now to the brink of an all—out war. it seems _ brink of an all—out war. it seems to— brink of an all—out war. it seems to be war in all but name now but— seems to be war in all but name now but it — seems to be war in all but name now but it could be much worse. they— now but it could be much worse. they could — now but it could be much worse. they could be targeting the cities — they could be targeting the cities which has been done in the past _ cities which has been done in the past with more casualties. israei— the past with more casualties. israel says it has a right to defend _ israel says it has a right to defend itself, it says they have _ defend itself, it says they have been constant volleys of rockets — have been constant volleys of rockets fired across the border

into northern israeli communities and that is why more — communities and that is why more than 60,000 israelis were evacuated — more than 60,000 israelis were evacuated from towns close to the border. now israel hasjust put on — the border. now israel hasjust put on its — the border. now israel hasjust put on its list of war aims in addition _ put on its list of war aims in addition to the aims and gaza that— addition to the aims and gaza that it — addition to the aims and gaza that it wants to allow its 60,000 residents to return home, _ 60,000 residents to return home, it _ 60,000 residents to return home, it wants to degrade the capabilities of hezbollah and it wants to push them back north— it wants to push them back north across the river. both sides— north across the river. both sides accuse the other but there _ sides accuse the other but there has been a constant back—and—forth with more and more — back—and—forth with more and more and _ back—and—forth with more and more and today is the largest number— more and today is the largest number of rockets and of air strikes — number of rockets and of air strikes fired by israel into communities of lebanon. let's return to _ communities of lebanon. let's return to iran, _ communities of lebanon. let's return to iran, you _ communities of lebanon. let's return to iran, you are - communities of lebanon. let's return to iran, you are talking | return to iran, you are talking about it, tell me more about the arsenal that hezbollah has and a question here from gerald who says i wonder why iran have not supplied lebanon with anti—aircraft weapons to shoot down these attacking jets? thea;r

down these attacking 'ets? they have but they h down these attacking 'ets? they have but they are _ down these attacking 'ets? they have but they are not- down these attacking jets? true: have but they are not enough down these attacking jets? ti31 have but they are not enough to overcome israel's defences. the suite that israeli warplanes have of defensive measures that will neutralise blind those, so for example when the israeli air force goes into syria which it is frequently to try and take out the weapons supplied between iran and hezbollah come hitting those depots and supply routes, every time it crosses and is that it comes up against syrian air defences but it's able to neutralise them in the moments and returns on their radar they know that they are likely to be targeted by a heat—seeking anti—radar missile. so the israeli air force trained extensively for that and it's got basically more powerful kit than the lebanese have got.- more powerful kit than the lebanese have got. back to jerusalem _ lebanese have got. back to jerusalem and _ lebanese have got. back to jerusalem and daniel - lebanese have got. back to i

jerusalem and daniel because lebanese have got. back to - jerusalem and daniel because we have seen all day today briefings about the campaign that israel is launching but they have been repeatedly asked about is this the prelude to a ground invasion, what have officials been saying? officials have said that at the moment they are concentrating on this air campaign. that doesn't mean they can't be ground campaign but i think that would be quite different to what we are seeing now and i think israel doesn't necessarily want to do that given it hasn't always been very successful when it has gone into southern lebanon before. it has stayed there for a long time and when it's left it hasn't managed to achieve what it set out to achieve. so at the moment it says it wants to degrade the ability of hezbollah to fire rockets, it wants to destroy the infrastructure that hezbollah

has built up in lebanon, it wasn't so much back hezbollah fighters from the border. there is a genuine question about whether these air strikes can do that alone. we have been seeing air strikes by israel in lebanon for almost a year since this conflict has been going on and that has not stopped hezbollah. as things stand, hezbollah. as things stand, hezbollah are still firing rockets into israel, more than 100 fired into the according to the israeli military. i think there's going to be speculation about whether they would still be a ground incursion given israel set out its goal and it's been very —— public about the goal it wants to achieve, it says it will achieve it and its military actions will continue until the point at which it has achieved. hezbollah has said it will not achieve that and hezbollah will keep firing rockets until there is a ceasefire in gaza. so you

have two positions that cannot be reconciled. the other option of course as a diplomatic solution which brings a ceasefire. at the moment despite all the urging of world powers for that to be the way forward there is no sign that is currently going to be the way forward.— is currently going to be the wa forward. . ~ ., , way forward. frank and i spoke before the _ way forward. frank and i spoke before the programme - way forward. frank and i spoke before the programme and - way forward. frank and i spoke l before the programme and frank has written about this for the live page, can you actually achieve _ live page, can you actually achieve your war aims just through— achieve your war aims just through the air? it has been a mantra — through the air? it has been a mantra through the decades. we have _ mantra through the decades. we have heard it from british commanders and american commanders and american commanders and american commanders and we are not hearing _ commanders and we are not hearing it _ commanders and we are not hearing it from israeli commanders now, you cannot win your— commanders now, you cannot win your war— commanders now, you cannot win your war from the air. you have to go— your war from the air. you have to go in— your war from the air. you have to go in on— your war from the air. you have to go in on the ground. it may not happen here but it may be a matter— not happen here but it may be a matter of— not happen here but it may be a matter of time. it not happen here but it may be a matter of time.— matter of time. it will make this mistake _ matter of time. it will make this mistake back— matter of time. it will make this mistake back in - matter of time. it will make this mistake back in 2006, | matter of time. it will make i this mistake back in 2006, the war that we both covered at the time. the israeli office —— a

force commander was overconfident until the government at the time we have got this, we can do this and we can defeat hezbollah from the end after a few days it was apparently current. the israeli army had to go in on land with their tanks and infantry and frankly they got battered. they were not defeated but they were not victorious. hezbollah was waiting for them which is why right now hezbollah have said if you want a come and invade us we are ready for you.- us we are ready for you. let's to back us we are ready for you. let's go back to — us we are ready for you. let's go back to beirut, _ us we are ready for you. let's go back to beirut, you - us we are ready for you. let's go back to beirut, you will. go back to beirut, you will have been listening to what has been discussed in the last few minutes and a number of questionsjust asking minutes and a number of questions just asking that basic thought that is what we are seeing with this military push by israel likely to make hezbollah pull—back as the

israelis are demanding? hezbollah pull-back as the israelis are demanding? since the start of — israelis are demanding? since the start of this _ israelis are demanding? since the start of this tension - the start of this tension hezbollah has been adamant and their position is they are standing in defence of the palestinians and they will continue launching wrecked —— rockets which presumably they will continue doing so until there is a ceasefire in gaza. however, the situation, all the movement they have done it was pretty much calculated so that they don't reach a fully fledged law. the lebanese don't forget the war in 2006, they don't want to see a military campaign and bombardment of the city and beirut and damage to the infrastructure and an influx of refugees into neighbouring countries like syria. this is something of a group that has been trying to avoid over the past year. but the developments that have happened in the past week with the pages situation, 3000

injured, dozens killed, followed by an air strike and the air bombardment today and over 200 deaths so far, it will leave hezbollah in a difficult position if they don't stand up to defend their position and defend themselves. but it's obvious as well that they are not in a great position because any escalation from their side, it will expand the war and expand the damage in lebanon beyond the south and beyond hezbollah —controlled areas. frank, there was an interesting report overnight from the united states quoting us officials saying us officials recognise israel's escalation rationale and agree with it but

stresses it is a difficult calibration. that phrase, escalation to de—escalate, that is almost a somersault of rationale. it is almost a somersault of rationale.— rationale. it is under something _ rationale. it is under something that - rationale. it is under something that is i rationale. it is under something that is in | rationale. it is under. something that is in the russian order of battle. the idea that is ingrained in the russian military psyche that if you are not doing very well as you are not doing very well as you need to move things along a bit you go up massively, use tactical nuclear weapons in order to calm everything down and achieve a result. in this particular case israel is clearly hoping to send such a powerful message to hezbollah that hezbollah is somehow going to cave in and blink and agree to cave in and blink and agree to a ceasefire. i don't see that happening. let's not forget gaza here because this all kicked off on october the 8th when hezbollah started firing weapons into northern

israel in what they say was solidarity with their palestinian brethren in gaza. if there is a ceasefire in gaza the temperature on this northern border will drop immediately and that is why you have billy burns the head of the cia working with the egyptians and the qataris to try and get the last ten yards of the ceasefire over the line and it hasn't worked. fin of the ceasefire over the line and it hasn't worked.- and it hasn't worked. on the ceasefire. — and it hasn't worked. on the ceasefire, these _ and it hasn't worked. on the ceasefire, these are - and it hasn't worked. on the ceasefire, these are all- ceasefire, these are all totally intertwined as issues but the white house on friday at to put out a statement that they are still working on the ceasefire. itjust demonstrated how almost that has been overtaken by events. yes and there is discussion _ overtaken by events. yes and there is discussion about i overtaken by events. yes and there is discussion about why j there is discussion about why did this — there is discussion about why did this happen now, why is the tension — did this happen now, why is the tension both diplomatic as well as the — tension both diplomatic as well as the tension of israel's military— as the tension of israel's military machine now focused on the north— military machine now focused on the north rather than on what is happening in gaza. the

suffering of palestinians worsens by the day, the agony of the — worsens by the day, the agony of the families knowing that the hostages are —— the chance of them — the hostages are —— the chance of them coming out alive is diminishing. benjamin netanyahu would _ diminishing. benjamin netanyahu would say this is always part of a — would say this is always part of a war— would say this is always part of a war aims but i think it's been— of a war aims but i think it's been really clear that for president biden getting a deal in gaza, — president biden getting a deal in gaza, he sees it as part of his legacy _ in gaza, he sees it as part of his legacy. also it matters a lotto — his legacy. also it matters a lot to america and the region and israel, the who the's say they— and israel, the who the's say they will— and israel, the who the's say they will stop firing and hezbollah say they will stop firing — hezbollah say they will stop firing and iran says this is because _ firing and iran says this is because of the gaza ceasefire. it because of the gaza ceasefire. it would — because of the gaza ceasefire. it would help a lot to bring down _ it would help a lot to bring down the temperature. a quick final thought. _ down the temperature. a quick final thought. how— down the temperature. a quick final thought. how scared i down the temperature. a quick final thought. how scared are l final thought. how scared are people with all of this talk

about an all—out war, give me a sense of the mood of the people?— sense of the mood of the --eole? ., ., , people? people are exhausted. the are people? people are exhausted. they are scared. _ people? people are exhausted. they are scared. also _ people? people are exhausted. they are scared. also very i people? people are exhausted. | they are scared. also very much angry about this aggression thatis angry about this aggression that is happening on lebanon. they say repeatedly they want to live in peace but they also want to see palestinians especially in gaza living in peace. especially in gaza living in eace. ,. , especially in gaza living in eace. , ., ., peace. daniel, 'ust a final thought, _ peace. daniel, just a final thought, about _ peace. daniel, just a final thought, about the i peace. daniel, just a final l thought, about the timeline peace. daniel, just a final i thought, about the timeline you expect over the next few days. it's very hard to say. the israeli _ it's very hard to say. the israeli government has been very— israeli government has been very plain about a school and it says — very plain about a school and it says it _ very plain about a school and it says it will achieve that and — it says it will achieve that and will _ it says it will achieve that and will continue with these military— and will continue with these military actions until it achieves it. that simply means we will— achieves it. that simply means we will keep seeing significant military— we will keep seeing significant military activity until the point _ military activity until the point at which they feel they have — point at which they feel they have met that goal. it's very hard — have met that goal. it's very hard to— have met that goal. it's very hard to see how long that will take — hard to see how long that will take we _ hard to see how long that will take. we have spoken about the possibility of a ground

invasion and that is clearly on the table _ invasion and that is clearly on the table. the feeling here is what — the table. the feeling here is what next?— what next? hezbollah singh toda all what next? hezbollah singh today all over _ what next? hezbollah singh today all over the _ what next? hezbollah singh today all over the weekend | today all over the weekend their campaign is open—ended. and it is. they have enormous resilience. they are not going to be defeated by military power alone.— to be defeated by military power alone. to be defeated by military ower alone. . , ., power alone. that is the end of our programme. _ power alone. that is the end of our programme. thank- power alone. that is the end of our programme. thank you i power alone. that is the end of our programme. thank you all| our programme. thank you all for being here with us to go through so many of those questions and answering them. thank you for being with us and giving us all of that analysis and context. to head to the bbc website where there is a live page constantly running in terms of the latest events on the ground.

hello. the weather is continuing to cause some significant disruption out there. we've got some intense rainfall that is leading to flooding problems for some across parts of central and southern england in particular. here's the radar from the past few hours showing where we've had the heaviest of the rain already. it's been particularly persistent for parts of central and southern england here, where we do have an amber warning in force from the met office. that's valid until 9.00pm this evening for the likes of bristol, northampton, as well. we've already seen some severe flooding and i think it's not going to improve in a hurry as that rainfalljust continues to be persistent and slow moving. it is all down to this area of low pressure. eventually, it will start to ease away towards the east as we head through into the evening hours, but we've certainly got another few hours of rainfall across the region. also some wet weather for parts of northern england, the far north of scotland too, but elsewhere some drier conditions as we head through this evening and overnight, as well. a lot of cloud through the uk tonight, so we're not going to be seeing a particularly chilly night. temperatures holding up between about eight to 13 degrees to start your tuesday morning. tuesday's weather does improve certainly compared to today as that low pressure clears towards the east. still a bit of early rainfall

for parts of east anglia and the south—east. more wet weather moving in across northern and eastern parts of scotland, where it is also going to be quite breezy, as well. for the rest of the uk, sunny spells, a few showers around, but certainly not as heavy or as frequent as we've seen over the past few days. top temperatures between about ten to 18 degrees north to south on tuesday. looking towards the middle of the week, we've got another area of low pressure on the way, this time approaching from the south—west. there is a bit of uncertainty about exactly when and where we're going to be seeing that rainfall by wednesday, but it does look like eventually it will start to turn pretty wet across parts of southern england. the breeze will certainly pick up through the english channel, as well. the rest of the uk having a little bit of a better day, so some sunshine, perhaps the odd shower around. it is starting to feel a bit cooler, though, for northern areas particularly, at around about ten to 13 degrees. in the south, about 16 or 17. all that wet weather gradually shifts its way a little bit further north. as we move through the overnight period and through thursday, it looks like much of england and wales will see further spells of fairly heavy rain. gusty winds around some of that wet weather. scotland and northern ireland

probably faring a little bit better with sunny spells and scattered showers. 11 to 16 degrees by thursday, so those temperatures gradually coming down through the course of the week. by the end of the week it looks like the worst of the rainfall will tend to ease away, but those temperatures on the cool side. bye— bye.

live from london. this is bbc news. the lebanese health

ministry says more than 270 people have been killed, including women, children and paramedics in the heaviest israeli bombardment yet in the south of the country. the rush to get out, schools are closed in parts of lebanon and ministers say thousands of families have fled after israeli warnings. our other main headlines...- israeli warnings. our other main headlines... here at the labour party _ main headlines... here at the labour party conference, i main headlines... here at the labour party conference, the | labour party conference, the chancellor rachel reeves has given a speech saying there will be no return to austerity. the new leader of sri lanka says he wants to restore faith in politics after being sworn in politics after being sworn in as president. lebanon's health ministry says an intense israeli bombardment