in other news. german police say a syrian man has confessed to carrying out a mass stabbing attack in the city of solingen. french media are reporting that pavel durov — the russian founder of the telegram messaging service — has been arrested after his private jet landed in paris. and coming up — the 8 day trip to space, that's turned into 8 months... hello, welcome to bbc news. we start with a major development in the middle east. there's been an intense exchange of fire between israel and hezbollah militants. israel launched a wave of airstrikes against hezbollah positions in lebanon, saying it was pre—empting plans for a large—scale attack. israel's prime minister has promised to do everything to protect the country.

hezbollah said it fired hundreds of rockets towards israel in its first response to israel's assassination of a senior commander in beirut last month. it denied israel's assertion that it had thwarted the attack. this is the what we know this hour. the israeli military said it struck and destroyed thousands of hezbollah rocket launchers in southern lebanon aimed at northern israel. the israel defence forces released these pictures which it says are those strikes on lebanon. officials says around 100 fighter jets took part in the operation. lebanon's ministry of health says three people have been killed in areas in the south of the country. these pictures are from the village of zibqin where you can see a huge cloud of smoke rising following an israeli airstrike. lebanon's state—run national news agency called it a "large—scale air aggression" by israel.hezbollah said it

launched more than 300 rockets and drones at israel and targeted ii military sites in response to the killing of its top commander in beirut last month. the group said this was an initial response and that todays planned attack on israel had been "completed and accomplished". tensions between israel and the iranian—backed group escalated sharply after the assassination stoking fears of a wider middle east conflict. a state of emergency is in force in israel and the security cabinet�*s been meeting. prime minister, benjamin netanyhu, promised he would �*do everything' to restore security at its northern border and continue to uphold what he called a simple rule: "whoever hurts us — we hurt them". these are live pictures from the israel—lebanon border. flights to and from tel aviv�*s ben gurion airport were temporarily suspended earlier but have since been reinstated. s

live pictures looking come at the moment and the question is this the start of a wider war. we will be looking at that and the next hour. in the last half an hour i spoke idf international spokesperson, lieutenant colonel nadav sho—shani, and asked him why they carried out the pre—emptive strikes. it is called active defence and we were able to thwart the attack by hezbollah that threatening for a wider escalation to harm civilians and hit military bases and we were able to thwart that with active defence against those rocket launchers pointed at israel with rockets and them and prevent those that were fired eventually. maw; that were fired eventually. many taruets that were fired eventually. many tar: ets do that were fired eventually. many targets do you — that were fired eventually. many targets do you claim _ that were fired eventually. many targets do you claim to - that were fired eventually. many targets do you claim to have - that were fired eventually. many targets do you claim to have had.

that were fired eventually. many - targets do you claim to have had. we are targets do you claim to have had. - are still in this ongoing tension, we have had thousands of rocket once barrels and thwarted hundreds of rockets in the air on their way to israeli communities. find rockets in the air on their way to israeli communities.— rockets in the air on their way to israeli communities. and you sing the role be _ israeli communities. and you sing the role be attacks _ israeli communities. and you sing the role be attacks today? - israeli communities. and you sing the role be attacks today? at - israeli communities. and you sing the role be attacks today? at the| the role be attacks today? at the moment we _ the role be attacks today? at the moment we are _ the role be attacks today? at the moment we are keeping - the role be attacks today? at the moment we are keeping high - the role be attacks today? at the. moment we are keeping high alert the role be attacks today? git he: moment we are keeping high alert on defence and offence ready for any incident that could happen. it is relatively quiet but we are ready for any incident that may happen and hezbollah has been fighting with us and attacking us for ten months, this is not an incited case. i am assuring they will attack yesterday and tomorrow.

this is a big escalation, hezbollah state is the first of what they see as the phase because of the killing of the commander in beirut. that is the reason — of the commander in beirut. that is the reason we _ of the commander in beirut. that is the reason we are _ of the commander in beirut. that is the reason we are maintaining - of the commander in beirut. that is the reason we are maintaining high| the reason we are maintaining high readiness and alert and to strike back and protect our civilians like any other country would do. we have our guidelines to keep them safe but if you want to put this in context it is notjust part of a retaliation, hezbollah opened the wall and called for ten months ago and has been attacking israel daily, attacking civilians and killing children in a soccer field and attacking everyday civilians in israel, burning houses and attacking community is and israelis in the

north will not start the school year. because of the threat of hezbollah fire. irate year. because of the threat of hezbollah fire.— year. because of the threat of hezbollah fire. ~ ., ., ., hezbollah fire. we have to look at the wider context _ hezbollah fire. we have to look at the wider context of _ hezbollah fire. we have to look at the wider context of gaza, - hezbollah fire. we have to look at the wider context of gaza, this - hezbollah fire. we have to look at the wider context of gaza, this is| hezbollah fire. we have to look at | the wider context of gaza, this is a very sensitive time with the ceasefire talks in cairo, how concerned are you that this action will derail any hope of the ceasefire talks and getting hostages out of gaza. the ceasefire talks and getting hostages out of gaza. . ., , ceasefire talks and getting hostages out of gaza. . . , , ., out of gaza. the ceasefire is a separate _ out of gaza. the ceasefire is a separate matter, _ out of gaza. the ceasefire is a separate matter, the - out of gaza. the ceasefire is a separate matter, the only - out of gaza. the ceasefire is a j separate matter, the only real connection between hamas and hezbollah as iran, the work together funded by iran to destroy the state of israel but to your question about hostages, that is one of our main efforts, to bring them back and to destroy the military capabilities of hamas and we are committed to bring back hostages through a deal or

through military pressure and i think the talks and a separate matter that we are continuing to work on. we've had some international reaction to events. presidentjoe biden is directing us officials to maintain close communication with israel. a national security spokesman said "president biden is closely monitoring events in israel and lebanon. he has been engaged with his national security team throughout the evening. at his direction, senior u.s. officials have been communicating continuously with their israeli counterparts. we will keep supporting israel's right to defend itself, and we will keep working for regional stability." pictures are coming in all the time from both israel and lebanon. i wanted to show you these still images from the epa news agency. we're told the photos show the moment an israeli fighterjet intercepted a hezbollah unmanned aerial vehicle.

you can see the explosion and debris. it was crossing from lebanon over an area near the border with israel. let's speak to our senior international corespondent orla guerin who's in southern lebanon and our correspondentjon donnison who's injerusalem — hezbollah says today's operation has now been "completed and accomplished" as far as they are concerned that they are making it clear that this phase of what they say will be a large operation is now finished and we have had a statement this morning saying that the operation took place, eddie denied that israel had managed to thwart that, said these were empty claims from the israelis and there will be for that contradiction coming later in an address by the leader of hezbollah.

it is important to say we do not actually know how effective the hezbollah operation was, they say it fired 320 rockets towards israel and drones, we do not know how many of those were intercepted on the way, how many shots tone, whether any actually landed in israel and cause damage. we have had another puts so far from damage. we have had another puts so farfrom inside israel of civilian casualties. 0ne farfrom inside israel of civilian casualties. one report from lebanese authorities that one man has been killed and a drone strike on a car, he has been identified as a fighter. within the last few hours we have been seeing and hearing continuing israeli strikes taking place in the hell is any distance close to the border. we saw at least two explosions and very dense black smoke filling the sky after a

particularly large blast. israel has been continuing to target locations in the south, what is unclear is whether the israelis will want to take things further or if we will go back to the tit—for—tat that has been the case for the last ten months. , ., . been the case for the last ten months. ,., ., _ , been the case for the last ten months. ., , , been the case for the last ten months. ., ,, , months. hezbollah says it is because ofthe months. hezbollah says it is because of the killing — months. hezbollah says it is because of the killing of _ months. hezbollah says it is because of the killing of the _ months. hezbollah says it is because of the killing of the commander - months. hezbollah says it is because of the killing of the commander and l of the killing of the commander and beirut, gimme your assessment of how concerned we should be by the events. , ._ , concerned we should be by the events. , , , ., events. everyday there is cause for concern because _ events. everyday there is cause for concern because sense _ events. everyday there is cause for concern because sense last - events. everyday there is cause for| concern because sense last october hezbollah has been filing into israel, if i have the first shots in this round of violence, sediment acting in solidarity with the palestinian people and supporting their allies hamas who are also backed by iran. there has been a pattern to all of this where the

attacks have mainly been on military targets on each side and mainly within the border zones of each country, that has done a lot of damage, more than 100,000 people have had to flee here, about 60,000 had to flee and israel and still out of their homes and there have been for charities, hezbollah has lost more than 400 fighters and more than 100 civilians have been killed in israeli attacks according to the lebanese authorities. 0n the other side the death pool is a lot lower, more than 40 people but at least two dozen civilians and the numbers. things have been contained to this pretty familiar tit—for—tat pattern, the fear on the part of the international community is that every davies continues either israel or hezbollah could reach a tipping point into all—out war. in the past few days the temple of the attacks has increased, things have been happening faster and we have had

this major operation by hezbollah which israel said it acted pre—emptively to try to stop. we are certainly at an inflection point, the question is what israel does now, hezbollah is making it clear that for its part that is it for the moment although there is every reason to believe the normal level of violence if we can, that will continue and that in itself is risky. continue and that in itself is ris . ., continue and that in itself is ris . . , ., ., risky. on that question john, what do ou risky. on that question john, what do you think _ risky. on that question john, what do you think israel _ risky. on that question john, what do you think israel might - risky. on that question john, what do you think israel might do - risky. on that question john, what do you think israel might do next. j do you think israel might do next. they are continuing operations and southern lebanon and the last few is with a number of strikes on what they say are hezbollah targets, we had thought prior to that it had quietened down but israel is a saying it is prepared to go to war full—scale with lebanon, these

strikes overnight when the biggest on the hezbollah sense 2006, both sides are saying they do not want a the turn to full—scale war but israel saying it is prepared to go the effort has to.— the effort has to. what will the im act to the effort has to. what will the impact to be — the effort has to. what will the impact to be on _ the effort has to. what will the impact to be on the _ the effort has to. what will the impact to be on the ceasefire l the effort has to. what will the - impact to be on the ceasefire talks which are today happening in cairo. those talks which are continuing but are not really going anywhere at the moment, hamas is not even taking part, the americans have said securing a ceasefire and hostage release deal in that gaza is crucial to de—escalating tensions on the northern border. they are not going anywhere, do not think anyone is expecting an imminent ceasefire to be announced. despite very intensive diplomacy and pleasure from the us

and egypt and qatar who have been mediating these talks, there is no real sign of a deal so f.c. do not get that there is every reason to think we could see a return to some sort of normality and tit—for—tat on the border in the north but there is always the risk death that is heavy exchanges of fire that you will get civilians killed and then you could see things gaining momentum of their own. ., . , , , ., see things gaining momentum of their own. ., . , ,, ., i. 4' own. how much pressure do you think if this does escalate _ own. how much pressure do you think if this does escalate that _ own. how much pressure do you think if this does escalate that will - own. how much pressure do you think if this does escalate that will put - if this does escalate that will put on the international community to get that ceasefire deal and the hostages out and particularly thinking of america but also egypt and qatar. it thinking of america but also egypt and qatar. ., ., and qatar. it will add to the pressure — and qatar. it will add to the pressure but _ and qatar. it will add to the pressure but i _ and qatar. it will add to the pressure but i do _ and qatar. it will add to the pressure but i do not - and qatar. it will add to the pressure but i do not thinkl and qatar. it will add to the - pressure but i do not think they can really be doing any more than they have been for the past few weeks. the american secretary of state

antony blinken in the region last week, he was pushing the israelis to sign up to the deal, he said they had accepted and supported what he called the bridging proposal, we have not had a similar statements from benjamin netanyahu, there is no doubt qatar and egypt are also pushing hard for a deal. the key players and that as benjamin netanyahu and the hamas leader in gaza, they do not seem to have the urgency and are not working to the same timetable as everyone else. i wondered what the public mood in lebanon is, the everyday people trying to go about their work and life. . ' trying to go about their work and life. . , , ., , trying to go about their work and life. . f , ., , ., life. there are different strands to this, people _ life. there are different strands to this. people are — life. there are different strands to this, people are weary _ life. there are different strands to this, people are weary and - life. there are different strands to i this, people are weary and certainly anxious about the idea of another

all—out war, there are very fresh memories of the level of damage done in 2006 the last time a lot of lebanese infrastructure was destroyed and more than 1000 people work out. let's not forget this as a country that since then has come through a series of crisis including an economic collapse and ongoing political paralysis and the disastrous explosion in beirut four years ago. lebanon cannot afford another war, years ago. lebanon cannot afford anotherwar, does years ago. lebanon cannot afford another war, does not want another one but when you speak to people here they make it clear they will not be the decision—makers, they understand perfectly well it will not be the lebanese government or army that decides on whether or not there is war, it will be the iranian backed group hezbollah and israel. to some extent that is a degree of hesitation resignation but there's also anxiety, some people have left the area and gone abroad are more

secure mountain areas people stop people have been waiting since last month when israel carried out an assassination in iran on the leader of the hamas at that time, it is widely blamed for that assassination, it has accepted responsibility for the assassination in lebanon of a senior hezbollah commander sought since then the clock has been ticking. we have had now run one as far as hezbollah is concerned of the retaliation and we wait to see the israelis will take things further on f.c. lapse back to the standard level of violence which goes on here day—to—day, tit—for—tat attack and counterattack. goes on here day-to-day, tit-for-tat attack and counterattack.— goes on here day-to-day, tit-for-tat attack and counterattack. let's speak to john strawson, professor emeritus of law at the university of east london.

he studies international law and middle east. i know this is a difficult question but do you think this is the start of a wider war? i but do you think this is the start of a wider war?— of a wider war? i take a slightly different view _ of a wider war? i take a slightly different view about _ of a wider war? i take a slightly different view about the - of a wider war? i take a slightly l different view about the ceasefire talks in cairo, i think that it is not actually accurate to say hamas are not participating because they are actually agreed to proximity talks and both hamas and israel are sending a delegation to cairo to talk which the prime minister of qatar is overseeing which is incredibly significant and i think hezbollah planned a very dramatic attack in retaliation to the assassination because they were slightly worried that there would be a ceasefire agreement and of course the lebanese hezbollah leader has

made it clear that fl is a ceasefire then the action in the north will cease immediately so i think there is a feeling in the middle east and it is largely due to the extreme caution which iran has exercised ever since the assassination and how it has responded to the event and i think the truth of the matter is, your correspondence are both quite correct, the longer this goes on terrible things could escalate by miscalculation for example but actually what is also very clear over the last ten months is that neither iran nor hezbollah nor israel want a general regional war so i think we have to take the bear that in mind and how we evaluate these events.—

these events. how much will hezbollah — these events. how much will hezbollah be _ these events. how much will hezbollah be talking - these events. how much will hezbollah be talking to - these events. how much will hezbollah be talking to iran | these events. how much willl hezbollah be talking to iran in particular before they took the action today. i particular before they took the action today-— particular before they took the action today. i suspect that is a bit of tension _ action today. i suspect that is a bit of tension between - action today. i suspect that is a i bit of tension between hezbollah action today. i suspect that is a - bit of tension between hezbollah and iran, the iranians have a new president in place, in due leadership with the supreme leader, a new government, they are finding theirfeet a bit a new government, they are finding their feet a bit and i suppose we have made a clear decision that they will play a long game in terms of retaliation against israel over the assassination. that was a terrible blow to the iranian state and security services that this was carried out but i think hezbollah wanted to take some action over the assassination and that is what they tried to do. what is quite clear also as the israeli defence force

has wanted to have a big operation in lebanon for a long time to knock out hezbollah forces and that is what i think they have taken the opportunity of the intelligence report of this suggested planned attack to go after the launch sites and seriously degrade hezbollah's military operation.— reaction to today's intense exchange of fire between israel and hezbollah militants is coming in all the time. we have a live page up and running with the very latest reports and analysis from our correspondents around the region — you can find that on the bbc news website and app. a man has been arrested on suspicion

of carrying out a knife attack in germany which left three people dead and eight more injured. the 26—year—old turned himself into police and claimed responsibility for the stabbing at a festival in the city of solingen on friday night. 0ur correspondent in berlin, damien mcguinness told us more. quite a lot of details have been emerging overnight, i talked to police earlier and they told me that they confirmed he is indeed a 26—year—old syrian national, they would not confirm any other reports of whether he had come to germany as an asylum seeker which is being reported in some german media but in a television interview this morning the interior minister of the region said the suspect had been living in refugee accommodation which has since been raided by police so there seems a connection with the shelter. there have been other arrests which has led to confusion about who police

think is the suspect. they have been saying all along they thinkjust one person was responsible for the attack. there was a 15—year—old boy arrested yesterday, he is thought to have known about the attack in advance, he was heard to be talking about it before it happened. he has been charged with not reporting a crime to the police, police are hoping he can give more information about the attacker or suspect and his motivation. another man who was taken from the refugee shelter for questioning is being questioned by police now so he might possibly have a connection to the suspect. the next stage is police are handing over this case to the prosecutor general which is an indication the authorities are treating this as a terror—related act. we have seen the flowers

being left and a church service today, still a lot of shock in the city. that is right, this was supposed to be three days of celebration, a festival which started on friday and ending today and instead it is a weekend of morning and shock. of mourning and shock. across the region in the last 24 hours festivals and festivities planned cancelled, cafes empty and restaurants empty, people avoiding public transport because no one knew what was happening, there was a fear the attacker was on the loose and potentially dangerous. it appears he went straight into hiding, reportedly hiding in a courtyard behind an apartment block near the crime scene then he gave himself up to police himself up to police late last night saying he was the attacker. police have to investigate whether this is true and

piecing together the evidence they have to find out whether the suspect is indeed the man behind the stabbing. back to the live pictures from the israel lebanon border after they launched strikes and lemon on and hezbollah fired hundreds of rockets and a major escalation of tension in the middle east. it is looking, the moment, 200 sites have been hit and thousands of rocket one shall destroyed. we will have the latest coming up. stay with us here on bbc news. hello there. well, it's another rather breezy day for this time of year, but not as windy as it was at the end of last week. there's yet more wet weather to come in the forecast too. most of that is out towards the north and the west because further south and east,

it should stay largely dry. but we've already seen the best of the sunshine this morning, such as here in northamptonshire, a rather chilly start to the day for this time of year too, many of our temperatures back into single figures. but here comes the rain. it's slowly pushing eastwards across much of scotland, northern ireland and northern england, particularly heavy for southwest scotland, northwest england, where the ground is already saturated. few patches of rain across wales and for southwest england. it's windy for the time of year, especially for these irish sea coasts, but largely dry across southeast england, central southern england and east anglia, just turning cloudier through the afternoon and temperatures still below the seasonal average. now, overnight tonight, the bulk of that rain clears. a few showers for northern england, southern scotland and maybe some scattered showers too for the far southeast of england, but lots of clear skies and it's a milder start to the day tomorrow than it was earlier on this morning. now, tomorrow, bank holiday, of course, for many of us. high pressure builds in from the south, so it is looking mostly dry.

any early showers across the far south and east of england and across northern england should gradually clear. there'll be a lot of sunny spells around, largely dry, not as windy as it is today and so temperatures will be that little bit higher. in fact, we'll see back to the seasonal average. high teens, low 20s could get a 23 or 24 celsius in the best of the sunshine across parts of southeast england. but here comes another weather front. that's going to be sinking southwards and eastwards as we head through tuesday. but towards the south and the east, we've got a southerly wind just pushing some warmer—feeling air our way. some uncertainty still on the timing and position of this weather front towards the north and the west. a scattering of showers, also some sunny spells. heavy rain under the front, but for much of england and possibly for eastern areas of wales, it remains dry. there'll be some sunshine and it will be feeling warmer again. temperatures here in the mid—20s. and the peak of the heat in the southeast is likely to be on wednesday, 28 degrees, but further north and west it's cooler with outbreaks of rain.

bye— bye.

bye—bye. and bye-bye. and ., , bye-bye. and had been fired at drones and marcel had been fired at israel in retaliation _ drones and marcel had been fired at israel in retaliation for— drones and marcel had been fired at israel in retaliation for the - israel in retaliation for the killing wants commanders last month. the german police have arrested a man suspected of carrying out a mass stabbing in the western city of solingen on friday night. they said the 26—year—old turned himself in and said he was responsible. three people were killed and eight others wounded during the attack. anti—terrorist prosecutors have taken over the investigation. french media report that pavel durov, the russian founder of the telegram messaging service, has been arrested after his private jet landed in paris. you can get more on all of the stories on the bbc website and app. hello. it's just it'sjust going it's just going 10:30am this sunday morning. return to our top story, the tensions in the middle east. the israeli military says it has launched a wave of pre—emptive strikes against hezbollah targets across lebanon to thwart

a large—scale attack.