you're watching bbc news. let's continue with the breaking news of the last hour because we are seeing more explosions in beirut. this is the moment when plumes of smoke appeared in several locations across the city and let's show you this picture is first of all because it is unclear at this stage whether they are directly linked to those reports from those news explosions but these images are coming into us and we are hearing from the reuters news agency, you can see the plume of smoke, a security source told the reuters news agency that hand—held radios have been

targeted in these latest attacks and it is understood that hezbollah body radios five months ago around the same time as the pages that exploded yesterday killing 12 people and injuring thousands across lebanon. the new explosions seem to occur outside the capital as well injuring hundreds of people according to the latest security sources with lebanese state media saying three people were killed in the east of the country in these latest round of device blasts but let us take you back to the live pictures because we have seen of the past little while pictures from the hospitals because many of those people injured were taken to the nearest medical facility and there you see large amounts of people and exactly replicating what we saw yesterday with the engine are being taken to the hospital and

as i say the numbers have grown over the past 60 minutes because initially it was reported that dozens of people were hurt. now we are talking about hundreds with at least three fatalities. people region again taking stock of the scale of the explosions and these strikes because it started yesterday with multiple explosions around this time with pagers. now, for the last they are so, of course the root of those pages, that security breach of hezbollah has been tracked and it is thought that those pagers had a message that sends yesterday which detonated those pages and many of those pagers being carried by hezbollah fighters but not

exclusively which is why there is concern from the un and others about the indiscriminate nature of what we have seen in the next while. those concerns principally have been voiced by the un human rights chief in geneva so let's go to geneva and speak to our correspondence there. volker turk are really clear about the tactics being used. yes, the statement in the last hour did not mention at all who he thinks or anyone else here in geneva thinks might be responsible and what he expressed alarm and concern about the widespread nature of the attacks which he said caused real panic in lebanon and i think if you've talked to anyone who was in beirut

yesterday afternoon as i have then you knowjust how terrifying it was and the fact that... remember, we are in geneva, the home of international law, that these pages went off without the people who planned the attack knowing necessarily who was holding those pagers at the time, where they were. we do know some children were killed and also some health workers who apparently were using similar technology and this of course under international law could be classed as indiscriminate and we have heard today that this could be a violation of international law with him calling for a full and independent investigation and independent investigation and saying whoever did this should be held accountable. you talks about _ should be held accountable. you talks about an _ should be held accountable. you talks about an independent investigation which looks very unlikely in reality. doesn't it? ~ , .,

it? we will see. the un human richts it? we will see. the un human rights council— it? we will see. the un human rights council which _ it? we will see. the un human rights council which is - it? we will see. the un human rights council which is in - rights council which is in session at the moment here in geneva, and a statement by volker turk today is not the last we heard about what has been taking place in lebanon after the last 3a hours, the un human rights council can order independent investigations and it has one right now into conditions for example in the occupied territories, it has a special investigation into the situation in gaza and the occupied territories and any country who is the subject of an independent investigation, syria is one, russia is one, venezuela is one, ethiopian is one, or has been one, they do not like it but that is the nature of the un's human rights work that they should be able to examine possible violations of international law or human rights violations wherever they occur so it is quite possible

that perhaps not this one of the next one but perhaps they could see... investigations by invent the net independent investigators then you need the... israel, if indeed israel was involved, nobody has actually entirely gone out on a limb, certainly not here in geneva and said that, it tends not to cooperate with un investigations.— not to cooperate with un investigations. the soundings cominu investigations. the soundings coming out — investigations. the soundings coming out of _ investigations. the soundings coming out of geneva - investigations. the soundings| coming out of geneva echoing exactly the sort of concern we are hearing from the secretary general who said there is a serious risk of dramatic escalation there in 11 on. that is riaht escalation there in 11 on. that is right and — escalation there in 11 on. that is right and you _ escalation there in 11 on. that is right and you prefer - escalation there in 11 on. that is right and you prefer un - is right and you prefer un diplomats have been concerned about this for a long time, even really indeed since october the 7th, how big the scale of israel's retaliation would be, whether iran would get sucked in as well as

hezbollah. we know iran has been relatively... holding itself back and there has been united states pressure behind the scenes i believe on tehran to hold back but again this is yet another step up in escalation in what is in a tinderbox part of the world and i should add that since i've been here in geneva, this is the home of the humanitarian agencies, so the world health organisations, the red cross, all people who have spent the last, almost one year trying to support civilians in this part of the world and many of them themselves dying in the process. and pleading for de—escalation and very tragically for tens of thousands of people we have not seen that de—escalation and in

fact even now in 11 on we seem to be seeing another ratcheting up. to be seeing another ratcheting u . _ ., ~' , , to be seeing another ratcheting u n . ., " , , . to be seeing another ratcheting u l , ., " , , . , up. thanks very much, i 'ust want to bring i up. thanks very much, i 'ust want to bring viewers h up. thanks very much, ijust want to bring viewers some | up. thanks very much, i just i want to bring viewers some of the latest pictures that have come into this... have a look because more and more of the video of the last hour or so well you will see in the next few moments people just rushing away from another of those blasts, have a look at this and we will put the sound up. clamour. well, the immediate aftermath ofjust well, the immediate aftermath of just one of

well, the immediate aftermath ofjust one of those explosions with the cars going through, as we see those pictures and we give you some of the latest details that reuters is reporting. again, talking about hundreds of people being wounded after the fresh round of blasts using communication devices and any of the wounded, they are saying had injuries to their stomach and hands. —— many of the wounded of that coming from the reuters news agency. let's speak to firas maksad, a seniorfellow at the middle east institute, a think tank based in washington dc. in terms of what we are seeing playing out, a second day of these explosions, what is your headline thought? the headline thou~ht headline thought? the headline thought here — headline thought? the headline thought here is _ headline thought? the headline thought here is that _ headline thought? the headline thought here is that israel- headline thought? the headline thought here is that israel is - thought here is that israel is very much taunting hezbollah, almost daring it. this 11 month conflict now, i think both have

been hesitant to bring on this war not because they are responsible but because honestly they prefer indirect warfare with israel and to use the warfare more broadly than war here. the... is really bringing down much of its ability in battlefield which is ability in battlefield which is a significant blow to the organisation and obviously the big question of the hour here is, is this a prelude for a broader campaign that israel is about to launch? something similar to what happened in the six—day war in 67 when israel launched a pre—emptive attack against the egyptian air force before a major war took place or was this driven by the fact that perhaps some in hezbollah were unto this breach? we don't know but certainly everyone in a live and on and the region

are holding their breath for what will unfold in the next couple of hours.— what will unfold in the next couple of hours. how we can do ou couple of hours. how we can do you think _ couple of hours. how we can do you think hezbollah _ couple of hours. how we can do you think hezbollah will be? --| you think hezbollah will be? —— how weakened? we you think hezbollah will be? -- how weakened?— how weakened? we have said before should _ how weakened? we have said before should respond - how weakened? we have said before should respond in - before should respond in response forcefully in an attempt to restore much of its lost deterrence, it really runs the risk of playing into the israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu's hands if indeed he does want to broaden that conflict and is looking for a pretext. if not of that invites further israeli action and allows them to push the line even further south we hope you at least and i do think it is the unlikely scenario at this point, is there is a third pathway which is one of diplomacy and the us and biden administration have been very active in putting forward on the table and outcome, the automatic outcome that would see hezbollah redeploy away from the israeli border and israel perhaps also drawing from some of the points,

conflicted points along that blue line. but before you even get there, i think hezbollah will need to have some kind of performative response in order to save face here against israel at a to save face here against israel ata minimum. to save face here against israel at a minimum. the thing is our israel at a minimum. the thing is your hope — israel at a minimum. the thing is your hope that _ is your hope that we move in the direction of de—escalation, every single point at the minute is the opposite direction.— minute is the opposite direction. ~ , direction. absolutely. the trend line _ direction. absolutely. the trend line could _ direction. absolutely. the trend line could not - direction. absolutely. the trend line could not be . direction. absolutely. the| trend line could not be any clearer and the 11 month conflict, whether it was first targeting hezbollah and her mass, i would say, —— and hamas, then the hezbollah chief of staff in the same area, thwarting the response from hezbollah a few weeks ago are expected response and now the two days of concurrent attacks injuring thousands and at least some 500 hezbollah members losing their eyesight as a result of that, so the trend

line could not be any clearer, it is an s country trend line —— and escalator e trend line. —— an escalatory trend line. but i am not optimistic. what about the _ but i am not optimistic. what about the tactic _ but i am not optimistic. what about the tactic so _ but i am not optimistic. what about the tactic so far - but i am not optimistic. what about the tactic so far from . about the tactic so far from the americans were antony blinken calling for de—escalation, which he has done so so many times. and many analysts have pointed to the need for actually the size of activity with the united states using its real levels of influence as opposed to just words, do you share that view or do you think antony blinken is broadly travelling the right path? is broadly travelling the right ath? , ._ is broadly travelling the right ath? , , ., , path? put it this way, i was in the room _ path? put it this way, i was in the room last _ path? put it this way, i was in the room last week _ path? put it this way, i was in the room last week when - the room last week when president biden�*s envoy tried to get a diplomatic outcome for this conflict and spoke very clearly basically arguing that israel will not be able to

achieve militarily what it has failed to achieve through diplomacy, and thousands will not be able to return to their homes in northern israel as a result of a devastating conflict that will only cause further disruption in northern israel and in southern lebanon. now, that said, the situation in israel is also unsustainable from an israeli perspective and hezbollah has been adamant, really refusing to stop its cross—border activities in support of hamas in gaza. from a lebanese standpoint, one has to also point out that this war that hezbollah has launched on october eight against israel 0ctober eight against israel reportedly in support for hamas in gaza has been largely unsuccessful and returns on that have been very poor for hezbollah. israel proceeded to destroy gazza, dismantle significant portions of hamas and it has only wreaked brought destruction on 11 on so there

is a sense you're among many in 11 on, certainly in —— destruction on lebanon so there is a sense among many in lebanon that they need to perhaps find their way to save face but take the diplomatic offer on offer by washington. how close do you think we are to an all—out war between israel and hezbollah? to an all-out war between israel and hezbollah? days and hours away- — israel and hezbollah? days and hours away- if _ israel and hezbollah? days and hours away. if the _ israel and hezbollah? days and hours away. if the parties - israel and hezbollah? days and hours away. if the parties in . hours away. if the parties in the region do not make the right moves, the risk of escalation here is escalation that would quickly spiral out of control and it is significant. 0n the israeli side, perhaps there is also the thinking that washington is essentially a lame duck with the sitting president not running for re—election and a period three november five and january 20 when the new administration is going to be sworn in. so that coming period

between now and january 20, might allow benjamin netanyahu and israel more leeway to operate as he wants to on the northern bottle of lebanon. —— northern bottle of lebanon. —— northern border. find northern bottle of lebanon. -- northern border.— northern border. and finally, on antony — northern border. and finally, on antony blinken, - northern border. and finally, on antony blinken, linked i northern border. and finally, on antony blinken, linked to| on antony blinken, linked to what we have seen in gaza coast 0ctober seven but antony blinken saying he was making progress in terms of trying to get a ceasefire, he got 15 of the areas had got agreement, three more remained outstanding but when you hear the americans constantly talking up the hope of getting a ceasefire, how much do you think antony blinken and the americans in effect are being played to give time for a full military operation?— time for a full military operation? allow me to respectfully _ operation? allow me to respectfully disagree i operation? allow me to l respectfully disagree with antony blinken your. the administration has been sounding that optimistic note

for months now and we all understand why they need to, for political reasons, we are in election season here in washington and the administration has already staked much of its strategy and approach on that ceasefire in gaza which remains elusive. for him to talk of the details, yes, you can be 90% of where you need to be but that last 10% is crucial and the execution from hamas of the six hostages it had in its possession only further, located detox a couple of weeks ago and certainly the israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu is insistent israel would not withdraw from the philadelphia quarter at that crucial border that is the sticking point and very much being used by the israeli prime minister as a pretext to continue this war and preclude a ceasefire so they will be nowhere near a ceasefire and

unfortunately hezbollah and iran will be using that. before iran will be using that. before i move iran will be using that. before i move on. — iran will be using that. before i move on. i _ iran will be using that. before i move on, i want— iran will be using that. before i move on, i want to - iran will be using that. before i move on, i want to bring - iran will be using that. before i move on, i want to bring up| i move on, i want to bring up to date with what the hungarian government has been saying because they have put out a statement linked to yesterday's explosions with those pager devices with a statement from the government spokesman on x saying the hungarian government wasn't position on the pager issue, the authorities have confirmed the company in question is a trading intermediary with no manufacturing or operating site in hungary with one manager at its declared address in the referenced devices have never beenin referenced devices have never been in hungary. during further investigations, hungary

national security services are cooperating with all the international partner agencies and organisations. to hungary this case poses no national security risk. that is the hungarian part of this equation, of course as there is so much focus of where those pagers were manufactured and where they were actually before they arrived at the order which came to hezbollah and we know it was made around five months ago and interesting in terms of what we have learned this afternoon, these walkie—talkies that have been the focus of today cosmic explosions ordered by hezbollah around the same time. —— that have been the focus of today's explosions ordered by hezbollah around the same time. in terms of the information you're getting, bring it

up—to—date. you're getting, bring it up-to-date._ you're getting, bring it u-to-date. ., ., , ., up-to-date. there are lots of ambulances, _ up-to-date. there are lots of ambulances, rushing - up-to-date. there are lots of ambulances, rushing injuredl ambulances, rushing injured people to hospitals in beirut and elsewhere. we understand there are over 100 people who were injured in this attack, this afternoon, via walkie—talkies. 0f this afternoon, via walkie—talkies. of course there was a lot of disbelief, a lot of mayhem, a lot of confusion in the country about first what is happening because this remains a massive question and yesterday the question is what happened with the pagers and todayit happened with the pagers and today it is what happened with these radio devices and how could that happen once again one day after when the country hasn't really... is still reeling from the effects of yesterday's mass attack that left over 2800 people injured. you say confusion but there

also must be panic. {iii you say confusion but there also must be panic. of course, there was _ also must be panic. of course, there was a — also must be panic. of course, there was a lot _ also must be panic. of course, there was a lot of _ also must be panic. of course, there was a lot of panic. - there was a lot of panic. people are scared because they are skilled of their own devices, they do not really know whether the device they are holding is at the moment a weapon in the hands and this is a real question because everyone was yesterday feeling that this is some sort of a sci—fi fantasy and true and everyone is wondering whether you could be holding a device or standing with anyone next to you holding a device who can be actually a bomb. this is creating some sort of very unusual feeling of panic, anxiety and also the panic and anxiety and also the panic and anxiety is about what is going to happen next because this is massive, this is shocking, this is unprecedented but also this could open our progress and

open confrontation between hezbollah and israel so the question is what is the intention of going through all of this? if it is basically just to send a huge blow to hezbollah, it did of course but doesn't really achieve a goal of weakening hezbollah to the point of rendering it ineffective or impotent? there are lots of? surround this and why we were there in beirut, basically filming and covering the funeral of the four people who were killed yesterday by the pager attack, one of them a boy who is just 11 years old, i spoke to people they are and the one question i put to them is people, strong supporters of hezbollah, i said this is a big blow, how is morale? people think this will be a turning point for hezbollah and i was met with lots of defiance, lots

of people there were kind of telling me, well, you are wrong, this is going to turn us even more defiant, we are all standing in unity behind our party and behind hezbollah. so basically the question is what is next and how is all of this going to materialise in the future? thank you very much. let's head to the streets in beirut because bbc persian's correspond is there for us. give acer a sense of the mood in terms of conversations you have had with people around you. —— give us a sense of the mood. you. -- give us a sense of the mood. ~ ., , you. -- give us a sense of the mood. , mood. we also 'ust came back from a funeral — mood. we also just came back from a funeral and _ mood. we also just came back from a funeral and actually - mood. we also just came back| from a funeral and actually one of the explosions happened not far from us. of the explosions happened not farfrom us. we heard a very strong explosion but interestingly, everyone is still standing for the funeral

while we could hear the ambulances coming, one of the explosions we heard apparently happened inside a car, inside one of the ambulances that parked not far from one of the ambulances that parked not farfrom us one of the ambulances that parked not far from us and immediately after, we could hear other ambulances coming while still the funeral was going on, and as that was also mentioned. we were then asked to leave the area because multiple other explosions were heard not too far from the place that funeral was being held. you could see the panic in people's face, angering people's face and reaction and we have covered several funerals before in the past ten months and especially the biggest one, when the hezbollah commander was killed in an

israeli air strike, but this was similar to when they lost one of the bigger commanders. fuad shukur. they were closing down some of the roads because one of the —— the number of casualties went off and they are trying to take them to different hospitals and today we spent quite a lot of time in one of the biggest hospitals in beirut and we could hear from the medical team that have they had to cope with the big number of casualties that they just received yesterday evening, all at once, the doctor was telling me that they have received ten, 20, 30, 50 people at once and all with similar injuries, they had mainly young people who are

lost their hands, lost their eyes and they needed surgery. despite it being a very big hospital, they are overwhelmed. we need to leave you there but thank you very much for the latest they are in beirut. we are coming to the end of this particular part of the programme so let me bring you right up to date and show some of the latest this the scene after one of the blasts, the cloud you will see with a car coming through the foreground of the picture and we see these scenes being played out in beirut elsewhere, too, with the numbers being reported injured in the second blast now put at hundreds. this coming through quite close to where one of the funerals was played out and

many more being gathered around the hospitals. we will have more on this breaking story from beirut here on the programme with frank gardner in a moment or two. hello. there is a lot more blue sky and september sunshine to come in the forecast and while it's warm across the board with temperatures above the seasonal average, it's particularly warm in northern scotland and across northern ireland. these were some of the high temperatures recorded yesterday so 25 degrees in aboyne in aberdeenshire, the average for the time of year isjust 17. we are expecting something similar again later on this afternoon. a lot of sunshine as you can see on the map. more cloud towards the north sea facing coast. quite a keen north—easterly wind blowing from the north sea into east anglia and south—east england. these will be the highs today so the mid 20s in northern scotland and maybe down towards the south—east of england as well. high pressure remains very much in charge over the next few days. it starts to drift its way eastwards though.

quite a keen easterly wind blowing across southern england. it is quite breezy here overnight. we are going to see more low cloud blowing from the north sea so nicky started the day here in the eastern facing coast. where we keep the clearer skies out towards the north and the west they could be more fog and mist developing into tomorrow morning and quite a range of temperatures. mildest towards the south. 13—14 celsius here. there will be a lot of low cloud around, some mist and fog into tomorrow morning and again that will slowly turn back to these eastern facing coast but towards these north sea facing coast some of the cloud could linger on so the best of the sunshine probably out towards the west on thursday. we could still get to 25 or 26 celsius across parts of south—east england. 23 or 2a in north—west scotland. a small chance of a shower or two on thursday but a greater chance on friday as we started drawing more unstable air from the south. still a keen easterly wind and still some cloudy conditions but watch out for heavy downpours across southern and western parts as we head through friday afternoon. generally still dry further north where the sunshine will continue out towards the west.

all change over the weekend. low pressure moves on from the south and it will turn quite unstable so more showers particularly towards southern areas on saturday and again on sunday but drier further north. goodbye. particularly towards southern areas on saturday and again on sunday but drier further north. goodbye.