live from london, this is bbc news. at least three people are reported dead and more than 100 injured following afresh wave of explosions across lebanon. at least nine. reports say walkie talkies used by hezbollah were targeted in the attack. these are live pictures in beirut, where some of the latest explosions have taken place. we'll bring you the latest with our team of correspondents. in beirut, in jerusalem in beirut, injerusalem and also from washington. it comes after 12 are killed and thousands more injured following the synchronised explosions of hezbollah pagers across lebanon on tuesday. hezbollah blames israel and vows to retaliate.

hello, i'm matthew amroliwala. welcome to bbc news. let's continue with rolling coverage of the rapidly evolving security situation in lebanon, where over the last few hours, fresh ways of exploding electronic devices have caused new casualties. the health ministry, quoted by afp, says nine people have been killed in more than 300 injured. let me show you some images found by reuters in beirut. they show the plumes of smoke to the middle and right of the screen at several different locations across the city, and not altogether clear whether this was the start, but as we mentioned, the lebanese authority saying walkie—talkies targeted in the attacks and the

iranian backed hezbollah group bought the radios around five months ago, around the same time as the pagers that exploded yesterday. let's start this hour in washington. joining me now from washington is tom bateman. antony blinken saying only a few hours ago that washington knew nothing about these impending attacks yesterday. well, yes, that line is that they knew nothing of any specific detail. it does seem to me that there may have been some conversations between the israelis and americans earlier about the possibility of something happening, with the americans insisting they had no details about what happened here. that repeated by antony

blinken in cairo, saying the us was not involved, it had no advanced warning. also going on to warn about the risks of escalation effectively saying it has always been their position to everyone involved to try to avoid further escalation. we heard that message repeated several times by antony blinken. the other interesting thing about this is the way in which they said they're still gathering information. that usually tends to be his kind of wording for when they are really trying to slow walk because i think they're trying to ascertain the damage exactly that was done including civilian casualties, because that will then lead to accusations about how this fits in with international humanitarian law. we've seen videos of these pagers exploding in grocery stores,

for example. thousands of them exploding. that will be of question on the minds and the state department very well that they will be asked those questions. what they can publicly support happen, i think very much up in the air. as long as the israelis don't take official responsibility, i think that gives the americans the ability to keep saying they're gathering information to sort of stall around this, but what they will be doing diplomatically and to some extent militarily is again trying to prevent further escalation after we've seen this escalation of this particular wave of attacks itself. that will be a up most in the mind i think of american diplomats talking to the israelis. ., , ., .,

israelis. tom, in terms of that diplomacy. — israelis. tom, in terms of that diplomacy. they _ israelis. tom, in terms of that diplomacy, they have - israelis. tom, in terms of that diplomacy, they have said - israelis. tom, in terms of that i diplomacy, they have said many, many, many times that the need to de—escalate, the need not to drift in the region into a war. but step—by—step, we've seen leaders being attacked you dated —— assassinated. we are moving in the opposite direction all the time. the kind of mood _ direction all the time. the kind of mood within - direction all the time. tue: kind of mood within the direction all the time. tte: kind of mood within the israeli government — the us government, i should say, is sort of reminiscent of what happened when the israelis assassinated the political leader of hamas in tehran. 0nce the political leader of hamas in tehran. once again, we didn't have any sort of admission of responsibility by the israelis. we had a similar situation where i think the americans were deeply concerned about what the response would be, sending a lot more military assets. some have been fullback since then and i think the

americans are now going to think about whether they have to send more back in because they will always shield israel diplomatically and militarily if it comes to water escalation. but my sense is one where they believe they managed to get things to a sort of relatively calm her situation after that assassination. —— relatively —— relatively more calm. read again, they feel they are dealing with a situation that might require more immediate management as if there wasn't enough of that already. as for that cease—fire deal, i thought it was really notable that antony blinken was asked about the fact that he is not stopping in israel on the trip — his tenth to the region — that's the first time he's happened when he's made a

regional trip since october the 7th. he was asked if this was tensions. he said three times in his answer that there needs to be effort from both parties to be effort from both parties to get this done, and i sense in that answer the frustration that they are once again dealing with the possibility with a rapid escalation. tam with a rapid escalation. tom bateman — with a rapid escalation. tom bateman in _ with a rapid escalation. tom bateman in washington, - with a rapid escalation. tom bateman in washington, they say much. i'll come to frank gardner injust a moment, but i wanted alive to beirut. hugo bachega is in beirut. describe what the next few hours have been like. matthew, we were in _ hours have been like. matthew, we were in the _ hours have been like. matthew, we were in the hezbollah - we were in the hezbollah stronghold in beirut. at around five o'clock, when the funeral of four of the people who were

killed in the attacks yesterday was about to start, there was a a loud explosion and explosions in other parts the countries. we've heard from the lebanese health ministry saying nine people have been killed after a new wave of explosions that affected radios, walkie—talkies, another target in these attacks, and more than 300 people have been injured. so another wave of attacks, so these explosions that happened with pagers distributed by hezbollah, i2 with pagers distributed by hezbollah, 12 were killed. including a girl who was eight and 11—year—old boy. the funeral of this boy was about to take place when the explosion happened — that didn't happen. this happened in

a country that was shocked what happened yesterday and was angered as well because those explosions yesterday happen as people were in shops, with theirfamilies and at people were in shops, with their families and at home, people were in shops, with theirfamilies and at home, and today, another humiliation for hezbollah because it suggests israel has managed to infiltrate the network used by the group that has been used by hezbollah. they have not responded, and tomorrow, we will hearfrom responded, and tomorrow, we will hear from the powerful hezbollah leader and i think we will see an indication of what he will plan to do.— will see an indication of what he will plan to do. hugo, stay there. i want _ he will plan to do. hugo, stay there. i want to _ he will plan to do. hugo, stay there. i want to bring - he will plan to do. hugo, stay there. i want to bring in - he will plan to do. hugo, stay| there. i want to bring in frank gardner. he is here with me in the studio. two days of this now. your assessment. tt’s the studio. two days of this now. your assessment. it's got to make you — now. your assessment. it's got to make you think _ now. your assessment. it's got to make you think why - now. your assessment. it's got to make you think why has - to make you think why has israel done this, and there are a number of different... we can

drop any pretence that it was anyone other than it was what's behind this? there are conflicting theories. 0ne behind this? there are conflicting theories. one is this was a carefully timed, deliberately timed prelude to some kind of big move against his lower back. that doesn't make military sense because the most idle time would be just before during operations —— ideal —— against hezbollah. if it's a long—term theme to demoralise hezbollah and by extension the backers in tehran, and to show them that we can hit you right where it hurts, you can't communicate with your own fighters, then 0k, with your own fighters, then ok, that is one possibility. but another is israel has a shot its bolt too early, that it is a theory that hezbollah

spotted some of the discrepancy in the pager devices and it started to smell a rat and risks for israel the whole operation undermined. therefore, they went in they could. in other words, therefore, they went in they could. in otherwords, lose therefore, they went in they could. in other words, lose it theory. we don't know which one it is yet, but militarily, it's hard to see what is right now. frank, thanks very much and thanks for being with me through the last couple of hours. let's speak to shashankjoshi, defence editor at the economist. joining me live on the programme. thanks for being with us. what is your analysis to what we've been singing both yesterday and today? tt’s yesterday and today? it's astonishing _ yesterday and today? tt�*s astonishing because yesterday look like a fairly targeted attack that was directed at a very limited batch of obviously amused by hezbollah. today's attacks are beginning to look like something bigger. they

have targeted walkie—talkies brought in roughly the same time, but we've also seen some early admittedly unconfirmed reports of hardware excluding. i've seen reports of solar systems —— home solar systems. this is also affecting iranian revolutionary guard officials in syria who are very close to hezbollah, and the fact that the syrian armed forces are concerned, i think this is so in panic across the region in israel's adversary.— israel's adversary. hugo is still with _ israel's adversary. hugo is still with us, _ israel's adversary. hugo is still with us, i'll— israel's adversary. hugo is still with us, i'll bring - israel's adversary. hugo is still with us, i'll bring you| still with us, i'll bring you backin still with us, i'll bring you back in soon, shashank. what is the feeling amongst ordinary people? forthe the feeling amongst ordinary people? for the last year, and has been spoken about, the dangers of regional war. does it feel — you're there and talking to people — does it

feel much closer given these events? t feel much closer given these events? ~ , feel much closer given these events? ~' , ., ., events? i think there is a lot of anger. — events? i think there is a lot of anger, yeah, _ events? i think there is a lot of anger, yeah, because - events? i think there is a lot of anger, yeah, because of. events? i think there is a lot i of anger, yeah, because of the way these attacks have happened. people in shops were injured. the health ministry said almost 3,000 were injured yesterday when those pagers exploded. i think for almost a year, this country has been talking about the possibility of another war with israel and even today, the cross—border attacks from as blower have continued. they say this will continued. they say this will continue unless there is a cease—fire —— from hezbollah. this hasn't really happened and we've seen this week, the israeli government has approved the decision to include the

return of displaced residents from northern communities in israel as a goal in the war. in other words, there's the possibility that the israel military might launch a wider offensive against hezbollah to try to push them away from the border and to create a so—called buffer zone in southern lebanon, which would allow the residents to return home. i think the situation has changed at least in terms of how people are feeling at the moment. there was a lot of chaos and confusion earlier today after this new wave of attacks in beirut here, and there is the expectation perhaps there is more to come. hugo, thank you. shashank, what do you think israel's strategy is here? t do you think israel's strategy is here? ~ ., do you think israel's strategy is here? ~ . , ., is here? i think that it is a threat to _ is here? i think that it is a threat to say _ is here? i think that it is a threat to say to _ is here? i think that it is a | threat to say to hezbollah, is here? i think that it is a - threat to say to hezbollah, "if you don't do a deal in which

you don't do a deal in which you pull yourforces away you don't do a deal in which you pull your forces away from the border with israel, if you don't stop rocket attacks, this is a sign we have penetrated you so thoroughly that a war is going to go very badly for you." i'm not sure it is a precursor to an imminent conflict, i think it is possibly a last ditch effort to say to hezbollah, do a deal now or the consequences will be very bad indeed.— very bad indeed. you heard erha -s very bad indeed. you heard perhaps what _ very bad indeed. you heard perhaps what the _ perhaps what the secretary—general was talking about, just his alarm at the escalation. presumably, it is to the americans to get this de—escalated. does their strategy and diplomacy have to move beyond simple words? they say to israel, but that hasn't rained in benjamin netanyahu. if you talk to israeli defence officials — i was there perhaps

a few weeks ago — the consistence is the road to de—escalation with hezbollah runs through gaza. if you don't get a cease—fire in gaza, you can't fix the problem with hezbollah. that doesn't mean you get peace israeli military believes if you fix gaza, you are in a stronger position to go to war with hezbollah — not now, perhaps in six months or a year's time. there is a crisis coming with hezbollah, but many israeli security would rather happen later when israel is diplomatically prepared as america on its side and has its own army with a chance to rest. what they don't want to see on the whole, i think, is a hasty, rapid war right now. aha, the whole, i think, is a hasty, rapid war right now.— rapid war right now. a final thought. — rapid war right now. a final thought, shashank, - rapid war right now. a final. thought, shashank, because rapid war right now. a final- thought, shashank, because the secretary—general talked about it. the use and targeting of

communication devices that many citizens, ordinary people are using. how concerned are you about this becoming a new norm? i'm not overly concerned because attacks like this are incredibly hard to do. we've seen this target a communication system used by hezbollah, an armed group, not all pagers in lebanon, all phones. i have to say i'm not one of those who is panicking about the idea that we will see electronic devices exploding around the world. shashank, thanks very _ around the world. shashank, thanks very much _ around the world. shashank, thanks very much for - around the world. shashank, thanks very much for being l around the world. shashank, . thanks very much for being here with those thoughts. today, we are seeing those reports of nine dead and 300 injured. it comes after that attack on pagers. around 3,000 injured

and nine dead. so much attention on that and one of the countries that trail leads to is budapest. we are joined by nick thorpe. just explain where you are and what the hungarian authorities have said. , �* , ., , said. yes, i'm 'ust outside the residential — said. yes, i'm just outside the residential building _ said. yes, i'm just outside the residential building where - said. yes, i'm just outside the j residential building where bac consulting. that's named by a taiwanese company, its a hungarian company, and it was found on the back of those pagers that exploded yesterday. that trail led here to this office. but it's 13 different companies including bac consulting, listed on a piece of paper. these are just journalists — a lot of people have congregated here to find out. people in the building

saying that they just out. people in the building saying that theyjust came once a month to pick up their male. 0ther a month to pick up their male. other colleagues have spoken to residence. —— get taking up the mail. this evening, we've had a statement from the hungarian government saying this is really a trading company and that his company had no operational capacity in hungary. the mystery effectively continues. they also talked _ effectively continues. they also talked about - effectively continues. they also talked about an - also talked about an investigation, working with partners. what realistically are we likely to see? t5 partners. what realistically are we likely to see? is very difficult because _ are we likely to see? is very difficult because there's - difficult because there's always a very good relationship between the hungarian government and the israeli government, between viktor 0rban and benjamin netanyahu. there have been cases back in 2021 women an israeli spy

company supplied hungarian government with spyware to track journalists, government with spyware to trackjournalists, opposition politicians, otherfigures trackjournalists, opposition politicians, other figures as well. it's a close relationship, so that's one question that's being asked. was hungary some way involved? the government are denying very firmly anything like that and saying that the company basically not manufacturing those things.— those things. nick thorpe, thank you _ those things. nick thorpe, thank you very _ those things. nick thorpe, thank you very much. - those things. nick thorpe, thank you very much. just | those things. nick thorpe, | thank you very much. just a couple of lines to bring you. un security council are saying they will meet friday to discuss the events of the last couple of days. a senior hamas official says the israeli government is responsible for the repercussions of this continuous attack on lebanon. some of the latest reaction after the events of the last few hours in the events of yesterday. around the world and across the uk — this is bbc news.

staying with those explosions in beirut. this time focused on walkie—talkie devices, the very latest we're hearing is that nine people dead and over 300 people injured. we have some new footage to show you that bbc iverify have shared. the smoke just coming out of that shop and the immediate aftermath ofjust one of the many explosions we've seen over the last couple of hours. we

were talk about walkie—talkies and yesterday, talk about pagers, and it's become clear that the batch of walkie—talkies that were purchased by hezbollah were from around the same time period as the pagers. so around five months ago. i also want to show you some time wax pictures. crunched down into a few seconds, just showing you the various explosions that you can see over that skyline of beirut. that's what we saw throughout the second wave of explosions were heard in lebanon, and we've had that real action —— reaction from

the secretary—general. he has been speaking in new york about his concerns about the escalation we're seeing. let's hear from antonio guterres. obviously, the logic of making all these — obviously, the logic of making all these devices explode is to do it as a preemptive strike. it's important —— as important as the _ important —— as important as the event _ important —— as important as the event in itself is the indication that these events confirm _ indication that these events confirm a dramatic escalation in lebanon and everything must be in lebanon and everything must he done — in lebanon and everything must be done to avoid that escalation. that was antonio guterres. as we see the latest pictures from around the hospitals and like yesterday, so many casualties being taken to hospital, showing the nature of the

injuries, very similar to yesterday with eye injuries, hand injuries, injuries to the stomach. yesterday, pagers, and of course, they were sent messages. that's what activated the blast and that's why there were so many hand injuries and eye injuries. the latest in terms of the figures today —— nine people have been killed in over 300 injured. the un security council will be meeting on friday to discuss what we've been saying, and the secretary general worried and concerned about the escalation. that is what we heard at the top of the hour. 0n the ground, these are the pictures. these are the scenes after a second day of explosions there. targeting has

being part of the casualties. more here on bbc news. hello. there's a lot more blue sky and september sunshine to come in the forecast, and while its 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 i7. we are expecting something similar again later on this afternoon. a lot of sunshine as you can see on the 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 towards south—east england as well. high pressure remains very much in charge over the next few days. it slowly starts to drift its way eastwards though. got quite a keen easterly wind blowing across southern england. it is quite breezy here overnight. we are going to see more low cloud blowing in the eastern—facing coasts. 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 coasts, 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 drierfurther north. bye— bye.

welcome back to bbc news in that it's welcome back to bbc news in that its turn to our main headlines here. at least nine people were reported dead and hundreds more injured following a fresh wave of explosions across lebanon over the last few hours. reports say walkie—talkies used in other news, paid more than the prime minister the chief of staff received a controversial pay rise after the election. and a special report from somalia, one of the worlds poorest countries as it deals with climate change and conflicts. in the princess of wales returns to royal duties of the first time since her

chemotherapy treatment earlier in the year.