lebanon says eight people have been killed in beirut after israel launches another strike on the outskirts of the lebanese capital, reports suggest the target was a senior hezbollah commander. these are live pictures from beirut. you can still see smoke continue to rise at the location of today's strike. our other headlines... mohamed al fayedis other headlines... mohamed al fayed is described as a monster by lawyers representing women who have accused the former billionaire owner of the herds of sexual assault. the allegations _ of sexual assault. the allegations involve . of sexual assault. iie: allegations involve cover—ups, threats, and a quarter century of sexual abuse by mohamed al fayed after he purchased harrods and became its chairman. early voting for the 2024 election starts today in minnesota, virginia

and south dakota. hello, i'm matthew amroliwala. let's stay with that breaking news, developments in the middle east and lebanon. the israeli military says it's carried out a "targeted strike" on the lebanese capital beirut, after hezbollah fired more than 100 rockets into israel. lebanon's health ministry says eight people have been killed these are the life pictures, they are coming into us all the time showing still the aftermath of the blast. you can still see areas of smoke in the southern suburbs, that is the area that has been targeted by the israelis in the last little while. lebanon's health ministry says eight people have been killed

and at least 59 injured in the attack on a suburb in southern beirut. a number of rockets have also been fired into northern israel. there are a number of reports that the target of israel's strike was senior hezbollah commander ibrahim aqil. meanwhile — within the last hour — there's also been more sirens and a number of rockets fired into northern israel. these the pictures show that large plume of smoke. there it is, centre screen with the smoke rising over the skyline. that was the scene a couple of hours ago. let's go to the life pictures, because thatis to the life pictures, because that is what the scene is like. that is the situation on the ground now. so, let's go outside of one of the hospitals in beirut. our correspondent is there. bring us right up to

date. i hope you can hear me, bring us right up to date. well, apologies, we have clearly got apologies, we have clearly got a problem they are with that line. i will try and also bring you the latest we had from hugo, he was there on the ground talking to me a short while ago, very close to the scene. he wasjust while ago, very close to the scene. he was just describing what it was like in those moments in the streets afterwards, and all of this is coming after three days where there has been so much panic and alarm in beirut. you have the pager blasts, then the walkie—talkie blasts, and of course, over the last 12 or 18 hours, an exchange of rocket fire. i talked about hugo but jacob because he was there on the ground very close to the

strike site. let's hear his latest dispatch when he was talking to me a short while ago. talking to me a short while auo. ~ i, ago. we are here in the southern _ ago. we are here in the southern suburbs - ago. we are here in the southern suburbs of. ago. we are here in the - southern suburbs of beirut, a strong hold of hezbollah. we are not very far from the location that was hit in this israeli air strike, it is a very tense situation. we cannot really move here because we have been told by hezbollah supporters and members that we need to stay here. but to my right, a few blocks from here, is the building where that, that was targeted in this israeli air strike. it happened at around four o'clock in the afternoon here. you can see that this is densely populated area of beirut. this happened in the middle of the afternoon, now we know that there is a search operation, people are reported to be under the

rubble. we have seen that there is some destruction there, at least one building that is partially collapsed, at least the facade of the building has collapsed as a result of these air strikes. and now, the lebanese authorities are saying that at least three people have been killed. now, the israeli military has confirmed that the target of this operation was ibrahim aqil, who is a senior hezbollah official. so, it is saying, the israeli military saying, the israeli military saying that this was a targeted operation will stop and now there is obviously a lot of tension here, this has been week in which hezbollah has suffered massive security blow. it seems that this is attack targeting a key hezbollah figure here in beirut. well, that was — figure here in beirut. well, that was hugo _ figure here in beirut. well, that was hugo talking - figure here in beirut. well, that was hugo talking to i figure here in beirut. well, l that was hugo talking to me, very close to the scene of that blast. let me bring you

up—to—date in terms of what is coming to us from the white house, because we have had those details from the lebanese health ministry sank eight dead, 59 injured. at the white house is talking about this already, the national security spokesmanjohn kirby already, the national security spokesman john kirby saying already, the national security spokesmanjohn kirby saying he was not aware of any notification from israel to the united states before those strikes today, but again then, underlining to american citizens, not to travel to lebanon and to leave if they are already there. we have heard the same message from the uk foreign secretary david lemi. and, of course, the white house also underlining that they are involved in more in diplomatic efforts to try to de—escalate the situation in the region. i have been talking in the last hour to the military correspondent for the times of israel about the options now being considered by the israeli military.

military in a looming conflict with lebanon. i think we are already seeing this new phase of the war starting. it has been talked about already by israeli officials, he has been saying the past few days that we are beginning a new phase of this war against hezbollah. the recent actions in lebanon, even if you ignore the pagers and the other devices that exploded in lebanon, we are sink much more intensive israeli strikes inside lebanon. we are the last strike just now in beirut killing, or reportedly killing, top hezbollah commander. and this really could come before potential ground operation. it is hard to say, how extensive such a ground operation could be. it may be something limited, but at least according to israel plus my goals now, which were sort of updated a few days ago, which is returning the displaced israelis back to their homes, under that goal israel it would probably need to push hezbollah back from the border, and that could be done in a ground operation. i

border, and that could be done in a ground operation.- in a ground operation. i have seen conflicting _ in a ground operation. i have seen conflicting analysis, - seen conflicting analysis, respected analysts have made the point that perhaps now with hezbollah seriously weekend, there is a unique opportunity for israel to actually deal with hezbollah in a way that they have not for decades. that is one side of the analysis. the other side, of course, is the risk that they are still hugely armed. one thinks back to 2006, it was hugely damaging for both sides, that war. i definitely agree with the second assessment. in that war both for israel and lebanon it would be devastating. israeli assessments have put it at hundreds of thousands of casualties at the israeli side. it will not be anything easy. it will not be anything easy. it is wrote has reached this point where it hezbollah have tied to their attacks in the north to what is going on in gaza. israel has not ended its war in gaza yet. so, for hezbollah to stop its attacks, it does not seem to want to

agree to stop them unless israel ends the war in gaza, which is not going to happen. so israel has to come in now, in its point of view, begin to amp up, begin to wrap up its activities in lebanon to use basically military pressure to force hezbollah away. i do not think hezbollah is degraded at this point, it has lost top commanders and a hundreds of operatives, but it is still an army in lebanon. as hundreds of missiles and thousands and maybe even of rockets aimed at israel, and in the end of the day, even if there is a major war, it is going to end with some kind of agreement. eventually, there will be a ceasefire. i do not think israel ever intends to completely destroy hezbollah as it is currently doing in the gaza strip with hamas. it is a completely different plan, and i do not think it is in

israel's plans to completely destroy hezbollah. the damage it, sure, but it will eventually end in a deal. it is probably better for israel to reach a deal before launching a major war rather than after it. i really brief final thought, where are the hostages in all of this equation and where do you think public opinion is? israel definitely wants to retrieve the hostages, but the negotiations for a deal, i don't think i have been progressing all that much recently. and i think that is part of what has brought israel to begin facing north instead, diverting forces there, because it has realised it is not able to reach a deal at this point and the north is still a problem and there are still 60,000 displaced israelis from their homes. that has now become, i wouldn't say more of a priority but another one of the war plus my goals. well, let me show _ the war plus my goals. well, let me show you _ the war plus my goals. well, let me show you some - the war plus my goals. well, let me show you some of. the war plus my goals. well, | let me show you some of the latest pictures that we have just received. just the

immediate aftermath of the blast, you can see the damage there to the building. if we remove this trap there, you can see more of the picture. the area's efforts made in the immediate aftermath. the lebanese health ministry sink that eight people have been killed in this strike with 59 at least being injured. and, of course, there were scenes of panic in that area. the ambulances come as you would expect, as some of those injured were taken away. so, those are the pictures coming into us as you are watching these pictures, let's go to one of the medical facilities were some of those injured have been taken to. our correspondent is outside. just bring us up—to—date. b, outside. just bring us up-to-date.- outside. just bring us up-to-date. a while ago, matthew. _ up-to-date. a while ago, matthew, they _ up-to-date. a while ago, matthew, they brought . up-to-date. a while ago, l matthew, they brought one up-to-date. a while ago, - matthew, they brought one of the first casualties from the area, we could confirm that the

person, we couldn't see if he or she was dead, we could not confirm if it was a man or woman. but they said is definitely from that area. the atmosphere here is very tense, because this hospital also is treating tens of hezbollah members that were injured by pagers exploding. now, i hear from sources that despite his hezbollah is not confirming officially, but i am hearing from sources that ibrahim aqil, the commander in charge of the special operations of hezbollah, is killed. this has not been confirmed by hezbollah, we are waiting for the group's statement. i am also hearing that in that building which was a residential building belonging to ibrahim aqil that was hit by two missiles fired from jets

over the suburb, other hezbollah members were also present. now search operations are still continuing, we don't know how many people were killed, the news agency here in lebanon says that the number it may go up. but who is ibrahim aqil? he was accused by the usa of being behind operations against the us embassy in 1983, killing almost, more than 63 people, mainly americans, in 1983. and also he was one of those that the us is accusing of being behind an attack at the same time, in the same year, against us marines. the other commander that was killed in july 13 other commander that was killed injuly 13 and he was apparently, what i am hearing

from my sources, he was replaced, the second person in hezbollah, and now israel's newspaper saying that they have information that ibrahim aqil was one of the patients, one of the injured people because of that pager blasts. he was, he left the hospitaljust that pager blasts. he was, he left the hospital just this morning. this is what we are hearing now. this is a very difficult day for hezbollah because they also threw a statement confirmed that two of their elite forces, which is hezbollah�*s delete young fighters, were killed on the border with israel. and their bodies are still on the other side, they couldn't bring their bodies. apparently there was an

operation for infiltration into israel from the south and the bodies are in the hands of the israeli defense forces. as we understand from the statement. thank you very much for the latest, she was saying that sources confirmed that ibrahim aqil has been killed in this attack. and actually going on one of the sources saying he was killed alongside members of hezbollah�*s delete unit as they were holding a meeting today. so, where it strikes they are in a beirut with more hezbollah commanders being targeted. at the overall death toll is being put at eight, with 59 others injured. let me point you to the life page, that is running with all the latest pictures and a detail. it is really a fluid situation, so do head there for the latest on that story. we are going to pause,

back here in a moment or two, we will have all the latest after that bbc documentary and the revelations around the late mohamed al fayed. we will talk to the lawyer who was there, very prominently in today's news conference. gloria is on the programme live and that is next. around the world and across the uk, you are watching bbc news.

you are watching bbc news. let's turn to that story that has had so many headlines and so much focus over the last 12 hours since the bbc documentary was aired. lawyers say they're representing 37 women — who were raped or sexually assaulted by mohamed al fayed, the late owner of the harrods department store in london. they've also revealed, that more have come forward, after the allegations were made public in a bbc documentary yesterday. the legal team is now calling on the department store's new owners, to help the survivors getjustice — they say staff members working for mr al fayed helped to enable

and cover up his crimes. our reporter frances read has the latest. there was a press conference earlier in the day and it was astonishingly powerful. natacha is a survivor — she told the press conference that she joined harrods when she was 19 years old — but that it's only now that she felt free to speak up. i believed i had been given the chance of a lifetime. an exciting job in an incredibly dynamic environment with endless opportunities to look forward to. i could not believe how lucky i was. imagine the possibilities, this was my passport to a shining, high—powered career. mohamed al fayedit high—powered career. mohamed al fayed it was clever and highly manipulative. he behaved like a fatherfigure, often manipulative. he behaved like a father figure, often saying, call me papa. often talking about his family and children as if to make me feel safe

around him. he would ask kind and seemingly caring questions. he offered extra money for gifts to take home to my parents or to buy new work clothes. it all seemed entirely innocent and normal then, a perk of working for such a powerful man. unbeknownst to me, i had walked into a lion's dan, a layer of cover ups, deceits, lies, humiliation, and gross sexual misconduct. i was subjected to un—unnecessary and intrusive medical examination and never given those results. i was subjected to aids and std testing without consent, and now i believe in hindsight i was checked for my purity. $1150 was checked for my purity. also in that news _ was checked for my purity. also in that news conference - in that news conference speaking earlier in the day it was the attorney gloria, who joins me live on the programme right now. it was incredibly

powerful, the lid has finally come off and what is becoming public is a really horrific, isn't it?— public is a really horrific, isn't it? , , ., , isn't it? yes, it is, and it is the victims _ isn't it? yes, it is, and it is the victims finding - isn't it? yes, it is, and it is the victims finding the - isn't it? yes, it is, and it is- the victims finding the courage to speak their truth. i just admired them and commend them for that. admired them and commend them forthat. but admired them and commend them for that. but not everybody also wants to do it publicly, there are many victims who will speak their truth privately to their barristers. and in the barristers, which i am associated, our legal team, they are so experienced and so committed, passionate about helping the victims to find justice. i said this morning at the press conference, it is never too late to do the right thing. and we think it is time, really overdue, for harrods, even though they are the new purchasers of harrods, in 2010,

that they need to step up. they have said that harrods failed their employees, and we are glad they acknowledged that. but now we want deeds, notjust words. i but now we want deeds, not 'ust words. . ., but now we want deeds, not 'ust words. _, . ~ ., words. i will come back to harrods — words. i will come back to harrods in _ words. i will come back to harrods in a _ words. i will come back to harrods in a moment, - words. i will come back to harrods in a moment, but words. i will come back to i harrods in a moment, but let words. i will come back to - harrods in a moment, but let me take it in stages. mohamed al fayed was clearly a predator, described as a monster in that conference, but there were clear patterns of behaviour, weren't they?— clear patterns of behaviour, weren't they? exactly. in other words, weren't they? exactly. in other words. his _ weren't they? exactly. in other words, his preying _ weren't they? exactly. in other words, his preying on - weren't they? exactly. in other words, his preying on female l words, his preying on female employees of harrods was also supported and enabled by harrods. he could not have done it without them. and that is important, that it was the business empire that supported him in what he was doing. it was not a secret that, as the bbc documentary showed last night when it aired and streamed throughout the day,

that there were many employees at harrods who knew what was going on. but they didn'tjust and complaints. for going on. but they didn't 'ust and complaintsi and complaints. for those --eole and complaints. for those people who _ and complaints. for those people who have - and complaints. for those people who have not - and complaints. for those people who have not seen and complaints. for those - people who have not seen the documentary, and it is available on the bbc iplayer... and it is very powerful and compelling. it and it is very powerful and compelling-— and it is very powerful and comellinu. ., compelling. it is both of those thins compelling. it is both of those things and _ compelling. it is both of those things and more. _ compelling. it is both of those things and more. but - compelling. it is both of those things and more. but in - compelling. it is both of those things and more. but in terms of the culpability of harrods, that was the phrase that was used. culpability, how? describe three people who have not seen the documentary. well, there were _ not seen the documentary. well, there were members _ not seen the documentary. well, there were members of - not seen the documentary. well, there were members of harrods, j there were members of harrods, i should say employees, who reported to mohamed al fayed, who were directed by mohamed al fayed to recruit the women that he was interested in targeting, he was interested in targeting, he didn't say that but it was

well known. and he did offer employment or promotions to them to be working in the chairman's office. so he had easier access to them. all for his sexual pleasure. why did he require the women he targeted to be examined by a gynaecologist! to have that intrusive examination, to find out whether they had sexually transmitted diseases... to find out, you know, had they had sex? all because he wanted to know, he wanted them to be, quote, clean. so he could have sexual access to them, so he could sexually abuse them. it is really shocking, every detail like that. let me update viewers, you will probably know this, butjust in the last few minutes confirmation that more than 100 women have now got in contact with the legal team representing some of mohamed al

fayed's accusers after the documentary has been aired. that has also been confirmed from the barrister who is there at the conference, but that is an extraordinary number, isn't it? because in the morning we were talking around 30 come out now we have reached 100. would you anticipate that that number grows even as investigations start at different workplaces connected to mohamed al fayed? exactly first. i represented several victims of sexual abuse by a gynaecologist a number of years ago. the gynaecologist was employed by the ufc. so, this happens. a few speak out and, as i said this morning at the press conference, courage is contagious and women began to feel that they could then speak, either confidentially to their lawyers because all conversations with lawyers and

barristers are confidential, or they spoke out publicly. sometimes, both.- they spoke out publicly. sometimes, both. can i ask ou. .. sometimes, both. can i ask you- -- part _ sometimes, both. can i ask you... part of— sometimes, both. can i ask you... part of the _ sometimes, both. can i ask you... part of the reason i sometimes, both. can i ask. you... part of the reason that people have looked at this and said it happened for such a long time, and people forced to stay silent because of ndas. if they're now a case for those to be looked at again in terms of the way they used to silence people? the way they used to silence --eole? , . ., , the way they used to silence --eole? , , ., people? yes. of course, that was a goal — people? yes. of course, that was a goal of _ people? yes. of course, that was a goal of the _ people? yes. of course, that was a goal of the sexual- was a goal of the sexual predator, is what i like to call him, the serial rapist, mohamed al fayed, was to keep them silent. to terrify them, to tell them what the consequences could be if they ever revealed what he did to them or tried to do to them. he said to one of the victims, i know where yourfamily said to one of the victims, i know where your family lives. to another, you will never work in london again. if you tell

anyone. and there were, of course, there was physical violence, gendered violence by mohamed al fayed against some of the victims, for example, when they said no to his attempt to rape them. in fact, they fought him off to the extent that they could. he used violence to accomplish his sexual agenda goals with them. so, they were in a very terrifying situation and they knew that if they told her there could be serious consequences. yet, some of them now have found the courage, i commend them on that. it is so hard. and even some of them suffering trauma because of what he did, still now, decades later, have found the courage to do it. , ., ., ., ., to do it. gloria, we have to leave it _ to do it. gloria, we have to leave it there, _ to do it. gloria, we have to leave it there, we - to do it. gloria, we have to leave it there, we are - to do it. gloria, we have to leave it there, we are very| leave it there, we are very grateful for you coming to talk to us here. grateful for you coming to talk to us here-— to us here. thank you, 'ustice forvrctrmsr *

to us here. thank you, 'ustice for victims! thankh to us here. thank you, 'ustice for victims! thank you b to us here. thank you, justice for victims! thank you for - to us here. thank you, justice| for victims! thank you for your time. for victims! thank you for your time- there — for victims! thank you for your time. there is _ for victims! thank you for your time. there is a _ for victims! thank you for your time. there is a statement - for victims! thank you for your i time. there is a statement from herod saying we are utterly appalled by the allegations of the perpetration some mohamed al fayed. these are the actions of an individual who abused his power wherever he operated and we condemn him in the strongest terms. we also acknowledge that during this time as a business we failed our employees who were his victims, and for this were his victims, and for this we are sincerely apologetic. the harrods of today is a very different organisation to the one owned and controlled by mohamed al fayed between 1985 and 2010. it is one that seeks to put the welfare of our employees at the heart of everything we do. this is why, since new information came to light in 2023 about historic allegations of his sexual abuse by mohamed al fayed, it has been our priority to settle claims in the quickest way possible, avoiding lengthy legal proceedings for the women involved. this process is still available for any current or former harrods employees. that is the statement from harrods released today.

you're watching bbc news. i'm geeta guru—murthy. we are going to be drinking cute coverage of nigel farage's speech at the reform party conference. this is the scene in birmingham where the reform uk party conference in taking place. he supporters have been hearing from some of the mps that you can see there. and also from the reform uk chairman, who has just finished his speech, i think. many of the supporters are gathered in birmingham. nigel farage is due to take to the podium. david ball is going to be introducing nigel farage we believe. and, of course, this is the first time that nigel farage is actually has

actually won a seat in the house of commons after the summer election. his eighth attempt, i think, summer election. his eighth attempt, ithink, and summer election. his eighth attempt, i think, and there aren't now five reform mps in the house of commons. the supporters are gathered for the conference in birmingham. it is the season of conference, we have had the greens end at the snp and labour gathering also this weekend. with the conservatives to come, we will be covering all of those political events, with the leader's speeches. and we are just waiting to see nigel farage. there have been somewhat coverage of his plans for how to take the party forward and he is talking about changing the structure of the party. saying he is going to be giving up the ownership of the party. that is because the structure is slightly different, it is very different, it is very different, actually, to most

political parties. with nigel farage holding most of the chairs, that will change, he says,. here he was arriving earlier, greeted by supporters and at the conference they are just playing a video. that is why we are just waiting to see him take to the stage. behind him take to the stage. behind him is also another seat of the house of commons. nigel farage is saying that he is going to change the structure of the party, it was initially set up as a private company, he said to fast—track the creation of the brexit party. now, reform in time for the european elections. he wanted to stop the party being hijacked by bad people, but now it is going to change its structure. we are just waiting for it nigel

farage to take to the stage