is worth talking one that is worth talking about, because as we see, these very striking pictures we try to get new lines and figure out what has been targeted. you are absolutely right the question is what happens next. they are backed and armed and funded by iran. we know they have a large amount of weapons come as you rightly point out, we don't know how many of those remain after the several days of israeli air strikes in the south of the country and in the valley across the east. we don't know how badly that has degraded hezbollah�*s military capabilities. we have seen during this conflict the iranian attack on israel. areas two and fro. we've seen the

killings of senior members, a very senior member of hamas, and every time people wait what we are potentially looking at here is something slightly different. we could be looking at a senior hezbollah commander. we are also, no doubt, i think looking at a large number of civilian deaths and casualties. when you look at those pictures of the buildings and curing the words craters used, six, eight, ten buildings and perhaps raised to the ground. the question is what kind of response might that provoke if you're looking at a large number of civilian casualties and hezbollah stronghold area. and think that will create new levels of nervousness. i and think that will create new levels of nervousness.- levels of nervousness. i want to net

levels of nervousness. i want to get in _ levels of nervousness. i want to get in because _ levels of nervousness. i want to get in because anna, - levels of nervousness. i want to get in because anna, i- levels of nervousness. i want. to get in because anna, i want to get in because anna, i want tojust show viewers to get in because anna, i want to just show viewers some of the first pictures at street level that lebanese television have been broadcasting because we have seen different angles from the sky line showing the huge last in the cloud in the here at street level, you are getting a much clearer picture and you can see the damage as the cameras move around and i'm seeing these pictures for the first time as our viewers are and of course, some the damage to the buildings around but just there in the foreground, i'm just trying to see if that's one of the craters that anna was describing and they are just anna was describing and they arejust in front anna was describing and they are just in front of you in you can see what looks like one of the areas that has been hit with the debris, the smoke and

the lack of any other buildings around particular area and there have been a variety of reports that we are still trying to check out in terms of the number of buildings flattened rinsing the number six and four and anna was talking about ten. these different pictures of the flames still burning after these blasts, they happened just about an hour ago, these pictures we arejust just about an hour ago, these pictures we are just going to run for you again ensure the emergency services and just the huge amount of smoke and dust and debris that they have caused and one of the busy suburbs with many civilian buildings and the israelis saying they have launched precise hits on targets and thatis precise hits on targets and that is how they phrased it and we have had several reports

that they had gone after hezbollah's leader. still unclear as to whether he was hit in these strikes but you can see these pictures are ground—level and anna was describing what felt like some way from what you are seeing there and the sheer size of the blast absolutely went through her body and she could feel it in to see the huge plume of smoke but then followed and the un saying it's worth repeating that line, they're watching these israeli strikes on beirut with great alarm. let us bring you back end, and i know you had to go away and talked other outlets for a few seconds but we are seeing at ground level of the destruction and as you were talking about having seen

the size of explosions on the skyline, we are seeing a real sense of the damage and it is a huge amount of damage and we've known even in the run—up to this, just how hospitals have been overwhelmed with the number of casualties, hundreds of casualties just this monday. that's right, matthew, those pictures are being played out now across lebanese tv channels and one of our bbc colleagues says at the scene, one of the scenes of chaos, there are ambulances trying to get into the area to treat them but there are many people trying to get out in trying to flee that area to move to a different part of the city and try and move to a place of safety but these pictures that are starting to come out now originally, those of us were here heard and felt those extraordinary blasts, the

series of blasts, six or eight blasts in rapid succession and very loud and the sort of thing that reverberates through the body and we saw that huge cloud of smoke in those pictures as that smoke reached into the air and now, we are seeing news crews and peoples with cameras we are seeing these new pictures and you can really see an impression of the scale of the destruction here and hold buildings are told to of been razed to the ground and israel said that it was targeting hezbollah's central command centre that they used and buried deep within civilian areas and there are reports unconfirmed and then the israeli media that the leader of hezbollah was the target of this particular attack and as

they were saying before, he is very allusive to mix of regular speeches and is not a puritan person for many years and no doubt, someone as we are seeing israel targets senior hezbollah commanders and he is a totemic figure in the organisation and no doubt somebody that israel would like to try and remove or eliminate and as israel often usesin eliminate and as israel often uses in the situation. we just do not know. but in these pictures, significant attacks in the heart of the lebanese capital. also a very densely packed civilian area where people live in families live and work and go about their daily lives and this is without question, in these last few days of the conflict, a significant escalation in the most serious attack that we have seen in this part of the conflict here

in beirut. this part of the conflict here in beirut-— in beirut. just issuing a statement _ in beirut. just issuing a statement in _ in beirut. just issuing a statement in new- in beirut. just issuing a statement in new york| in beirut. just issuing a - statement in new york but israel's attacks on beirut shows a does not care about efforts to bring about a cease—fire and i suppose, one of the things we are likely to see in the coming hours is perhaps a renewed effort to try and get that back on the agenda because as soon as it disappeared from the agenda over the last 2a hours, again there is so much alarm about where this actually ends. that's right, huge concern about where this could go next and what kind of escalation this might be. and as her talking in these new lines, more information, there was a

central iranian news agency associated with the irg see, the revolutionary guards corps which suggests that they are, the leader of hezbollah is in a safe place and what is being the translation says this is being published in the media is not true. we do not know yet and we will not know for several hours possibly for several hours possibly for several days, matthew. ithink the scale of this attack, the fact that it was a area will make it very difficult, make it very difficult for world leaders to ignore it and they were already trying to work on the cease—fire deal which hadn't particularly been warmly received if to be led to believe by israel or hezbollah and benjamin netanyahu, the prime minister did say when they work with the us to draw they work with the us to draw the deal, that the us shared their names of trying to return civilians to the north of israel back to their homes. and thatis israel back to their homes. and that is what israel said the point of this latest operation

was and you are right, matthew in terms of what happens next, these last few days have been incredibly unpredictable in this is an unpredictable region. every morning, we have woken up wondering if there will be an escalation or if there will be a ground invasion or a cease—fire. hejust remains incredibly difficult to work out what this might go next. i work out what this might go next. ~ ., , ., ., work out what this might go next. ~ ., ., ., next. i know you have to get awa to next. i know you have to get away to talk _ next. i know you have to get away to talk to _ next. i know you have to get away to talk to other - next. i know you have to get away to talk to other outletsj away to talk to other outlets and we will let you get away but thank you for helping us navigate the last half hour or so being on the ground and telling us what you have been seeing and feeling in the hearing and so, thanks for taking us through all of that over the last little while and i gather we have an, ready to talk out of new york and in the united nations, let us bring in tawfik, describing the great alarm as they watch these pictures and hear the details

of these reports, tells about what you are hearing there. absolutely, matthew, and that is shared with the many diplomats here who quite frankly have been speaking about this all week and the secretary—general said that the world cannot afford for lebanon to become another gaza. you had several arab ambassadors condemning and criticising what they say is israeli oppression attempting to drag lebanon into attempting to drag lebanon into a similar situation as gaza. across the board when you speak with diplomats, they say that the situation right now is intolerable and they put out a joint statement by the us, france uk and several other partners seeing the situation is intolerable and there needs to be an immediate cease—fire from both sides both israel and hezbollah and residents can go

back safely and live in peace and there can be at 21 day pause to work out a longer—term solution despite all of that, despite all of the diplomatic was seen as a diplomatic breakthrough to try to get a joint statement out, we have seen text messaging coming from the israeli government first, israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu saying that he never agreed to a cease—fire and then putting a statement saying he appreciates the us efforts a speech today, instead, mentioning a cease—fire, and vowing to fight on saying that israel was winning against its arch rival iran and the strikes in beirut. and the situation in lebanon is moving hour by hour, incredibly quickly and while they are conflicted with all of these challenges, the solutions are falling short. you

mentioned _ are falling short. you mentioned the - are falling short. you i mentioned the concern are falling short. you mentioned the concern among the un and that is unlikely to have any real impact on benjamin netanyahu in that speech. at one stage she said many in this house are anti—semitic and clearly, the only people with leaders of the us government and the response there was a threat cease—fire proposal, the americans that they had a verbal agreement from benjamin netanyahu and were blindsided by his initial response and is there likely to be any sort of firming up of the us position to actually use the levers of influence they do have? matthew, there's been a lot of pessimism here that the united states is willing to go further and use additional leverage such as using, pulling arms shipments to israel or anything of that sort and president

biden has in all of his public addresses, including here the un general assembly said that the united states is commitments in israel's security is ironclad and while it has, kind of nodded to the need for israel to abide by international law... i think the line — international law... i think the line is _ international law... i think the line is dropped - international law... i think the line is dropped out - international law... i think | the line is dropped out and international law... i think - the line is dropped out and i'm just going to leave it there and try to resume that conversation with you in a moment or two a gives me the chance to go live tojerusalem and talk to the middle east editorjeremy bowen and jeremy, i know you have to talk to the six o'clock news a couple minutes but we have reached another moment where we have seen these huge glass in beirut, give me your assessment of what you think, where we are. �* u, , of what you think, where we are, �* . ., , . are. the americans, the french and basically — are. the americans, the french and basically all _ are. the americans, the french and basically all of _ are. the americans, the french and basically all of israel's - and basically all of israel's western allies have been saying to benjamin netanyahu and his

government that there is no military solution. diplomacy is the only way ahead because the risks of a much more catastrophic middle east war. i think this attack in beirut seems to be a very clear signal as well, the speech of the united nations that israel believes it has the upper hand against hezbollah and that he believes that when, if you like, it is it's boot on the throat of one of its most key enemies, it would be ridiculous to let them regroup and get ready for another round. i think israeli is signalling that they are going after the organisation and friends in beirut have sent messages saying those who have been through all of lebanon as wars in the last images saying that it was an absolutely massive blast and immediate is that they were after the hezbollah

leader and i have no idea where he is or what he was doing but if they are directly targeting him, i think that does increase the pressure and there will be debates with and hezbollah itself about what they do next and in his mind too because he is lost basically all of his key left attendance and at some point, he might decide that they might decide that if israel continues to inflict these crushing blows on the organisation, that whatever arsenal they have left, they might decide they want to use it which will change the game very much for the israelis and the israelis do not forget, have put on the table with the idea of a ground offensive and an invasion into southern lebanon to send their troops in there that's been openly talked about and what we're seeing is

that escalatory spiral moving faster. . , ., , , faster. final question because ou take faster. final question because you take me _ faster. final question because you take me to _ faster. final question because you take me to the _ faster. final question because you take me to the obvious i you take me to the obvious which is of course, what we don't know is where this ends, how hezbollah response, whether they can respond given everything we've seen over the last few weeks and how iran that chooses to respond if they respond, there are so many alarming avenues that we can still see. , ., h, still see. yes, the thing about the last years _ still see. yes, the thing about the last years since _ still see. yes, the thing about the last years since these - the last years since these attacks a year ago on the some of the of october in gaza with devastating effects on the israelis is that the middle east has been plunged into a very uncertain era and a year on from those attacks, far from achieving new shapes or a degree of stability, it's actually getting much worse, more dangerous and the americans have been trying to

stop the spread, trying to stop something like this and clearly, that strategy has failed. and i think that, you know, there's been a lot of talk about the brink, on the brink and how close to the brink and how close to the brink they are, i think that is absolutely apparent.- brink they are, i think that is absolutely apparent. thank you very much _ absolutely apparent. thank you very much for— absolutely apparent. thank you very much for bringing - absolutely apparent. thank you very much for bringing us - absolutely apparent. thank you very much for bringing us the i very much for bringing us the latest, your assessment, your analysis of everything we have seenin analysis of everything we have seen in the last hour and 20 minutes. the bbc middle east editor and let's try to go back to the united nations and nada tawfik who were talking to before, we go and hopefully the line has restored but tell us, in terms of more of the reaction because there's only a few months ago lebanon's caretaker prime minister is there at the general assembly and talking about what we have seen and saying israel, those attacks sure they simply do not

care about efforts to bring about a cease—fire, do you anticipate more efforts from the americans principally to try and get some sort of cease—fire off the ground? try and get some sort of cease-fire off the ground? yes, matthew- _ cease-fire off the ground? yes, matthew. lebanon's _ cease-fire off the ground? yes, matthew. lebanon's foreign - matthew. lebanon's foreign minister has been speaking all week and really warning that the existence of his country is at stake here and originally, when he reacted to, kind of america's efforts and president biden's comments, he said that he did not feel the us was going far enough to and the instability in lebanon but he says that the united states is the only country that has enough leverage to stop it and everyone is looking towards the united states but matthew, there is real pessimism that there is real pessimism that there is real pessimism that there is going to be a solution reached here because when you see just how much effort went

into trying to secure that statement to propose the 21 days cease—fire and to see the israeli government's reaction, pouring cold water on that latest us effort, the us then coming back and suggesting that they would not have even put they would not have even put the idea out if they didn't feel they had secured an agreement from the israeli government. it is been a real embarrassment to us diplomacy and president biden for the last year, antony blinken and several trips to the region has pushed at everyjuncture when it seems like there was a point when the americans could get close to something, it was clear that was far from the case. one diplomat told me that they fear perhaps because of they fear perhaps because of the us election, president biden is really under pressure domestically to not take any

action or use any further leverage and so, there are those domestic considerations for the united states and the prime minister benjamin netanyahu advocates on domestic considerations in government and foreign ministers in his government and so, the united nations has real pessimism right now. nations has real pessimism right nova— nations has real pessimism riaht now. ., ~ ., �*, right now. thank you and let's no right now. thank you and let's to back right now. thank you and let's go back to _ right now. thank you and let's go back to daniel— right now. thank you and let's go back to daniel in _ right now. thank you and let'sj go back to daniel in jerusalem go back to daniel injerusalem and daniel, i go through talking about efforts and potentially trying to revive any cease—fire and talk and benjamin netanyahu there at the un and at one stage, he said we were winning. and suggesting that he thinks these tactics are working and seeing any sort of change of tactics and more of change of tactics and more of this. ., ., , of change of tactics and more of this. . . , , of this. that was the message that came _ of this. that was the message that came through _ of this. that was the message that came through and - of this. that was the message i that came through and certainly the strikes on hezbollah's

headquarters and populated residential areas of beirut. there was all this talk of the us proposals for 21 days cease—fire and a lot of mixed messages from benjamin yahoo and a statement from his office which gave the impression that this was all news stand and he would respond to it in due course and it then became apparent that actually bed the israeli government was well aware of this proposal in engaging with it and i think the american government and others are very disappointed to see the suggestion that this was all news to benjamin netanyahu and i think there was a thought maybe that the speech this afternoon would be a bit more balanced and show to be some sort of openness to the possibility of a cease—fire both in gaza relating to hamas but also with hezbollah related to lebanon. of the message in the speech could not have been clearer. there's no talk of cease—fire and achieving a

total victory over hamas almost surrenders in effectively saying that they've almost won against hamas and if you look at what he said, saying that they will carry on with their military actions in relation to hezbollah and that is the way they're going to achieve their goals. and we saw these air strikes in beirut and really soon, after benjamin netanyahu stopped speaking, one reading of that was this was very much coming very soon after he stopped speaking and part of the messaging and that is the language is possible to use about a given what is happened and part of the message these giving and they've just released the israeli government just released a picture, a photograph of benjamin netanyahu approving the air strike on beirut this afternoon and he is pictured on a phone and he is pictured on a phone and there is a military figure next to him and he is being very clear the way they're pursuing this and they're not

interested in a cease—fire or interested in a cease—fire or in anything else going after hezbollah with their full military might.- hezbollah with their full military might. hezbollah with their full milita miuht. ~ ., i. military might. where do you think the israeli _ military might. where do you think the israeli public - military might. where do you think the israeli public is? . military might. where do you think the israeli public is? i l think the israeli public is? i think the israeli public is? i think it's mixed. some of the north felt very abandoned and feel the fact that hezbollah is being targeted this way is welcome for them because it feels like hezbollah is finally being gone after but it has not stopped the disruption to the lights. there are others were very disturbed by this who want to see a cease—fire because that's how they see getting the hostages home from gaza and the sea a renewed conflict in the north is making that less likely. north is making that less likel . ~ ., north is making that less likel . ~ . ., likely. we are coming to the end of today's _ likely. we are coming to the end of today's verified - likely. we are coming to the end of today's verified live, | likely. we are coming to the | end of today's verified live, i want to recap where we are and it's been now and i have since we saw this huge explosion in the skyline in beirut as israeli's attacked the command

centre hezbollah and reading the news agency reporting that hezbollah possible secondary general is alive, sources close to hezbollah and we heard from the israelis, who they were actually going after and let me show you pictures of the damage of this busy dense area that was hit and some of the latest pictures and do stay with us here on bbc news and continuous coverage from the middle east, from lebanon here on bbc news. hello there. it looks like things will be turning dry as we head into the weekend. thanks to a ridge of high pressure, it will help a lot of the floodwater to ease down, but it will be quite short lived because as we move into sunday, we've got the next area of low pressure pushing in from the southwest. now this is this morning's rain clearing away on this active weather front into the near continent.

but that's open the floodgates. yes, some brighter sunny weather, but also a cold arctic northerly air flow. so it really will be quite chilly as we head through this evening. and certainly overnight temperatures will drop like a stone under clear skies. a few showers peppering coastal areas, still quite breezy down north sea coast and a bit of cloud pushing into northwest scotland. so temperatures recovering here, but it will be chilly elsewhere. under clear skies. northern england central eastern scotland could see a touch of frost to greet you on saturday morning, but thanks to this area of high pressure, it should be largely settled on saturday for england and wales. very much needed drier, brighter weather here so it will be a chilly start. lots of sunshine in the south, some cloud across scotland which will tend to filter a little bit further southwards through the afternoon, but it should stay mostly dry in the midlands. southwards should see the best of the sunshine temperatures

responding a little bit higher. i think generally 13 to 15 degrees for england and wales. low teens. further north, it's going to be another chilly night saturday night under clear skies. sunday starts fine, but then here's this new area of low pressure, which will start to bring wet and windy weather to southern and western areas. so it starts chilly, bright again, northern and eastern areas. the sunshine will fade as the cloud builds ahead of this area of low pressure, and it turns wet and windy for northern ireland, western england, wales and into the midlands. temperatures again into the mid teens in the south. something a bit cooler further north. now this area of low pressure will move across areas which really don't need any more rainfall during the course of sunday night into monday, but it will be a weakening feature. still a blustery day to come on monday, gales close to the coast and outbreaks of heavy rain in places like i mentioned, we really don't need it further north. a few showers i think for scotland. some sunny spells, probably the best of it across western scotland and temperatures range from 13 to 16 degrees. a bit closer to where we should be for the time of year. for the upcoming week, it looks like the middle part

of the week will be fine and settled again before it turns more unsettled towards the end of the week.

today at six: huge explosions here in beirut as israel says it targets hezbollah headquarters. smoke is seen rising from the heavily populated south of the city. the israeli military says it is targeting

the leader of hezbollah. tonight this is the scene live in lebanon's capital, beirut. we'll be reporting from across lebanon and talking to our international editor, jeremy bowen, about what happens next. also on the programme: one of britain's finest actors of stage and screen, dame maggie smith, has died at the age of 89. iam in i am in the business of putting old heads on young shoulders... she played many much—loved characters over the decades, including in the harry potter films and the prime of missjean brodie. the uk's youngest knife killers — two boys who were 12 at the time — are sentenced for the murder with a machete of 19—year—old shawn seesahai in wolverhampton last year. heavy rain and flash floods in many areas of england cause chaos, with submerged roads and damaged houses. and green shoots of hope from the felled sycamore gap tree in northumberland.