will terror organisation... will continue _ terror organisation... will continue degrading - terror organisation... ll continue degrading hezbollah... really, really loud bangs that continued for reverberating through— continued for reverberating through the air. in very quick succession. coming up in the context. beirut is rocked by multiple blasts, as israel targets hezbollah�*s central headquarters. is this a turning point for the middle east? we'll be live in beirut — where we'll get reaction from a lebanese mp — and in new york. where israel's prime minister benjamin netanyahu delivered a defiant speech to the un general assembly.

welcome to the context welcome to the we start in the middle east, where multiple blasts have reverberated through beirut, sending clouds of smoke into the sky. these are the latest pictures from the scene of the explosions, in a densely populated area. lebanon's health ministry says at least two people have been killed and 76 injured in israeli air strikes — those numbers are expected to rise. a number of buildings are reported to have been razed to the ground. the israeli defence forces claim to have targeted hezbollah�*s central headquarters. hezbollah sources say the group's leader hassan nasrallah is alive. with iran's tasnim news agency also reporting that he's safe. it comesjust hours prime minister benjamin netanyahu told the united nations general assembly that israel's offensive against hezbollah would not stop until its objectives were met. he made no mention of us—led ceasefire proposals between israel and hezbollah. this is said to be the moment mr netanyahu approved the strikes from new york — according

to his office. the lebanese army is said to be protectively setting up a security cordon around the us embassy in lebanon. today's developments could mark a turning point in this conflict. with the latest from beirut, here's orla guerin. israel has struck beirut. with a series of massive explosions, it's hard to imagine a bigger escalation, ora it's hard to imagine a bigger escalation, or a starker picture of war. and here was the aftermath. the hezbollah mode back... now looking like gaza. many lebanese fear that is where things are headed. the

israeli military said it targeted hezbollah hq. israeli military said it tarueted hezbollah hq. a, , targeted hezbollah hq. moments auo targeted hezbollah hq. moments a . o the targeted hezbollah hq. moments ago the israeli _ targeted hezbollah hq. moments ago the israeli forces _ targeted hezbollah hq. moments ago the israeli forces carried - ago the israeli forces carried out a precise strike on the headquarters of the hezbollah terrorist organisation. the headquarters was intentionally built under residential areas as part of their strategy of using lebanese people as human shields. ., shields. some are reporting that the target _ shields. some are reporting that the target of _ shields. some are reporting that the target of the - shields. some are reporting that the target of the strike | that the target of the strike was the israeli leader —— hezbollah leader. several buildings have been brought down in beirut and hospitals

are appealing for blood donors. earlier the un expressed alarm at the israeli attacks on lebanon. with leben on we are watching developments unfolding with great alarm. as soon as we have any reaction what i will of course share it with you. the attack in beirut�*s southern suburbs — apparently targeting the hezbollah leader — camejust minutes after israel's prime minister benjamin netanyahu addressed the un general assembly in new york. as he took to the stage, many diplomats walked out in protest. mr netanyahu said he'd come to reject what he described as the �*lies and slander�* about his country spoken by others at the podium. he repeated his claim that israel is not at war with lebanon, but that his country has no choice but to remove the threat hezbollah poses. we're not at war with you. we're at war with hezbollah, which has hijacked your country and threatens to destroy ours.

as long as hezbollah chooses the path of war, israel has no choice. and israel has every right to remove this threat and return our citizens to their homes safely. and that's exactly what we're doing. joining me from beirut, our correspondent anna foster and from the un in new york, nada tawfik. anna, the situation on the ground following those rocket attacks, apparently targeting hezbollah headquarters? it is attacks, apparently targeting hezbollah headquarters? it is a chaotic scene _ hezbollah headquarters? it is a chaotic scene and _ hezbollah headquarters? it is a chaotic scene and she - hezbollah headquarters? it is a chaotic scene and she was - chaotic scene and she was seeing some of the pictures there... it's really those moments, the hours after the attack, you can see it's dark now but there is work going on. they are digging through the rubble trying to find survivors and trying to get a picture of exactly what is going on. at the moment hezbollah are not allowing journalists into that

area to see what is going on. but a lot of people that live there... a densely populated area... families living in flats, a lot of people are trying to get out of those southern suburbs tonight. we've seen people fleeing over the last few days from the south of lebanon... after those air strikes started. but i think people in the capital are seeing several strikes over the last few days. they have seen what israel called precision strikes. they attended to target one or two apartments. we have seen civilians killed before but nothing on the scale of what we saw here about 20 past six this evening. that series of very loud explosions that absolutely reverberated through the city. very loud, and you could feel them where we were. and then to watch that large cloud of smoke go up. and

then in the next few hours a lot more will become clearer. what we know for sure and what we know pretty quickly is that this is a significant escalation. coming as it did about 90 minutes or so after israel's prime minister benjamin netanyahu finished his speech at the un. we benjamin netanyahu finished his speech at the un.— speech at the un. we know that israel says _ speech at the un. we know that israel says they _ speech at the un. we know that israel says they were _ speech at the un. we know that israel says they were targeting i israel says they were targeting hezbollah headquarters, but we just got a statement from... that it's too early to say if that did hit the leader of hezbollah.— that did hit the leader of hezbollah. , ., , ., hezbollah. let me put a bit of context on — hezbollah. let me put a bit of context on that. _ hezbollah. let me put a bit of context on that. he _ hezbollah. let me put a bit of context on that. he is - hezbollah. let me put a bit of context on that. he is the - context on that. he is the leader of hezbollah, he is a totemic figure and very much someone israel has been targeting. however, he was also

an elusive figure when he makes his speeches. which he does quite regularly, he makes them in front of a plain background not outdoors where you could be able to see where he was. when you have hezbollah rallies... his speech will be made on a big screen. he hasn't been seen in public for years. some people even question whether he was in beirut. certainly, you will wonder, given the attacks on senior members of hezbollah whether there is a place that hassan does well i would be at the moment. in terms of the israeli media they are saying he was a target for this attack... something as sensitive as this, both sides are looking into it. they said

it was the headquarters of hezbollah that they were targeting. until... probably until hezbollah put out a statement saying that he has been killed... we would reserve judgment, as we always do... as you say all sorts of conflicting statements coming in. ~ conflicting statements coming in. will come back to you, a number _ in. will come back to you, a number of _ in. will come back to you, a number of lines _ in. will come back to you, a number of lines are - in. will come back to you, a number of lines are coming | in. will come back to you, a i number of lines are coming in. president biden has said that the united states had no advance knowledge of or participation in an israeli in beirut. in new york correspondent... this right happened very quickly after benjamin netanyahu took to the

podium and gave a very defined address at the un general assembly?— address at the un general assembl ? ., �*, ., assembly? that's right, and already he — assembly? that's right, and already he was _ assembly? that's right, and already he was breaking - assembly? that's right, and| already he was breaking with the united states in the hopes of the — the united states in the hopes of the 21— the united states in the hopes of the 21 day ceasefire with many — of the 21 day ceasefire with many statements that were very awkward _ many statements that were very awkward to the united states and his— awkward to the united states and his speech was watched very closely— and his speech was watched very closely to— and his speech was watched very closely to see if he had moved closer— closely to see if he had moved closer to — closely to see if he had moved closer to the ceasefire. but the speech made very clear that he was — the speech made very clear that he was going to press on both against — he was going to press on both against hamas and hezbollah in lehanon — against hamas and hezbollah in lebanon. in his statement he talked — lebanon. in his statement he talked about how israel is winning _ talked about how israel is winning and he tried to shift the blame to iran saying that israel— the blame to iran saying that israel was fighting on all fronts _ israel was fighting on all fronts and it would be able to hit in — fronts and it would be able to hit in iran— fronts and it would be able to hit in iran and anywhere in the middle— hit in iran and anywhere in the middle east and that ultimately they would prevail. but of course, _ they would prevail. but of course, diplomats here are gravely _ course, diplomats here are gravely alarmed about this engulfing the entire region,

but also, the women and children— but also, the women and children that are being killed in the — children that are being killed in the escalation of the strikes _ in the escalation of the strikes. there's been a lot of criticism _ strikes. there's been a lot of criticism of the israeli government that this is a blatant _ government that this is a blatant aggression. this is not proportionate and the secretary—general is actually having — secretary—general is actually having a _ secretary—general is actually having a meeting of the un security— having a meeting of the un security council at the moment... and his message to those _ moment... and his message to those gathered around the security council is there cannot _ security council is there cannot be endless negotiations as we _ cannot be endless negotiations as we have seen on gaza. the world — as we have seen on gaza. the world cannot afford to wait for that there needs to be a ceasefire now. i've course, that— ceasefire now. i've course, that really nudging on the fact that really nudging on the fact that the — that really nudging on the fact that the united states for the year— that the united states for the year has _ that the united states for the year has been able to get a ceasefire deal out of israel... we are — ceasefire deal out of israel... we are now seeing this escalation in beirut and across

the country now. we escalation in beirut and across the country now.— the country now. we are 'ust caettin the country now. we are 'ust getting word i the country now. we are 'ust getting word from i the country now. we are 'ust getting word from the h the country now. we are just. getting word from the reuters news agency that iran says this attack on beirut is a war crime, in their words. attack on beirut is a war crime, in theirwords. it attack on beirut is a war crime, in their words. it was very visible that there were very visible that there were very many people, many diplomats walked out of benjamin netanyahu's speech. iran is saying it is a war crime for which the united states and israel should be held accountable. that was reuters. like i was saying... many of those diplomats walking out of benjamin netanyahu speech... out of ben'amin netanyahu speech. . ._ out of ben'amin netanyahu seech... �* ., ., speech... ben'amin netanyahu has faced speech... benjamin netanyahu has faced protests, _ speech... benjamin netanyahu has faced protests, thousands | has faced protests, thousands in new— has faced protests, thousands in new york protesting last night — in new york protesting last night and then in the hall as he was _ night and then in the hall as he was walking up to the rostrum _ he was walking up to the rostrum of the un general

assembly, dozens of diplomats stood _ assembly, dozens of diplomats stood up — assembly, dozens of diplomats stood up and walked out. it was noticeable as he as he talks about — noticeable as he as he talks about wanting to reach a peace deal_ about wanting to reach a peace deal with— about wanting to reach a peace deal with saudi arabia that even — deal with saudi arabia that even saudi arabia's delegation was not — even saudi arabia's delegation was not there. we've heard from so many — was not there. we've heard from so many leaders in the region, including — so many leaders in the region, including the foreign minister of lebanon that his country is of lebanon that his country is existence _ existence _ of lebanon that his country is existence is at stake here. of lebanon that his country is existence is at stake here. many— existence is at stake here. many pessimistic about the many— existence is at stake here. many pessimistic about the hopes— many pessimistic about the hopes for getting a ceasefire hopes— many pessimistic about the hopes for getting a ceasefire deal— hopes for getting a ceasefire deal after listening to that deal— hopes for getting a ceasefire deal after listening to that speech. after the strikes in speech. after the strikes in beirut _ speech. after the strikes in beirut l _ beirut _ speech. after the strikes in beirut l _ speech. after the strikes in beirut i try to ask the israeli speech. after the strikes in beirut i try to ask the israeli ambassador here why israel was ambassador here why israel was continuing to strike parts in continuing to strike parts in beirut — beirut — continuing to strike parts in beirut where civilians are, continuing to strike parts in beirut where civilians are, when _ beirut where civilians are, when the international when _ beirut where civilians are, when the international community is calling for a community is calling for a ceasefire but, he walked off ceasefire but, he walked off and didn't answer. also the us and didn't answer. also the us ambassador i try to get the ambassador i try to get the

united _ united _ ambassador i try to get the united states reaction that ambassador i try to get the united states reaction that israel— united states reaction that israel is _ united states reaction that israel is ignoring their calls for a — israel is ignoring their calls for a ceasefire, again she did not answer. many here tight—tipped among israel's tight—lipped among israel's allies— tight—tipped among israel's allies and benjamin netanyahu rushing — allies and benjamin netanyahu rushing back to israel and cutting _ rushing back to israel and cutting his visit short here. anna. _ cutting his visit short here. anna, coming back to you, talk

between lebanon and israel, what this resolution were supposed to do is create this buffer zone. supposed to do is create this bufferzone. in supposed to do is create this buffer zone. in terms of the geography of the body you have israel in the south and lebanon in the north and there is a landmark which stretches across... and the idea of the resolution is that lebanon was supposed to be withdrawing their troops to the north of their troops to the north of the river and that would keep their troops away from the border and preserves israel security in the south. as the year has gone on they have been very close to the border... after the 7th of october, after we saw those devastating attacks in southern israel, we started to get this cross—border fire between lebanon and israel. i remember it clearly because i was there, i remember watching the rockets go and the sounds of the

interception. tens of thousands of people in northern israel were moved out of their homes at that point. again, i saw people packing up their things and i saw them fleeing. the same as we have seen people in lebanon do this last week or so. israel changed its war aims and said that returning those people to their homes was simply that was now an official war aim and simply that was now an official waraim and they simply that was now an official war aim and they said in order to do that they needed to push hezbollah and north of the river themselves. there is a un peacekeeping force who work in that buffer zone. they work alongside the lebanese armed forces. but i think many people use the speak to will say it didn't do thejob use the speak to will say it didn't do the job of keeping has but i went. many people question the methods we which israel is using.

the israel defence spokesman has said this... has made the claim that this was hezbollah's headquarters... claim that this was hezbollah's headquarters. . ._ headquarters... they are a secretive _ headquarters... they are a secretive organisation - headquarters... they are a secretive organisation and | secretive organisation and something like the location of their headquarters is a closely guarded secret. so i don't know whether we'll ever know for sure whether that was the case. but about that area... i was down there yesterday afternoon because there was one of these precision strikes as the israelis call it... it is a heavily populated area. it is a hezbollah stronghold. it is not an area you canjust hezbollah stronghold. it is not an area you can just walk into we went in with permission. one of our bbc teams has been tried trying to get to the scene and they were told they weren't

allowed to get close enough to film. it is a place where families live where people go about their business. we know that the leadership... the command structure of hezbollah are based there. and we've seen several of them killed in the past week in israeli air strikes. it raises questions... as we talking about the leader... whether he would be in such an obvious area. many many questions will be asked. but one thing that will become clear over the next few hours is the civilian impact of this. the death toll so far is at two but they are expected to become much higher as the evening goes on. . ~'

much higher as the evening goes on. . ~ , ., much higher as the evening goes on. ., ., on. thank you we always appreciate _ on. thank you we always appreciate your - on. thank you we always appreciate your insight. l on. thank you we always i appreciate your insight. we on. thank you we always - appreciate your insight. we are continuing with this developing story and we can just pick up some of what was being talked about their with our next guest. waddah sadek is an independent member of the lebanese parliament. can you bring us up to date on what you know. this is a densely populated area? lebanon is quiet and has blah hezbollah has issued a

statement... a full deployment in the streets of beirut with a lot of soldiers in case anything happens. we have no news till now but, no news is news. when hezbollah is not announcing that the leader is safe you must think that something is not right. we've just heard that his daughter has just arrived but no one knows what is going on but in a few hours everything will be clear. ., . ., , few hours everything will be clear. ., ., clear. for the clarity of our audience. _ clear. for the clarity of our audience, just _ clear. for the clarity of our audience, just to - clear. for the clarity of our audience, just to be - clear. for the clarity of our. audience, just to be clear... you don't speak on behalf of

hezbollah but, at the moment there is no combination of the whereabouts of the leader? i am whereabouts of the leader? i am not independent _ whereabouts of the leader? i am not independent i _ whereabouts of the leader? i am not independent i am _ whereabouts of the leader? i am not independent i am a - whereabouts of the leader? i —n not independent i am a member of the opposition bloc in parliament and i am against... we were against hezbollah. so yes, i'm notjustan independent and i can confirm that hezbollah that no statements have been issued that the leader is safe. thank ou that the leader is safe. thank you much _ that the leader is safe. thank you much for— that the leader is safe. thank you much for your _ that the leader is safe. thank you much for your patience i that the leader is safe. thank i you much for your patience with talking us through that. this statement from the israeli defense forces that hezbollah... there headquarters is underneath a residential building? iikla is underneath a residential building?— is underneath a residential buildinr? ., ., ~ ., , building? no one knows where the headquarters _ building? no one knows where the headquarters are. - building? no one knows where the headquarters are. yes -

building? no one knows where the headquarters are. yes it i building? no one knows where the headquarters are. yes it is| the headquarters are. yes it is a civilian area and there is a big mess of civilians in this area but i can tell you about this block. we all know this block it is inside the street... it is a closed block. one of the buildings is for the mp5 of hezbollah. it is a block of 12 buildings, but there are a lot of buildings of civilians around this area and we all know is that the israelis killed 50 or 60,000 of the civilians... they hit a full building full of civilians to be able to reach the rid one

group. in be able to reach the rid one urou -. , ., be able to reach the rid one r-rou. , ., ., group. in terms of what we were seeinr group. in terms of what we were seeing on _ group. in terms of what we were seeing on the — group. in terms of what we were seeing on the ground _ group. in terms of what we were seeing on the ground i _ group. in terms of what we were seeing on the ground i know - group. in terms of what we were seeing on the ground i know youj seeing on the ground i know you were listening to benjamin netanyahu's speech. i wonder what you made of it and the omission of no word of a ceasefire, and then we had this attack very shortly after. he came away from the podium... do you think this was choreographed? you think this was choreoa-rahed? , ~ , choreographed? yes. as the israelis said _ choreographed? yes. as the israelis said the _ choreographed? yes. as the israelis said the decision - choreographed? yes. as the | israelis said the decision was taken last monday... but i was in contact with the lebanese delegation in new york yesterday and today and the french ambassador today and some of the american senators during the day, and everyone was waiting for the israeli response to the ceasefire that was proposed by the un. but i think after netanyahu... we

knew there was no ceasefire and he said he wants to end the military force of hezbollah and all the iranians missions in the area. let me say one thing. yes we are again iran and the militias that are controlling the country and we consider that lebanon is a kostic in their hands. but again, the israelis and netanyahu are doing war crimes and they are killing civilians and the problem is somewhere else. because the problem is not giving the palestinians their rights and this has been ongoing for the last 75 years with a lot of crimes going on. so... this is the problem netanyahu didn't even speak about it today. he gave the reason to iran and the malicious to control the area... the israelis are not

even now talking and discussing the palestinian issue. the world should start working on having a solution and i think this will end the whole problem now. lebanon and the whole area are going to a different stage in a different phase and i hope... is escalating definitely escalating... haste definitely escalating... we have to leave _ definitely escalating... we have to leave that there. don't go away we are continuing to monitor the developing situation stay with us. 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.

hello, i'm kasia madera. you're watching the context on bbc news. israel said it's targeted the command centre of his brother that left clouds of smoke rising over the city. his brother

we're getting reese ports the israeli military are continuing to strike targets. thatjust coming in from reuters news agency that the israeli military say it's continuing to strike his brother targets for the office after the series of explosions in the suburb of beirut with israel's military saying the attack on the central headquarters and the lebanese capital, and its suburbs with the strikes came just hours after benjamin netanyahu gave a defiant speech as he addressed the un general assembly in new york. he promised that israel would not rest in striking lebanon until israeli citizens have been evacuated from the north of the country because of the security risks could return home. from new york here is tom bateman. the israeli leader walked straight into the question all the diplomats here at the un are asking. prime minister netanyahu, are you agreeing to a cease—fire deal or not?