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tv   BBC News  BBC News  October 1, 2024 10:00am-10:31am BST

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lebanon's prime minister said his country was facing �*one of the most dangerous phases in its history'. the israel defense forces released this video, which it said showed its troops preparing to enter lebanon. israeli strikes have been continuing elsewhere in beirut — including these near the city's main airport. and these are pictures that have just come in from tel aviv, in central israel, where air raid sirens have been sounding. this is the scene live now in beirut. you can see smoke filled skies there is stacks have been continuing. there've also been reports of an air strike hitting a crowded palestinian refugee camp near the southern lebanese city of sidon.
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syrian state media says that three people have been killed by israeli strikes on the capital damascus. israel is yet to comment on those reports. meanwhile, the uk government has chartered a flight to take british nationals out of lebanon — it's scheduled to leave beirut on wednesday. let's speak to our middle east correspondent hugo bachega, who is in beirut. it isa it is a fast—moving morning but bring us up—to—date on the latest where you are. we bring us up-to-date on the latest where you are. we still don't have — latest where you are. we still don't have a _ latest where you are. we still don't have a clear _ latest where you are. we still don't have a clear picture - latest where you are. we still don't have a clear picture of l don't have a clear picture of the extent of this israeli incursion. the israeli military has been describing it as a targeted localised limited incursion so far. we had some details from a senior israeli security official, saying that these are local raids, very
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limited in scope, in the area, so no crashes happening at the moment between israeli forces and hezbollah fighters in the south according to this senior israeli official. obviously hezbollah has remained defiant. yesterday we heard from the group's number two who said that hezbollah fighters were ready to confront any israeli invasion. this is a part of the country that is a hezbollah stronghold. obviously after two weeks of widespread israeli air strikes, high—profile assassinations, hezbollah has been weakened, its leadership has been almost completely decimated, but the group remains a very powerful force. it is believed to have thousands of rockets, including missiles that can strike deep inside israel, also thousands of experienced fighters. so there is here the question about how hezbollah is going to respond, whether it has the
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ability to organise a coordinated and significant response. in lebanon obviously this is more than eight military, it is a political and social movement was significant support, often described as a state within a state here in lebanon. foralmost state within a state here in lebanon. for almost a year people have been saying that there were concerns that hezbollah with those attacks against israel would drag lebanon into a conflict with israel and it seems that this is exactly what is happening now. ~ . , . ., , now. while all this continues on, now. while all this continues on. there — now. while all this continues on, there are _ now. while all this continues on, there are real— now. while all this continues on, there are real fears - now. while all this continues | on, there are real fears about humanitarian situation on the ground. hundreds of thousands of people displaced already, forced to flee their homes, what more can you tell us about that? ~ , ., ., that? the prime minister again this morning — that? the prime minister again this morning warned _ that? the prime minister again this morning warned that - that? the prime minister again this morning warned that the i this morning warned that the country is facing one of the most dangerous moments in its history, so we have seen that a million people according to the lebanese authorities have already been displaced because
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of the conflict. they say hospitals are struggling to cope with the sheer number of casualties from these israeli air strikes. we have seen that villages and towns and areas of southern lebanon have been heavily hit. also areas of the becaa valley in the east, and also a hezbollah base here in beirut. the real concern from the authorities and also from human rights organisations, ngos that this is a crisis that is likely to get worse if this conflict between israel and hezbollah continues. i appreciate you may not have read this yourselfjust now but i am just reading on the reuters news agency that hezbollah has said it has targeted with missiles military positions in suburbs of tel aviv. we were reporting half an hour or so ago the sound of air
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raid sirens in tel aviv, israel's most populous city. what is your analysis on that news, i appreciate yourjust hearing it from me now? i think this is an _ hearing it from me now? i think this is an indication _ hearing it from me now? i think this is an indication that - this is an indication that hezbollah still has the ability to fire some rockets and some missiles but we haven't seen these attacks, they are not happening with the same intensity as they were before this campaign, the intensification of this israeli campaign against hezbollah across the country. i think the group has been significantly damaged by these air strikes of the past two weeks. but i think again, it is believed that hezbollah still has a vast arsenal of weapons, including precision guided missiles that can strike positions across israel. i am just getting the alert here from the israeli
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military saying that air raid alerts have sounded in a town in northern israel very close to the border. it seems like hezbollah is trying to respond in some shape after these latest developments happening in southern israel. just briefly on _ in southern israel. just briefly on that, - in southern israel. just briefly on that, trying l in southern israel. justl briefly on that, trying to respond with air strikes. exactly. i think there is obviously the concern that hezbollah is planning to respond not only with these rockets and these attacks, but also with the possibility of some level of fighting on the ground. we know that southern lebanon is an area where hezbollah has built infrastructure, tunnels and underground bunkers as well. there fighters have been training for the possibility of a major confrontation with israel for almost 20 years. in 2006 there was a month—long war
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between israel and hezbollah. it was devastating for parts of southern lebanon and also here in beirut, and many here believe that history may be repeating itself, but this is again possibly marking the beginning of a wider offensive by the israeli military. so far the israelis are describing it as a targeted operation, but the fear here is this could be the fear here is this could be the beginning of a wider campaign against his brother and that more violence is likely to follow. —— against hezbollah. likely to follow. -- against hezbollah.— for more on that, we are joined now by miri eisin, formed idf intelligence officer and director of the international institute for counter—terrorism at reichman university. first of all, we have been hearing about those raids on tel aviv and we just had a bit more detail. have you seen or heard anything yourself this
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morning? i heard anything yourself this mornin: ? . , heard anything yourself this morning?— heard anything yourself this mornin-2 _ morning? i was caught by the air raid inside _ morning? i was caught by the air raid inside my _ morning? i was caught by the air raid inside my house. - morning? i was caught by the | air raid inside my house. right now i am where i stand in front of the tv, if there is another air raid i won't be able to stay here because what we do in israel as you stop your car, get out, lay down, there are very clear instructions. part of what happened and the pictures they are showing is literally a few blocks away from me where i was in my safe room. i clearly heard about the boom and in the following up booms. part of what is happening in israel is israelis overall 11 and a half months and years, know how to act, we have the early siren and then we have the interceptors and we also act by going into the safe areas that have been built up front. so we heard this and lived through this over the last half hour.— lived through this over the last half hour. stay safe and if ou last half hour. stay safe and if you hear— last half hour. stay safe and if you hear any _ last half hour. stay safe and if you hear any more - last half hour. stay safe and if you hear any more sense l last half hour. stay safe and - if you hear any more sense then feel free to stop this. you will hear. _ feel free to stop this. you will hear, it _ feel free to stop this. you will hear, it will— feel free to stop this. you will hear, it will come - will hear, it will come through! i will hear, it will come through!— will hear, it will come throu:h! ., ., ., will hear, it will come throu:h! . ., ., through! i wanted to ask you about these _ through! i wanted to ask you about these comments - through! i wanted to ask you about these comments we . through! i wanted to ask you -
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about these comments we heard from an israeli security official saying at the moment there have been no clashes between hezbollah and the idf. and they are describing them as local rates. a very limited and in scope. do you believe they can remain limited?— in scope. do you believe they can remain limited? let's take that apart _ can remain limited? let's take that apart for _ can remain limited? let's take that apart for a _ can remain limited? let's take that apart for a moment, - can remain limited? let's take that apart for a moment, that | that apart for a moment, that is exactly the challenge of what hezbollah is. they are an army but they are a terror army. they are not an army that comes out openly and tries to do different things, give early warning in the way israel does. they are a terror army, embedded inside the towns and villages and other grants i do expect her to be crashes when the israeli troops arrived with the israeli troops arrived with the degree are, right now what hezbollah is trying to do, the terror fighters that have lots of experience is to draw israel into booby traps that they have built up frontjust like hamas in the gaza strip, in urban areas. so i do expect more direct classes but right now it is israel taking advantage of
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the topography, to be in better positions to be able to specifically target the different strongholds. haste specifically target the different strongholds. we are 'ust different strongholds. we are just hearing _ different strongholds. we are just hearing on _ different strongholds. we are just hearing on the _ different strongholds. we are just hearing on the reuters . just hearing on the reuters news agency that hezbollah says it used a new missile in its attack on tel aviv where you are. i wonder if you are familiar with a faddy four, i am certainly not.— am certainly not. they are iranian made _ am certainly not. they are iranian made missiles. - am certainly not. they are i iranian made missiles. they have different names. they didn't start using the two or three orfour until this didn't start using the two or three or four until this stage of fighting and in that sense that says it all. for i! of fighting and in that sense that says it all. for 11 months they were attacking us with short range and only in the last two weeks, when israel started to try to attack the middle and long range they were helping and how they started using them at all and it is supposed to be between 300 and
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350 kilometres with a very heavy payload and these are missiles that go 400 commenters in a very short time period, all of them supplied by iran and that is part of the challenge we face right now, both forces on the ground with the forces that come in, they had a shoal plan, to come into attack what they call operation liberation of galilee and they want to kidnap people like a mass—marketed and go back into lebanon and there is the second stage when israel responds, and sunset israel is a defender of lebanon against israeli aggression. those are hezbollah's words but they have been attacking israel for ii and a half months from october eight. i and a half months from october eiaht. , ., ., ., and a half months from october eiaht. , ., ., eight. i 'ust wanted to ask you about eight. i just wanted to ask you about what — eight. i just wanted to ask you about what you _ eight. i just wanted to ask you about what you think - eight. i just wanted to ask you about what you think comes . about what you think comes next. there are concerns about signet civilian casualties in all this and so if you crisis looming on the ground in lebanon as well. israel says it is a targeted operation but we are already hearing for example
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that the building on palestinian refugee camp near sidon was hit. mr; palestinian refugee camp near sidon was hit.— sidon was hit. my heart goes out or ways _ sidon was hit. my heart goes out or ways to _ sidon was hit. my heart goes out or ways to mothers - sidon was hit. my heart goes out or ways to mothers and l out or ways to mothers and children and civilians and the uninvolved, that is where my heart is. i am asking you and all of us, what we are doing is we are showing the blueprint of the safe haven for those terror elements. that is what hamas did in the gaza strip and they say very sadly, it isn't something that makes me happy i think israel for the last i! think israel for the last 11 months has shown enormous restraint over the fact that hezbollah fired 8000 rockets before the last two weeks and it was reported very little in the news, i don't have 70,000 friends but i have friends in and there are 70,000 israelis who moved from their homes eight months ago, they are not settlements, this isn't the occupied territory, this is in israel because hezbollah was targeting them. all civilians should always be safe. we never target civilians and i cite the sad aspect is those terrorist put themselves on purpose as
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part of their defence there, so we try to be as targeted as we can. it is not an argument i like having, my heart was out of the civilians.— of the civilians. good to get our of the civilians. good to get your insights _ of the civilians. good to get your insights and _ of the civilians. good to get your insights and thoughts l of the civilians. good to get. your insights and thoughts and developments from the middle east and stay safe. around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news.
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this is bbc news and you are of course watching continuing coverage of developments in the middle east, and all of this comes as israeli troops have crossed into lebanon in what israel's military has called a limited, localised and targeted ground operation against hezbollah on tuesday morning, an israeli security official has told the bbc the trips have only gone walking distance and that there have been no ground crashes so far. lebanon's prime
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minister says his country is facing one of its most dangerous phases and says that around a million people in the country are now displaced. we are also hearing that hezbollah has said it has targeted tel aviv with strikes as well today, this morning. hezbollah saying it was targeting an israeli military base to be specific near tel aviv, which is a populous city of course in israel. lots of developments. let's get the perspective now from iran, which is a strong military and financial backer of hezbollah. hezbollah is a proscribed terrorist organisation in the us, uk and other western countries. seyed mohammad marandi is professor of english literature and orientalism at the university of tehran and advised the iranian government during its nuclear negotiations in vienna in 2015. he joins us from beirut.
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a very warm welcome to you here on bbc news. where does iran fit into this equation? many of our viewers watching the snow that iran backs and support hezbollah but what comes next do you think now that this is escalating to the next level? will iran do something now? i think here in beirut, the day after the initial genocidal attack, that israelis carried across lebanon going over 500 people almost exclusively women and children, almost immediately afterwards when i arrived, hours later, they struck beirut and assassinated hassan nasrallah metres from where i was with 83 tonnes of
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weapons, bringing down six apartment towers, killing hundreds of people. with bunker busters. then later on in the evening they started trekking across southern beirut, countless other people, bringing down many apartment blocks, and every time they do this they say they are targeting hezbollah and then the western media says they call these hezbollah strongholds in order to make a city sound like a base. no one says tel aviv is a zionist stronghold in the western media. but iran supports the people of lebanon just like it supported the people of gaza during the last genocide being carried out there. back then whenever that is relish regime would bomb hospitals the israeli media —— with immediate would repeat the lies about... i am just going tojump in because i am asking you for your thoughts on what iran's next moves might be, not for a
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critique on the western media, because i want to share your thoughts and perspectives on what iran might do next. iran will do exactly _ what iran might do next. iran will do exactly what - what iran might do next. iran will do exactly what the - what iran might do next. i�*sfi will do exactly what the west is doing with the israeli regime. the west is providing bunker busters, the west is targeting civilians and providing propaganda, the west is providing intelligence, it doesn't come from the israeli intelligence, the collective west, the five eyes, the embassies, the ngos in beirut, there is an enormous network working alongside israelis. iran will do its best to help hezbollah, the resistance, hamas, the resistance, displaced people across palestine to be able to survive these onslaughts by regime that openly sees itself as exceptional, a chosen people, and something we west which proclaims to be secular and
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liberal, democracies, when it comes to israel somehow god gave them the status of being a chosen people. i gave them the status of being a chosen people-— chosen people. i would 'ust “um in chosen people. i would 'ust jump in because i chosen people. i would 'ust jump in because i i chosen people. i wouldjust| jump in because i appreciate you have your thoughts and we want all perspectives here on the bbc, but i do want to ask you one more question. which is therefore think if you are saying is going to be backing and boosting hezbollah even though many feel hezbollah capabilities have somewhat been degraded in the last week or so, are you saying you believe this is going to be a much more serious escalation, as someone who knows the iranian government, is that you're feeling about what comes next critical? , ., ., , critical? there is no doubt the israeli regime _ critical? there is no doubt the israeli regime once _ critical? there is no doubt the israeli regime once an - israeli regime once an excavation. the whole holocaust in gaza was netanyahu because mike attempted to remain in power and the fanatics that
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surround him. as i said earlier the west will stand with the israeli regime is until the less palestinian and last lebanese citizen because everyone... i think he will continue to escalate and i think this will be a very bloody war and i think the possibility of this becoming a regional board israel and then the oil and gas markets could really explode and that would bring about the global economic meltdown. so even people in the west for their own selfish elites in the west, for their own selfish interests should be aware of supporting this genocide. i aware of supporting this genocide-— aware of supporting this renocide. ., ., , genocide. i have to stop you there but — genocide. i have to stop you there but thank _ genocide. i have to stop you there but thank you - genocide. i have to stop you there but thank you very - there but thank you very much for sharing your thoughts and perspectives here on bbc. we do get a range of views. thank you for sharing your side. let's speak to our security
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correspondent frank gardner. it isa it is a very impassioned time at the moment in the middle east and the fear is a further escalation. the guest i had on just then who has links with the iranian government believes it is only going to get worse. what did you make when you listen to that of what you heard? , ., heard? the first thing i would sa is heard? the first thing i would say is that — heard? the first thing i would say is that hezbollah - heard? the first thing i would say is that hezbollah does - heard? the first thing i would | say is that hezbollah does not speak for the people of lebanon. it is a hugely powerful military and political force in lebanon. it is more powerful than the lebanese army. it is very much tied to the shia population who had to be underrepresented in the past but it does not speak for all the people of lebanon. there are plenty of people, christians in lebanon who can't stand hezbollah and would like to see its power reduced. that said, of course the conflict that has erupted or escalated
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in the last two weeks is horrific to the people of beirut and southern lebanon, it must be absolutely terrifying. but his was one view, there are other views there. how will this develop? well, you are absolutely right that iran is key in all of this because hezbollah was their project, start of the 1980s, iran has been quite restrained so far. remember onjuly the 31st remember on july the 31st ismail remember onjuly the 31st ismail haniyeh the political leader of hamas was assassinated in tehran, israel didn't say they did it but everybody knows of course it must have been israel that did it, nobody else would be doing it. and iran is yet to respond to that. they know israel has a much bigger military capability than iran does. iran has a lot of missiles that israel has got a bigger power and iran doesn't want to get into a fight with israel. the one thing i would agree with the previous guest about his that the israeli
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premier benjamin netanyahu does appear to be trying to take on all enemies and doesn't appear to be afraid of any kind of restraint at all even from his eyes. he is determined to go after the so—called axis of resistant, this is an iran led galaxy of allies that are all opposed to israel. the houthis in yemen, the popular mobilisation fronts in iraq, groups in syria, hezbollah, iran could ask them or tell them to send troops to lebanon, to bolster hezbollah. it could do a direct attack on israel, unlikely, or it could simply bide its time and it is hard to know which way this is going to go. if there is a debate within the security establishment of iran, do they lie low and wait for it to pass?—
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iran, do they lie low and wait for it to pass? that gets from the iranian — for it to pass? that gets from the iranian security _ the iranian security establishment certainly felt it should escalate but as you say, a range of views on that story and we are watching it very closely. more than 20 children and teachers are feared dead after a school bus crashed then caught fire in the thai capital of bangkok. the thai government has said around 16 passengers who were on board have been hospitalised. an emergency worker on scene said one of the vehicle's tyres burst, causing it to crash into a barrier and ignite. the pupils were on a school trip from the northern province of uthai thani. let's speak to our south east asia correspondent jonathan head, whojoins us from bangkok. really distressing details on that story. what more can you say? if that story. what more can you sa ? , ., that story. what more can you sa ? i. ., that story. what more can you sa ? ., ., , say? if you look at what is auoin say? if you look at what is going on _ say? if you look at what is going on behind _ say? if you look at what is going on behind me - say? if you look at what is going on behind me this i say? if you look at what is j going on behind me this is say? if you look at what is - going on behind me this is the scene, the bus is screened off just about 10 metres that way away from me. they are going through the alpha business of
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retrieving the burned bodies from the bus, not saying how many. we know they have retrieved out so far and these vehicles behind me have been brought in to take those bodies away. we are still not clear exactly what the death toll is but it is feared it is high and will include a lot of young children. this was largely school on board this bus, along with six teachers. that is what is going on at the moment. it will take on quite a bit longer before they can find a clear the scene appear so waiting the authorities to give us a full picture of what they know and of how many people lost their lives. the bigger question is why this happened. thailand has a very, very poor road safety record. poor even by regional standards. we have seen accidents like this many many times before and one of the striking aspects of them is how easily seem to catch fire. this was not a catastrophic accident. the bus driver appears to have lost control and slammed into the median barrier here but the bus doesn't look much damage so why it caught fire and that fire
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spread so fast to trap people inside is the question the authorities will have to answer. there will also have to see whether they can propose some measures to improve road safety in thailand. it has been talked about many years before. nothing has been done. serra; talked about many years before. nothing has been done.- nothing has been done. sorry to interru -t nothing has been done. sorry to interrupt you — nothing has been done. sorry to interrupt you there. _ nothing has been done. sorry to interrupt you there. we - nothing has been done. sorry to interrupt you there. we have - interrupt you there. we have run out of time. this is bbc news. hello again. we've had some heavy rain moving across parts of england and also wales this morning, and the whole lot is slowly pushing towards the south—east. it's being dragged along by this area of low pressure which will still be with us even through tonight and tomorrow in the far south—east, but it's going to weaken as we go through the next couple of days, the rain turning more showery. but you can see here, where we've got the greens in the chart, that is indicating some heavy bursts. this rain already falling on some saturated ground which could lead to further issues.
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a keen wind coming in from the north sea will accentuate the cool feel. but for scotland, northern ireland, parts of wales and the south—west, we will see some drier conditions. and in the north—west, certainly some sunshine. as we head through the evening and overnight, still a lot of cloud across much of england and wales. our weather front wrapped around an area of low pressure still producing some showers and still breezy. but we've got clearer skies as we push further north, for northern england, northern ireland and scotland, and in some sheltered glens temperatures could fall away to freezing, so locally we could wake up to a touch of frost tomorrow. high pressure is starting to really exert its influence across us during wednesday, but you can just make out the dregs of today's weather front, still producing some showers, but the spacing in the isobars tells you it's not going to be as windy. it will be breezy, though. so, we start off with a lot of cloud for england and for wales. that will break up, sunshine developing. showers continuing on and off in the south—east, and when we lose the mist and fog further north, there will be a fair
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bit of sunshine around with temperatures 13—17 degrees. then as we head on from wednesday into thursday, well, high pressure really does assert itself across the whole of the uk, so we are looking at a drier day, there will be more sunshine around, its going to be less breezy. there will be some fairweather cloud bubbling up as we go through the course of the day, but not really spoiling it. and temperatures, 12 to about 17 degrees north to south. then beyond that, for friday and into the weekend, well, friday itself, there will be mist and fog to start the day. scotland and northern ireland, a weather front will come in bringing you cloud and some patchy rain. there will be a lot of dry weather this weekend, but equally expect some rain at times.
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this is bbc news, the headlines. backed by strikes from the air, israel defense forces say they've launched a limited ground operation against hezbollah in southern lebanon. hezbollah says it's targeted central israel, firing missiles towards a military base near tel aviv, where air raid sirens have sounded. and in the us the two vice presidential hopefulls,
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democratic nominee tim walz and his republican rivaljd

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