after hurricane helene tore through southeastern and midwestern states. and in thailand, at least 23 people — most of them children — have been killed after a school bus crashes and then catches on fire near bangkok. here in beirut, following the developing story today, the conflict in the middle east and the escalation we saw in the early hours of this morning here. israel's military says its troops have crossed the border into southern lebanon overnight. a senior israeli security official described the operation as "limited local raids", targeting hezbollah strongholds that threaten israeli border areas. it has urged residents

of more than 20 towns in southern lebanon to evacuate immediately. in response, hezbollah has launched a missile attack on central israel. these pictures caught the moment when air raid sirens sounded across tel aviv. this map shows the border, with southern lebanon marked in red. lebanon's prime minister said his country was facing "one of the most dangerous phases in its history". here is idf spokesperson, rear admiral daniel hagari, speaking about israel's operation in lebanon. it was confirmed that about two o'clock local time here in the morning. if the state of lebanon

and the world can't push hezbollah away from our border, we have no choice but to do it ourselves. i want to make it clear, our war is with hezbollah, not with the people of lebanon. we do not want to harm lebanese siblings. we are taking measures to prevent it. we will not let the 7th of october happen again on any one of our borders. we will continue doing whatever necessary so that israeli families can return to their homes in safety and security. our middle east correspondent lucy williamson shared the latest from metula, in northern israel. by the checkpoint outside the border town of metula. this is as close as we can get to the lebanese border this morning. there's a group of soldiersjust behind me preparing to go in. metula is one of the focal points of the first 2a hours

of this ground incursion. it had several rounds of rockets come in overnight, and the nearby town of kiryat shmona, just ahead of me, is completely deserted. and just a little further down the road, fields that yesterday were full of tanks emptying. almost the entire fighting force there has now moved on. israel is calling this a limited, targeted incursion. but sending ground forces even a little way into lebanon is a major undertaking for the israeli army. joining me now is your land now. we have been hearing more details in a briefing this morning. these have been described as limited, local raids, this incursion into the southern limit done that started this morning. what more do we know about the start of those in what form they are

likely to take?— likely to take? not many details are _ likely to take? not many details are being - likely to take? not many details are being given i likely to take? not many| details are being given at likely to take? not many - details are being given at the moment. these are being described as raids that go on a walking distance into southern lebanon, so not very far across the border, but what they have been saying consistently as they want to deal with hezbollah infrastructure that they know lies along the border. tunnels, bunker, i'll la miller cherry —— other military hardware that lie selling that area. they described lebanese towns is being turned into military bases by hezbollah. israel has said that it will make things safer some 60,000 residents of northern israel who have been evacuated from their homes from the most a year now because of the most a year now because of the fighting that has taken place since the start of the war in gaza and the daily exchanges of fire between israel and hezbollah. exchanges of fire between israeland hezbollah. in exchanges of fire between israel and hezbollah. in order to make it safe for those

people, it says it has to push people, it says it has to push people away from the border and investigate any tunnels that may be in that area because it feels like it could be an october the 7th style attack. it is for hezbollah to be face to the north of the river, about 30 kilometres away from the border. israel wants to have that buffer zone in place. we will talk a little bit more about what is happening in lebanon injust a about what is happening in lebanon in just a second, about what is happening in lebanon injust a second, but how is this being received by people in israel? what do they make of this new incursion? is it a popular —— is it a popular move from benjamin netanyahu? if you looked at opinion polls over the last few weeks, there was increasing support ahead of israel increasing attacks. for hezbollah to be dealt with. that was something we saw. now

people know that after this aerial bombardment with the israeli military perspective has been very successful, even leading to the assassination of the hezbollah long—time leader, dealing with a lot of the rockets in hezbollah's large arsenal and the sites inside lebanon, this is a more dangerous space because israel, many people do have military experience in this country, where you have a military draft, and people are very aware and from past history as well, that a ground invasion means a lot more risk for israeli troops. they may well now be meeting with lebanese hezbollah fighters, people who are battle hardened, and they are battle hardened, and they are on their home turf.- are on their home turf. thank ou. are on their home turf. thank yom our _ are on their home turf. thank you. our correspondent - are on their home turf. thank you. our correspondent in - you. our correspondent in jerusalem. joining me now is hugo bachega.

we are hearing their own about popularity and is relevant for what is happening, but the hearing very different from lebanon for example stop this is not a state against the state, this is a group, hezbollah, often described as a state within a state here in lebanon, fighting israel. 50 lebanon, fighting israel. so the here. — lebanon, fighting israel. sr the here, here in beirut, there hezbollah base, they were going to fire. they saying they're not going to change their resistance and they are determined to resist. they think this is an aggression by israel against lebanon. but outside hezbollah support base, what people have been saying for almost a year now is that they were concerned that these hezbollah attacks on israel was dragging lebanon into a conflict that is not in their interests. this is a conflict

that lebanon has not decided to fight. this is a country that has been struggling to recover from years of an economic crisis, political crisis, refugee crisis, so a lot of people are exhausted by what has been happening here. now, the possibility of a wider conflict between israel and hezbollah.— conflict between israel and hezbollah. �*, ., .,~ ., ., hezbollah. it's hard to know at the moment. _ hezbollah. it's hard to know at the moment, as _ hezbollah. it's hard to know at the moment, as well, - hezbollah. it's hard to know at the moment, as well, what. hezbollah. it's hard to know at l the moment, as well, what their military capabilities are from it hezbollah when pushing back against israel.— against israel. they have been de . raded against israel. they have been degraded by — against israel. they have been degraded by two _ against israel. they have been degraded by two weeks - against israel. they have been degraded by two weeks of - degraded by two weeks of intense israeli air strikes. really weaken the group. we still don't know what kind of capacity they have in terms of trying to organise a significant, coordinated response. the leadership has been decimated, including their long—term leader who fought three decades for hezbollah.

yesterday, the number two gave a defiant speech, saying fighters were ready to confront any israeli aggression. they have been weakened but not defeated. they still have those weapons, thousands of experienced fighters, and they say they are going to confront any kind of israeli aggression. southern lebanon in certain hezbollah stronghold. they have spent almost 20 years creating an infrastructure there with underground tunnels and bunkers. so there is the possibility that the israeli military, if they decide to expand this campaign in southern lebanon, they may face some kind of resistance from hezbollah. at the same time, we are getting reports of people trying to leave the south. the sign of this conflict, the impact on the population, and a population that has already recorded a million people displaced because of this conflict. ,., .,

displaced because of this conflict. ., , ., conflict. hezbollah is an iranian-backed - conflict. hezbollah is an iranian-backed group i conflict. hezbollah is an i iranian-backed group and conflict. hezbollah is an - iranian-backed group and has iranian—backed group and has proxies in the region. what are the chances that they will get involved and supportive manner hezbollah?— hezbollah? this has been the concern here _ hezbollah? this has been the concern here that _ hezbollah? this has been the concern here that any - hezbollah? this has been the concern here that any kind i hezbollah? this has been the concern here that any kind of| concern here that any kind of wider conflict with hezbollah could perhaps for some other groups in this alliance that has been created by iran across the region, tojoin them. we've seen the who these in yemen firing rockets on israel. we have not seen signs that they are trying to come up with their coordinated response of a campaign against israel, but early days. this is something happening now. as we speak, we still don't know the full scope of what the israeli military intend to do in southern lebanon, but there is the risk of a wider conflict. ads, lebanon, but there is the risk of a wider conflict.— of a wider conflict. a few moments _ of a wider conflict. a few moments ago, _ of a wider conflict. a few

moments ago, you - of a wider conflict. a few moments ago, you were | of a wider conflict. a few - moments ago, you were talking about all the efforts that israel have made to degrade hezbollah. is there still a sense that hezbollah has people in place to actually coordinate some kind of fight back against israel? i some kind of fight back against israel? ~ , , ., ., israel? i think this is one of the key questions - israel? i think this is one of the key questions here. - israel? i think this is one of. the key questions here. we've seen that the leader has been killed, and the person responsible for the military activities of the group, a number of senior leaders killed, including the entire leadership of hezbollah main fighting use net. it's very difficult to see how they are going to come up with their coordinated, significant response especially because their coordination is network has been infiltrated and breached by the israeli military intelligence. so it is very difficult to see how they are going to be able to come

together and create, come up with some kind of response to what is happening here. we've seen that they have been firing some rockets at israel today. some rockets being fired in northern israel, tel aviv. we have not seen the intensity of those attacks, which could be an indication that they have been significantly wounded by those attacks.— those attacks. thank you very much for _ those attacks. thank you very much forjoining _ those attacks. thank you very much forjoining me - those attacks. thank you very much forjoining me here - those attacks. thank you very much forjoining me here in l much forjoining me here in beirut. a response is what it's all about here as well, we are talking about the response. also from the international community. we have heard from the us again in the last 2a hours calling for an immediate ceasefire. it does not look as though it will happen now. anna, thank you so much. ijust want to take your life now to bank up to another story we will be following closely. we will be following closely. we will be following closely. we will be live there with a

correspondent at the scene. let me show you some pictures now of thailand. we now know that 23 people now, most of them children, have been involved in a horrific bus crash just outside bangkok. the blaze began after a tyre on the bus burst, causing it to hit a road barrier, although it's not yet clear what started the fire. we will be live in thailand and will continue our coverage in the middle east. around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news.

we continue our special coverage of the situation in the middle east.

the idf is saying it is engaged in fighting with keir starmer. its troops crossed the border into southern lebanon overnight. let's speak now to israel defense forces spokesperson, lieutenant colonel peter lerner. could you clarify what is happening on the border, because we've had a statement from hezbollah saying this is entirely incorrect and there have been no direct clashes. what is happening right now. 0bviously what is happening right now. obviously i can't comment on real—time issues, but since the early hours, the idf has been engaged in localised precise operations on the lebanese side of the border area, to seek out, destroy and dismantle hezbollah, attack capabilities

that they have established over the course of the last 20 years across the border, to conduct attacks like what we saw in the 7th of october last year.- 7th of october last year. when ou sa 7th of october last year. when you say precise _ 7th of october last year. when you say precise attacks, - 7th of october last year. when you say precise attacks, we . 7th of october last year. when | you say precise attacks, we are getting reports from laverton —— from lebanon and boarding —— shelling of border settlements. do you have an assessment of how many civilians have been killed? �* ., _, ., killed? i'm not commenting on secific killed? i'm not commenting on specific incidents _ killed? i'm not commenting on specific incidents as _ killed? i'm not commenting on specific incidents as they - killed? i'm not commenting on specific incidents as they are l specific incidents as they are developing, but i can say that the idf is engaging hezbollah. we are determined to dismantle the attack infrastructure they have established across the border, and we know that they have intentionally and strategically, not by mistake but by design, positioned all of their activities, their access tunnels and rocket launchers in the area, so there is indeed a challenge. i would say we was built in the very early stages of this

engagement, and indeed we are determined to deliver the goods so we can restore the safety and security to the 60,000 israelis that have been evacuated for a year now. the idf, have _ evacuated for a year now. the idf, have issued _ evacuated for a year now. the idf, have issued evacuation warnings to 20 or 25 villages, giving people some morning telly. you've also told some civilians that they can't drive anywhere in the south along the border. how do you expect people to get away? i think their message _ people to get away? i think their message been - people to get away? i think- their message been distributed regarding vehicles is from north to south. we don't want to see hezbollah trying to reinforce forces in the south. just to clarify that point. i think there is a really important mission that we have to fulfil the instructions of the government to bring home the government to bring home the 60,000 israelis that deserve to... the 60,000 israelis that deserve to. . ._ deserve to... yes, we understand _ deserve to... yes, we understand that - deserve to... yes, we . understand that message deserve to... yes, we - understand that message but deserve to... yes, we _ understand that message but i'm trying to establish what is happening in the south. can i ask you if the intention and of

the idf is to establish some kind of buffer zone now? ida. the idf is to establish some kind of buffer zone now? no, it is to destroy — kind of buffer zone now? no, it is to destroy the _ is to destroy the infrastructure that hezbollah has established in order to carry out some kind of october seven style attack.— seven style attack. how long would you — seven style attack. how long would you say _ seven style attack. how long would you say the _ seven style attack. how long would you say the troops - seven style attack. how long j would you say the troops will stay there? i would you say the troops will stay there?— would you say the troops will sta there? ., ., ., ., stay there? i would not want to commit because _ stay there? i would not want to commit because it _ stay there? i would not want to commit because it is _ stay there? i would not want to commit because it is a - stay there? i would not want to commit because it is a dynamicj commit because it is a dynamic issue and i would not want to say it will be over by teatime. as an important note, they have taken 20 years to build infrastructure that will enable them to infiltrate into israel. how degraded do you think hezbollah are right now, given they've had 20 years to build they've had 20 years to build the infrastructure. what kind of damage have we seen already? we have to a certain extent decapitated the organisation. we've inflicted damage on the operators. now we want to make sure they cannot do a skip and a hop into israel and threatened the towns and communities of the people in

northern israel. 50 communities of the people in northern israel.— northern israel. so you're worried — northern israel. so you're worried about _ northern israel. so you're worried about the - northern israel. so you're| worried about the network northern israel. so you're . worried about the network of tunnels. has there been any degradation of those all any damage done to that tunnel network. �* , ., damage done to that tunnel network. fl ., ., , damage done to that tunnel network. �*, ., ., , , network. it's not only tunnels. it's trying _ network. it's not only tunnels. it's trying to — network. it's not only tunnels. it's trying to inhabit _ network. it's not only tunnels. it's trying to inhabit a - it's trying to inhabit a proximity into israel. but the network of hezbollah's system, along the border area, used as bunkers, staging grounds, weapon storage positions, this type of mechanism all needs to be dismantled. they cannot have those tools of death on our border. i would like to remind you that the united nations security council resolution stipulated that none of these weapons should be there to begin with. none of these capabilities should have been there to begin with. but resolution _ there to begin with. but resolution 1701 - there to begin with. but resolution 1701 says - there to begin with. but resolution 1701 says that crossing into lebanon none is a violation of the sovereign territory. can i also ask you

what is happening with that and also concerned that the idf must have about the drone strikes from yemen? flit must have about the drone strikes from yemen? of course, which conducted _ strikes from yemen? of course, which conducted a _ strikes from yemen? of course, which conducted a strike - which conducted a strike against yemen, against the houthis in yemen in response to their attacks against israel. some of their infrastructure was destroyed. nobody is safe from these terrorists, and we are sending a message we will not tolerate it. we want to safeguard and protect the people of israel.- safeguard and protect the people of israel. thank you very much _ people of israel. thank you very much for— people of israel. thank you very much forjoining - people of israel. thank you very much forjoining us. i 23 schoolchildren and some of their teachers have died in thailand after the bus they were travelling in caught fire in bangkok. the blaze began after a tyre on the bus burst, causing it

to hit a road barrier. let's speak to our southeast asia correspondentjonathan head, who joins us from bangkok. what a horrific story to be reporting on. what a horrific story to be reporting om— what a horrific story to be reporting on-_ reporting on. what has happened? _ reporting on. what has happened? what - reporting on. what has happened? what you l reporting on. what has l happened? what you can reporting on. what has - happened? what you can see behind me is the attempt to move the charred frame of the bus, what is left of it. the vehicle behind has been planning to move it out, but the bus was powered and converted to run on compressed natural gas, and there is some concern that the gas canisters might still explode. they've been pushing us throughout the afternoon there have been ambulances and trucks coming back and falls across these highways one of the main highways into bangkok to retrieve the bodies on that bus. they have retrieved 23 bodies. 20 of them, we believe our schoolchildren. even by the very poor road safety standards of this country, this is a particularly tragic road accident. we don't know why

their bus caught fire so quickly. it did not hit the central reservation hard, but somehow a fire started near the front of the bus and consumed it within a couple of minutes, and it seems that some of the exits were not able to be opened. people could not get out and we had this very large number of casualties. i6 out and we had this very large number of casualties. 16 people aurora also being treated in hospital. we are not sure of their condition either. i really shocking incident and actually —— absolutely awful for the area in thailand where the schoolchildren come from. over the years we've spoken many times about horrific road accidents in thailand. has the government done anything to try and tackle road safety there? it hasn't. no government has in fact. i've been record porting for this country for around 2a years off and on. it's always talked about when we have these horrific accidents. there is

clearly a safety issue here. there is no way that this bus in what was a relatively minor to 25,000 people die up and down the re a s to 25,000 people die up and down the re a relatively minor accident should have caught in what was a relatively minor accident should have caught violette that. all of those violette that. all of those things the government will look things the government will look into. but we've seen accidents into. but we've seen accidents like this many times before, like this many times before, huge fires, almost inexplicable huge fires, almost inexplicable accidents with huge death toll accidents with huge death toll is, i cannot remember any is, i cannot remember any significant initiative by any significant initiative by any government to try and change government to try and change the road safety culture. i the road safety culture. i would be amazed if it happens would be amazed if it happens this time. the new young prime this time. the new young prime minister of thailand is a young minister of thailand is a young mother herself. people may mother herself. people may remember she was pregnant when remember she was pregnant when she was campaigning in an she was campaigning in an election just last she was campaigning in an electionjust last year election just last she was campaigning in an electionjust last year she was campaigning in an election just last year and she was visibly distressed by what she was campaigning in an election just last year and she was visibly distressed by what happened here. perhaps that happened here. perhaps that might make a difference, but might make a difference, but there isjust a lack there isjust a lack might make a difference, but there is just a lack of safety culture all around. there is no might make a difference, but there is just a lack of safety culture all around. there is no attempt to campaign to change peoples minds, routinely or up to 25,000 people die up and down the roads

there is just a lack of safety culture you �*ound. there is no there is just a lack of safety culture you the d. there is no there is just a lack of safety culture you the latest re is no there is just a lack of safety culture you the latest on s no there is just a lack of safety culture you the latest on the» to bring you the latest on the devastation caused from the storm. let's bring you the latest pictures from beirut as we continue to bring coverage from the user that israeli troops have 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. 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. 0ur 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

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.

this is bbc news... 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 fires missiles into central israel — a highway has been hit and air raid sirens have sounded across tel aviv. in the us, president biden prepares to visit areas devestated by hurricane helene. more than a hundred people are dead — and hundreds more are missing. and the bbc investigates sudan's hunger crisis

as the civil war causes famine in parts of the country. hello. i'm lucy hockings. we continue our special coverage of the situation in the middle east israel's military says it's engaged in intense fighting with hezbollah, after its troops crossed the border into southern lebanon overnight. the israel defense forces launched what they called a �*limited, localised and targeted' ground operation against hezbollah'. this map shows the border — with southern lebanon marked in red. meanwhile, hezbollah said it was targeting israeli troops with artillery fire at the border town of metula. the idf has declared metula a closed military area, meaning all entry is prohibited. hezbollah responded by firing rockets in central israel at a military base in tel aviv these pictures caught the moment when air raid sirens sounded across tel aviv. let's just show you these pictures and these are the air raid sirens, this is the moment when those sirens sounded across tel