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 aviv

cbs news correspondent aviv chris livesay is in tel aviv and sent this report. the israeli military confirms that it's begun, quote, limited, localised and targeted raids against his brother in the border area of southern lebanon. but as we saw at a staging ground, it's building up for much more. there were more than 100 israeli tanks, armoured fighting vehicles and bulldozers in the clearest sign yet that israel is mobilising for a full blown ground offensive. but on the other side of the border with lebanon, just a few miles away, tens of thousands of his brother soldiers are waiting. in fact, israel said intense clashes erupted this morning. his brother is known to have a vast network of tunnels and a reputation for guerrilla warfare and suicide bombers. for its part, israel's elite

98th division has been prepping in the darkness to enter mountainous and treacherous terrain across the border, where explosions were heard throughout the night. their mission is to stop hezbollah�*s onslaught of rockets on northern israel, which has been going on for nearly a year. meanwhile, israel's own aerial onslaught on lebanon has intensified, killing more than a thousand people in just two weeks and displacing nearly one million, according to lebanon's prime minister, his brother. you can see here there has been a massive strike with fees ripped out of the ground, cars flipped over. ripped out of the ground, cars flipped over-— flipped over. there are three here on the _ flipped over. there are three here on the side _ flipped over. there are three here on the side of— flipped over. there are three here on the side of the - flipped over. there are three here on the side of the roadl here on the side of the road and if we cross over, there is an

enormous crater, a building has been ripped out of the ground here, completely destroyed. and now israeli forces are on the ground in the south, starting a ground in the south, starting a ground war. we are in the city now and we see it is very empty. we pass very few cars, very few people with ambulances on the road.

our security correspondent frank gardner. they are just north of the litani river. in they are just north of the litani river.— they are just north of the litani river. in the last war ended between _ litani river. in the last war ended between israel- litani river. in the last war ended between israel and l ended between israel and hezbollah in 2006 there was a un resolution which stipulated that hezbollah was meant to stay north of that. i was not aware there was any peace going on there so there was not much peace to keep but at the moment israel is not really interested in pausing its campaign, it is determined to end the threat to its citizens living in the north. ~ , ., its citizens living in the north. ~ ., ~ ., north. when you talk about the wea on north. when you talk about the weaponry they _ north. when you talk about the weaponry they have _ north. when you talk about the weaponry they have there, - north. when you talk about the j weaponry they have there, how is that? ,. �* is that? full disclosure, i've not been — is that? full disclosure, i've not been in _ is that? full disclosure, i've not been in those _ is that? full disclosure, i've not been in those tunnels i

is that? full disclosure, i've. not been in those tunnels but is that? full disclosure, i've i not been in those tunnels but i don't need to because hezbollah haveissued don't need to because hezbollah have issued their own video showing them which they extend for hundreds of kilometres digging into the hard limestone, not the soft sand of gazza here, this is limestone rock and they have 18 years to take these tunnels. —— not the soft sand of gaza. the idea this could be a short, sharp operation and somehow it could all be accomplished in a quick time is unrealistic. israel went into lebanon in 1982, i was there early next year, and you mention that up on the border, i interviewed israeli soldiers they are going into lebanon injune 1983 and they were lebanon injune1983 and they were there until 2000. that is a long time. hezbollah is very much ingrained. share a long time. hezbollah is very much ingrained.— a long time. hezbollah is very much ingrained. are these the forces you're _ much ingrained. are these the forces you're talking _ much ingrained. are these the forces you're talking about, i forces you're talking about, the right one?— forces you're talking about, the right one? those are a unit of his brother—

the right one? those are a unit of his brother mac. _ the right one? those are a unit of his brother mac. -- - the right one? those are a unit of his brother mac. -- they - the right one? those are a unit of his brother mac. -- they arej of his brother mac. —— they are a unit of hezbollah. and they went into —— redwan. they went into a help fight sunni insurgents. stay with me. that rift has been healed and today the redwan are possibly the biggest threat that israelis worry about in the north one it is notjust the rockets, what scares the heck out of residence who have abandoned their farms and homes residence who have abandoned theirfarms and homes up residence who have abandoned their farms and homes up there, up their farms and homes up there, up in the north, is the idea that the possibility, the very real possibility, that hezbollah was training, practising for a similar raid that was done and october seven by hamas, raiding houses,

killing people, grabbing hostages and taking them back. ijust interviewed someone from the idf who said they do not want to stay, they want us to be here for a short time in a limited but it is possible they could stay. which way do you think it could go? is it either way at the moment how do you think it could pan out?- think it could pan out? what they want — think it could pan out? what they want is _ think it could pan out? what they want is quite _ think it could pan out? what they want is quite possibly l they want is quite possibly going to come up against the hard blonde reality which is that hezbollah want to fight an attritional war harrying and harassing israeli forces and they know they cannot take them on an x—ray 21 contestjust as iran cannot take on israel. israel —— in a straight one—on—one contest. hezbollah was very powerful until a few weeks ago but it has been severely compromised, neck munication have been sabotaged, their leader has been decapitated, —— their leadership has been

decapitated. they are not in a good place to fight a war but what they are good at and i use that word a military sense is ambush and surprise, and quick —— hit and ambush and surprise, and quick —— hitand runs. ambush and surprise, and quick —— hit and runs. they sat have some very powerful russian anti—tank guided missiles that will be good for attacks and they know which routes the israelis will take, they can predict that, they know where to put their minds and they can make it very bloody. —— i know where to put their mines. —— they know where to put their mines. the former dutch prime minister, mark rutte, has become the 14th secretary general of nato. jens stoltenberg, who served as the head of the military alliance for more than a decade will be replaced at a meeting at the organisation's headquarters in brussels. live now to brussels where we can speak with our defence correspondent jonathan beale. before we talk about mark rutte and his plans, a lot people saying they are people saying they're about what is going on in the middle is there any

consensus?— consensus? well, at that transfer _ consensus? well, at that transfer from _ consensus? well, at that transfer from jens - consensus? well, at that - transfer from jens stoltenberg transfer from jens stoltenberg to mark — transfer from jens stoltenberg to mark rutte, that has taken place — to mark rutte, that has taken place now and they were both asked — place now and they were both asked about the situation in the middle east. when they appeared together, before they handed — appeared together, before they handed over responsibility. jens— handed over responsibility. jens stoltenberg, the outgoing secretary general of nato, said he was — secretary general of nato, said he was deeply concerned about the situation called for the escalation, very similar message from mark rutte saying he was _ message from mark rutte saying he was looking closely at what was happening and wanted an end to hostility as soon as possible and the point is that nato — possible and the point is that nato really isn't a player in the conflict. there are different allies with different views — different allies with different views of what is going on and some — views of what is going on and some of— views of what is going on and some of those like the uk and itaty— some of those like the uk and italy have put imposed sanctions, arms embargoes, on israel— sanctions, arms embargoes, on israel because of what is happening. 0ther israel because of what is happening. other countries like the us, — happening. other countries like the us, the most important nato ally, the us, the most important nato ally. the — the us, the most important nato ally, the most powerful nato ally. — ally, the most powerful nato ally. is—

ally, the most powerful nato ally, is backing israel and there _ ally, is backing israel and there is— ally, is backing israel and there is no doubt that nato is an operation that operates by consensus so this is not part of its — consensus so this is not part of itsjurisdiction consensus so this is not part of its jurisdiction considering it is— of its jurisdiction considering it is the _ of its jurisdiction considering it is the north atlantic by name _ it is the north atlantic by name. a ~' it is the north atlantic by name. a, ~ .,, it is the north atlantic by name. ~ , name. mark rutte has become the 14th secretary-general— name. mark rutte has become the 14th secretary-general of - name. mark rutte has become the 14th secretary-general of night - 14th secretary—general of night to day as you have mentioned, what does he bring to the table? i what does he bring to the table? ~ , , table? i think it brings someone _ table? i think it brings someone who - table? i think it brings someone who is - table? i think it brings - someone who is recognised, he has been prime ministerfor the netherlands for a decade, he is a compromiser, a consensus builder, he has run a number of coalition governments in the hague and has done that successfully. he is a known quantity in the words ofjens stoltenberg, he will be a safe pair of hands. he is somebody

whojens stoltenberg thinks will make a great secretary—general and of course there are potential pitfalls as there are potential pitfalls as the secretary general when you're asked questions about domestic policies and he has already been asked about mark rutte, his use of the u s election, could he work with donald trump, someone who has recently questioned the very foundations of nato which is article five, the defence of one ally could include the actions of all to come to their rescue, come to their aid, president trump, former president trump, former president trump, suggesting that if a country can spend 2% of its gross domestic national income on their defence then he would not come to the rescue. that is something that was asked to mark rutte. i'm not going to comment on everything donald trump or kamala harris, the vice president, is saying. but generally, my impression and my gut feel is based

on all the talks i've had on both sides of the aisle, including with the candidates, is that they understand that in the end, the transatlantic relationship is crucial, notjust for europe. it's not there for an historical reason that they didn't want to repeat a mistake after the first world war, not being involved in europe. no. it is crucial for their defence, for their security. of course one of the reasons why mark rutte has been chosen as the neck secretary—general, why the us backed him and most european countries backed him in the early days is because he is someone who has had a relationship with donald trump and they seem to have got on well but he is also someone who has a relationship with democrats, too, and has praised kamala harris so you'll have to walk a tightrope and at the moment he's been very careful not to offend either side because he knows he could work with either of those two.- with either of those two. thank

ou. us officials say they fear as many as 600 people may have died,after hurricane helene battered six states in the south east of america. over a hundred people have been confirmed dead, and hundreds of others are still unaccounted for.these are pictures showing aid being loaded into trucks in florida, where the hurricane first made landfall. it was downgraded to a tropical storm as it moved through the states of georgia, the carolinas, tenessee and virginia. entire communities have been detroyed, and millions still remain without power. carl nasman has the latest. let's cross over to the badly hit small mountain town of swannanoa in north carolina to speak to cbs news correspondent skylar henry. describe the scene. take us through how things are well you are on around you. —— how things are where you are.

we have been getting reactions from people around here regarding the damage following hurricane helene. they say they need all the help they can get, supplies, food, water, because they are literally left in some cases without homes, some people we spoke with have been looking at their homes, assessing the damage, one couple that we've talked to chain sawing their way inside of their house just to see the damage that was left behind. as you can see, the floodwaters were up almost too well that ruthisin were up almost too well that ruth is in this exact area and thatis ruth is in this exact area and that is how high the waters were at the peak of this storm, so much so that people here had to evacuate as quickly as they could, there are mandatory evacuations in this region and some of those unfortunately did not make it out, as you pointed out, the death toll continues to climb here in buncombe county alone with a0 people at least being confirmed dead but

officials have stressed they are still trying to make their way to some of those hard—hit areas including in these mountain regions that roads may potentially be cut off because of downed trees or power lines that are simply washed away. with so much devastation, what is needed most right now, is it shelter, food and water? what are aid agencies sending as a priority? mil are aid agencies sending as a riori ? �* ., ., ,., priority? all of the above, i think you — priority? all of the above, i think you could _ priority? all of the above, i think you could say, - priority? all of the above, i think you could say, as - priority? all of the above, i think you could say, as it i think you could say, as it relates to what folks need here, we were here as military personnel dropped food, water and supplies in communities like this one, we were in a town called marshalljust a couple of days ago were something similar was the case with military response being great but they say they are still having trouble getting to some of those areas and they are needing to out drop some of those supplies to those regions because of that. now, president

biden, along with other officials, said a0 truckloads officials, said a0 truckloads of water and 20 truckloads of food will be delivered to north carolina every day as long as it takes to recover but they say they are still working around the clock to dig themselves out. one of the things we should point out here as you spoke about the missing and unaccounted for people. communications your have been relatively difficult. cell phone signal spotty at best so they have been trying to get more starling signals and is spotlight satellite seal so people can make sure their loved ones are ok as they are sure to be worried following the devastation of hurricane helene.

around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news.

one of the worst famines in decades could soon take hold in sudan following a year and a half of brutal civil war there. up to 150 thousand people are believed to have died and millions more displaced, in what some say is the worst humanitarian crisis facing the world today. barbara plett usher sent this report from the capital 0mdurman. the hunger stalks sudan. the youngest are its weakest prey. sudan has long seen malnutrition caused by poverty, but the civil war is causing famine in parts of the country. so you have just expanded this ward? yeah, we've expanded this ward in the previous two days. we've added more 35 beds to the ward. it makes the total capacity of 89 beds. 89 beds. yes. how many times have you expanded during the war? this malnutrition ward has been expanded four times.

so patients are now lacking food. they're just lacking food. they came from areas that the food are either very expensive or very scarce. severe acute malnutrition. this unit is for babies closest to death. suliman is two years old. here he can get treatment, but most cases like his are in conflict zones hardest to reach. both warring parties have blocked aid. that's eased a bit, but not enough. elsewhere in 0mdurman, the hunt for food begins early. a local charity is about to serve breakfast. lines form long before it opens its doors. this is only the first stop for naji abdallah. i come here in hope of getting food for my children, he told me. then i'll go and look

for whatever work i can get to earn some money to buy bread for them. community kitchens, they're called. they've sprung up all over the country. the un says it has only a third of the funding it needs. so here it's sudanese helping sudanese. the elderly and disabled are let in first. two scoops of beans for each person and a bag of bread. there is bread and other food in the shops here, but soaring prices mean they can't afford it. hajar abbas is a mother of six. a complicated birth has left her too weak to walk. she lives with her sister, who has seven children. 0ur father was captured at the start of the war, she told me. and we've been displaced since. we're just here for breakfast and we'll go looking again. sometimes we find food, sometimes we don't. last in these two little boys,

barely tall enough to see over the counter. the organiser is suhandi abdul—wahab, a practising lawyer and a resident here. you're in a war zone, right? would you ever leave? are you afraid? no, no, she says, when you see the people's needs, it gives you strength because you can help them. and when you know that people need you, that helps you overcome your own fears. for naji, no luck today. turned away when the food ran out. it's clear that aid is desperately needed for a people who feel forgotten and are reaching out for help. barbara plett usher, bbc news, 0mdurman, sudan. a wedding venue which has played host to the nuptials of sir paul mccartney, liam gallagher and cilla black, is celebrating a century of holding ceremonies. 0ld marylebone town hall, in central london, is marking the milestone by conducting 100

weddings in one day. charlotte gallagher is there. i'm here at old marylebone town hall, and the old part is very important, where they are hosting 100 weddings in just one hunt day. hosting 100 weddings in 'ust one hunt dayi one hunt day. they would normally _ one hunt day. they would normally host _ one hunt day. they would normally host 12-25 - one hunt day. they would - normally host 12-25 weddings normally host 12—25 weddings and today they're hosting 100. couples coming in with family, friends, children and even dogs in some cases and this is the superintendent registrar here. how's it going?— how's it going? brilliantly, actually- — how's it going? brilliantly, actually. just _ how's it going? brilliantly, actually. just how - how's it going? brilliantly, actually. just how we - how's it going? brilliantly, i actually. just how we planned it. ., ., , , actually. just how we planned it. ., , actually. just how we planned it. how many weddings happen so far? i've it. how many weddings happen so far? we lost _ it. how many weddings happen so far? i've lost count _ it. how many weddings happen so far? i've lost count but _ far? i've lost count but probably _ far? i've lost count but probably around - far? i've lost count but probably around 20 - far? i've lost count but probably around 20 so| far? i've lost count but - probably around 20 so far, so, yeah. the _ probably around 20 so far, so, yeah, the rest of the day to go — yeah, the rest of the day to a 0- ., yeah, the rest of the day to co. ., , yeah, the rest of the day to .o_ ., , ., yeah, the rest of the day to go. how did this idea come about? it — go. how did this idea come about? it is _ go. how did this idea come about? it is so _ go. how did this idea come about? it is so ambitious. l go. how did this idea come |

about? it is so ambitious. it is. it sounded like a crazy idea _ is. it sounded like a crazy idea at— is. it sounded like a crazy idea at the beginning but we thought— idea at the beginning but we thought about it and thought, why not? _ thought about it and thought, why not? proper planning, careful— why not? proper planning, careful planning, it is absolutely doable and we spent about _ absolutely doable and we spent about a — absolutely doable and we spent about a year any planning of it and the — about a year any planning of it and the purpose of today is really — and the purpose of today is really to _ and the purpose of today is really to celebrate 100 years of ceremonies in the old marylebone town hall, so we initially— marylebone town hall, so we initially wanted to celebrate initially wanted to celebrate in 2020 _ initially wanted to celebrate in 2020 with the building itself— in 2020 with the building itself opening in 1920 and it later— itself opening in 1920 and it later transpired that the first ceremony was not actually conducted here until the 1st of october— conducted here until the 1st of october 1924 which is well the first idea _ october 1924 which is well the first idea came from was to celebrate 100 years of ceremonies in the building and at the — ceremonies in the building and at the end of the day this is what — at the end of the day this is what we _ at the end of the day this is what we do on a daily basis, so we wanted _ what we do on a daily basis, so we wanted to get something to celebrate and have a big impact but also — celebrate and have a big impact but also we wanted to include people — but also we wanted to include people in— but also we wanted to include people in it so it would have been — people in it so it would have been easyjust to have a big party— been easyjust to have a big party to— been easyjust to have a big party to celebrate but we thought, actually, let's do something really special and include —

something really special and include people, and people celebrating their love stories. you _ celebrating their love stories. you can— celebrating their love stories. you can have a front row seat as these 100 couples get married orform as these 100 couples get married or form civil partnerships are today and some people renewing their vows because we are streaming things live for you on the bbc news website not much happening at the moment but if you go to the live page you can see people talking to your correspondence or are they met and what they felt about the day and crucially you can see these wonderful pictures as well as the bride and groom, and some civil partnerships taking place as well. lots of photos which you can scroll through and take a look at as there are 100 weddings and being celebrated today. one other major story to bring you today out of the us as tens of thousands of east and gulf coast port workers are striking, the first time in nearly years which comes after

the longshoreman is association and maritime alliance were unable to meet on the terms of the contract. it will disrupt the contract. it will disrupt the country's economyjust the country's economy just weeks the country's economyjust weeks before the general election. stay with us here on bbc news. hello, flooding continues to cause concern across parts of england. here, we have a weather watch picture from the god manchester area showing flooding around the river ouse. the numbers have come down significant in the west with new flood warnings in northern england to go along with the problems we have in parts of the midlands and today, yes, a bit more rain to come in for the most part across eastern england it is quite a steady rain with just england it is quite a steady rain withjust a england it is quite a steady rain with just a few heavier bursts mixed in and may be

another ten millimetres of rain to come, something like that, as you go through the rest of the day and heaviest rain going into east anglia and greater london area and how we have some of the flooding concerns into north—west england, the weather should mostly dry here and staying pretty cloudy with the best of today's sunshine in northern ireland. overnight, as the sky is clear in scotland, we expect some fog patches to develop so it turns quite murky, england and wales having a lot of cloud and still some patches of rain coming into east anglia and the south—east of england but by this stage the rain is going to be a lot lighter. and then we see high—pressure start to build across the uk solo that could be a bit more rain to come across south east england and east anglia, it will be a light so i expect the number of flood warnings to drop a very numbing days because many of us should have quite a run of two or three days of dry weather so i look forward to that because it should help some of the flood ebb away. a bit more sunshine in scotland and northern ireland as well tomorrow and

then into wednesday night it a cold night with impetus down in single figures and a touch of frost in the coldest parts of scotland and on thursday morning starting off with some mist and fog patches which clear ali and high—pressure is in charge with plenty of dry weather and most of us will see some sunny spells and as i say, those floodwaters should continue at times to slowly ebb away. temperatures round about 13-17 c away. temperatures round about 13—17 c and we should manage another dry day on friday for many areas before the weather turns more unsettled with low pressure in the atlantic starting to bring some windier weather conditions the weekend along with some heavy outbreaks of rain and it is notjust over the weekend with next week looking unsettled, too, and the best description as it rain at times next week. —— the best description is we will see some rain at times next week.

today at 1:00pm, israeli troops cross the border into lebanon. the israeli government is calling it a limited incursion targeting hezbollah and tells people in 25 villages to evacuate. the lebanese prime minister says his country is facing "one of its most dangerous phases" and a million people have been displaced. also on the programme... energy prices in england, wales and scotland have risen by 10% as the new price cap comes in. heading back into port, the cruise ship stranded in belfast that finally set sail last night has to turn around.

prince william and david beckham meet up to celebrate a fundraising landmark for new air ambulances. and coming up on bbc news, mikel arteta against the team where it all started as a player. arsenal against psg is the highlight of the night's champions league matches as their manager faces his former club. israeli troops have invaded lebanon, in what their military calls a limited, localised and targeted ground operation against hezbollah. people in around 25 villages in southern lebanon have been told to evacuate. the lebanese prime minister says his country is facing one of its most dangerous phases. our bbc middle east correspondent yolande knell reports. israeli troops heading to southern lebanon under cover of night.

israel says they are now carrying out limited,