across the country. three bodies have been recovered from a tourist boat that sank off egypt's red sea coast. more than a dozen people are still missing. the clean—up operation begins, after storm bert brought major disruption to parts of the uk. more than 100 flood warnings remain in place. and the world's oldest man has died in north west england at the age of 112. hello, i'm annita mcveigh, welcome to bbc news now, three hours of fast—moving news, interviews and reaction. there have been fresh blasts in lebanon in the last couple of hours, despite hopes that a deal to bring a temporary end to the fighting between israel and the iranian—backed

group hezbollah could be agreed later today. this series of huge blasts was filmed in the southern part of beirut on tuesday morning. the israeli military told residents in the area to evacuate shortly before the attack. lebanese government officials say more than 7,300 people have been killed in israeli attacks across lebanon since october last year, with most of those deaths in the past few weeks. hezbollah fired rockets into northern israel late on monday — two people were injured. israel's cabinet will meeting in the next few hours to discuss backing a truce, which has been brokered by international mediators, including the us and france. prime minister benjamin netanyahu is said to have already agreed to it in principle. under the agreement, there would be a 60—day pause in fighting, during which israeli troops would withdraw from southern lebanon. hezbollah would move further away from israel's northern border so that civilians could return to their homes in their respective areas.

0nce they've moved, the lebanese army and un observerforces would deploy in areas close to the border. let's can live now to beirut and speak to our correspondent, hugo bachega. and from jerusalem, we'rejoined now our corresopondent yolande knell. welcome to both of you. you go, i will go to you first, that we wait for that israeli cabinet meeting to get under way, more big strikes. tell us in a bit more detail about what has happened. more detail about what has happened-— more detail about what has happened. there were more evacuation _ happened. there were more evacuation warnings - happened. there were more evacuation warnings issued l happened. there were more i evacuation warnings issued by the israeli military, and shortly afterwards, the israeli army carried out further air strikes, targeting buildings in the neighbourhood in southern lebanon which is essentially controlled by hezbollah. they have been more air strikes on the south of the country in the city of tyre, which is a major city of tyre, which is a major

city in the south. there have also been air strikes in other cities, so these air strikes continue despite efforts for a ceasefire. the israeli authorities have been saying all along that they will continue with those attacks targeting hezbollah, they describe this as a strategy of negotiations, so trying to put pressure on hezbollah and also the lebanese authorities to accept a deal. so the indications from the lebanese authorities are that they have accepted that this deal which has been put forward by the americans, as you said again, a deal which sees a 60 deal ceasefire —— a 60— day ceasefire, the withdrawal of israeli troops from the south of the country but also the removal of hezbollah troops and weapons from the south. and thousands of lebanese troops are to be deployed to areas along the border. and i think the key point here in this proposal is about implementing this deal. there will be a

monitoring mechanism at a committee of five countries, led by the usa, to monitor the implementation of this deal. so again, it is not a done deal yet, but what we are hearing from officials from both sides is that progress has been made, so i think here in particular there is optimism that the deal can be reached.— can be reached. let's cross to yolande knell _ can be reached. let's cross to yolande knell in _ can be reached. let's cross to yolande knell in jerusalem. i can be reached. let's cross to i yolande knell in jerusalem. you yolande knell injerusalem. you go there saying it is not quite a done deal, but is it almost that as far as the israelis are concerned, the government? certainly the israeli media are reporting that they are expecting the security cabinet, when _ expecting the security cabinet, when it— expecting the security cabinet, when it meets injust under an hour's— when it meets injust under an hour's time, to approve this deal— hour's time, to approve this deal which is on the table. we are expecting that those ministers could meet for several— ministers could meet for several hours before they have their_ several hours before they have their vote _ several hours before they have theirvote. 0ne several hours before they have theirvote. one key far several hours before they have their vote. one key far right minister. _ their vote. one key far right minister, it's amar ben give ear, — minister, it's amar ben give ear. has— minister, it's amar ben give ear, has said he will vote

against _ ear, has said he will vote against this agreement. he said israel_ against this agreement. he said israel should fight on until it achieves _ israel should fight on until it achieves absolute victory over hezbollah, but we have had the defence — hezbollah, but we have had the defence minister coming out this morning at saying israel will demand an effective un enforcement mechanism for any ceasefire — enforcement mechanism for any ceasefire deal and that it will show — ceasefire deal and that it will show a — ceasefire deal and that it will show a zero tolerance, in his works. — show a zero tolerance, in his works. of— show a zero tolerance, in his works, of any kind of violation. i should point out that— violation. i should point out that even_ violation. i should point out that even in the past few minutes, we have had rocket warning _ minutes, we have had rocket warning sirens going off in the north— warning sirens going off in the north of— warning sirens going off in the north of israel to indicate that— north of israel to indicate that there are incoming hezbollah rockets. we have had the israeli military saying that— the israeli military saying that it _ the israeli military saying thatitis the israeli military saying that it is targeting hezbollah infrastructure and interests in southern _ infrastructure and interests in southern beirut and parts of southern _ southern beirut and parts of southern lebanon, it has also put out — southern lebanon, it has also put out a _ southern lebanon, it has also put out a press release saying that it — put out a press release saying that it has its ground troops as far— that it has its ground troops as far north as the tiny river, that— as far north as the tiny river, that is— as far north as the tiny river, that is the _ as far north as the tiny river, that is the line which, according to the agreement, and the past — according to the agreement, and the past un security council resolution upon which this new ceasefire — resolution upon which this new ceasefire agreement seems to be

built, _ ceasefire agreement seems to be built, hezbollah should not have — built, hezbollah should not have a _ built, hezbollah should not have a presence below that ievet — have a presence below that ievet so _ have a presence below that level. so significant israeli ground _ level. so significant israeli ground forces have been said to be preached that far and to have — be preached that far and to have found their dozens of hezbollah weapons and also other — hezbollah weapons and also other hezbollah infrastructure, the israeli military says. for the israeli military says. for the moment, _ the israeli military says. h?" the moment, yolande knell in jerusalem, thank you very much. live now to beirut and najat aoun saliba, an independent member of the lebanese parliament. thank you very much forjoining us today. listening to another lebanese mp speaking to one of my colleagues earlier, he said that most mps were in the dark about the details of this, is that the situation with you as well? ,., ., that the situation with you as well? , ., ., ., that the situation with you as well? ,., ., ., ., i. ., well? good morning to you and to our well? good morning to you and to your viewers _ well? good morning to you and to your viewers and _ well? good morning to you and to your viewers and listeners i to your viewers and listeners and thank you for inviting me. yes, the negotiations were done secretly and that we have been kept really in the dark to give our opinion about the

conditions and the agreement itself. as such, we don't know what is in the deal, and we hope that this is for the benefit of the people who have been completely displaced from their villages to go back to their villages to go back to their home and also the sovereignty of the country is protected as well. so two important things, it is very important things, it is very important for people who have left their homes to be able to return as soon as possible after the ceasefire deal is completed. at the same time, no invasion from israel as it pleases in orderfor invasion from israel as it pleases in order for lebanon to remain a state which has its own sovereignty and its own... if i may interrupt, sorry, do

you think that this deal, based on what you are hearing, will secure lebanese sovereignty, given that reports say that israel may be able to maintain a freedom of operation within lebanon to act in defence if it feels that there is an ongoing threat from hezbollah? that is exactly my _ threat from hezbollah? that is exactly my point. _ threat from hezbollah? that is exactly my point, that - threat from hezbollah? that is exactly my point, that is - exactly my point, that is extremely important. i don't think any country in the world would accept another country having this freedom to go and invade its territory as it sees it best for its own benefit. and that is why it is very important that the state of lebanon gives the confidence and prepares itself to take care of the security of this land so that israel doesn't have any excuse to come and interfere as it sees fit.

finally briefly, do you think a 60- finally briefly, do you think a 60— day truce, ceasefire paws, whatever you want to describe it as, do you think that this can work in practice in terms of its implementation? it is definitely — of its implementation? it is definitely a _ of its implementation? it is definitely a good _ of its implementation? it is definitely a good start, - of its implementation? it 3 definitely a good start, and thatis definitely a good start, and that is why i am saying the state of lebanon should get its act together so that it projects confidence of the whole world, especially to the community or group of countries which are going to be overlooking the implementation, so that the state of lebanon stands very firm in protecting the land of this country. also stands very firm in building a state which has high confidence and at the same time secure the return of the displaced to their homelands and villagers and to their homes as well. thank you very much for your

time today. i think we can just show our audience that a qr code on the screen which will take you to much more information about what will happen today. the meeting of the israeli cabinet about one hour away, that will take you to much more information, you can find that on the bbc website on that story as we follow all developments. let me just tell you that very soon i will be talking to a former israeli brigadier general about this plan to organise a 60 day ceasefire. some are breaking news coming into us in the last few moments, the governor of egypt's red sea region says three people have been found alive in the rescue operation for the tourist boat which sank in the red sea on monday. he added that the number of bodies have also been recovered. sally nabil from bbc arabic is in hurghada in egypt. the boat had been on a five day

diving tour, there were 45 people on board, 31 tourists and 1a egyptian crewmembers. 28 members deletes people have been rescued so far, but that number changing all the time. bring us right up—to—date on these latest developments. the latest we have _ these latest developments. the latest we have is _ these latest developments. tie: latest we have is coming these latest developments. tue: latest we have is coming from the governor of the red sea, he said three people have been found alive, two belgians and one egyptian. and four bodies have been recovered, we don't know their nationalities yet, but we understand that search and rescue operations are still under way trying to locate the rest the missing. another total number of those who have been rescued has gone up from 28 to 31, and now the number of people missing has gone down

from 16 to nine, and we understand that the egyptian navyis understand that the egyptian navy is taking the lead in the search and rescue operations. they have dispatched crews, ships, a couple of helicopters, to try and speed up this operation, given that the large number of tourists on board. we also know that those who survived, the first batch of 28 survivors, are in good health condition and only had some bruises and they are receiving due medical care. but an investigation is under way to try to find out what happened and caused this boat to sink. initial reports have been saying that some of the survivors say that a huge wave hit the ship, causing it to capsize. so bad weather might be a factor. the 15