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israeli officials vowed to retaliate against iran after the regime fires almost 200 missiles at israel. tonight the u.s. vice president of candidates come face-to-face in their first and only debate of this close campaign. and a former u.s. president jimmy carter celebrates his 100th birthday. ♪ you are very welcome to world news america. you're here in new york city where just hours from now minnesota governor tim walz and ohio senator jd vance will take to the stage for their first and only vice presidential debate. the stakes are high in what is an incredibly close race for the white house. we will have more on that later in the program but first let's turn to the escalating conflict in the middle east.

the region is on edge anticipating a possible israeli retaliation after iran launched hundreds of missiles into israel. 181 missiles launched into israel by a ran. in response president joe biden directed the u.s. military to help shoot down missiles targeting israeli territory and to aid israel's defense. for more, let's go to my colleague anna foster who has been closely following the situation in beirut. we can join her on the ground now. >> good evening from beirut. in another serious escalation in the middle east, tonight iran has launched a barrage of missiles toward israel on the same day israel launched a ground invasion into southern lebanon against hezbollah. across israel a few hours ago, the sound of sirens were heard. people ran for cover and bomb shelters and the sight of bright

flashes and explosions were seen in the sky. israel has said the attack will have consequences. iran has said if israel retaliates, its response will be crushing and ruinous. the israel defense forces said around 180 missiles will launched -- were launched toward israel this evening. warning sirens sounded across the country at around 5:30 u.k. time. explosions were heard soon after. those missiles were fired across huge swaths of israel including toward tel aviv and jerusalem. our correspondent john is there now. you along with lay-ins of others had to seek shelter when those sirens sounded. >> that is right. four and half hours ago, us like millions of israelis across the country received a text message warning us to get the shelters immediately. we ran for the safe room here in the bbc bureau. this is an unprecedented iranian

attack on israel on this scale and the consequences could be huge. [sirens] israel was warned it was coming but this was iran's revenge. almost 200 ballistic missiles raining in. across the country. >> we got to get off the roof. these are coming down right next to us here. >> as people ran for shelter. with the iranian missiles traveling 2000 kilometers in only around 12 minutes, israel's defense system was at full stretch. >> we are on high readiness for defense and offense. we will protect the citizens of

israel. this attack will have consequences. we have plans to -- at a time of our choosing. >> this restaurant in tel aviv took a direct hit. this was a school in central israel. the u.s. said it helps in shooting down some of the missiles. its intelligence agencies had alerted israel to an imminent attack. america says iran gave no advance warning. >> the united states military kornet a closely with israeli defense forces to help defend israel against the attack. u.s. naval destroyers joined israeli air defense units in firing interceptors to shoot down inbound missiles. >> in gaza tonight, as i ran pounded israel, there were celebrations as there were in the iranian capital too. iran had valid vengeance after

israel assassinated the leader of the iranian backed lebanese alicia hezbollah on friday. israel killed the leader of hamas on iranian soil in july. meanwhile, this evening in java near tel aviv just before the missile attack, israelis were shot dead in what police say was a terrorist attack. for months now, the world's diplomats have tried to stop the year long war in gaza from engulfing the region. they failed and after tonight unprecedented iranian attacks, israel is expected to hit back hard. bbc news, jerusalem. caitriona: in just a moment we will speak to our north america editor sarah smith because the u.s. has confirmed its military did assist in shooting down some

of those iranian missiles as they headed toward israel. let's return to john in jerusalem. what is the feeling tonight? >> we knew iran was going to seek vengeance as it puts it for the assassination in lebanon on friday and also for the hamas leader back in the end of july. israel has not had an attack like this from iran in its history. the mood of defiance you heard from benjamin netanyahu suggests israel is going to respond with force. it is another incredibly dangerous moment in a conflict which has lasted almost exactly a year and is spreading across the middle east. >> thank you in jerusalem. to new york and sarah smith. what is the u.s. reaction to this attack tonight?

>> we heard from president biden a few minutes ago and he said the attack had been ineffective and defeated and he had instructed the u.s. military to assist in israel's defense. as we heard, u.s. naval destroyers fired by the dozen interceptors at the iranian missiles. president biden and vice president harris watched this happen from the situation room. mr. biden also said make no mistake. he is fully supportive of israel's security. he says he has not spoken to prime minister netanyahu yet but he intends to and they will discuss the consequences for iran. other officials say it is too early to start discussing what those consequences might be. you can be sure america is no longer going to be urging israel to exercise any restraint in its response. they see this as an entirely different situation. what they are calling a brazen and unacceptable escalation of hostilitieiran in support of tes

it nurtures and supports in the region. the emphasis here today quite different from how it was yesterday. it is very much on what americans are calling the ironclad support for israel's right to defend itself although they will not say whether the u.s. might actually be involved in any of that response and the consequences when that comes. >> sarah, thank you. fears are growing about the escalating crisis in the middle east. in the early hours of this morning, israel's military said its troops had crossed the border into southern lebanon and they told the people living in more than 25 villages to evacuate immediately. today it was revealed is really special forces had operated inside lebanon dozens of times over the last few months destroying tunnels and dismantling weapons. we are going to take you to both sides of the border. in just a moment we will get the latest from our senior

international correspondent who is in the southern lebanon city of tyre. first hour middle east correspondent lucy williamson is on the border in northern israel. >> tonight, people in northern israel were still absorbing the news israel had launched that ground incursion into lebanon across the border -- the border here. today we were told, is really special forces had spent more than 200 nights on the lebanese side of the border preparing the ground, finding and destroying hezbollah targets. the iranian missile to attack -- missile attack is a reminder of how widespread, how unpredictable the risks of israel's wars can be. in northern israel, it was clear this attack was different. people used to hezbollah's attacks tonight glued to the sky.

two their funds. -- two their phones. israel's air defenses tackling iranian missiles wave after wave. on the ground, along this northern border, a new generation is fighting an old and stubborn war. a limited targeted ground incursion into lebanon the army says to destroy hezbollah tunnels and allow israel's northern residents to return home. four more reserve divisions were called up today. you can see the evidence of israel's ground incursion here a few miles from of the border. yesterday, there were dozens of tax lined up in these fields. now, almost the entire fighting force is gone and several more armored vehicles are preparing to move. a military official briefed journalists today special forces had been operating just inside

lebanon for the past 11 months destroying tunnels. >> they showed us the weapons they found. with hezbollah weekend, i asked a spokesman about the appetite to push the group further north. >> we are acting with a plan to carry out operations in the limited targeted way close to the israeli border between israel and lebanon making sure we remove these immediate threats. >> i asked if that plan could change. >> we have many plans on the table. at the moment we are focusing on removing the immediate threats from close to the israeli border. >> in border towns, emptied a year ago by fears of a hamas style attack, there is strong support for israel's ground invasion. >> i am certain this ground maneuver will bring the residence back safely and i think it is very needed and that is the answer. that is exactly what we wanted.

maybe a bit too late but better late than never. >> a day into israel's invasion, forces have so far met little resistance on the ground. but hezbollah remains a powerful enemy within even more powerful backer. the risks of this incursion have not fully emerged but in the year since the hamas attacks, israel's risk appetite has grown. lucy williamson, bbc news on the israel-lebanon border. >> lebanon's caretaker prime minister has said today the country is facing perhaps the most dangerous moment in its history. around a million people in lebanon, around 20% of the population have been displaced from their homes. our senior international correspondent is in the city of tire in southern lebanon -- city of tyre close to the area where israeli troops crossed the border.

>> tonight in the past half an hour or so, we have been able to see incoming israeli strikes a few miles from here visible from our live position. of course, is really troops are on the ground. they invaded by crossing the border which is just about 12 miles from here. israel is talking about a limited ground invasion but that is no consolation to many lebanese. they remember the devastation caused here in 2006, the last time israel and hezbollah went to war and there are many in lebanon, particularly here in the south who fear that their country could become another gaza. the empty road to tyre. few were heading to southern lebanon today. israel is ordering residents of 27 villages in the area to leave.

inside the city in the old christian quarter, some of the wreckage left by a recent israeli strike. danger here still. within the last few moments, we have heard the sound of two explosions and it sounds like there are still planes in the air. this site is where another airstrike happened over the weekend bringing downed several buildings here. we have been told nine people were killed here alone. hezbollah brought us to this site to show us of this damage. -- to show us this damage. we met this woman without hezbollah. she took us to her family home which is no more. >> my daughter in law died here, she says. her sons were injured.

my husband was there and i was there. the room fell on top of us. there is nothing left. she lists the names of her neighbors who died. we are just ordinary people here, she says. and then -- this time, a sonic boom. an israeli warplane breaking the sound barrier. time to go. many already have. getting away before it gets any worse. you can see here there has been a massive strike. cars have been flipped over on their sides. trees have been ripped out of the ground. just across on the others of the road, there is a massive crater.

israel has been hitting this area hard and now it has troops on the ground here in southern lebanon. the last time that happened in 2006, it was devastating for tyre. this ancient city is usually a popular holiday resort. now it is already a victim of war. but a wider war is being played out tonight. iranian missiles streaking towards israel in the skies over tyre. across the region now, fires burning everywhere. bbc news, southern lebanon. >> the timing of that iranian missile attack on lebanon tonight is particularly notable coming as it did hours after the news that israel had launched

that ground invasion into southern lebanon. iran also said that was in response to the killing here in beirut of the leader of hezbollah on friday and the killing again by israel in tehran of the political leader of hamas just a few weeks ago. let's return to our correspondent in jerusalem. benjamin netanyahu has spoken tonight. he has called this a mistake. there is already talk about how and when israel might respond. >> yes and if you think back to april when iran launched 300 drones and rockets toward israel in much more telegraphed attack that caused minimal damage in israel, israel responded by bombing iran. this attack tonight was much more serious. israelis are going to wake up tomorrow and there is considerably more damage then we have seen so far tonight.

there is a possibility some military bases were hit hard. in my report you saw. restaurants, large craters in the road. this is as i said, unprecedented and prime minister benjamin netanyahu has said iran will pay. we don't know when israel's response is going to come but you are almost certain it will come. >> that is john donnison in jerusalem tonight. i think the international community's focus will be very much on how to de-escalate this. it has been something they have been talking about for the last few days and weeks but of course those conversations at the highest level behind closed doors no resemblance to what we are seeing on the ground here in the middle east at the moment. we have heard from the foreign

secretary, from the u.s. president joe biden. everybody calling for a cease-fire in the middle east but it is no doubt a dangerous moment and people here in lebanon tonight, people in israel as well are filled with fear and concern about what might happen next. that is all from me and our teams under the middle east tonight. back to the studio. caitriona: let's turn back now to tonight's vice presidential debate in new york city. . it will be the first time the minnesota governor democrat tim walz and the ohio senator jd vance meet face-to-face on the debate stage. we are speaking them to discuss hot button issues including immigration, reproductive rights and the economy. the democratic nominee tim walz has prison painted in previous debates as a two-term governor and six term congressman. unlike his opponent senator vance, mr. vince is likely to lead on their relatability --

mr. walls is likely to wean on his relatability. jd vance used to refer to himself as a never trumper in 2016 but today senator vance is more closely aligned with with trump's political views. as senator he has a conservative record republicans hope will appeal to their young and midwestern base. let's talk now about what we can expect from the night ahead. i'm joined by our senior digital correspondent. first of all, the big news around the world today, the incident in the least. iran launching over 180 missiles at israel. to what extent is that going to impact what we will see later tonight? >> i think it is going to inject itself into this political debate. it probably will be one of the first questions asked of the candidates. jd vance is a u.s. senator so he has dealt with international affairs and foreign relations in his role in washington.

tim walz does not tend to talk about international affairs as much on the campaign trail. he seems to avoid those sorts of questions when he does talk to the media. i don't think there's any question he will have to talk about what happened. you have seen both campaigns, kamala harris come out and issue a statement shared her assessment of the situation. her pledge to stand by israel and donald trump himself released a statement laying the blame at the feet of the democrats and the biden administration saying none of this would have happened if he had still been president. you are already seeing both campaigns positioning and responding to these breaking events. caitriona: it is one of the issues where there is not much difference between their positions in terms of support for israel. >> what you hear from the biden administration, you heard for the past year is that the united states stands standby stash stand side-by-side with israel and the united states fully supports israel's right to defense. you heard that from kamala harris in her comments today.

donald trump does not draw too many distinctions about how he would do things differently. he tends to just point to his record as president to he describes himself as being very aggressive, very controlling of iran, restrict their ability to expand. they were not a threat when he was president. he promises none of this would have happened if he were still president and lays all the blame at the democrats but he does not really advance any kind of cohesive plan for how to bring the conflict in the middle east under control. caitriona: young the issue of the middle east, what do you think are going to be the places where we may see a bit of fire between the two men? >> the issues that you mentioned. the economy, immigration, abortion. . i think those are going to be the hot button topic because those are the issues the american voting public says they care about the most. the republicans, jd vance thinks he has an opportunity to score points on the economy to try to hang the economic record and the

american dissatisfaction with the economy and inflation over the past three and a half years around the neck of tim walz but more largely around the neck of kamala harris and the democrats. i think you will see tim walz hit on the abortion topic as polls time after time showed that is an issue that really motivates the democratic base. suburban women in particular care a lot about and they have a lot more faith in the democrats being able to handle this then the republicans. caitriona: lots to come tonight we will be keeping a key i -- a keen eye out on. you can watch the cbs news vice presidential debate on bbc news. will be simulcasting that. we will have a full build coming on air when :00 a.m. british time or 8:00 p.m. u.s. eastern time. do join us for that. former u.s. president jimmy carter marks his 100th birthday today. making carter the oldest surviving and longest living u.s. president. to celebrate the occasion, a musical concert will be held in

his hometown of plains, georgia and habitat for humanity, the housing charity carter has worked with for over 40 years will build 30 homes in his honor. former president carter has spent the net -- the past 19 months in hospice care at his home. his grandson jason carter says the president is still engaged in politics and is excited to cast his ballot in the u.s. presidential election in november. as always you can keep up-to-date with all of the day news at our website bbc.com/news. the developing situation in the middle east and everything that is going on here with the vice presidential debate which you can announcer: funding for presentation of this program is provided by... financial services firm, raymond james. announcer: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. and by judy and peter blum kovler foundation,

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amna: good evening. i'm amna nawaz. geoff: and i'm geoff bennett. on the "news hour" tonight, the middle east once again on edge after iran launches missiles at tel aviv in retaliation for israeli strikes on iran-backed groups in lebanon and gaza. amna: the search for survivors continues i