The Early Morning assault began with a barrage of rocket fire from gaza just after dawn with explosions heard on the streets of ashkelon. Sderot, which is near gaza, is thought to have been infiltrated by militants. Heres the latest on what we know at this hour. Israels public broadcaster is reporting that after 18 hours, hostages being held in a dining room in kibbutz be� eri have been released. Israel has also confirmed that the commander of the nahal brigade, coloneljonathan steinberg, was killed in fighting on saturday. Meanwhile, Major Airlines have cancelled dozens of flights to tel aviv. They include american airlines, air france, lufthansa, emirates, and ryanair, among others. Lets show you live pictures from gaza now. Were hearing that the israeli army has asked residents of seven different areas across the gaza strip which you can see there on your screens to leave their homes and move to the city centres or take refuge in shelters in preparation for Launching Attacks against hamas targets. Witnesses told the bbc that dozens of families had started leaving their homes and were sheltering in un schools. This comes as israeli troops are still going house to house to clear communities after the saturday assault. We can get some reaction from washington. Secretary of state Antony Blinken spoke with several of his european counterparts. State Department SpokespersonMatthew Miller says they discussed and condemned the hamas attacks. The secretary underlined the United States� support for israels right to defend itself. Earlier, we heard from us president joe biden, who gave this statement expressing solidarity with israel. The United States stands with israel. We will not ever fail to have their back. We will make sure they have the help their citizens need and they can continue to defend themselves. You know, the world has seen appalling images. Thousands of rockets in the space of hours raining down on israeli cities. I got up this morning and started at 7 30 am eight oclock, my calls, rockets over the israel killing not only soldiers but civilians. In the street, in their homes, innocent people murdered and wounded, entire families taken hostage by hamas just days after one of the holiest of days in thejewish calendar. Its unconscionable. You know, when i spoke to Prime Minister netanyahu this morning, i told minister netanyahu this morning, itold Him Minister Netanyahu this morning, i told him the United States stands with the people of israel in the face of these terrorist assaults. Israel has the right to defend itself and its people, full stop. There was neverjustification for Terrorist Attacks and my administration supports unintelligible security is rock solid and unwavering and let me say this as clearly as i can this is not a moment for any party, hostile to israel, to exploit these attacks, to seek advantage. The world is watching. With me now is ravi agrawal, editor in chief of foreign policy. Welcome to you, ravi. Wait to have you back with us once again. I wanted to update you and, of course, alpe dhuez on some new details that we are getting. We are learning the hostages being held in the southern town of 0fir kim have been rescued, according to the public broadcaster there. Three is merely soldiers are metaphor three is bolelli three Israeli Soldiers have been moderately wounded and they added a attackers had been killed. With all of this in mind, talking this evening, i just want to begin by getting your reaction to what weve been seeing. Your reaction to what weve been seeing. Gosh, well, the hostages. Been seeing. Gosh, well, the hostages, massively hostages, massively complicating the situation there. 0bviously complicating the situation there. Obviously in the israeli psyche, hostages are extremely important. Every israeli life is really important and they have been known in the past two, you know, in releasing israeli hostages to give up a lot in return. A few years ago when an israeli called Gillard To Lead was released by us, that was in return for 1000 palestinian prisoners hamas. The fact that there are so many hostages being used as Human Shields essentially by hamas in gaza since they have taken them back there, but massively complicates the situation for israel as it looks to deliver a response, a proportionate response, a proportionate response or disproportionate response or disproportionate response that we are likely to see in the coming days and this reallyjust is a huge, huge attack that has taken place today but i think has shocked israelis and the world and it was a surprise in many senses because this is a massive Intelligence Failure for hamas to be able to commit such an attack by air, land and sea, despite having a fraction of the resources that israel has at its disposal. At its disposal. Touching on this unprecedented at its disposal. Touching on this unprecedented scale i at its disposal. Touching onj this unprecedented scale of at its disposal. Touching on this unprecedented scale of the attackers you have been alluding to weve more details coming in from the new york times, essentially reporting we have aerated sirens which are continuing early on Sunday Morning and warnings going off in the coastal city of ashkelon at about 2 30 am. Just talking about the scale and what we are seeing and what weve seen essentially on what is day one, how do you see this developing . Day one is a very apt way of putting it, halina, because this will go on for a while. Its very clear now that he must have been planning this for months helena. It is not over on her maths� s part. There are scattered fighters who have infiltrated by ground or paragliders into israeli towns. They are still active. Israel is busily trying to shut those attackers down. But then, you know, we sort of move into the response phase and there will be a lot of pressure internally on israel to launch a huge response. Weve heard the phrase that this is israels 911 being invoked again and again today and gives you a sense of a major blow this is the israel but it also gives you a sense of what to expect in coming days. 9 11 was obviously an awful, awful attack on america but then, it led to a series of attacks and a War On Terror that lasted for the better part of 20 years. Similarly, now that we are invoking 9 11, you can expect israel to have a massive response that will have a range of regional effects which other regional powers may yet be involved and we may yet see hezbollah and other regional groups be involved and all have an impact on other regional deals, such as the saudi israeli moved to try to normalise ties between the two countries. I normalise ties between the two countries. ,. ,. ,~ countries. I did want to ask ou countries. I did want to ask you about countries. I did want to ask you about that countries. I did want to ask you about that with countries. I did want to ask you about that with your i you about that with your international perspective, ravi, in terms of why now . As you point out, coming at a time where there was this closing of tires, the possibility for this peace deal between saudi arabia and israel, do you think that could have played a role or was this also a symptom of the fact that this conflict between israel and hamas had been so long running that essentially, things were bound to boil over at some point . I things were bound to boil over at some point . At some point . I think it is a bit of all at some point . I think it is a bit of all of at some point . I think it is a bit of all of that. At some point . I think it is a bit of all of that. All at some point . I think it is a bit of all of that. All we at some point . I think it is a bit of all of that. All we can | bit of all of that. All we can do is try to assess in hindsight the potential israeli sell the normalisation of Tyres Micro Force Israeli saudi. 0ne Micro Force Israeli saudi. One thing on the table was america trying to pressure israel to make concessions towards the palestinians. All of it now is gone. Clearly, even in those talks of concessions, the palestinians were not consulted. This could be hamass way of saying wait a minute, we do not like what is going on and we want to say, we want to sort of attack in this very brittle, horrific way. But it isntjust very brittle, horrific way. But it isnt just that, very brittle, horrific way. But it isntjust that, this hasnt come in a vacuum and we can say that now in hindsight. Theres been a lot of violence in the west bank that other palestinian territory nearby over the course of this year, some of the worst violence that weve seen, skirmishes in years, we also have one of israel most white government in history couple right wing government. That come with its own complications. A top israeli minister recently visited what israel is called the temple mount, their holiest site, what muslims call the al aqsa mosque. That is another thing that has raised tensions in recent weeks. All of it, when you put all that together and the fact that america has largely been distracted to a degree of the war in ukraine and also with competition with china, you put all that together and tomas may have just found a moment to attack and surprise israel and the world hamas. And surprise israel and the world hamas. And surprise israel and the world hamas. Ravi, we are learning world hamas. Ravi, we are learning us world hamas. Ravi, we are learning us Secretary World hamas. Ravi, we are learning us secretary of world hamas. Ravi, we are learning us Secretary Of StateAntony Blinken has been speaking to turkey, has been speaking to turkey, has been speaking to turkey, has been speaking to partners in the european union. What do you think that says . Think that says . What it says is that the think that says . What it says is that the united think that says . What it says is that the United States think that says . What it says is that the United States is i is that the United States is going to try and build a coalition of support right now. I think a lot of these countries, not turkey but others, see hamas as a terrorist group. The eu as well. I think they are all going to look to try to back israel in any way that it needs and there been a lot of problems in israeli us relations recently. There have been problems internally within israel. A lot of descent, a lot of anger at Prime Minister netanyahu but in a moment like this where securitys israel is threatened, when its existence is threatened by a group does not even recognise israel, to be clear, all that then ends up igniting all of these various groups, that it is groups within israel, the larger west as we like to call it, and allies of the United States i think will all come together in some way to try and assist israel in the here and now, to try to see what kinds of solutions can be looked at in the coming months and to ensure the coming months and to ensure the violence that we will undoubtedly see in the coming weeks doesnt get too bad. This is a really, really messy, murky situation. It is, as Prime Minister netanyahu has called it, or. But Prime Minister netanyahu has called it. On called it, or. But i do ust want to. I called it, or. But i do ust want to, as i called it, or. But i do ust want to, as you i called it, or. But i do ust want to, as you say, h called it, or. But i dojust want to, as you say, it i called it, or. But i dojust want to, as you say, it is| called it, or. But i dojustl want to, as you say, it is a messy situation to bring another crisis into the mix here. War. Thats ukraine and a varnhagen see all of this playing out internationally at a time when, as you have pointed out, western attention is very much focused on russias or in ukraine and i wonder how you see it. Russias or in ukraine and i wonder how you see it. Several crises all wonder how you see it. Several crises all at wonder how you see it. Several crises all at once wonder how you see it. Several crises all at once with wonder how you see it. Several crises all at once with a crises all at once with a global level, the world, to be honest, cannot take it. There are too many crises going on all at once, International Cooperation is at a low, multilateralism has been struggling now for a long time and this is one more crisis that, in some senses, divides the world. It divides the middle east, for sure. But there are many countries in the global south that are quite resentful for the amount of attention that ukraine has gotten. They will also be divided by this issue as well. If you think about muslim countries around the world which have long tried to Add Attention for what has been very tough situation for the palestinians over the few decades, there will be more because now for support for the palestinian people. Among people who support their cause. And its a course, we should remind ourselves, but has been back burn for years. As much as this, what were seeing today, is a of intelligence, its also a failure of diplomacy. It is a failure of the International Community that got us to this point that led to us being shocked and surprised and its a reminder that inasmuch as there has been some semblance of peace, if you can call about, over the last few years, it was a very tenuous, tenuous peace that has been chatted today and its just one more big problem for the International Community to deal with and from the evidence we are seeing, its not sure, its not for sure that the world is equipped to handle it. Poignant, powerful point to end on. Ravi agarwal, editor in chief of foreign policy, great to have your perspective as always. Giving with us. Live now to laurin whitney gottbrath, world editor at axios. Thanks so much for being with us. In your line thanks so much for being with us. In your line of thanks so much for being with us. In your line of work, covering these kinds of crises, is a daily occurrence yet the world woke up, i think it is fair to say, shocked by the events weve been seeing despite that long standing tension between these two parties. Your thoughts on today, where you also shocked . Im not entirely sure there is anyone who was not shocked, who would have not already about this attack this morning. Shocked that hamas was able to pull off something of the scale on so many different fronts, land, sea and air. But also shocked as well but israel took so long to respond. Its not something you typically see when it comes to israels defence of itself and it has One Of The BestIntelligence Agencies in the world, One Of The Best militaries in the world. The fact that hamas was able to pull herself was indeed shocking. That being said, whether or not it is surprising that hamas was planning something, at the end of the day, this has been a year of massive escalation in the west bankin massive escalation in the west bank in particular, Settler Violence obviously, the gas just before me talked about al aqsa and whether or not hamas was taking advantage of the political turmoil in israel as well. I do agree that saw its moment and it took it and unfortunately surprised the world in terms of what this will lead to which is a lot of civilian deaths. Civilian deaths. Just fill us in more civilian deaths. Just fill us in more on civilian deaths. Just fill us in more on the civilian deaths. Just fill us in more on the scene civilian deaths. Just fill us in more on the scene in i civilian deaths. Just fill us in more on the scene in terms of tensions. Set the scene, for example, you mentioned Al Aqsa Deanoin example, you mentioned Al Aqsa Deano in the west bank there is been an optic and violence according to the united nations, one of the deadliest years for palestinians. Just talk to us about what has been leading up to this. Leading up to this. Sure, yes, so in the leading up to this. Sure, yes, so in the last leading up to this. Sure, yes, so in the last year, leading up to this. Sure, yes, so in the last year, since leading up to this. Sure, yes, so in the last year, since the | so in the last year, since the year began, over 250 palestinians have been killed by Israeli Forces including several civilians. It also includes 47 children. Weve also seen over the last year attacks in israel as well by different militant groups, islamichhad, then other groups as well. Then we have seen uptake of Settler Violence. A lot of people agree that its been emboldened by sam berry far right ministers of the Israeli Government and Settler Violence we had not seenin Settler Violence we had not seen in a long time. That kind of contextualises sort of the anger thats been around, lets say, since the occupation began, but thats really been building over the last year. In the last couple of weeks therapy intentions along the israel gaza border so in terms of the big picture, it is a much, much biggerthing of the big picture, it is a much, much bigger thing than what wejust saw much, much bigger thing than what we just saw this morning. It is decades in the making. Stay with us in the studio is elise labott,. I want to touch on a Point Ravi Agrawal made that this is not over on hamas right but i wont ask you, knowing the region and the situation there in gaza, they the weaponry and how do they stack up compared to what they will be facing from idf . Will be facing from idf . Youve not will be facing from idf . Youve got imagine will be facing from idf . Youve got imagine that will be facing from idf . Youve got imagine that today, will be facing from idf . Youve got imagine that today, as will be facing from idf . Youve j got imagine that today, as ravi said, not day one. 5000 rockets just today. Thats more than 2008 combined. 0k, just today. Thats more than 2008 combined. Ok, so they have been supplied, they have been funded, we dont know that iran, who is the main factor, whether they were masterminding it or involved in intimate planning of it but certainly they are being supplied somewhere, so they have tunnels, they are getting weaponry. I dont think, as we say, they shot their entire arsenal in a day. Thats the problem for the israelis who did not see this coming, they took their eye off the ball, they thought they had the problem contained, it was in a box, weve been talking a lot about this is the 50th Anniversary of the yom kippur war. Egypt and syria launched these two front joint attacks. Israel did not think that they had either the inclination or capability to lodge these attacks. They were shown wrong then and were taken by surprise now and now they are thinking we dont know if we go in, what we dont know if we go in, what we are facing, and certainly this is not the end. We are facing, and certainly this is not the end. You dont know what this is not the end. You dont know what you this is not the end. You dont know what you dont this is not the end. You dont know what you dont know, l know what you dont know, right. Imjoined by cnn know what you dont know, right. Im joined by cnn for the Pentagon CorrespondentBarbara Starr listening to that and listening to your former colleague, and i want to get your reaction, barbara. Iwas struck by your reaction, barbara. Iwas struck by something your reaction, barbara. Iwas struck by something elisa your reaction, barbara. I was l struck by something elisa said. 5000 struck by something elisa said. 5000 rockets. Part of the intelligence equation is the israelis intelligence equation is the israelis possibly with us assistance will need to go back through assistance will need to go back through all the intelligence that through all the intelligence that they do have, that they were that they do have, that they were able to collect, electronic intelligence, radars, electronic intelligence, radars, anything turned on at the lime radars, anything turned on at the time that indicated where these the time that indicated where these rockets were coming from. Their these rockets were coming from. Their point these rockets were coming from. Their point of origin, if you wilt their point of origin, if you with that their point of origin, if you will. That could give them valuable clues, just clues, if you valuable clues, just clues, if you will, valuable clues, just clues, if you will, about what hamas was actually you will, about what hamas was actually doing. Even if they have actually doing. Even if they have it actually doing. Even if they have it after the fact. That could have it after the fact. That could help them with targeting and we could help them with targeting and we are not very much, if anything. And we are not very much, if anything, about what intelligence the israelis to have intelligence the israelis to have in intelligence the israelis to have in hand, even if it was late, have in hand, even if it was late, even have in hand, even if it was late, even if they did not respond late, even if they did not respond in time, even if they missed respond in time, even if they missed it respond in time, even if they missed it all on the first go round, missed it all on the first go round, do missed it all on the first go round, do they now have, if they round, do they now have, if they are round, do they now have, if they are going back through all they are going back through all the data. They are going back through all the data, do they now have intelligence, are they able to analyse intelligence, are they able to analyse it, are they seeing any intercepts of communications, are they intercepts of communications, are they seeing anything that maybe are they seeing anything that maybe they missed, they will need maybe they missed, they will need to maybe they missed, they will need to know as much as they can need to know as much as they can, not need to know as much as they can, notjust about need to know as much as they can, not just about what they missed can, not just about what they missed but about what did happen missed but about what did happen so they can plan ahead. If happen so they can plan ahead. It you happen so they can plan ahead. If you want to go after hamas, you have if you want to go after hamas, you have to know where they are, you have to know where they are, what you have to know where they are, what theyre up to, what theyre are, what theyre up to, what theyre doing, where their weapons are, where their personnel and figure out a way to them personnel and figure out a way to them with bushes and tell my position. To them with bushes and tell my position, oras to them with bushes and tell my position, or as weve seen over the years. Position, or as weve seen over the years, youll be doing another the years, youll be doing another round of strikes in gaza another round of strikes in gaza in another round of strikes in gaza in two or three years, if not gaza in two or three years, if not in gaza in two or three years, if not in months. I gaza in two or three years, if not in months. Gaza in two or three years, if not in months. I want to bring in laurinwhitney not in months. I want to bring in laurinwhitney gottbrath, l in laurin whitney gottbrath, editor at axios, listening with us. Warren, we heard from a contributor tonight, ravi, who said that there is this parallel being drawn with 9 11 and saying that the War On Terror after that lasted for 20 years. With all of that in mind, what are your concerns about escalation and whether we could see the prospect of escalation opening up on other fronts as well because the situation we are seeing right now is in the south but there are also concerns about the north. � ,. , ~ north. Absolutely. Ithink there are north. Absolutely. Ithink there are indications north. Absolutely. Ithinkl there are indications today that that level of concern about potential other fronts, both in israel but also coming from the us, president bidens Statement Today made it very clear that israel, that more adversaries israel should not try to get involved in this war. Israels Northern Commander Made A very clear that they are on high alert. If anyone on the northern border tries to get involved in this war, so i think everyone is on high alert, it is very concerning that this could be turned into a much more regional war, turned into a much more regionalwar, but turned into a much more regional war, but at the moment there is no indication that other groups at the moment are considering getting involved in this conflict. But there is definitely something, israels is on a lot for and also the us and a lot of israels western allies. ~. ~ and a lot of israels western allies. ~. ,. ,. , allies. We are talking about the level allies. We are talking about the level of allies. We are talking about the level of alert. Allies. We are talking about the level of alert. Elise, the level of alert. Elise, coming to you. America now on full alert for this. I wonder, in those conversations, what they will be looking for from israel in terms of conversations, intelligence, information, plans. 50 conversations, intelligence, information, plans. So many oen information, plans. So many open questions. Information, plans. So many open questions. As information, plans. So many open questions. As barbara| information, plans. So many. Open questions. As barbara was saying. Open questions. As barbara was saying, they are going to want to know saying, they are going to want to know what intelligence israel to know what intelligence israel has but they will also want israel has but they will also want to israel has but they will also want to know what their strategy is. What is there and game . Strategy is. What is there and game . As strategy is. What is there and game . As weve talked about, they game . As weve talked about, they will game . As weve talked about, they will give the israelis a long they will give the israelis a long leash to take care of this as they long leash to take care of this as they see fit. Prime minister netanyahu said we are going to war. Netanyahu said we are going to war. We netanyahu said we are going to war, we have all been saying that war, we have all been saying that a war, we have all been saying that a victory, what is a victory that a victory, what is a victory look like, does it look like victory look like, does it look like Destroying Hamas leadership, is that level in gaza. Leadership, is that level in gaza. Is leadership, is that level in gaza, is it going on with the ground gaza, is it going on with the Ground Incursion . We also have to know Ground Incursion . We also have to know if Ground Incursion . We also have to know if they were target israeli to know if they were target israeli leaders. If you remember in munich, 1992, hostages taken in the 1972 olympics, israelis hunted down the leadership of the Islamic Jihad the leadership of the Islamic Jihad for the leadership of the Islamic Jihad for years. So we know they jihad for years. So we know they will jihad for years. So we know they will be targeting hamas leaders they will be targeting hamas leaders but they want to know how does leaders but they want to know how does this and . This will and how does this and . This will and from how does this and . This will and from a military campaign. We dont and from a military campaign. We dont want this to be, as they we dont want this to be, as they say. We dont want this to be, as they say, rinse, wash and repeat they say, rinse, wash and repeat it they say, rinse, wash and repeat. It will have to go somewhere. Foryears repeat. It will have to go somewhere. For years and years israel somewhere. For years and years israel has somewhere. For years and years israel has been going in and out of israel has been going in and out of the west bank, fighting with hamas, air strikes into gaza. With hamas, air strikes into gaza. It with hamas, air strikes into gaza, it has not solved the problem. Gaza, it has not solved the problem, so they want to know how does problem, so they want to know how does this and at the end of the day how does this and at the end of the day it how does this and at the end of the day it will have to and with the day it will have to and with some kind of diplomatic solution with some kind of diplomatic solution. That and is the Palestinian Conflict once and for alt Palestinian Conflict once and for all. , Palestinian Conflict once and for all. ,. , for all. Really important pempective. For all. Really important perspective, elise for all. Really important i perspective, elise labott, thank you for being with us and Barbara Starr and ourfull Barbara Starr and our full panel, Barbara Starr and ourfull panel, thank you be with us on bbc news. We leave with these live pictures of gaza city tonight. You see the skylight and we will continue our live coverage here on bbc news. You can always go to a live page for more, bbc. Com news. Thanks for more, bbc. Com news. Thanks for your company. For more, bbc. Com news. Thanks foryour company. More for more, bbc. Com news. Thanks for your company. More coming your way very soon. Bye for now. Hello. Rarely do we see a day of weather contrasts quite as stark as those we experienced during saturday. Across many parts of scotland we had huge amounts of rain, flooding and disruption. We had this met Office Amber Warning in force. This expiring through the first part of Sunday Morning but this new warning stretching from aberdeenshire up towards inverness, this warning is in force until 2pm on sunday with further flooding and disruption likely. This is the rain we had on saturday. It was relentless. Well over 100 millimetres of rain in places and some spots in the north of scotland only got to 7 8 degrees. Compare that with 25 in southeast england, those huge contrasts. That was the warmest october day weve seen in five years. Into sunday, this frontal system still plaguing parts of scotland with some outbreaks of rain. The focus for the heaviest rain does shift a little further northwards and eastwards. Still though some rain through the central belt, could cause further problems, southern scotland looking drier with a little bit of sunshine. Patchy cloud and sunny spells for northern ireland. Quite murky for some western coasts of england and wales and a bit more cloud for eastern coasts too, but we should, broadly speaking, see some spells of sunshine on what will be another very warm day for the time of year 25, 26 degrees, not as cold across the north of scotland. Heading through sunday night, we will still see some bits and pieces of rain across scotland, Maybe Fringing Into northern ireland, but generally it will turn a bit drier, quite windy in the far north, very mild as we start monday morning with some areas of low cloud, mist and fog, particularly for western coasts and some of that could linger as we go through the day. Scotland certainly drier than it has been, although this little line of rain could just plague the southwest of scotland from time to time. Temperatures north to south 13 in stornoway, still 2a in london. Moving deeper into the week, we will see something of a change, that warmth is set to be swept away. A frontal system pushing its way south and east through the middle of the week, heavy rain with that, and behind it something cooler, something a bit more like we would expect at this time of year. So a mainly dry, warm start to the week but things will change from midweek onwards. Im helena humphrey. Thank you forjoining us. We are seeing an unprecedented escalation of the conflict between israel and hamas. The israeli army is warning gaza residents its preparing to step up its retaliation against hamas with fresh strikes on militant targets. Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu says israel is at war after a surprise and unprecedented raid by Palestinian Militants on israel territory early saturday morning. Israels government says hamas launched more than 2000 rockets into the country, killing more than 250 people and wounding over 1100 others. Officials in the gaza strip say over 230 people have been killed and over 1700 were injured in retaliatory strikes. The Un Security Council plans to meet about the violence in the region tomorrow. The Early Morning assault began with a barrage of rocket fire from gaza just after dawn with explosions heard on the streets of ashkelon. Sderot, which is near gaza, is thought to have been infiltrated by militants. Heres the very latest on what we know at this hour. Israels public broadcaster is reporting that after 18 hours, hostages being held in a dining room in kibbutz beeri have been released. Israel has also confirmed that the commander of the nahal brigade, coloneljonathan steinberg, was killed in fighting on saturday. Meanwhile, Major Airlines have cancelled dozens of flights to tel aviv. They include american airlines, air france, lufthansa, emirates, and ryanair, among others. Lets show you live pictures from gaza now