Transcripts For BBCNEWS BBC News 20240929

Words, who would regret their actions. He talked about the ongoing strength of the hezbollah organIsation. But he did not specifically address the health of Hassan Nasrallah. That really what we are waiting for now. The idf say that he Is dead, But until we collect from hezbollah from iran it Is really only part of the picture. We are showing you the scene here in beirut, and the strikes in the Southern Suburbs have continued since Last Night. I want to take you to Downtown Beirut and Tel Aviv as well. We have correspondents there for us. You are there in a different part of the city, because since the strikes Last Night, people have been leaving dahieh . , dahieh . Exactly. Many of these Eole Dahieh . Exactly. Many of these peeple that dahieh . Exactly. Many of these people that are dahieh . Exactly. Many of these people that are behind dahieh . Exactly. Many of these people that are behind me, dahieh . Exactly. Many of these | people that are behind me, they had to leave on foot, they had to walk here, because they couldnt find a car, they couldnt find a car, they couldnt even use their cars because most of the streets were completely blocked by Rubble And Destruction due to the heavy aerial strikes, that we could hear from the heavy aerial strikes, that we could hearfrom even the heavy aerial strikes, that we could hear from even outside dahieh until thIs morning. They told us that they couldnt really get anything with themselves. They dont know if their house Is still there. They dont think they are going back home any time soon. Some of these families were hosting their relatives, who fled from Southern Lebanon, aerial strikes in Southern Lebanon then. And now guests and hosts are both dIsplaced. ThIs Is the situation. All the way to here we could see a lot of people sleeping in the streets. There are no places are not the schools, they are already full, the places already made for dIsplaced people are already overcrowded with people who fled from the south. Just ex lain fled from the south. Just explain for fled from the south. Just explain for us fled from the south. Just explain for us the fled from the south. Just explain for us the influence of hezbollah in that southern part of the route, But also across the country, in the parliament, the country, in the parliament, the impact that organIsation has . , has . There are a very mixed roots about has . There are a very mixed roots about what has . There are a very mixed roots about what extent has . There are a very mixed roots about what extent the | roots about what extent the power of thIs organIsation has. Yes, they are heavily armed and they have mps and minIsters in they have mps and minIsters in the government. They have supporters among different communities, not only sheer. They have supporters among their chrIstian allies and other ethnic communities in lebanon. But also they have a lot of people opposing them. Now the situation has completely changed. A group that was seen as a very strong group, now it Is not clear what thIs group should expect, what their supporters should expect. ThIs Is what i sense when im talking to their supporters, they really dont know what Is happening. They didnt expect thIs Is happening now. Of course, for those opposing hezbollah, they are happy. But for their supporters, they are so worried that the situation will turn massively against them. ~ � , , them. Were Ust Seeing News from the them. Were jUst Seeing News from the french them. Were jUst Seeing News from the french foreign from the french Istry'>Foreign MinIstry, saying according to its information, Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of haspolat Is dead. Lets go to Ison'>Jon DonnIson injerusalem. ThIs announcement was made by the idf thIs morning. The leader of hezbollah. Obviously they have very sophIsticated intelligence, there was a plan operation. Why do you feel they are able to say so confidently that they did kill Hassan Nasrallah Last Night . They clearly have nasrallah Last Night . They clearly have considerablel clearly have considerable intelligence on the ground, they intelligence on the ground, they have been monitoring hezbollah communications. They believe hezbollah communications. They believe that he was in the complex of buildings struck Last Night. Anyone who saw those Last Night. Anyone who saw those images and at the aftermath of the strikes will think aftermath of the strikes will think that anyone in those buildings, it would be pretty remarkable if they are still alive remarkable if they are still alive. They are adamant they have alive. They are adamant they have got alive. They are adamant they have got their man, even though hezbollah have got their man, even though Hezbollah And Iran have not yet confirmed that. I think that thIs confirmed that. I think that thIs Is confirmed that. I think that thIs Is hugely significant, because if it Is true that he Is dead. Because if it Is true that he Is dead, then it Is a massive escalation Is dead, then it Is a massive escalation and a dangerous moment, because up until thIs point moment, because up until thIs point i moment, because up until thIs point i think Israel have calculated that iran does not want calculated that iran does not want to calculated that iran does not want to get directly involved in a want to get directly involved in a wider regional conflict. As you in a wider regional conflict. As you know, iran Is the founder as you know, iran Is the founder of hezbollah they fund founder of hezbollah they fund it. Founder of hezbollah they fund it, they supply its weapons. In killing Hassan Nasrallah, as Israel says it has nasrallah, as Israel says it has done, then that Is going to challenge has done, then that Is going to challenge that theory that iran Is not challenge that theory that iran Is not going to get directly involved, i think. Is not going to get directly involved, ithink. I Is not going to get directly involved, i think. I think the world involved, i think. I think the world Is involved, i think. I think the world Is going to be watching to see world Is going to be watching to see not only what hezbollah does to see not only what hezbollah does in to see not only what hezbollah does in the coming hours and days, does in the coming hours and days, But does in the coming hours and days, But also iran. In the immediate half an hour or so afier immediate half an hour or so after we immediate half an hour or so after we had at the news that Israel after we had at the news that Israel was cleaning Hassan Nasrallah had been killed, we Heard Nasrallah had been killed, we heard explosions here in jerusalem. Some were seenjust on the jerusalem. Some were seenjust on the horizon behind me. That would on the horizon behind me. That would he on the horizon behind me. That would be at the furthest south that hezbollah rockets have struck, that hezbollah rockets have struck, really, in thIs entire escalation over the past almost a Year Escalation over the past almost a year now. Escalation over the past almost a year now a year now. Wrote quickly sheared a year now. Wrote quickly sheared from a year now. Wrote quickly sheared from the a year now. Wrote quickly sheared from the idf. They put out that announcement thIs morning saying they had killed Hassan Nasrallah. Translation thIsi Is not our only tool. Lets be very clear, there are other tools to follow. The message Is clear anyone who threatens the state of Israel, we will know how to reach them, in the north, in the south, in far away places. Eventually after a long period of preparation of our many strategies in the lebanon, we have started to implement them. ThIs strike has been in preparation for a long time and was carried out at the right time, in a very sharp way, and now we are starting to prepare the next moves. I underscore once again, we are at high readiness on all fronts, all ourforces are organIsed together. There will be good coordination, very good preparation. That was the head of the army two Israeli army their briefing or other military members. Jon donnIson, one question and that has been asked in lebanon Is the international reaction to thIs. I think people here expected, particular the Size And Scale of the attack in beirut, some sort of statement from western leaders. What kind of backing does Israel have thought large scale operations like thIs from the rest of the world . I like thIs from the rest of the world . , � ,. ,. , world . I dont know about backing. World . I dont know about backing, But world . I dont know about backing, But i world . I dont know about backing, But i do world . I dont know about backing, But i do think world . I dont know about i backing, But i do think there Is not backing, But i do think there Is not much that the rest of the Is not much that the rest of the world Is not much that the rest of the world can do at the moment to stop the world can do at the moment to stop Israel doing what it thinks to stop Israel doing what it thinks Is to stop Israel doing what it thinks Is necessary to defend its citizens. What were striking about thIs attack Last Night striking about thIs attack Last Night in striking about thIs attack Last Night in the Southern Beirut Is that night in the Southern Beirut Is that It Night in the Southern Beirut Is that it was coordinated. It happened at almost the exact moment happened at almost the exact moment that prime Ister-benjamin-netanyahu'>MinIster Benjamin Netanyahu was addressing the Un General Assembly in New York with a very assembly in New York with a very defined speech. You will remember that he went to new yori remember that he went to New York with remember that he went to New York with the possibility, apparently, of some sort of Ceasefire Proposal with hezbollah on the table, something that the international community, particularly The Americans were pushing particularly The Americans were pushing for. But clearly Israel ust pushing for. But clearly Israel just wasnt lIstening to that. Jon donnIson, thank you for joining us, do keep us up today from jerusalem. Joining me now Is Nicholas Noe a Ist-and-director'>JournalIst And Director of the beirut exchange foundation. Thank you forjoining us as we continue to follow thIs developing story. No official word yet from hezbollah or iran. Just talk us through Hassan Nasrallahs importance as a strategic figure of hezbollah, But also as a figurehead. Hezbollah, But also as a fiaurehead. ,. , , figurehead. He Is undoubtedly the main figure figurehead. He Is undoubtedly the main figure that figurehead. He Is undoubtedly the main figure that has figurehead. He Is undoubtedly the main figure that has built| the main figure that has built hezbollah into what it Is today. Despite the Israeli attacks of the last few weeks and months, which Is the most formidable non state Armed Forces in the world, and one of the most successful, one of the most technologically adept, and also one of the deepest organIsations as well, that can field perhaps 100,000 or more Fighting Members if need be. ThIs Is an extremely deep organIsation that has a and other leaders of hezbollah, many of whom we believe have been killed by the IsraelIs lately, have doubt over several decades. They did something that no arab force has ever been able to do. In the year 2000 the force out of a 22 Year Occupation of South Lebanon through force of arms, not through force of arms, not through a peace agreement. Over that Wee Lass 15, 20 years or so since the last 2006 War Hezbollah and Israel, they were able to substantively closely military edge between technically Israel'>Superior Israel and the less capable forces. They have been able to close that gap have been able to close that gap. Of course, they have not balanced it. But they stand today still, despite these decapitations, as an extremely dangerous and capable force able to project power deep into Israel and beyond. Israel and beyond. Hassan Israel'>Nasrallah Israel and beyond. Hassan Nasrallah Hasnt Israel and beyond. Hassan Nasrallah Hasnt been Israel and beyond. Hassan| Nasrallah Hasnt been seen Israel and beyond. Hassan i Nasrallah Hasnt been seen in public for years. When he meets hIs speeches he does it from a secret location. He does not appear at rallies. Some people i was hearing speaking here in lebanon Last Night, some people were surprIsed that he might be in a location like dahieh at a time when the organIsation was trying to keep him safe. Lets trying to keep him safe. Lets leave aside trying to keep him safe. Lets leave aside the trying to keep him safe. Lets leave aside the question trying to keep him safe. Let� s leave aside the question which the IsraelIs and hezbollah both have to answer, which Is the emplacement of Military Headquarters and formations in civilian populated areas. Both sides have substantial problems with thIs according to human rights organIsations. But the idea that Hassan Nasrallah, after so many decapitations thIs past week of top leaders, would be convening in the Southern Suburbs of beirut, and not what we know Is available to him and hezbollah, which Is deeply fortified mountain bunkers, including the substantial mIssile capabilities, But we saw on film two months ago. The fact that he was not there and that he was in the Southern Suburbs, i think Is the cat of some really huge Intelligence Failures by hezbollah. But despite all of thIs damage, and the highest level of damage, killing the single figure that Is most responsible for building hezbollah into its power that it has now, despite all of thIs, hezbollah remains all of thIs, hezbollah remains a significant Fighting Force and one that can project a lot of power. If thIs open what Is really at the beginning. Open war. Is really at the beginning. Open war really at the beginning. Open war. Really at the beginning. Oenwar. ,. , Open War. Is that something you think would Open War. Is that something you think would trigger Open War. Is that something you think would trigger a Open War. Is that something you think would trigger a Response L Think would trigger a response if they do confirm the death of Hassan Nasrallah . Is something that could provoke a Military Response from hezbollah . Or iran, all the different groups, the houthIs, the iranian backed militias in iraq. How could that Stack Up in terms of sending a message back again . ThIs has not been an organIsation that grew to its structure by acting on in of course thIs Is a huge morale blue, a huge blow to hezbollah and other remaining leaders, surely. But the reason why i think hezbollah Is likely to increase the ferocity of its high tax, Is not because of nasrallah being killed, But because the IsraelIs are implementing what they call their doctrine, which Is wildly destructive and aims to capitalIse on at thIs moment when the two they think they have hezbollah on its back foot. I think that will be met as an exIstential sounding by the IsraelIs. That Is why i think, unfortunately, although it shouldnt have come to thIs point, we are at the beginning of what will become a prolonged, extremely bloody and very destabilIsing Open War, one go far beyond the last 11, 12 months, which already was off all around gaza and the Israeli Hamas War around gaza. That Is something that i think could extend to iran. I think the leadership Is probably having Symptoms Calculation Is right now. I think In The End Israels wildly destructive actions over the past few months, the inability of thIs Israeli government to find a ceasefire in gaza, despite evidently having some series military winds, in their view, that thIs Is really leading us to thIs moment, where we had at the moment and it seems that thIs Open War has been called by the IsraelIs. I think it Is likely that the iranians will have two, one way or another, meet that call, and thats why we are in for a very dangerous and destructive and destabilIsing period ahead, there Is a tolIsso. DestabilIsing period ahead, there Is a tolIsso. Rating from there Is a tolIsso. Rating from The Big Picture there Is a tolIsso. Rating from The Big Picture to there Is a tolIsso. Rating from The Big Picture to the there Is a tolIsso. Rating from The Big Picture to the real The Big Picture to the real grassroots picture, and the people behind me and Martyrs Square in beirut at the moment, those ordinary hezbollah supporting members of society. What will thIs mean for them . The potential loss of their leader, the impact that all of that will have on their daily lives. Will anything change in terms of the organIsation and then . � terms of the organIsation and then . , ~ terms of the organIsation and then . , ~ 11,. , terms of the organIsation and then . , ~ 11,. , then . Earl attlee 20 years that i have then . Earl attlee 20 years that l have been then . Earl attlee 20 years that i have been fortunate then . Earl attlee 20 years that i have been fortunate to then . Earl attlee 20 years that i have been fortunate to be then . Earl attlee 20 years that i have been fortunate to be a i i have been fortunate to be a guest in lebanon, i have made sure not to speak on behalf of other lebanese. I can only speak on behalf of my friends and Loved Ones and lebron today. It Is a horrible period that has been opened, a horrible period that has already come. Lets remember that the people that youre seeing on the streets are overwhelmingly nonpartIsan, not political. These are civilians from all walks of life, different sects of the country. They have been continuously battered, occupation up until 2000 and arguably beyond that, war in 2006, one of the worst economic collapses in human hIstory. On top of the Port Explosion and all of these terrible things, to a very small country that happens to be between some extremely difficult circumstances and neighbours. That Is what i think everyone Is facing, some are far worse than others. I think the support of the population especially around hezbollah Is going to feel the brunt of thIs in the coming period. Unfortunately i should not have come to thIs. There were peaceful france many years ago. The iran nuclear deal, and Donald Trump think that document up, i think thats one of the Signal Mark was that hIs will look back where a choice was made. We are also 38 days from the us president ial elections, where Donald Trump could be set to take the reins of power once again. I think unfortunately, for all of those reasons, the people you see in the streets, in dahieh, in a location app, it Is not very good right now. ThIs Is the live scene above david right now. We see those plumes of smoke on the horizon. Above beirut. There have been several targeted strikes on hezbollahs top leadership, But nothing really of the scale of which we are seeing now in the lebanese capital, which started with that huge series of explosions Last Night, and continued with a strike throughout the evening. The idf thIs morning saying they have killed the leader of hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, But were still waiting for hIs blood to make a statement confirming that, or indeed for iran to the same. Joining me now Is former Israeli prime minIster ehud olmert. When you look at whats happening now, what Is your assessment of Israels actions at the moment . At the moment . Lets face it, nasrallah. At the moment . Lets face it, nasrallah, who at the moment . Lets face it, nasrallah, who started at the moment . Lets face it, nasrallah, who started a at the moment . Lets face it, nasrallah, who started a war| nasrallah, who started a war into hIs and six, was the biggest perpetrators of atrocities, of violence, of Shooting Rockets and mIssiles against the state of Israel. He started the war in the north on october 8, and forced out thousands of IsraelIs from where they are live. Hassan nasrallah said he was fighting for hamas in gaza. There Is not even any good reason to start the confrontation in the north, But he started it. So, here we are now, and the question that faces Israel Is how do we want to move on . I think hezbollah will draw the necessary conclusions from what happened in the last couple of weeks, that thIs Is not going to be very nice for them and not going to be very helpful for them. I think that we dont need to carry on, we dont have to start a Ground Operation in lebanon. What we need Is to reach an understanding of the lebanese government. Hopefully the lebanese government will take control of their country and are somehow force out the dominance of hezbollah and we can reach an agreement that will allow hezbollah to pull out across the South Board or enough dIstance to allow security for the residents of Israel to go back to their homes. That Is what we need to do now. It homes. That Is what we need to do now. ,. , do now. It Is a delicate calculation. Do now. It Is a delicate calculation. You do now. It Is a delicate calculation. You made| do now. It Is a delicate i calculation. You made the calculation. You made the calculation in 2006 to have begun operation in lebanon, and ultimately in Israel many people regarded that as a failure. It was due popularity. If you are in that situation again, would you be thinking differently . Again, would you be thinking differentl . , ~ differently . Certainly, in 2006 it Is how you differently . Certainly, in 2006 it Is how you describe differently . Certainly, in 2006 it Is how you describe it. Differently . Certainly, in 2006 it Is how you describe it. We i it Is how you describe it. We didnt try to have any sort of major preparation, and the war ended after 53 days. As a result of it, there were 17 years of complete ceasefire. I think it was a great success. The point Is, i dont think that we need to go in a Ground Operation now in lebanon. Hezbollah suffered a major blow, notjust yesterday, But all throughout the last blow, not just yesterday, But all throughout the last week. If they will continue fighting, they will leave us with no option But to continue bonding and destroying their bases and grim positions, the rockets and the launchers. And many people will be suffering from it, regrettably. ThIs Is not our purpose, thIs Is not our desire. They certainly have a good reason to want to stop it. We dont have any interest in a Ground Operation inside lebanon, because what we want to do Is to provide the security for our residents so they will come back home, which i think Is something that The Americans and the french are now trying to accomplIsh. They are trying to negotiate between us and the lebanese government. I hope that they will be successful, i hope the hezbollah will not be seduced by their emotions to try and now retaliate, because any further Military Confrontation will be. � further Military Confrontation will be will be. Im so sorry to Interrunt will be. Im so sorry to interrupt. When will be. Im so sorry to interrupt. When we will be. Im so sorry to interrupt. When we talk| will be. Im so sorry to interrupt. When we talk about that ceasefire that you are suggesting there, Mr Netanyahu has not in any way welcomed the suggestion of a ceasefire. He addressed the Un General Assembly yesterday, he talked about peace, he said that Israel wants peace. I know that Is-Israel'>PeaceIs Israel wants peace. I know that peace Is often that you yourself pursued after the 2006 war. He said that Israel wants peace, then about 90 minutes later at lunch thIs huge strike on residential buildings, on civilian buildings. They will have been children killed there. That Is not the pursuit of peace, Is it . He Is saying one thing and doing another. You insIst on ignoring completely the facts on the ground. When Mr Netanyahu was talking, they were Shooting Rockets into the state of Israel, containing what they have been doing for a year now against others. The question Is not whether we should argue about the precIse facts that took place yesterday. Also, i hope that netanyahu Is now on hIs way back to Israel. I think those of us need to do the only thing that Is reasonable and responsible for the lives of people and to avoid unnecessary victims. They have to stop their shooting. They have to agree to a compromIse that will bring security to the North Part of Israel and will allow us to bring back the people living there. And they will abide by their resolution. That Is correct that hIs full have to agree to the ceasefire. But Mr Netanyahu also has to agree to a ceasefire, doesnt she . There Is no indication he Is going to do that. When you blessing yourself the images of that Damage And Destruction yesterday, Is it reasonable to target civilians like that, Evenif Target civilians like that, even if youre trying to get to the leader of hezbollah . Do you consider civilian deaths as acceptable Collateral Damage . Civilians were not targeted. There were civilian deaths. Irate there were civilian deaths. We were taking there were civilian deaths. Were taking dahieh, all of the section of beirut Is a base of hezbollah. ThIs Is where they were Shooting Rockets from, thIs Is where they were attacking every part of the state of Israel. In the north of Israel, you will see townships completely destroyed as a result of attacks coming from dahieh. We had to stop it and there was no other way to stop it other than attacking that which Is the base from where at making all these attacks against Israeli civilians for such a long time. I absolutely regret every single citizen who Is not involved that became a victim of thIs unavoidable and inevitable Israel'>Counteroffensive Israel had to take in order to stop the fighting of hamas. Now the question Is are we going to fight about what happens tomorrow, Orare Fight about what happens tomorrow, or are we going to make an effort to stop it for tomorrow . What i say Is, stop fighting, stop Shooting Rockets against IsraelIs, and we will prevent any Ground Operation in lebanon in order to try and settle something that will bring. Settle something that will brina. ~ settle something that will brina. , i. Settle something that will brina. ,. , settle something that will brina. ~. ,. , bring. Thank you for oining us here on sscfi bring. Thank you for oining us here on bbc news. Bring. Thank you forjoining us here on bbc news. Appreciate your time. Us here on bbc news. Appreciate yourtime. Former us here on bbc news. Appreciate your time. Former prime minIster of Israel and to vIsit insects. The idf thIs morning say that their intelligence confirms that strike in the Southern Suburbs of beirut Last Night did kill Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of hezbollah. We also had from the french Istry'>Foreign MinIstry in the last hour or so, they say that their intelligence suggests that Hassan Nasrallah was also killed. But what we still dont have, even hours after thIs strike, it Isjust have, even hours after thIs strike, it Is just half past two here in lebanon now, it happened around 6. 20 local time. We are getting on 2a hours and we still have a statement from hezbollah specifically about Hassan Nasrallah. When there were further strikes Last Night, we did get a hezbollah statement denying that weapons were being held in buildings in dahieh. But they have not commented that all But the possible death of their leader. We also heard from the Supreme Leader of iran, Ayatollah Ali can any. He put out a statement through a semi official news agency. He talked about the strength of the hezbollah organIsation. But what he didnt do was address the fate of Hassan Nasrallah, thIs totemic figure, thIs man involved in the inception of the hezbollah organIsation, who Is revered among hIs supporters. But of course among many other people and the region, in countries like syria, we saw some images on Social Media people in syria celebrating hIs possible death. Certainly in Israel he was a key target for them. What they say theyre trying to do with thIs current Military Operation Is Push Hezbollah away from the northern border of Israel to that Area North of