Away. Followed by a night of increased israeli Air Strikes on the Southern Suburbs of beirut. The idf said they believed they had killed the leader of hezbollah and in the last few hours it was confirmed by the group themselves that Hassan Nasrallah a figurehead of the organisation, for more than 30 years had been killed in what was a significant strike by israel using a huge amount of intelligence to identify where he was and to target the building that he was in. This secure building under a civilian area in the Southern Suburbs of beirut. We begin with a Security Report from frank gardner. Heavy artillery fire. A devastating blow inflicted by israel, hitting the heart of hezbollah� s Command Centre in beirut. Within hours, the israeli military announced they had eliminated, as they put it, the groups leader. Hassan nasrallah had been Secretary General of hezbollah for 32 years, overseeing its growth into the worlds most heavily armed non state army. He was born in lebanon in 1960, growing up in beirut� s eastern bourj hammoud district. He took over the leadership in 1992 when his predecessor was assassinated by israel. To thousands, maybe millions of Shia Muslims in lebanon and beyond, he was a hero. To israel, he was a wanted terrorist. Armed with up to the minute intelligence, the israeli Air Force targeted the underground bunker where hezbollah� s leadership was meeting. This is both a major escalation and a challenge to iran. Translation this is not | the limit of our capabilities. We must be very clear, there are more tools at our disposal and the message is simple anyone who threatens the state of israel will be reached, whether in the north, the south or even a more distant places. Hezbollah� s power has been seriously weakened by the recent assassinations, the sabotage of its a war with israel. Frank gardner, Bbc News. There are a number of responses that we will see over the next few hours and days. The first is the response here in lebanon where as in the report, People Who support hezbollah, have seen this figure that has led the group for more than three decades and there will be no doubt a huge number of emotions that people will be expressing and which will be seen on The Street at some point here in beirut, particularly when the funeral of Hassan Nasrallah happens. That will be a critically big moment, we have heard reaction from israel. The idf� s spokesman rear Admiral Daniel Hagari made this statement confirming the death of the hezbollah leader. The leader of the terrorist army, hezbollah, was killed by Israel Defense forces in a precise strike in beirut Last Night while he was in Hezbollah Central Headquarters commanding more imminent attacks against the people of israel. For decades, hezbollah under the command of Hassan Nasrallah orchestrated countless attacks on innocent people. Hassan nasrallah had the blood of thousands of men, women, children on his hands. Israeli, jews, jews across the world, lebanese, american, british, french, syrian and other countless victims across the Middle East and beyond. That is what the Israel Defense force had to say. 0ur International EditorJeremy Bowen had this analysis following that idf statement. First of all, i think there is deep satisfaction on the israeli side that they have done this. They are aware of the importance of nasrallah, notjust to the hezbollah organisation, but to the iranian network, the so called Axis Of Resistance in the Middle East. After the iranian leader, he was probably the most prominent persons associated with that. But also a warning for israelis to be careful, no big gatherings. That is a pretty unusual statement for them to come up with, saying that this isnt over yet. So clearly expecting some kind of retaliation. Clearly, israels Air Force is on full alert, and they have been mobilising reservists, because there has been predictions from senior generals of a Ground Invasion of south lebanon. But i think hezbollah are clearly under so much pressure, and the iranians as well, not wanting a wider war in the Middle East. Who knows what they will do. They might decide not to do a great deal for the time being, waiting to see what israel does. Perhaps trying to protect the Weapons Supplies that they still have. Or they might decide that the blows that they are receiving from israel will, if left unanswered, Add Up for them to a strategic defeat. So lots of difficult questions for them. I think theres almost a year of a traditional Border Warfare that preceded it was quite predictable, it was following a pattern. There arent any patterns now. I think israel senses opportunities. I think The Americans and western allies who tried to get a ceasefire even up to yesterday, will be actually sensing dangers that the complications that will come from this, the potential dangers are something that they didnt want. However, i can absolutely guarantee to you that israelis are delighted by what they have done, and they are really proud of this feat of arms that they are at the moment imposing upon lebanon, against the advice of their allies, against the advice of The Americans, who actually provided the aircraft and the bombs, but who have pretty much been spectators while this is going on. The americans have said they were not forewarned about the attack. They were supposed to have an arrangement between them called the no surprises deal, were they dont surprise each other. Well, israel surprised a lot of people yesterday. That was our international editor speaking earlier. Earlier we spoke to the former israeli Prime Minister ehud olmert. He told us the current Israeli Operation has been a success. I dont think we need to go. The hezbollah suffered a major blow, Notjust Yesterday but all through last week, and if they will continue fighting, they will continue fighting, they leave us no option but to continue bombing and destroying their bases, Ground Positions and the rockets and launchers. Many people will be suffering, regrettably. This is not our purpose or desire. They certainly have a good reason to want to stop, and we dont have any interest in a Ground Operation inside lebanon because what we want to do is provide security for our residents so they will come back home. Which i think is something that The Americans and french are trying to accomplish. They are trying to negotiate between us and the lebanese government, i hope there will be successful and that hezbollah will not be seduced by the emotions to try and retaliate because any further Military Confrontation will be. Iii further Military Confrontation will be. Further Military Confrontation will be. , further Military Confrontation will be. , will be. If i may, to interrupt. Will be. If i may, to interrupt. I will be. Ifi may, to interrupt. I do will be. Ifi may, to interrupt. I do and i will be. Ifi may, to| interrupt. I do and say will be. Ifi may, to interrupt. I do and say that it is important when we talk about that ceasefire, Mr Netanyahu is not in any way warmly welcomed the suggestion of a ceasefire. He addressed the Un General Assembly yesterday, he talked about peace, he said that israel wants Peace And Peace was something yourself pursued after the last war, but around 90 minutes later he launched this huge strike in the Southern Suburbs of beirut on residential buildings, civilian buildings, they will have been children killed. That is not the pursuit of peace, he sang wanting and another. You insist on ignoring wanting and another. You insist on ignoring completely wanting and another. You insist on ignoring completely the on ignoring completely the facts on the ground. The fact that when he was speaking they were shooting rockets across the state of israel, continuation is what they were doing for a year long operation against us. The question is not whether we should argue about the precise effects that took place yesterday, and i hope that netanyahu is now on his way back, by the time he will land,. Those of us who do the only thing that is reasonable for the lives of people and to avoid unnecessary victims. They have to shut it back stop the shooting, they have to agree to a compromise that will bring security to the lower part of israel and allow us to bring back the people living there. They will abide by the resolutions. It they will abide by the resolutions. They will abide by the resolutions. It is correct that hezbollah resolutions. It is correct that hezbollah has resolutions. It is correct that hezbollah has to resolutions. It is correct i that hezbollah has to agree resolutions. It is correct that hezbollah has to agree to the ceasefire but Mr Netanyahu has to agree to a ceasefire, there is no indication hes going to do that. In the pursuit of this, you will have seen yourself, the images of that Damage And Disruption yesterday, is it reasonable to target civilians like that even if you are trying to get the leader of hezbollah . Do you consider civilian deaths acceptable Collateral Damage . Civilians were not targeted, im sorry. Im not a supporter of the israeli government. They were civilian deaths. Please, be patient. We were attacking the bases of hezbollah, all that section of beirut is the basis of hezbollah, this is where they were shooting rockets and attacking every part of the state of israel, you will see townships in israel that are completely destroyed by rockets coming from that district. There was no other way of stopping them other than attacking them which is the basis where they are making these attacks on 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 Counter Offensive that israel had to take in order to stop the fighting of hamas. Now the question is now are we going to fight about what happened or are we going to make an effort to prevent it . Are we going to make It Effort to stop it tomorrow is mac what were saying is stop fighting, stop shooting against israelis. Ehud olmert, the former israeli israelis. Ehud olmert, the former israeli prime israelis. Ehud olmert, the| former israeli Prime Minister speaking a little earlier on Bbc News. A bit of Breaking News from iran. We have been talking about the situation at beirut international airport, the only civilian airport in the only civilian airport in the country. Most European Airlines had already stopped flying. There were only Middle Eastern airlines, Iraqi Airlines and Iran Air that was still flying. Iran airlines and Iran Air that was stillflying. Iran air airlines and Iran Air that was still flying. Iran air has just said it. Flights to beirut and this follows reports that an iranian plane was told to turn around, not to enter lebanese airspace, that israel said that if the iranian plane entered lebanese airspace they would potentially use force against it. That was attributed to a source in the Transport Ministry in lebanon. That links into what was said Yesterday Evening where israel said that they had concerns that hezbollah was bringing in weapons to the airport in beirut. And they said they would do what was necessary to stop that happening. Iran airlines who were one of the three still running commercial flights into and out of beirut have said that they will suspend their operations in lebanon for the time being. Well keep you up to date with developments on that. And also, we have seen in and around the city people from the Southern Suburbs who fled Yesterday Evening after the strikes, they received after that first major strike which we believe killed Hassan Nasrallah, the ones that the idf said was targeting hezbollah� s underground headquarters, there were messages sent by the idf to people living in certain buildings in that area to evacuate. We have seen in around the centre of the city, people that left Last Night on The Streets with nowhere to go to until they can return to that area. They have also seen fresh strikes happening this morning. Lets at the latest from a Middle East correspondent. Last night israeli Air Strikes targeted the region and killed the leader Hassan Nasrallah seen here for the last time in a speech last week. Hassan nasrallah came to power more than 30 years ago and turned hezbollah into a major critical and military force with the help of iran. An assassination that could have unpredictable consequences. {iii that could have unpredictable consequences. Consequences. Of our many strategies consequences. Of our many strategies for consequences. Of our many strategies for lebanon consequences. Of our many strategies for Lebanon We L consequences. Of our many. Strategies for lebanon we have started to implement them and 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 redness at all fronts, all our forces are organised together. There will be good coordination, good preparation. Israel is indicating that the fight against hezbollah will continue and it is likely to include a ground incursion. 0vernight include a ground incursion. Overnight in beirut, more Air Strikes, more residents are urged to evacuate. This is Marta Square in Central Beirut and hundreds of people spent the night here after fleeing. Also in the mosque on that site and on this site tents have been set up. A lot of people say they dont know where they will go if the israeli air continue. Will go if the israeli air continue. , continue. Certainly, In The End what is not continue. Certainly, In The End what is not beneficial continue. Certainly, In The End what is not beneficial for what is not beneficial for anyone. Look at these people sleeping in The Streets i anyone. Look at these people sleeping in The Streets sleeping in The Streets i ust want to drag i sleeping in The Streets i ust want to drag a i sleeping in The Streets i ust want to drag a roof � sleeping in The Streets i ust want to drag a roof over h sleeping in The Streets ijust want to drag a roof over my l want to drag a roof over my head want to drag a roof over my head for want to drag a roof over my head for my son and his wife. They head for my son and his wife. They have head for my son and his wife. They have been searching all morning they have been searching all morning and found nothing. There morning and found nothing. There were fresh rockets from hezbollah there were fresh rockets from hezbollah into there were fresh rockets from hezbollah into this there were fresh rockets from hezbollah into this morning. I hezbollah into this morning. The Group Hezbollah into this morning. The Group Hasnt Hezbollah into this morning. The Group Hasnt yet hezbollah into this morning. I the Group Hasnt yet deployed its most the Group Hasnt yet deployed its most sophisticated its most sophisticated Missiles its most sophisticated Missiles. Its most sophisticated Missiles. ,. , Missiles. Hassan nasrallah has been killed Missiles. Hassan nasrallah has been killed and Missiles. Hassan nasrallah has been killed and this Missiles. Hassan nasrallah has been killed and this has Missiles. Hassan nasrallah has been killed and this has the. Been killed and this has the potential to spark war. Some of the local authorities say they are Making Efforts to try and accommodate some of those People Who have left their homes. People who some of them do not yet want to go back to those Southern Suburbs of beirut and we have shown you live pictures through the day here on Bbc News of those fresh strikes and fresh plumes of smoke rising over the beirut skyline. 0ne Smoke rising over the beirut skyline. One of the greatest impacts is on children here in Lebanon Notjust in lebanon but in the South And East of the country who have had to flee their homes since these increased Air Strikes began five days ago. They started on monday of this week. Lets hear what the unicef Deputy Representative has to say. We are finding representative has to say. Are finding an increasing number of unaccompanied and separated children. One particular child we identified yesterday has lost 15 members of one family and we are desperately looking for relatives that can take care of her while we put her in an emergency alternative care. Today, people need absolutely everything from Drinking Water to mattresses, blankets, we are mobilising teams to provide psychosocial first aid. There are over shelters now, across 700 shelters across lebanon, over 100 of those are in beirut but there are more opening every hour. More than 100,000 people are seeking safety in the shelters and the resources are running out by the minute. We cannot keep up the level of need. The hospitals have been inundated with injured and who are themselves traumatised, the health workers. We are flying in emergency medical supplies, we have flown in 100 tonnes last week and are trying for more this week that it is difficult to find those aircraft to come in and deliver the goods. We are doing what we can with what we have on the ground but time is of the essence given the magnitude of the crisis and the level of injuries we are dealing with in Health Facilities and trying to get clean Drinking Water for people to survive. You mention that people are sleeping in their cars but they are on sides of The Street, on the beach, people are taking shelter under bridges. It is a catastrophic situation here in beirut and we can still see whether bombings have taken place all throughout the night and have continued this morning. And have continued this morning morning. That is the representative morning. That is the representative of. Morning. That is the representative of unicef talking about the people displaced around central areas of beirut. I want to talk a little bit about the impact that this is likely to have on the region but also about some of the details of that israeli strike. We are joined of the details of that israeli strike. We arejoined by of the details of that israeli strike. We are joined by a military expert. Thank you for joining us. Before we talk about the wider impact, lets talk about that strike because the idf had very specific intelligence about Hassan Nasrallah, about where he was. They are presenting this as an extremely successful mission. In intelligence terms, extremely successful. Because israel is trying to get back its deterrence posture, because the intelligence failed massively on october the 7th, when hamas took Military Intelligence by surprise. Not mossad, you have to understand how the Intelligence Services work, mossad has been effective working outside critically in lebanon, the pages, the Walkie Talkies and now the Signals Intelligence as well as what is called the Human Intelligence which is always the best. This has been a massive coup for mossad which is famous worldwide for being effective. It has restored a lot of confidence to israelis to say look, we can defend ourselves. So this is a intelligence coup, a victory for israel, a tactical victory, it could be a strategic defeat. And what about a potential response because now israel has carried out the strike and killed Hassan Nasrallah, hezbollah and its iranian backed allies will be looking at ways to respond. We dont know what the capabilities of hezbollah after this week. In your assessment, what could be seen next in terms of a response to that killing . Terms of a response to that killin . ,. ,. , killing . You have to remember that the strikes killing . You have to remember that the strikes are killing . You have to remember that the strikes are still that the strikes are still going on, this could be an archduke ferdinand moment, we could be sleepwalking into a major war that most people do not want. There is Restraint And Restraint is that first of all, just like in the russia ukrainian war, Vladimir Putin is taking advantage that the west is distracted in the Middle East. With The Americans are restraining the ukrainians by not letting them use long range weapons into russia. That is exactly what iran is restraining hezbollah from using its vast arsenal of long range Missiles, why . Because the arsenal is primarily aimed at america. The whole point of these proxies, is to avoid direct conflict that iran fought at the beginning of the islamic republic. It lost hundreds of thousands of volunteers so it has decided it will use proxies. So at the Moment Hezbollah is still important to deter not only israel but more the fact that The Americans have two fleets in the neighbourhood. There will be restraint and Missiles fired but this wont be the all out war which we are on the edge of. It could be all out war that affects all sorts of areas, notjust yemen, could also be the West Bank and from the british point of view, they have a lot of troops in cyprus in the british sovereign bases but it is rumoured in intelligence circles that the turks are unhappy about cyprus and may move troops into northern cyprus. There are lots of complications. At the moment, hezbollah will use middle management, the personnel may be more tech savvy, but i do not anticipate major arsenal coming into the cities of israel. Nor do we anticipate another April 13 which was perhaps more significant than the 7th Of October when iran reigned that blitzkrieg of Missiles and drones against israel. It was intending to hurt, it wasnt intended, whoJeremy Bowen hinted it was performative. I dont think so, it was meant to hurt. , dont think so, it was meant to hurt. , , hurt. Our military expert, thank you hurt. Our military expert, thank you for hurt. Our military expert, thank you forjoining hurt. Our military expert, thank you forjoining us i hurt. Our military expert, | thank you forjoining us on hurt. Our military expert, thank you forjoining us on Bbc News. A couple of new lines coming to us. Reflecting on what paul was saying about potential responses. Hezbollah has said it has launched a new Rocket Attack on israel after the announcement of the death of Hassan Nasrallah. We can see live shots of tel aviv. Israel will be bracing itself for any potential response which may not come quickly. These are calculations and conversations that will be happening notjust in lebanon and iran, with iranian backed militias, these conversations will be Beginning And Swinging into action. Also to bring you a line from turkey. The president of turkey has been speaking about the killing of Hassan Nasrallah, he says that lebanon has become the new target of an israeli policy of genocide, occupation and invasion. He has called on the un Security Council to stop israels attacks on Lebanon And Gaza and the occupied West Bank. And he says that turkey condemns the recent attacks on lebanon, stands with the lebanese people and offers condolences to those killed. That is a statement, the words of the president of turkey. An additional bit of news to bring about that strike that happened Yesterday Evening. We have a confirmation the last few hours that the leader of hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah was killed. We are also being told that a commander in the iranians forces was also killed in that attack. The deputy Operations Commander of the national guards who was killed in that attack in beirut. Translation . ,. , translation we congratulate his Eminence Translation we congratulate his eminence the translation we congratulate his eminence the secretary his eminence the Secretary General of hezbollah Hassan Nasrallah. May god have mercy on him for receiving the highest divine honour. The honour of imam hussein, peace be upon him in achieving the highest level of faith and pure worship. A martyr on the Path Ofjerusalem and palestine. You are live on ofjerusalem and palestine. You are live on Bbc Ofjerusalem and palestine. You are live on Bbc News, ofjerusalem and palestine. You are live on Bbc News, if you are live on Bbc News, if You Arejoining us we are live on Bbc News, if you are joining us we are keeping you up to date with special coverage of the developing story. A significant moment here in the Middle East this afternoon. I am live in a route where in the last few Hours Hezbollah has confirmed the killing of its leader Hassan Nasrallah in a significant israeli Air Strike that happened in the Southern Suburbs of beirut. Followed throughout the night by a series of israeli Air Attacks on those suburbs. We have seen people in the capital beirut, this is martyr square, you can see the big mosque at the centre of the city. And i can still see People Who came from the Southern Suburbs who left Last Night. People sitting on the steps of the mosque, they have been on the square and been along the water. People moving away from those areas because we have seen again this morning, fresh strikes from israel as they continue the operation against hezbollah. This is the latest from our consequent correspondence. Heavy artillery fire. A devastating blow inflicted by israel, hitting the heart of hezbollahs Command Centre in beirut. Within hours, the israeli military announced they had eliminated, as they put it, the groups leader. Hassan nasrallah had been Secretary General