Prime minister, najib mikati, as well as the un Security Coordinator for lebanon, as well as the un Security Coordinatorfor lebanon, have coordinator for lebanon, have launched coordinatorfor lebanon, have launched a 426 Million appeal to help civilians affected by the escalating conflict. Another development, now we are hearing that Air Raid sirens have been sounding across Central Israel as well. We can go through some of the main developments in this report from chi chi izundu. Explosion. A dangerous and pivotal moment in the Middle East. Escalation amid fresh missile strikes overnight. A Ground Offensive launched by israel into lebanon. In southern beirut, less than 30 minutes after israel told residents to leave three neighbourhoods, a huge blast was heard. Explosion. Then the confirmation came. Israel began its Ground Operation in Southern Lebanon. Military chiefs said limited, localised and targeted raids against hezbollah are being carried out something the idf says is based on
Syrian State Media says that three people have been killed by israeli strikes on the capital damascus. Israel is yet to comment on those reports. Meanwhile, the Uk Government has chartered a flight to take british nationals out of lebanon its scheduled to leave beirut on wednesday. Lets speak to our middle East Correspondent Hugo bachega, who is in beirut. It isa it is a fast Moving Morning but bring us up to date on the latest where you are. We bring us uptodate on the latest where you are. We still dont have latest where you are. We still dont have a latest where you are. We still dont have a clear latest where you are. We still dont have a clear Picture Latest where you are. We still dont have a clear picture of l dont have a clear picture of the extent of this israeli incursion. The israeli military has been describing it as a targeted localised limited incursion so far. We had some details from a senior israeli Security Official, saying that these are local raids, very limited in
ISrael SayS they are now carrying out limited, localiSed and targeted raidS acroSS the border. The aim, it SayS, iS to deStroy hezbollah infraStructure So that tenS of thouSandS of iSraeliS living in Border TownS can return home Safely. Hezbollah turned lebaneSe villageS next to iSraeli villageS into military baSeS, all ready for an attack on iSrael. Hezbollah had prepared to uSe thoSe villageS aS Staging GroundS for an October 7th Style InvaSion into iSraeli homeS. But iSrael iS continuing itS Air StrikeS elSewhere too. Smoke riSing over beirut S Southern SuburbS thiS morning after the military ordered reSidentS to leave three buildingS. And it hit here, in the largeSt paleStinian Refugee Camp in lebanon, prompting new warningS about a humanitarian criSiS. AS iSrael warnS people in more than 20 townS to evacuate, many lebaneSe are reacting furiouSly. TranSlation if they want to invade, let them invade nabatieh, tyre, Sidon every houSe there haS Someone, a gun, a knife, a fork, meaning
We begin this hour with a Special Report from afghanistan. A country where millions of children are malnourished and white in one hospital 700 children have died in just the last six months. It is a humanitarian crisis that deepens every day with much of the Country Living in Extreme Poverty after years of war, causing economic collapse. The United Nations says more than three in children under the age of five are malnourished, with the delivery of aid becoming much harder since the taliban took control in 2021. The bbc s Correspondent And Producer Imogen Anderson have been in the country for the last two weeks, chronicling the disaster, and a warning there report shows images of children in distress. This is what an average Morning Looks like at the hospital. Hundreds from every corner, every passage, as Extreme Poverty pushes more children into disease each day. Zahra, 30 months old, one of 3 Million malnourished children in the country. A disease that is ravaging afghanistans younge
And charities are meeting with ministers to discuss the difficult winter ahead. Energy bills will rise again in october, when the Price Cap increases by 10 . Rachel reeves said she had to take difficult decisions in very challenging circumstances. The conservatives are calling for her to scrap the changes. Our political correspondent Iain Watson reports. Energy prices are increasing and so is the pressure on the government to help those who are struggling to pay their bills. We are bracing ourselves for a really difficult winter. We are already seeing Record Numbers of people coming to us with Energy Debt in the height of summer. That is only going to get worse when the energy Price Cap rises. From october, the Energy Regulator Ofgem is allowing prices to rise by 10 , and that represents bills of more than £1700 a year for a typical household. This morning, the government brought together big Energy Companies, the regulator, and Citizens Advice Bureau to discuss what more could be don