Knowledge of friday's israeli air strike in beirut. But first, we can bring you these live pictures from beirut where israeli warplanes have launched new attacks on buildings in the city's south. The israeli military says hezbollah is storing weapons there, a claim hezbollah denies. Blasts have been heard in the southern suburbs and residents of three specific blocks were ordered to evacuate. Now lebanon's health ministry says the death toll from israel's earlier strike on beirut has risen to six, with 91 wounded. Hezbollah�*s leader, hassan nasrallah, was reportedly the target of the attack. Neither israel nor hezbollah has formally confirmed his status. Israeli air raids on lebanon this week have killed nearly 800 people, according to lebanon's health ministry. We begin our special programme on the conflict tonight with this report from our middle east correspondent hugo bachega in beirut. (explosions) scenes of war in beirut. Hezbollah�*s conflict with israel returning to its stronghold of dahiya, with a series of massive explosions and an escalation with unpredictable consequences. Explosion. An attack so powerful that it was seen and heard across the city. Lebanon now on the brink of another war. Chaos on the streets — and here is what they are running from. Dahieh, in southern beirut, now looking like gaza. But amid so much destruction, jubilation. Two children rescued from the rubble alive. Hezbollah�*s backers, iran, say this strike marks a dangerous game—changing escalation in the conflict. For israel, it's a strike targeting the heart of hezbollah�*s operations. Moments ago, the israel defense forces carried out a precise strike on the central headquarter of the hezbollah terror organisation that serves as the epicentre of hezbollah�*s terror. Hezbollah�*s central headquarter was intentionally built under residential buildings in the heart of the dahieh in beirut as part of hezbollah�*s strategy of using lebanese people as human shields. This was apparently the target, one of israel's main enemies. Hezbollah�*s long—time and powerful leader, hassan nasrallah, seen here for the last time a week ago. Israel says it is still checking whether he was hit and remains alive. Hezbollah in iran say reports he is dead are not true. This is one of the roads leading to dahieh. We tried to get out of the car, but we were stopped by a group of men. There is chaos, there is tension. We've seen crowds gathered by the road with rucksacks and bags, apparently trying to leave dahieh. Minutes before the attack, the israeli prime minister finished a speech at the united nations. Benjamin netanyahu said his country wanted peace, but had no choice but to fight its enemies. Hours later, there was some response from hezbollah, in the way of dozens of rockets on northern israel. One hit this building in the town of safed. For almost a year, there has been concern that something like this could spark a wider regional conflict. Tonight, there are two unanswered questions — whether hassan nasrallah is still alive, and if the middle east will be engulfed by war. Hugo bachega, bbc news, beirut. World leaders at the un general assembly in new york have been working to stop an all—out war in the region. The us and france led an effort to broker a 21—day ceasefire between israel and hezbollah. But the effort was cast into doubt when israeli diplomats came out against the proposal. Minutes before that initial attack in beirut on friday, the israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu gave a defiant speech at the un general assembly in new york. He made no mention of a ceasefire — instead maintaining that israel's offensive against hezbollah in lebanon would continue until its objectives were met. I have come here today to say enough is enough. Applause. We won't rest until our citizens _. We won't rest until our citizens can _. We won't rest until our citizens can return. We won't rest until our| citizens can return safely. We won't rest until our i citizens can return safely to their homes. We will not accept a terror army perched on our northern border, able to perpetrate another 7 october style massacre. I have a message further tyrants of tehran. If you strike us, we will strike you. There is no place in iran that the long arm of israel cannot reach. And thatis of israel cannot reach. And that is true of the entire middle east. Benjamin netanyahu speaking earlier. You can see there on your screen to view their into beirut, israel says it has carried out further strikes into the south of the lebanese capital, and you can see live images there including of that blaze continuing into the early hours of the morning. The idf says it has been targeting areas storing weapons, something hezbollah has denied. I've been speaking to danny danon, israeli ambassador to the united nations. There are reports hezbollah leader hassan nasrallah was the target of the attack, can you confirm that? we are not going to detail of the attack but we can tell you that we targeted the headquarters of hezbollah in beirut, we knew about the meeting that was taking place there, they were bad actors planning bad things against the israeli people. We're waiting anymore, they are plotting to attack us, we will get them first and that is exactly what happened. First and that is exactly what happened— first and that is exactly what ha ened. . , , happened. You 'ust said there that were— happened. You 'ust said there that we're not — happened. You just said there that we're not waiting happened. You just said there l that we're not waiting anymore, this appears to be one of largest strikes on beirut in years — is this potentially the beginning of a long war? i years is this potentially the beginning of a long war? i can tell ou beginning of a long war? i can tell you what _ beginning of a long war? i can tell you what will _ beginning of a long war? i can tell you what will be _ beginning of a long war? i can tell you what will be the beginning of a long war? i can tell you what will be the end l tell you what will be the end of the process, we want the end of the process, we want the end of the process to see our civilians, 70,000 refugees in israel, going back to their homes and we want to see hezbollah terrorists away from our. . . Speaks indistinctly. We can either achieve it with diplomacy or we will force hezbollah to move to the north. That is an option. — that is an option. Maybe the lebanese — that is an option. Maybe the lebanese people _ that is an option. Maybe the lebanese people or that is an option. Maybe the lebanese people or the that is an option. Maybe the lebanese people or the lebanese government will show some courage and will understand that if they want to avoid escalation they should take the initiative and make sure hezbollah is moving away from our fence. Hezbollah is moving away from our fence— our fence. When you say there is the potential— our fence. When you say there is the potential here _ our fence. When you say there is the potential here for is the potential here for israel to force that, does that mean the possibility of a ground invasion in southern lebanon?— ground invasion in southern lebanon?. ,. , ,. , lebanon? we have no desire to net into lebanon? we have no desire to get into war — lebanon? we have no desire to get into war. We _ lebanon? we have no desire to get into war. We were lebanon? we have no desire to get into war. We were already i get into war. We were already in lebanon many years ago. No—one wants to send his children to fight in lebanon. But the same time there is an obligation for our government to protect our citizens. And since 8 october hezbollah attacked israel without provocation. Hassan nasrallah said attacks came in order to show solidarity with hamas. While we are still counting the bodies of the massacre of 7 october, hezbollah started to launch rockets until today. We have to stop it, so if it will not work with diplomacy it will work with our military capabilities. — work with our military capabilities. Work with our military ca abilities. �*. , ,. , capabilities. But in doing so, isn't that _ capabilities. But in doing so, isn't that contrary _ capabilities. But in doing so, isn't that contrary to capabilities. But in doing so, isn't that contrary to the isn't that contrary to the ceasefire deal that israel has worked on with the united states, that proposal that the united states put forward, isn't that the exact opposite? we welcome negotiations, we welcome the good intention, but as i said earlier, we want to see results, for ii as i said earlier, we want to see results, for 11 months we were very patient, we waited and now it is almost a year since the attacks started from lebanon, we said enough is enough. Diplomacy will not work, we want to push hezbollah away from the border and i want to remind you, ijust participated in a security council debate, after we had a war with hezbollah we achieved an agreement that calls for hezbollah forces to be away from the border and actually part of the lebanese —— called for the lebanese military to be next our border. The lebanese government and military are very weak, and hezbollah is taking advantage of that. I want to touch on what we have seen today, that israel says it takes care to minimise civilian casualties, we have seen today a strike in an area that is a densely populated residential area. What precautions were taken to minimise civilians being killed?— taken to minimise civilians being killed? first i can tell ou that being killed? first i can tell you that we _ being killed? first i can tell you that we regret being killed? first i can tell you that we regret the being killed? first i can tell you that we regret the loss | being killed? first i can tell. You that we regret the loss of life of any civilians. Hezbollah do the exact opposite. They target israeli civilians and their own civilians and their own civilians in lebanon. But you know, it is challenging because hezbollah think they can hide behind civilians. They think israel will not retaliate because of that. They were conducting those meetings in basements in the houses of civilians. So that is a challenge. We will get to them wherever they are, and i think we should expect more from the lebanese people. Now is the time to call for a change of the policy of the government and to mention what hezbollah is doing. The minister of lebanon will speak shortly here at the security council, i can assure you he will never mention hezbollah, he will condemn israel, and speak a lot about us, but he will ignore the fact that hezbollah is running the show. But the fact that hezbollah is running the show. But let me ask ou running the show. But let me ask you this. _ running the show. But let me ask you this, if _ running the show. But let me ask you this, if you _ running the show. But let me ask you this, if you take running the show. But let me ask you this, if you take a ask you this, if you take a look at the death toll in recent days of those people killed in lebanon, around one quarter of those killed in this latest escalation are women and children. Is thatjustifiable? children. Is that justifiable? i children. Is thatjustifiable? i can tell you that we regret the loss of life of civilians, but we have to do something to stop the attacks against israel. What would the uk do if you had a country sending their records on you, when germany attacked the uk and the uk retaliated against the nazis, there were civilians who were injured unfortunately. When you conduct what that is the price. We need to think how we can avoid the war but once you have avoid the war but once you have a war, civilians are paying the price, both in israel and lebanon. Price, both in israel and lebanon— price, both in israel and lebanon. ,. , ,. , lebanon. The question is how far will things _ lebanon. The question is how far will things go, _ lebanon. The question is how far will things go, the lebanon. The question is how far will things go, the un far will things go, the un secretary general said this week that he is concerned that lebanon could become another gaza. Is he right? it is definitely _ gaza. Is he right? it is definitely depends gaza. Is he right? it is definitely depends on | gaza. Is he right? it is i definitely depends on the position of lebanon and hezbollah. They can stop immediately sending weapons to israel tonight, and then there will be no retaliation. But thatis will be no retaliation. But that is not the case. For 11 months, sending thousands of rockets, missiles, drones every night. As we speak now there are hundreds of thousands of israelis in bomb shelters because of rockets flying from lebanon into israel. So they can decide to stop the hostility and it will be quiet, but if it is not quite in israel it will not be quiet in lebanon. Israel it will not be quiet in lebanon— israel it will not be quiet in lebanon. ,. ,. , ,. , lebanon. The israeli ambassador to the united _ lebanon. The israeli ambassador to the united nations, _ lebanon. The israeli ambassador to the united nations, danny to the united nations, danny danon speaking to me earlier. Najat saliba is a member of the lebanese parliament, and gave us her reaction to these latest developments. Definitely we have six buildings brought down to the ground, they are turned into rubble and those buildings are probably full of people, especially that we have already half a million people displaced from the south, and most of them have families in the dahieh, where this bombing has happened. I think what is happening and what we are witnessing tonight is a continuation of the genocide that started in gaza, and the killing is continuing in the same way, using the same rhetoric and using the same excuses. There is no excuse to kill people and to really bomb the city the way it happened tonight. I am living in beirut and i have heard every single bomb, i heard the sound of the aeroplanes, and we were all fearfulfor aeroplanes, and we were all fearful for our lives. Aeroplanes, and we were all fearfulfor our lives. And aeroplanes, and we were all fearful for our lives. And god help all the families that are now either under the rubble or they have their loved ones over there. I mean, it is really a catastrophe, it's a disaster. Joining me live is hussein ibish, senior resident scholar at the arab gulf states institute in washington. I want to begin by asking you about this latest regulation —— escalation and what this means for ordinary people in lebanon. It is a disaster for ordinary people in lebanon. One thing ambassador danon said which is true is hezbollah didn't consult anyone when it decided to do some cross—border intensification of violence in solidarity with hamas. Ever since then, though, israel has beenin since then, though, israel has been in the drivers seat in terms of escalation, it has been pushing the issue. And it has come mainly at the price of lebanese civilians. They are trapped between hezbollah, which is mainly serving iranian interests, and their own narrow interests, and their own narrow interests, on the one hand, and israel which, in spite of what the ambassador said, do not give a damn about any lebanese civilians and is happy to flatten multiple buildings in order to supposedly get a couple of people they thought were worthy of being killed. Israel, we should say, says it takes care to minimise civilian casualties. Takes care to minimise civilian casualties— takes care to minimise civilian casualties. Obviously not true, if i may point _ casualties. Obviously not true, if i may point that _ casualties. Obviously not true, if i may point that out. Casualties. Obviously not true, if i may point that out. If if i may point that out. If they were trying to do that they were trying to do that they would notjustify blowing up they would notjustify blowing up huge apartment blocks in order to try to kill political figures. That is just not, that is something — the laws of war are clear, you don't get to do that. I are clear, you don't get to do that. . ,. , _,. ~. , that. I want to come back to that. I want to come back to that point — that. I want to come back to that point with _ that. I want to come back to that point with regards that. I want to come back to i that point with regards to what we have seen from hezbollah since 7 october, and from its rocket strikes. Tens of thousands of israelis have had to leave their homes in the north. Is there a way that israel can manage this while reducing the risk to civilians in lebanon? well, of course. First of all, because for an invasion of lebanon in the israeli cabinet began around 12 october or 13 when minister gallant wanted to invade but was restrained by the biden administration. There was no evacuation then, people have not been evacuated because of the rocket attacks which have mainly been within a mile of the border and around military targets, they surely there is a risk to those people, no doubt. But that is not the main thing going on here. The principal thing is hezbollah is refusing to stop what for them is basically symbolic attacks, or kind of limited series of actions, trying to protect. . . Speaks indistinctly. Risking israel being able to justify this escalation we have seen time and again. I think that israelis are really on the brink of falling into the trap of invading lebanon and trying to create a security barrier in the south, another occupation, which means another open ended counterinsurgency into the future. When the south, one in the north and they may end up with one in the east, in the west bank, it is just crazy. Let's touch on the lebanese side here, the lebanese government. Is there a long—term strategy from them which would prevent their people from being at risk? the? people from being at risk? they don't, they _ people from being at risk? they don't, they really. . . _ people from being at risk? tia: don't, they really. . . Again, ambassador danon was saying it was up to the lebanese, that is silly. The lebanese state is insufficient to deal with hezbollah and this is a chronic problem in lebanon, the lebanese state does not control, does not have a monopoly on violence, is one of the reasons it is a failing state, if not a failed state. And the fact you have this paramilitary organisation with a private army, and a private ability to plunge the nation into war, peace, or do what it wants without consulting the government, is a kind of a cancer at the heart of the lebanese state. But the lebanese state. But the lebanese people and lebanese government does not have the ability to do much about it. And hezbollah acts independently and that is a disaster for independently and that is a disasterfor lebanon, it independently and that is a disaster for lebanon, it has been a disaster for decades and this current crisis is a perfect example of how dangerous it can be. Let perfect example of how dangerous it can be. Let me ask ou dangerous it can be. Let me ask you lastly. _ dangerous it can be. Let me ask you lastly. We — dangerous it can be. Let me ask you lastly, we have _ dangerous it can be. Let me ask you lastly, we have about dangerous it can be. Let me ask you lastly, we have about 30. You lastly, we have about 30 seconds, but you spoke about what you said in your words were more symbolic actions than from hezbollah. — were more symbolic actions than from hezbollah. What. From hezbollah. Largely. What does hezbollah _ from hezbollah. Largely. What does hezbollah stand from hezbollah. Largely. What does hezbollah stand to from hezbollah. Largely. What does hezbollah stand to gain l does hezbollah stand to gain here? ,. , ,. , does hezbollah stand to gain here? ,. ,,. , ,. ,. , here? the problem for hezbollah was hamas _ here? the problem for hezbollah was