Im caitriona perry. Youre very welcome to this new, extended hour of World News America where well bring you a full hour of live News And Analysis from here in the us, the uk, and Around The World. Do you stay with us. First israels prime minister, benjamin netanyahu, says the israeli military has killed the man who was widely tipped to become the new leader of hezbollah, hashem safieddine, in an Air Strike in beirut on friday. The Israel Defense forces says it cant yet confirm the results of the strike. Safieddine, a relative of former leader hassan nasrallah, has been running The Movement alongside its Deputy Secretary general since nasrallah was killed by israel at The End of september. As Air Strikes continue in beirut, Israels Military has been stepping up operations on the ground in lebanon, now moving in the South West of the country, as well as the south east. The idf says at least 50 hezbollah members were killed in strikes in Southern Lebanon on monday. Syrian State Media also reports israeli strikes in damascus they say seven civilians, including women and children, were killed in a residential building, and four more killed in a strike on a building used by iran backed hezbollah. Israel has not commented on either claim. Meanwhile, more than 100 rockets have been fired by hezbollah operating out of Southern Lebanon towards israels third largest city of haifa. Air defences failed to stop one rocket landing yesterday. For more, our Correspondent Anna Foster is in beirut. Well once again tonight, The Sound of loud explosions from israeli Air Strikes echoing around the capitol. We are seeing those great plumes of Black Smoke on the horizon its worth taking a moment to consider really how extraordinary that is, the position we find ourselves in where that has become a normal thing, that right in the heart of the lebanese capital, through the day and into the evening like this, we are seeing the momentum increasing all the time when it comes to these Air Strikes. In the south of lebanon as well, powerful strikes throughout the day more than 130 targets have been hit by the israeli air force, and we also know that israel have put more troops again into the south of the country. Benjamin netanyahu making this very strong statement earlier, speaking, he said directly to that lebanese people, im not sure how many will actually see or understand that statement, he threatened that if Hezbollah Wasnt removed from lebanon, this country could end up like gaza. Thats a message concerning people notjust here come up concerning people notjust here come up Around The World as well. So concerning people notjust here come up Around The World as well. Up Around The World as well. So many calls for a diplomatic up Around The World as well. So many calls for a diplomatic Solution Calls for a diplomatic Solution Part of that. The Pentagon Today saying that trip has been postponed. What does that say about the us israeli relationship and these hopes for a diplomatic solution . I israeli relationship and these hopes for a diplomatic solution . For a diplomatic solution . I think It Sa s a for a diplomatic solution . I think It Says a lot for a diplomatic solution . I think It Says a lot about for a diplomatic solution . I think It Says a lot about the It Says a lot about the relationships that are going on actually in israel at the moment, and also those wider relationships as well. Remember, Netanyahu And Yoav gallant have some difficulties in their background there was a time when netanyahu tried to Fire Yoav Gallant from thatjob, but there were so many protests, people came out on the streets i was in israel at the time so he was able to quietly continue in that position. Also netanyahu likes to be the focus of attention, so maybe he has chosen not to give yoav gallant permission to travel to the us for that reason. Some suggestion in the Israeli Media hes trying to force President Biden� s hand in terms of having a conversation which apparently reports say he hasnt had in the last few days, because they want to pin down what Israels Response to the iranian Missile Attack we can go will be. Im that happens with with close consultation with the us a week ago will be. Israel are very to back on it, they want to get that response going because its a week now since that very sizeable attack happened. But again, it shows you the constant interplay going on between israel and the us and really, but those conversations can naturally translate to on the ground here. Anna foster in beirut. Joining me live david hale, former us ambassador to lebanon. David, thanks for joining david, thanks forjoining us. On those conversations that will be going on, how significant is it that the israeli Defence Minister, you have gallant� S Trip to washington has been postponed . Doesnt have a particular significance for you . Possibly, of course we dont know whats been going on in these internal discussions. But theres a simple explanation, which is that israel is in the middle of a war, and its difficult for their Defence Minister to probably be away from his Commanding Control Role and the people who respond to him. The more complicate an explanation of course is that perhaps the administration thought they might be able to play the Defence Minister against the prime minister, and i suspect the prime minister, and i suspect the prime minister, and i suspect the prime Minister Wasnt interested in that. ,~. , that. Speaking of the prime minister. That. Speaking of the prime minister, israeli that. Speaking of the prime minister, Israeli Media that. Speaking of the prime minister, Israeli Media is i that. Speaking of the prime minister, Israeli Media is reporting that netanyahu has not received a call from President Biden we dont know for sure whether he has are not but would you have expected a Phone Call to have taken place by now . , ~. Phone call to have taken place by now . , ~. , Phone Call to have taken place by now . , ~. , now . Yes, i think that by Playing Names now . Yes, i think that by playing games with now . Yes, i think that by playing games with personal now . Yes, i think that by playing l games with personal relationships now . Yes, i think that by playing. Games with personal relationships is regrettable in foreign relations in general. Especially when the stakes are so high, the Problem Isnt whether or not theres a Phone Call going on, but that the united states has had difficulty basically projecting its Influence And Relevance at a political level the military level, there is tremendous cooperation going on, it is instrument in helping to defend israel but on a diplomatic level, the us has been spurned by all sides frankly more or less from the beginning. Frankly more or less from the beginning frankly more or less from the beaainnin. ,. , beginning. Now israel has said it will re5pond beginning. Now israel has said it will respond to beginning. Now israel has said it will respond to that beginning. Now israel has said it will respond to that attack beginning. Now israel has said it will respond to that attack from | will respond to that attack from iran last week at a time and place of its choosing. What do you read into the fact that that has not happened yet . Is there some of that us influence at play there . Us influence at play there . Possibly but i also us influence at play there . Possibly but i also think us influence at play there . Possibly but i also think frankly, us influence at play there . Possibly but i also think frankly, it us influence at play there . Possibly but i also think frankly, it is but i also think frankly, it is wise for the israelis not to be stampeded by the iranians into playing the game at their level. There really isnt much to be gained by a tit for Tat Exchange like this. The israelis have already established that theyve regained control after a long period of time over the Escalatory Ladder and are exercising their dominance. If they can find a clean shot at a Military Target in iran, i dont know why people would argue against that. But the Media Task is to do what they say they want to do, which is bring 60,000 israeli civilians back into Security And Safety in their homes in Northern Israel that requires finishing this business in lebanon. And on that point of lebanon, hezbollah is a prescribed organisation by the us, uk and many governments, but it is a Core Part of society within lebanon, it is a parliamentary party as well. It has suffered losses in these attacks, including its leader what will that mean for how lebanon operates at this point . Its that mean for how lebanon operates at this point . At this point . Its open up a Lot Of basic questions at this point . Its open up a Lot Of basic questions that at this point . Its open up a Lot Of basic questions that many at this point . Its open up a Lot Of i basic questions that many lebanese leaders have sought to basically evade, going all the way back to The End of the civil war, there is an agreement brokered by the saudi is that all lebanese signed up to in which they would disarm their militias, and all the other ones did except for hezbollah. Weve been living in the consequent as of that failure to abide by the international rules and agreement. So the lebanese face a moment of truth, what will they do about it . It would be suicidal to confront hezbollah directly, but the answer really lies not so much in beirut, but in Tehran Is tehran directing hezbollah, its been a Lot Of money into this gratuitous war that has nothing to do with lebanon, related to gaza. And its tehran Running Hezbollah because the senior leadership of hezbollah have been so decapitated. So thats where the answer lies, not really in lebanon. Hezbollah of course attacked israel on the 8th Of October last year in solidarity with hamas, It Says, and has always attached a Cease Fire with israel to a truce in gaza but we are hearing Reports Today that hezbollah is prepared to perhaps move away from that and accept a Cease Fire without peace in gaza. Is that a significant development . It i that a significant development . If i was that a significant development . It i was hezbollah, i would do everything i could to get a Cease Fire because they are frankly being fried. But they are frankly being fried. But the iranian Foreign Minister was in beirut a few days ago and had a very different message she was probably telling the lebanese to continue the war. The iranians want hezbollah to fight until every last lebanese, so the lebanese need to wake up to that reality. But the truth is i dont see why israel would accept a Cease Fire. In the case of gaza, the Reason Theyd want a Cease Fire is to get their house does back, so that was leveraged hamas had and continues to have. But theres no such leverage in lebanon, so i dont know what the inducement would be for the israelis to accept a Cease Fire until they are confident Hezbollah Cant threaten them in the way it has in the Past. Way it has in the Past. David hale, as always. Way it has in the Past. David hale, as always, lovely way it has in the Past. David hale, as always, lovely to way it has in the Past. David hale, as always, lovely to have way it has in the Past. David hale, as always, lovely to have you way it has in the Past. David hale, as always, lovely to have you with j as always, lovely to have you with us here on Bbc News. Floridians are evacuating En Mass ahead of hurricane Miltons Landfall on wednesday. The hurricane has been fluctuating between a category five and category four storm but the national Hurricane Centre reported that it doubled in size since tuesday. Local authorities and Weather Experts say milton will bring a destructive Storm Surge in which some areas will not be survivable. Hundreds of flights have been cancelled ahead of its landfall, which is expected to bring strong winds of up to 155mph or 250kph. Milton comes just days after Hurricane Helene tore through the Southeastern Us 225 people were killed by the natural disaster across six states. The back to back storms are expected to leave historic levels of damage that could take years to recover from. Unlike helene, milton will only pass through florida on its way to the atlantic ocean, making the Sunshine State the only one to be affected twice. President biden has postponed a trip to germany to oversee preparations and prepare a federal response. Mr biden warned residents in florida that Hurricane Milton could be one of the worst storms to hit the us in a century. We can show you just how huge Hurricane Milton is. This is how it looks from space. Nasa Astronaut Matthew dominick has shared this time lapse video. The video was filmed as the international Space Station was flying by hurricane. So you can just get an idea of the sheer scale of the Weather System there. 0ur CorrespondentGordon Corera sent this report from tampa, in florida. An exodus from tampa. Long lines of Traffic Snaking out of the city tell you that the warnings are being taken seriously here. Florida is used to hurricanes, but the message has been that this time is different. The city is still recovering from the last hurricane, helene, which hitjust two weeks ago and killed more than 200 in the wider region, with hundreds more still missing. The water was up to here. And thats from the last 12 weeks ago, yeah . And Inside Tampa today, there are desperate last minute preparations. Steve crist� s Dental Surgery was hit badly last time, and he knows milton promises to be much worse. Ive lived here my whole life, im 73 years old, and we have never had anything like this, ever. And to have two in two weeks, as well . Yes that building has never flooded, i practised dentistry in there over a0 years. The Speed And Intensity with Which Milton for