Image source, EPA

Netanyahu ends his address by saying that until Israel is treated fairly as other nations, no one will take the UN seriously.

He describes the UN as "this UN house of darkness". "In this swamp of antisemitic bile, there is a majority willing to dehumanise the Jewish state" he says.

In the last decade there have been more resolutions passed against Israel than resolutions against the entire world combined, Netanyahu tells the assembly.

"What hypocrisy. What a double standard. What a joke."

The war criminals are in Iran, Gaza, Syria and Lebanon, he says.

When our people were butchered, he says - referring to the Holocaust - no one raised a finger in our defence. "Now we have a state of our own and we are defending ourselves", he says. "Israel will win this battle because we don't have a choice."

Netanyahu now asks the room: "What choice will you make?" To stand with Israel and "democracy and peace" or Iran?

He adds that to stand with Israel is to stand "with your own values".

He says that while the Israelis are defending themselves, they are also defending "you against the common enemy".

Netanyahu tells the UN General Assembly that as long as Hezbollah "chooses the path of war", Israel has "every right" to return its citizens to safety.

He goes on to talk about recent strikes by Israeli forces, which have destroyed Hezbollah rockets and killed some of its senior commanders.

"We are committed to removing the curse of terrorism that threatens all civilised societies, " he says.

He now brings up the Abraham accords of four years ago - an agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates to normalise relations - and says that path must continue, with a "historic peace agreement" between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Such a development would be a "boon to the security and economy of our two countries", he continues, listing trade, tourism, energy, water, agriculture and AI as some areas that would benefit.

Image source, Reuters

This war can come to an end now if Hamas surrenders, Netanyahu tells the UN General Assembly.

But he adds that Israel must also defeat Hezbollah in Lebanon.

He says the day after the attacks by Hamas, Hezbollah fired rockets forcing more than 60,000 Israelis in northern Israel to leave their homes.

"Enough is enough - we will not rest until our citizens can return to their homes."

"We will not accept a terror army perched on our northern border ready to carry out another 7 October style massacre," he says.

Hezbollah fired missiles and rockets from schools, hospitals and private homes of the citizens of Lebanon, he says.

He says that Israel is "not at war with the people of Lebanon". but at war with Hezbollah which "has hijacked your country". Israel has no choice and it has every right to remove this threat, he says.

The Israeli prime minister now turns to Hamas, and lists what the Israel Defense Forces have done since 7 October last year - including, he says, killing or capturing "more than half" of Hamas and destroying battalions.

He says work now is focused on areas including "mapping up [their] remaining fighting capabilities".

They will also stay focused on bringing hostages home and they "will not stop" until they have done so.

Image source, Reuters

Netanyahu now says the UN must "snap back" sanctions against Iran and "we must all do everything in our power to ensure Iran never gets nuclear weapons".

He says he has been warning the world against Iran's nuclear programme, which he says has "delayed" it by about a decade but has not stopped it.

"For the sake of the peace and security of the entire world, we must not let that happen," he says, in reference to Iran getting nuclear weapons.

"I have a message for the tyrants of Tehran," he adds. "If you strike us, we will strike you."

Image source, Reuters

Next, Netanyahu brings out a map. He contrasts the "blessing" of Israel's development with the "curse" of Iran's influence in the region.

Iran's aggression will endanger every single country in the Middle East - and the rest of the world, Netanyahu tells the UN.

"Iran seeks to impose its radicalism beyond the Middle East, and threatens the entire world."

The world has appeased Iran, he says, and turned a blind eye to Iran's internal repression and external aggression.

Netanyahu refers again to the "curse of October 7" which he says began when Hamas invaded but, he adds, "didn't end there".

He says that on 8 October, Hezbollah attacked Israel from Lebanon and since then has fired over 8,000 rockets.

He lists others who have attacked Israel including the Yemeni Houthis and says that last April, Iran directly attacked Israel from its own territory.

He says there is "no place in Iran" that the "long arm" of Israel cannot reach, and "that's true of the entire Middle East".

And he says: "Far from being lambs led to the slaughter, Israel's soldiers have fought back with incredible courage and with heroic sacrifice, and I have another message for this assembly and for the world outside this hall - we are winning."

Image source, UN Web TV

Netanyahu continues his address by focusing on some of those in the audience who are family members of the hostages taken on 7 October last year.

He retells the stories of some of those people who were taken from kibbutzes and the Nova music festival.

He describes the events of 7 October as "reminiscent of the Nazi holocaust" and how bodies were taken to the "dungeons of Gaza".

He says 154 hostages have returned, of those 117 alive.

We will not rest until all the hostages are returned, he says.

Netanyahu says Israel faces enemies that seek its annihilation, and who want to "destroy our common civilisation".

He refers to comments he made last year, when he said he had the same choice that Moses put before the people thousands of years ago - that our actions will decide whether we bequeath a curse or a blessing.

We face the choice of Iran's aggression or reconciliation between Arabs and Jews, he says.

He says a normalisation deal between Saudi Arabia and Israel had seemed in reach, but then came the curse of 7 October, he says - which he calls scenes "reminiscent of the Holocaust".

Image source, Reuters

Netanyahu begins his speech by saying that he didn't "intend to come" to the General Assembly this year as his country is at war "fighting for its life".

However, his decision to do so followed what he called the "lies and slander" about his country spoken by others standing at the podium, he says.

He adds that he wants to come and "set the record straight" that Israel seeks peace.

Image source, UN Web TV

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has just started speaking to the UN General Assembly in New York City.

As he took to the stage, many leaders walked out in protest.

You can watch live above, listen here and we will also bring you the key lines.

Orla Guerin
BBC News

Image source, BBC/Goktay Koraltan

We have visited the scene of an Israeli air strike in the Lebanese village of Shebaa, where nine civilians were killed overnight, according to the local mayor, rescue workers and relatives of the dead.

All nine were members of one extended family - the Zahara family. The dead included a child of five, a pregnant woman and her unborn child, and a 15-year-old called Youssef.

Youssef’s father Nasri arrived at the scene of the airstrike today, alone and on foot, and walked around the rubble where his son was killed. He opened his phone to show us a picture of his son, kissing the screen when Youssef’s face appeared.

The location was the village of Shebaa, nestled in the mountains, within sight of an Israeli military base. The village – which is Sunni – is almost on the border with Israel. It is not a stronghold of Hezbollah, a Shia armed group.

We found two three-storey buildings reduced to a huge mound of jagged concrete, rubble and iron bars. Belongings of the dead were strewn around including blankets, a cooking pot, clothing and a single white runner/sneaker. There was a family photograph intact in the rubble. Water was spraying from broken pipes. A mule was lying on its side, bleeding and unable to move.

Image source, BBC/Goktay Koraltan

The air strike happened at 03:00 local time (midnight GMT). When we arrived at about 13:00 rescue workers were still recovering the dead. Some of the bodies were found in pieces.

We were able to film openly at the location. We saw no sign of any kind of military equipment, or any Hezbollah presence. Typically, Hezbollah are present in the vicinity of their sites - even long after an attack - and often prevent filming.

We met the husband of the pregnant woman - who has lost both his wife and his unborn first child. He was overcome by grief, trembling and unable to speak.

Israel says it’s targeting Hezbollah positions, including rocket launcher positions and ammunition dumps.

In Shebaa locals are adamant that Israel’s air strike killed innocent civilians.

There has been no immediate response from the IDF.

What are the obstacles to peace?published at 14:19 British Summer Time 27 September

14:19 BST 27 September

Frank Gardner
Security correspondent

Ask most people in the Middle East outside Israel and they will give you a one-word answer: Netanyahu. They see the embattled Israeli PM as an irresponsible bully, flinging his military might around the region with air strikes, assassinations and illegal occupations. In practice, the situation is rather more complex.

Israel’s current campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon has the broad support of the population at home.

The Israeli military reckon they have Hezbollah on the ropes and want to press home their advantage to pave the way for a ceasefire on Israel's terms.

Netanyahu’s fragile coalition includes hard right members who have threatened to walk if the war is stopped without capitulation by Hezbollah.

For their part, Hezbollah's surviving leadership have backed themselves into a corner. They have said they will only stop fighting if there is a ceasefire in Gaza. With so much of their own blood spilt, settling for anything less now would look like weakness, especially with thousands in their ranks baying for revenge.

So why can't there be a ceasefire in Gaza?

Anthony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, told us recently at a press briefing that "we are 90% there".

But Yahya Sinwar, the elusive leader of Hamas, wants a complete and permanent withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, while Netanyahu is reluctant to give up control of the Gaza-Egypt border in case it becomes once again a conduit for arms to Hamas.

Satellite images show strikes in northern Lebanonpublished at 14:14 British Summer Time 27 September

14:14 BST 27 September

By Richard Irvine-Brown, BBC Verify

At BBC Verify we've been looking at satellite imagery that we received this morning from the US space technology company, Maxar.

They show six locations in northern Lebanon around Chouaghir, Bray, Qasr and Bouaidah - towns a little over 100km (62 miles) north-east of Beirut.

One example, which you can see below, shows the before and after of an air strike on a building in Chouaghir.

Image source, Satellite image ©2024 Maxar Technologies

In the first image, above, captured on 3 September, the building is intact. In the second image, below, taken 26 September, it has been visibly destroyed and is surrounded by blast marks.

Image source, Satellite image ©2024 Maxar Technologies

The satellite imagery shared with us mostly appears to show precise strikes in farmland and in less densely built-up areas than we’ve seen in places like Beirut or Tyre.

In four examples, buildings near strike sites have clearly sustained damage, but they are still standing.

It’s important to note that from the images alone, we cannot determine how many people were injured or killed in these strikes. It’s also unclear why these specific buildings were targeted.

We've just received these pictures which show how civilians on both sides of the border are affected by the escalation between Israel and Hezbollah.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Getty

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Jeremy Bowen
International editor

Israel has had significantly more success, in military terms, than some people expected since it began this assault against the Hezbollah positions in Lebanon.

They have hinted very, very strongly that they are planning a ground operation inside the country.

So it is possible that, in their eyes, this is the chance to really change the terms of the game and the balance of power with one of the most obdurate enemies they have.

After the events of the last week, Hezbollah would probably relish a chance to catch their breath.

The Iranian president, speaking at the UN, has already hinted that a ceasefire would be acceptable to them.

He condemned what he called Israel’s desperate barbarism and called on world leaders to stop Israel before it engulfs the region and the world. That’s important because Iran is Hezbollah’s key backer.

Image source, Getty Images

We're waiting to hear from the Israeli PM this afternoon, who'll be speaking at the UN General Assembly - and will bring you the latest with that. But here's what's been happening this morning:

Strikes continue: Both Israel and Hezbollah say they are continuing to fire missiles at each other. In the last hour, the Israel Defense Forces say they've attacked military sites in southern Lebanon which are being used to fire rockets. Hezbollah says it has been firing rockets into parts of northern Israel

At least nine dead: We're still waiting for an official update from the Lebanese health ministry on how many people have been killed in today's strikes, Yesterday, it said nearly 800 people had been killed in Israeli strikes since Monday. But local officials tell us that nine people - including a pregnant woman and two children - were killed in a village in Nabatieh. Our correspondent is on the way to that village, and says the roads are quiet

Thousands flee: Governments around the world are telling their citizens to leave Lebanon immediately, with the UK among those asking airlines to put on extra flights out of Beirut. And more and more people are fleeing their homes - the UN says more than 30,000 people have fled Lebanon for Syrla in the past three days

Netanyahu to speak soon: The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is due to speak at the UN in New York City this afternoon. Allies including the US, UK and EU have called for a temporary 21-day ceasefire in Lebanon. Netanyahu's government rejected the proposed truce - but he has said the negotiations for a ceasefire would continue. Our international editor suggests Netanyahu may well clarify things, or remain less committal and keep his options open

Jeremy Bowen
International Editor

Image source, Getty Images

As ever in these moments, Benjamin Netanyahu has thrown out a variety of signals, sounding harsher in Hebrew and more emollient in English.

At his speech at the UN today, he may well clarify things; or he may, once again, be less committal to try to keep his options open as he juggles the wishes and advice of Israel’s allies and the political demands of the ultra-nationalist politicians whose support can preserve - or break - his coalition government.

During the last year, he has often had to decide between Western allies who at times have been deeply troubled by the way Israel is conducting its war, and the hard-line politicians at home who have opposed any deals and threatened to topple his government if they’re ignored.

Faced with the choice, he has always gone with the views of the hardliners whose votes he relies on to sustain him in power. And they have said very emphatically in the last few hours that there should be no deals and that this is a chance to go in and really do Hezbollah some damage.

The ceasefire proposal - from the US and France and backed by all Israel’s major Western allies - is for a 21 day pause in hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah to create time for diplomacy.

One diplomatic possibility is the deal the US envoy here has been working on for months. That’s based on the UN resolution – 1701 – that ended the last war in 2006.

But Hezbollah has said it will continue attacking Israel until there is a ceasefire in Gaza. So, at the same time, Americans and Western allies including the UK, are hoping there may be a way to revive hopes of a Gaza ceasefire.

However, it’s been pretty clear that both the Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and Netanyahu are a long way apart in their positions on that.

Image source, Reuters

UK Defence Secretary John Healey tells broadcasters that the current fighting in Lebanon "serves no-one" and that both sides need to "focus on peace and the future".

Speaking during a visit to a factory in County Durham, Healey says it's good news that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is at the United Nations because "he will hear about the calls from many countries, led by the United States and Britain, for an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon".

"Twenty-one days in which the fighting should stop on both sides. That gives everyone a chance to concentrate on the peace plan that is on the table, that the Israelis say will allow them to get their citizens back into northern Israel and the Lebanese to return to their homes in southern Lebanon," he says.

And addressing the potential of an Israeli ground offensive in Lebanon, Healey says he is "watching the situation carefully" but that would "be a matter for the Israelis".