A Lebanese soldier was killed after an Israeli drone strike on a motorbike in southern Lebanon, according to the Lebanese army.

The army said the drone "targeted" a motorbike as it was passing through an army checkpoint in the Wazzani area, near the Israeli border.

A source close to the army told the AFP news agency the strike targeted two Syrians on the motorbike, and the soldier was hit by shrapnel and died.

The Israeli military has not yet commented.

How significant is Hamas in Lebanon?published at 14:21 British Summer Time 30 September

14:21 BST 30 September

Raffi Berg
Digital Middle East editor

The killing of Hamas’s leader in Lebanon, Fateh Sherif Abu el-Amin, is significant - although the group has a much smaller presence there than in Gaza.

Hamas has been operating in Lebanon since the late 1980s, although it was for a long time marginal among other Palestinian armed groups long established there.

The relationship between Hamas in Lebanon and Hezbollah - the dominant force there - has fluctuated: initially the two were allies, but this ruptured when Hamas and Hezbollah supported different sides in the Syrian civil war.

However, Hamas later distanced itself from supporting the Syrian opposition and grew closer to Hezbollah again.

Hamas’s popularity has grown in the multiple Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, as has its armed activity. In 2019, Saleh al-Arouri, the deputy political leader of Hamas, relocated there to build up its military infrastructure.

Last April, a massive barrage of rockets was fired at Israel from Lebanon - something Israel blamed on Hamas. Arouri was killed in an Israeli air strike in Beirut this January.

His death - and that of Fateh Sherif Abu el-Amin - signals that Lebanon is also in the scope of Israel’s stated aim of destroying the group.

As we reported earlier, Israel and Hamas have confirmed the killing of Fateh Sherif Abu el-Amin, the head of Hamas in Lebanon.

Hamas is based in Gaza - Israel has been fighting it there since the 7 October attacks. But it also has a presence in Lebanon. The IDF says Sherif was "responsible for coordinating Hamas' terror activities in Lebanon with Hezbollah operatives".

UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees, has now confirmed to the BBC that Sherif was employed by UNRWA, but had been "put on administrative leave without pay in March".

It adds that he was the subject of "an investigation following allegations that UNRWA received about his political activities".

Baran Abbasi
BBC Persian

Image source, Reuters

The death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has sparked mixed reactions in Iran.

While the Iranian regime declared five days of national mourning for losing a critical ally, many ordinary Iranians are celebrating his death.

For decades, Hezbollah has been a key player in Iran’s foreign policy, which many believe has led to international isolation and economic sanctions. Iranians suffering from economic hardship have expressed resentment toward the regime’s funding of Hezbollah while their own needs remain unmet.

Nasrallah’s support for the Iranian government during internal crackdowns, including his comments on the death of Mahsa Amini in custody, further fuelled discontent.

Many Iranians see Hezbollah as complicit in suppressing protests within Iran, solidifying anti-Hezbollah sentiment.

The slogan "Neither Gaza nor Lebanon, I will give my life for Iran" has become a popular chant during protests, symbolizing widespread opposition to the regime’s foreign intervention and support for Hezbollah.

Hezbollah deputy chief speaks: In the first address by a high-ranking Hezbollah member since its leader was killed on Friday, Naim Qassem said Hezbollah is ready for an Israeli ground offensive. He also said a new leader would be chosen at the earliest opportunity

'Air, land, and sea': As he was speaking, Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant was meeting troops in northern Israel. Hinting at a ground invasion of Lebanon, he said Israel would use "all the abilities we have", "from the air, sea and land"

Strike on central Beirut: Earlier, leaders of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine were killed in what appears to be the closest strike to the centre of Lebanon's capital since 2006. Israel has not commented on the specific incident

Hamas leader in Lebanon killed: Israel and Hamas both confirmed the killing of Fateh Sherif Abu el-Amin, the head of Hamas in Lebanon, in Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon

Rockets fired into Israel: The Israeli military also reported 35 rockets had been fired from Lebanon into northern Israel this morning – some were intercepted and others fell in open areas

Image source, EPA

Six paramedics were killed in Israeli strikes that hit ambulances in Sahmar in western Bekaa, says the Lebanese health ministry in its latest update.

In a separate update, the ministry also says 12 people were killed and 20 wounded in Israeli strikes on Hermel last night.

James Kelly
UGC Hub

Image source, Supplied by Victoria Lupton

Amid the sounds of sirens, drones and rocket explosions, Victoria Lupton from Cambridge is celebrating her daughter’s third birthday today in an apartment in east Beirut.

Lupton, 37, is the founder and chief executive of Seenaryo, external, a non-profit organisation which helps educate Middle Eastern women and children through theatre and play.

She spends a couple of months a year in Lebanon and arrived in its capital city with her British-Lebanese husband and their daughter on 17 September.

"While we were on the flight, the pager explosions happened. Fairly soon after that, we started looking for flights out."

The family are due to depart on Wednesday, the earliest flight they could find. Meanwhile, they are trying to maintain a sense of normality.

"We tried to pull together and have a small birthday gathering for our daughter yesterday - but obviously it was difficult with everything happening around us."

She adds: "I think I am lucky that my daughter is young. It’s really a question of trying to keep her away from windows, sing her songs.

"I tell her the explosions are fireworks and fortunately she doesn’t know any better at the moment.

"We have a country where everybody is living in terror because every day the Israeli government announces new targets and if you are unlucky enough to be in the area you are collateral damage."

Are you trying to leave Lebanon?You can get in touch with the BBC via this web form or email.

We've just received an update from Lebanon's health ministry, which says the number of people killed in an Israeli air strike in Ain al-Delb yesterday has risen to 45.

The town in southern Lebanon was hit yesterday afternoon, with initial reports saying 32 had been killed and dozens injured.

Earlier, the ministry said 105 people had been killed by air strikes across the country on Sunday.

Image source, EPA

Yolande Knell
Middle East correspondent, in Jerusalem

While there are warnings from around the region and from President Biden that a wider, full-blown war must be averted, at the moment, Israel appears to be choosing a military route rather than a diplomatic path.

Yesterday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) chief of staff, Herzi Halevi, said: "We must keep hitting Hezbollah hard."

And the signs are that gains on the war front have given the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, a political boost.

A new Channel 12 poll released last night found that his Likud party would win the biggest number of parliamentary seats in a general election, though mainly at the expense of its current coalition partners.

The poll indicated that the opposition would win a large enough majority to allow it to form a government.

Israel clearly wants Hezbollah to think a ground invasion is comingpublished at 12:03 British Summer Time 30 September

12:03 BST 30 September

Paul Adams
Diplomatic correspondent

The signs have been building for several days.

Israeli tanks have been massing close to the Lebanese border, reservists have been called up (still, in relatively small numbers) and Israel’s top general has told troops to prepare to operate inside Hezbollah strongholds.

The head of the army’s Northern Command is said to favour the creation of a buffer zone inside southern Lebanon, to clear Hezbollah fighters and infrastructure away from the border and allow Israel to return some 60,000 civilians to homes evacuated almost a year ago.

This morning, the defence minister, Yoav Gallant, speaking to troops in the north, said Israel would use “all the abilities we have” to achieve this, “from the air, sea and land".

The Wall Street Journal reports that small teams of Israeli special forces have been mounting small raids across the border, possibly for several months. Rumours to this effect have been circulating for some time.

A short time ago, Al-Jazeera reported that Israeli forces had conducted raids on al-Abbassieh, Harouf and Beidas, all communities deep inside southern Lebanon, well away from its border with Israel.

So far, there are no signs of Israeli armour crossing the border. The raids reported by Al-Jazeera are likely to have been mounted by helicopter.

But Israel clearly wants Hezbollah to think that a ground invasion is coming.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, IDF

Israel's defence minister, Yoav Gallant, has met troops near the Lebanese border, telling them they will return displaced residents of northern Israel by "all the means at our disposal".

Yoav Gallant tells the troops the "elimination of [Hezbollah leader] Nasrallah is a very important step, but it is not everything".

In a short video, he is seen telling troops that "we will use all the abilities we have and if someone on the other side did not understand what all the abilities mean - it's all the abilities.

"And you are part of this effort, we trust you to be able to accomplish anything."

Gallant goes on to say "everything that needs to be done - will be done" and that "we will use all the forces from the air, sea and land".

We're hearing now from Israel's military on the killing of Fateh Sherif Abu el-Amin, the head of Hamas in Lebanon, which Hamas confirmed earlier.

The IDF says Sherif was "responsible for coordinating Hamas' terror activities in Lebanon with Hezbollah operatives".

As a reminder, although Hamas is based in Gaza - where it has been fighting Israel since October 7 - it also has a presence in Lebanon. Both Hamas and Hezbollah are backed and funded by Iran.

Image source, Reuters

We just brought you comments from Hezbollah's deputy chief, Naim Qassem. But what is Hezbollah?

It's a Shia Muslim political party and armed group that receives strong financial and military backing from Iran.

The Lebanon-based group has a significant presence in the Lebanese parliament and government, and controls the most powerful armed force in the country.

Hezbollah rose to prominence in the 1980s in opposition to Israel, whose forces had occupied southern Lebanon during the country's 1975-1990 civil war.

When Israeli troops withdrew from Lebanon in 2000, Hezbollah took credit for pushing them out and continues to oppose Israel's presence in disputed border areas.

In 2006, a full-blown war broke out between Hezbollah and Israel, triggered by a deadly cross-border raid by Hezbollah.

Israeli troops invaded southern Lebanon to try to eliminate the threat from Hezbollah. About 1,000 civilians were killed during the conflict but Hezbollah claimed victory and has since increased its number of fighters and upgraded its weapons.

• What is Hezbollah and why is it attacking Israel?

Hezbollah's message is clear from its deputy's speechpublished at 10:57 British Summer Time 30 September

10:57 BST 30 September

Nafiseh Kohnavard
BBC Persian Middle East correspondent, Beirut

Naim Qassem's speech was announced by Hezbollah’s press office only about an hour before it was broadcast.

This was the first speech by a high-rank Hezbollah official since they lost their leader Hassan Nasrallah.

It was clear he wanted to send the message that, despite the unprecedented blow Hezbollah has faced, the group will be standing, reorganising and continuing its fight against Israel.

On who is going to replace Hassan Nasrallah, he said their council will decide soon. But he said all those commanders and top-rank officials had deputies who can step in.

He also said that Hezbollah knows that the battle "may be long", and the options are "open to them".

"We are ready for a ground invasion, and we will emerge victorious," he said.

And he thanked all the Lebanese people, and the government.

It was clear that his speech was dedicated to the group’s supporters and fighters and the main message was that no matter who dies, "the resistance" will replace them and stay powerful.

Qassem now says Hezbollah is ready for an Israeli ground offensive, and will keep up the fight against Israel.

The deputy chief says the group is continuing its operations - describing its attacks so far as the "minimum" - while adding that the battle could be long, Reuters reports.

He closes his speech by calling for "patience".

Image source, Reuters

As we previewed earlier, we can now bring you an address from Hezbollah's deputy chief Sheikh Naim Qassem.

Israel killed Hezbollah's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, in a strike on Friday, and Qassem says the group will choose his replacement at the earliest opportunity.

We'll have more lines from his speech in the next few minutes.

Carine Torbey
BBC Arabic correspondent, reporting from Kola in Beirut

The attack on Kola is a major development, as the building targeted is at the heart of Beirut in an area that has so far been spared Israeli assault.

It hit a Sunni area near the district's intersection, a popular reference point in the city, where taxis and buses gather to pick up passengers.

It has sent shockwaves all across the country - even in areas deemed safe so far.

A man sitting under the bridge facing the targeted building tells us he heard a very loud sound at 01:00 local time. Dust was everywhere.

He says he saw shards of glass flying all around him. Papers from a nearby printing house can be seen scattered on the ground.

Next to the man is a big spill of blood. The area is cordoned off. The army is deployed around the place.

As we reported earlier, the strike killed four people, including three members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).

The Israeli military reports that 35 rockets have been fired from Lebanon into northern Israel this morning.

Some were intercepted while others fell in open areas, the IDF says.

Hezbollah is yet to comment - but it has continued firing rockets at Israel in recent days, even as Israel attacks its launch sites and infrastructure.

We're getting images now showing the aftermath of Israeli air strikes in southern Lebanon.

These pictures were taken in Ain al-Delb, where the Lebanese health ministry says at least 32 people were killed on Sunday.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani says Iran will not leave any Israeli "criminal acts" unanswered.

Speaking during a weekly news conference – his first since a senior general in Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps was killed by an Israeli strike on Friday – Kanaani says Iran does not seek war but is not afraid of it, Reuters reports.

His comments echo those of Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei, who said over the weekend that Israel's actions would not go "unavenged".

Hezbollah – which Israel is targeting in Lebanon – is one of a number of militias in the region backed and funded by Iran.