iran has launched an attack against israel. iran's revolutionary guard says it is targetting specific locations within israel with drones and missles. local israeli media are reporting the attack is expected to reach israel by 2am local time. the white house has said the strike could "unfold over a number of hours." this is a live look now at tel aviv. israeli forces have been put on high alert, with dozens of combat planes in the air. all israeli schools have been ordered to close. there are reports of sirens sounding in areas of the country.in an an address to the nation, the israeli prime minister, benjamin netanyahu, said defence systems were deployed and the armed forces were ready to respond in kind. he's advised israelis to listen to the directions of the military. neighbouring jordan has declared a state of emergency. lebanon and iraq have also

closed their airspace. an official in the region also tells our partners at cbs news that anything that passes overjordanian territory is a problem and will be intercepted.tehran has said the attack is quote "punishment intercepted. tehran has said the attack is, quote, "punishment for israeli crimes." iran had been threatening to retaliate for a deadly israeli air strike on an iranian diplomatic compound in syria two weeks ago. earlier, we heard from daniel hagari, spokesperson for the israel defence forces. iran has launched a direct attack from iranian so you looked towards the state of israel. we are closely monitoring iranian killer drones that are en route to israel send by iran. this is a severe and dangerous escalation and are defensive and offensive capabilities are the highest level of readiness at of this large—scale attack from iran.

together, with our partners, the israel defense forces are operating at full force to defend the state of israel and the people of israel. this is a mission that we are determined and ready to fulfil. meanwhile, us president joe biden is meeting with national security officials and cabinet members. this is video of his motorcade saturday on its way to the white house, after he cancelled a weekend trip to his residence in delaware. mr biden will be in the situation room, along with secretary of defence lloyd austin, secretary of state antony blinken, and several other top security officials. earlier, secretary austin spoke with his israeli counterpart yoav gallant to reiterate washington 5 unwavering support for israels defence. american fighterjets and naval assets are also in the region. i want to read a statement from the white house national security council spokesperson adrienne watson on the attacks

joining me live is our diplomatic correspondent james landale live in jerusalem. la ke very lake very good to have you with us and which are hearing right now it's

iran has launched this strike and hundred drones in iran and directed towards israel and they say those drones will reach israel and confident that there will be destroyed by air defences either on the way or when they arrive. or we are also hearing from the iranians, specifically the guard, they're talking about notjust an attack with the drones but also an attack with the drones but also an attack with missiles. and notjust cruise missiles but also possibly ballistic missiles. that is not been confirmed by the israeli side at the moment but that means if that is the case, it's a conference of attack by iran and this is not a minimalistic exploratory attack, this is the substance of attack nasa reports that some of iran's allies are also participating in their reports that

some missiles have been launched by pro—iranian who control much of him in. missiles from a directions and israel tonight is waiting to see if the military operation that is being conducted to defend israel will succeed. tell operation that is being conducted to defend israel will succeed.— defend israel will succeed. tell us about the defence _ defend israel will succeed. tell us about the defence capabilities - defend israel will succeed. tell us| about the defence capabilities they possess in terms of this, drones being on their way and unconfirmed missiles. is that something that they can cope with? find missiles. is that something that they can cope with?— missiles. is that something that they can cope with? and think about, they can cope with? and think about, the defence — they can cope with? and think about, the defence insisted _ they can cope with? and think about, the defence insisted that _ they can cope with? and think about, the defence insisted that iran - they can cope with? and think about, the defence insisted that iran has - the defence insisted that iran has at the moment, it is the iron dome which is designed to intercept rockets and missiles in short order as they are fired in response but also you must remember that israel's

allies are also taking part in this operation tonight and their ally particularly in the united states with the ships and aircraft and also trying to target these incoming missiles and drones and their also engaged in the process and providing information in their reports and other allies in the region that have not yet confirmed taking part in the process and it is notjust the defence system, the air defence systems in israel but also the wider defensive operation under way. but, the problem with these defence systems is that they're not absolutely ioo% systems is that they're not absolutely 100% proof. some are taking missiles can get through and it is possible that such is the scale of the attack that is being launched tonight that it is possible that there are simply not enough to air missiles to intercept all of the drones coming through and we also have to find outjust how effective

that system is. and this is a fairly sizeable rocket attack from hezbollah—mac and against israel and there was one suggestion that one of there was one suggestion that one of the reasons why this attack at taking place is simply to try to exhaust some of the air defence missiles and the calculations that military commanders are having to make now about what they have to defend what is coming at them. regards to civilians in israel right now and what have they been taught to do and what is the mood on the ground as we wait to see what is happening? in ground as we wait to see what is happening?— ground as we wait to see what is haueninu? , ., , , , ., happening? in previous days up to this time, happening? in previous days up to this time. the _ happening? in previous days up to this time, the mood _ happening? in previous days up to this time, the mood on _ happening? in previous days up to this time, the mood on the - happening? in previous days up to | this time, the mood on the ground happening? in previous days up to i this time, the mood on the ground is been remarkably calm and sanguine, people just getting on with a normal day and i will clearly change now. everyone has been urged to have

civil defence apps on their phone activated so they can receive up—to—date information and advice from wherever they are in the country in recent days, civil defence of the authorities have been checking shelters and things like that and people have been told what to do and where to go in the event that they hear a siren or their limes cough on their phones and that is been taking place now in the prime minister, benjamin netanyahu and his statement to people of this evening whatever you want to remain cool and calm and to follow the advice they get from the civil defence authorities and you have to remember, this is a country that is been fighting iran for a long time and used to the threat of missiles and used to the threat of missiles and there is a familiarity to it that other countries do not have but israel has not faced an attack like this for many years and if ever, and

if we are in uncharted waters, to see how effective the differences in civil defence network is. find see how effective the differences in civil defence network is.— civil defence network is. and the otential civil defence network is. and the potentialfor_ civil defence network is. and the potential for a _ civil defence network is. and the potential for a counter _ civil defence network is. and the potential for a counter attack - potential for a counter attack from israel, do we have any idea what that could look like and just talking about the history of this relationship you've been following it for very long time. this is for like inflection point to you? == like inflection point to you? -- feel like an — like inflection point to you? » feel like an inflection point? i think this scale of israel's response to be calibrated on how effective the attack is and if the attack is largely unsuccessful, then there will be in the balance or when

israel calculates but it's response should be and if the attack is successful in the light and military targets are hit, and if civilians are hit as well, then israel has made it very clear that they will retaliate in kind and benjamin netanyahu said today that those who harm us, we will harm them. the question tonight isjust harm us, we will harm them. the question tonight is just how dangerous is this moment and this is a moment of escalation by iran and the question is, how israel will respond in kind and is this the beginning of a full—scale regional war or they manage to restrain the impact of tonight attack and we just don't know how this attack will unfold over the coming hours. we are watchin: unfold over the coming hours. we are watching and — unfold over the coming hours. we are watching and waiting _ unfold over the coming hours. we are watching and waiting right _ unfold over the coming hours. we are watching and waiting right now - unfold over the coming hours. we are watching and waiting right now as - watching and waiting right now as those drones are on their way and a

flurry of diplomacy or some condemnation of the british prime minister rishi sunak among others. is there any chance that diplomacy can be put to work once again in order to de—escalate the situation before it gets worse or are we beyond that now? i before it gets worse or are we beyond that now?— beyond that now? i think the diplomats — beyond that now? i think the diplomats will _ beyond that now? i think the diplomats will be _ beyond that now? i think the diplomats will be stepping i beyond that now? i think the i diplomats will be stepping back beyond that now? i think the - diplomats will be stepping back and seeing just how the cards fall and what happens but i think the initial focus will be focused on what they can do to restrain an israeli response and i'll be the next focus have to see what happens and there's lots of calculations in the region here because even now before a missiles have reached israel, iran

is already warning against any country allowing its airspace to be used by israel's allies and allowing against iran in those calculations are already taking place and it is already a diplomatic rules and fudge are already hard because these evenings where people had to take sides and see who's going to come to the defence of israel and who will not. white steaks appear to be very high. a diplomatic correspondent live from jerusalem as this event evolves. live now to jonathan conricus, former spokesperson for the israeli defence forces, now senior fellow at the foundation for the defence of democracries — a thinktank that takes a hard line on iran. jonathan — both idf and iran has confimed the launch of drones. what is israel now anticipating?

good evening and thank you for having me. a historic night we have in israel for the first time, masks off and iran is attacking israel for the first time after decades of attacking israel indirectly at attacking israel indirectly at attacking israel indirectly at attacking israel directly from that soil for the first time. edward israel is doing now isn't exactly just a brave thing but defending itself in a correspondent made some remarks about the doubts about israeli air defences and i think they are quite solid and i know that they're working as we speak and there have been a hundred or so

rockets and missiles and drones fired from iran towards israel and we understand that israeli air defences are operating in order to shoot them out of the sky as soon as possible and so they don't even reach israel and the military and thatis reach israel and the military and that is what is going on right now and we will see how this with the actual damage will be and that will be whether or not they have an important influence on how israel will respond that at the end of the day here, we are at this direct moment of what could be the beginning of a new middle east there's opportunity for israel to change course and sunni states to really shape of the middle east in a different way and to stand up against iranian aggression. looking

at some of the _ against iranian aggression. looking at some of the pictures _ against iranian aggression. looking at some of the pictures and - against iranian aggression. looking l at some of the pictures and northern israel right nowjust to tell our viewers jonathan, just to israel right nowjust to tell our viewersjonathan, just to come back to you, we will have to see what israel's response and flow response will be. what do you think there could be? will have to wait and see how this fully influenced but do you think we could see a volley of attacks, counterattacks here? yes. think we could see a volley of attacks, counterattacks here? yes, i think so. israel— attacks, counterattacks here? yes, i think so. israel has _ attacks, counterattacks here? yes, i think so. israel has far _ attacks, counterattacks here? yes, i think so. israel has far superior - think so. israel has far superior firepower than iran. especially when it comes to long—range and precision. israel has much better air defences than iran has. israel, iran is very good at sending proxy organisations to do their fighting for them and this is what iran has been doing for the past decades, funding and arming a terrace and

across the middle east to fight against israel and the us and the west in general and that is how hamas, his brother and many other —— hezbollah have been allowed to exist and hopefully the responses forward looking and looking at how can we create a better and safer middle east for israelis in peace—loving countries in the future and how can iran be forced to stop funding terror and stop providing arms for terror and stop providing arms for terror organisations in the middle east this quite a lot of targets in iran that we think israeli military planners in the air force are aware of and all of them i think are being planned and assessed as we speak and depending on cabinet decisions depending on cabinet decisions depending on cabinet decisions depending on casualties and the coordination of the us and the

american input of things here, this could become even more complex if iran also decides to fire at american troops in the middle east or perhaps others that are already participating in the fighting here and end of the israeli prime minister mention france and the uk as i like supporting israel and we may see involvement in that as well but many moving parts and quite a complex situation. is this something that israel anticpated in the wake of the attack on the iraninan compound in syria? was israel waiting for this counter attack before that? had that into this decision? i attack before that? had that into this decision?— this decision? i assume so. yes. israel for — this decision? i assume so. yes. israel for the _ this decision? i assume so. yes. israel for the first _ this decision? i assume so. yes. israel for the first time - this decision? i assume so. yes. israel for the first time is - israel for the first time is actually quite amazing when you

think of it, iran has been attacking israel indirectly with its proxies for the last half year and hamas, hezbollah and others, houthis. and this is the first time that they have struck iranian targets close to israel and i think it was a welcome thing to do, it was the right thing to do, israel cannot continue to live under this horrible condition where iran is funding and arming. we know the attack was condemned by the united nations saying that, essentially, diplomatic compounds under international law are off—limits under international law. allow me not to be too impressive that condemnation, i will wait for the condemnation of iranian proxies attacking israel and israeli civilians relentlessly for the last half year and then i'll be very concerned about what they say about

buildings and to be clear, it was a buildings and to be clear, it was a building next to the iranian complex, the iranian diplomatic complex, the iranian diplomatic complex and not a diplomatic building if you want to be accurate with the details but really, i don't think that matters much. the people who were killed in damascus were iranian military and they were busy coordinating fighting against israel, arming and decrypting and directing fires in his israel against israeli civilians in the military and therefore, very valued and legal military targets to be speaking about which building they were in there is struck, i think that's missing the point and choosing to attack israel instead of the aggressor is, iran is the aggressor in the middle east, funding terror, there arming terror and not for the first time, masks

are often israel well the opportunity in every inch of justified action is to strike back at iran after they have for the first time now, attacked israel from sovereign iranian soil. first time now, attacked israelfrom sovereign iranian soil. spokesperson for the idf and _ sovereign iranian soil. spokesperson for the idf and didn't _ sovereign iranian soil. spokesperson for the idf and didn't thank - sovereign iranian soil. spokesperson for the idf and didn't thank you - sovereign iranian soil. spokesperson for the idf and didn't thank you for l —— andi —— and i thank you for being with us. live now to ravi agrawal, editor in chief of foreign policy a global affairs magazine and website, live in new york. thank you for taking the time to be with us and i think, all week in light of the warning so we have heard from the ayatollah in the ron, we have been watching and waiting to see what will come potentially of this moment in light of what we have seen this evening, what do you make of what appears to be unfolding?

lot will play out in the next few hours and iran has reportedly sent more than 100 armed drones and also, in the cells, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles which will reach faster than the drones and a lot would depend on how much damage they cause and how many of them are shot down by the israelis and also the american assistance and the extent of the damage could further lead to retaliation from israel and perhaps from around again. point is clear is that this is a new chapter in the sport and was the conflict in the middle east temp proxies to the nations and this is to leave the situation that the united states and international community has been trying very hard to avoid but here we are. in essence, we've been having here for a while as should be reporting on april one when israel attacked an iranian consulate in damascus and ended up killing randy

orton, along with members of the rgc that surrounds revolutionary guard corps. they viewed this as a significant escalation under direct attack on iranian assets and in a sense, we know they will retaliate in some form and even had some sense of the timing and we know to the closure of airspace in the region and the last day or so and also national security meetings in the white house that this was coming and here it is. i white house that this was coming and here it is. , white house that this was coming and here it is. . .. here it is. i just wonder in your assessment. — here it is. i just wonder in your assessment, will— here it is. i just wonder in your assessment, will be _ here it is. i just wonder in your assessment, will be a - here it is. i just wonder in your assessment, will be a the - here it is. i just wonder in your i assessment, will be a the breadth here it is. i just wonder in your - assessment, will be a the breadth of the us assistance here?— assessment, will be a the breadth of the us assistance here? america has already been — the us assistance here? america has already been helping _ the us assistance here? america has already been helping and _ the us assistance here? america has already been helping and being - the us assistance here? america has already been helping and being in i already been helping and being in constant test of the israelis —— touch and being able to deflect and shoot down any of the missiles that come anywhere close to crucial

targets especially of their civilian targets. there will be a key role for the israeli side but america could ostensibly aid with intelligence, with support. they have military support is on the region and any of that can be called in and america does not want this to escalate and they did condemned it for the attack in damascus and working to make sure this does not go any further. it one other thing. the first set of nation direct attacks proxies sightedness has been in place and that has not been taken of the table yet and every day since october seven, hezbollah has been exchanging fire with israel and we do not know whether hezbollah will up do not know whether hezbollah will up the nt or not and the other players, the houthis rebels and of

course, hamas. find players, the houthis rebels and of course, hamas.— course, hamas. and with that, what are the risks — course, hamas. and with that, what are the risks here _ course, hamas. and with that, what are the risks here of— course, hamas. and with that, what are the risks here of this _ course, hamas. and with that, what are the risks here of this becoming l are the risks here of this becoming are the risks here of this becoming a full—blown regional war? the are the risks here of this becoming a full-blown regional war? the risks are hiih a full-blown regional war? the risks are high and — a full-blown regional war? the risks are high and probably _ a full-blown regional war? the risks are high and probably higher- a full-blown regional war? the risks are high and probably higher than i are high and probably higher than they've been since the start of this from october seven and part of that is because in the fog of war, a lot of things can go wrong. the hezbollah commanders to a set of been exchanging fire with the israelis since october seven, it's very easy in the fog of war for chain of command, can communications to break down for a retaliation stick a step further than desired which could then lead to a chain reaction and escalations that could easily go out of hand. a part issue is the of proxies and proxies that we know have strong communication links are thereon but again, when things kick off in the big ways they

seem to this evening in the early hours of sunday and israel, anything could go wrong. really good to have your assessment tonight and thank you so much for being with us. to our viewers around the world, a reminder that you can continue to follow this developing story by heading to our live page which we have on bbc dot com. you're watching bbc news and thank you for your company and we will have more continuing coverage. hello there.

you might remember that friday had been the warmest day of the year. temperatures reached 21.5 degrees celsius in greater london at both northolt and also at st james's park. but that figure didn't last very long. it was beaten on saturday. we've got temperatures up to 21.8 degrees celsius at rydell in essex. that now is the highest temperature recorded so far this year. we've got a big drop in temperatures on the way, though, across england and wales. and in some places those temperatures will be dropping by around seven degrees celsius. you will notice the change as cooler air that we have had across scotland and northern ireland work southwards. now over the next few hours we've got a few showers around. they tend to become confined to northern and western areas of scotland. otherwise, the skies are clearing. it's going to be a cold start to sunday morning with temperatures for quite a few places down at around four degrees celsius. might be chilly, but there will be plenty of early morning sunshine, clear, blue, sunny skies in many cases. but there will be some coastal showers in western scotland. and through the day, showers become extensive. scotland, northern ireland and a few getting into parts of western england and wales. some of the showers will be heavy

with some hail mixed in and those temperatures, yes, will be coming down 15 degrees in london, seven degrees lower than the temperatures we had on saturday, but actually smack bang on average for this time of the year. now for monday, low pressure is going to be moving southwards and eastwards across the uk. it's going to be a day where we'll see a band of heavy rain move south and eastwards, followed by showers. it's a windy day with gusts of wind reaching around 40—50 miles an hour, quite widely, but 60 in places. and those strong, gusty winds will blow in frequent showers. again, some of them will have hail mixed in. if anything, temperatures a little bit below average, but factor in the strength of the wind. while i think it will start to feel a little on the chilly side. tuesday and wednesday still see some showers or maybe a few longer spells of rain diving in from the north west. temperatures probably quite close to average, really. so tuesday, a showery day against some of the showers with hail. the heaviest downpours and most frequent downpours for parts

of scotland, northern ireland and the far north of england. temperatures around 11—13 degrees celsius or so. and really, we keep those rather showery weather conditions. i think through wednesday and thursday, there's a trend to seeing something a bit drier as we get towards friday and into the following weekend as well. bye for now.

hello, i'm helena humphrey.

we start with breaking news. iran has launched an attack against israel. iran's revolutionary guard says it is targeting specific locations within israel with drones and missles. local israeli media are reporting the attack is expected to reach israel by 2am local time. the white house has said the strike could �*unfold over a number of hours.�* this is a live look now at tel aviv. israeli forces have been put on high alert, with dozens of combat planes in the air. all israeli schools have been ordered to close. in an an address to the nation, the israeli prime minister, benjamin netanyahu, said defence systems were deployed and the armed forces were ready to respond in kind. he's advised israelis to listen to the directions of the military. tehran has said the attack is "punishment for israeli crimes." iran had been threatening to retaliate for a deadly israeli