Mum of twins who says home was bombed in Lebanon speaks to BBC

Ghada, a mother of newborn twins, shared her harrowing experience while seeking refuge in a displacement center in Lebanon. She recounted being ordered to leave her home before Israeli strikes targeted the area, leaving her with nothing but the clothes on her back. “Our home was struck by bombs, and all the items I had prepared for the children were destroyed,” she told the BBC.

Lebanon has become a major refuge for displaced people, with over a million individuals now living in makeshift centers. The southern city of Sidon, a key gateway to the country’s south, has seen a surge in arrivals. Many of these families hail from regions where Hezbollah holds strong support. Meanwhile, the Israeli military’s offensive against the group continues to escalate.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz announced plans for a buffer zone in southern Lebanon, asserting control over a portion of the territory. He also stated that villages near the border would be demolished. Hezbollah, in turn, launched rocket attacks on northern Israel after the group assassinated Iran’s supreme leader, sparking the Iran war. The conflict has led to Israel deploying ground troops and conducting airstrikes across Lebanon, even as a ceasefire was agreed in 2024.

As the war rages on, displaced Palestinians faced another challenge: a storm that threatened to tear down their tents. They were urged to secure their shelters. Meanwhile, the BBC documented the devastation in Tehran, where flames consumed buildings after Israeli strikes. The footage, verified by the agency, shows explosions shaking the capital and a drone crashing near the airport. Residents in Beirut’s Dahieh district have also fled their homes amid relentless air strikes.

BBC Verify confirmed a video of an oil depot fire in Iran, highlighting the disruption to marine traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. This critical trade route has seen significant decline since Iran’s blockade began. In the UK, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper defended the government’s response to the conflict, countering President Trump’s criticism. The UK advised British nationals to “shelter in place and register their presence,” suspending flights from Dubai until further notice.