News Wrap: Israel expands deadly airstrikes in Lebanon as hundreds of thousands flee

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• John Yang:

  Good evening. I'm John Yang. Israel's targeted bombardment of Hezbollah and Hamas leaders in Lebanon reached farther north today. A strike on a Palestinian refugee camp near the Syrian border killed a Hamas leader and his family. And there were more airstrikes on Hezbollah's stronghold in Beirut's southern suburbs. At least six people were killed.

  Hezbollah responded by firing about 90 rockets into Israel. Most were intercepted, but several fell on the Arab town of Deir al Asad. Police there said three people were slightly injured. In Lebanon, hundreds of thousands of people are headed to Syria to escape the fighting.

• Mariam Moussa, Displaced Palestinian (through translator):

  This is what were scared of. We saw the scenes in Gaza. We saw what was happening there, destruction, children, families. That's why we were insisting on leaving our homes.

• John Yang:

  The Israeli military says 11 soldiers have been killed since Tuesday, when limited ground operations began in southern Lebanon. In Gaza, nine people, including two children, were killed in Israeli strikes. The bombing began less than an hour after residents of refugee camps were told to evacuate. Israel has long accused Hamas of operating in civilian areas.

  The massive cleanup from Hurricane Helene is entering its second week. At least 220 people are dead and 75 are still missing amid the destruction the storm caused across the southeast. The Pentagon has deployed 1,000 troops to join FEMA's aid distribution efforts. But hundreds of thousands of residents remain without power and water and may not get it back for several weeks.

• Kathleen McCarthy, Asheville Resident:

  I'm draining my water heater tank, which holds 38 gallons, so that I can use it for toilet flushing. But that's my plan for the next couple of weeks.

• John Yang:

  The North Carolina Health Department is distributing epipens and antihistamines to people stung by swarming bees in yellowjackets whose underground nests were inundated by the floodwaters.

  Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Milton has formed in the Gulf of Mexico. It's expected to strengthen and could threaten Florida next week.

  On the campaign trail today, Vice President Kamala Harris visited the storm zone. She's in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she's to be briefed on recovery efforts and visit an aid distribution site. And former president Donald Trump is holding a rally at the Butler, Pennsylvania, site of July's assassination attempt.

  Russia is claiming new gains in Ukraine's east after taking control of a small village in the partially occupied Donetsk region. Ukrainian forces say they shot down a Russian fighter plane just to the north. Troops inspected the charred remains of the aircraft, which landed on a house that caught fire. No Ukrainian casualties were reported.

  And a colorful scene in the skies over Albuquerque, New Mexico, today as the city's famed balloon fiesta began. Hundreds of giant balloons were inflated and then ascended early this morning, dotting the high desert skies. More than 500 balloons are expected for this year's festival. The event began in 1972 with just 13 balloons.

  Still to come on PBS News Weekend, the state of anti-discrimination laws for pregnant workers in America and the growing appeal of typewriters among younger generations.