Lebanese army forces preparing to destroy in a controlled explosion a communication device found on the ground in southern Lebanonon Thursday — AFP BEIRUT, Sept 19 (AP/AFP/Reuters): Hezbollah fired a new barrage into northern Israel on Thursday, continuing its drumbeat of exchanges with the Israeli military as fears of a greater war rise after hundreds of electronic devices exploded in Lebanon, killing at least 32 people and wounding more than 3,000 others.
The device explosions appeared to be the culmination of a monthslong operation by Israel to target as many Hezbollah members as possible all at once. Over two days, pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah detonated, wounding and even crippling some fighters, but also maiming civilians connected to the group's social branches and killing at least two children.
It was unclear how the attack fit into warnings by Israeli leaders in recent weeks that they could launch a stepped-up military operation against Hezbollah, Lebanon's strongest armed force. The Israeli government has called it a war aim to end the Iranian-backed group's crossborder fire in order to allow tens of thousands of Israelis to return to homes near the border.
Speaking to Israeli troops on Wednesday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said, "We are at the start of a new phase in the war - it requires courage, determination and perseverance." He made no mention of the exploding devices but praised the work of Israel's army and security agencies, saying "the results are very impressive."
Gallant said that after months of fighting Hamas in Gaza, "the center of gravity is shifting to the north by diverting resources and forces."
Hezbollah said early Thursday it had targeted military positions in northern Israel, without specifying what weapons it used. Israeli hospitals reported that they treated at least eight patients injured in the attacks. The military said early Thursday that it had struck several militant sites in southern Lebanon overnight.
Israel bombs Hezbollah
strongholds in Lebanon
Israel bombed Hezbollah strongholds in southern Lebanon on Thursday, piling pressure on the militant group after two waves of explosions targeted its communications systems, killing 37 people.
Israel has not commented on the attacks in which Hezbollah operatives' pagers and walkie-talkies exploded in supermarkets, on streets and at funerals.
The Iran-backed group has accused Israel of staging the unprecedented attacks, and its leader Hassan Nasrallah is scheduled to deliver a speech later Thursday that will be closely monitored for any indication of how the group plans to respond.
Israeli man arrested
for Iran-backed
assassination plot
Israeli security services said on Thursday they had arrested an Israeli citizen on suspicion of involvement in an Iranian-backed assassination plot targeting prominent people including the prime minister.
A statement said the person was a businessman with connections in Turkey who had attended at least two meetings in Iran to discuss the possibility of assassinating Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant or the head of the Shin Bet domestic intelligence agency.
The arrest took place last month, according to a joint statement by Shin Bet and the Israeli police.
The incident highlights an intelligence war running alongside the escalating conflict on Israel's border with southern Lebanon.
Last week, Shin Bet uncovered what it said was a plot by Lebanese militant group Hezbollah to assassinate a former senior defence official, who was subsequently identified as the former army Chief of Staff and Defence Minister Moshe Ya'alon.
The announcement of the arrest came a day after Hezbollah was hit for a second day running by a sophisticated attack that detonated communications equipment remotely.
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