israel begins new phase of war by targeting lebanon and hezbollah

Jerusalem: Israel’s defense minister declared the start of a “new phase” of the war after Israel targeted Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. At least 12 people were killed and nearly 3,000 injured on Tuesday in explosions allegedly targeting pagers used by Hezbollah in Syria and Lebanon by Israel. At least 20 people were killed and over 450 injured in explosions involving walkie-talkies and other equipment in Lebanon on Wednesday. “We are starting a new phase of the war that will require courage, determination and perseverance,” Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Galant told troops on Wednesday.

The head of Hezbollah’s executive council vowed the group would respond with force to Tuesday’s pager explosion attack. In Beirut, Lebanon’s health minister said 25 people were killed and more than 600 injured in a second day of attacks by device explosions blamed on Israel. Firas Abaid told reporters on Thursday that people were seriously injured in Wednesday’s attack because the explosion in the walkie-talkie was bigger than the pager explosion a day earlier.

Abaid said 608 people were injured on Wednesday, of whom 61 are still in intensive care. He said 141 surgeries have been performed. The minister said the number of people killed in the first day’s attack is 12, and more than 1,300 people have suffered burn injuries. Abaid said 226 people who suffered burn injuries in Tuesday’s incident are in intensive care, while 955 operations have been performed. The death toll in incidents of device explosions since Tuesday has reached 37, while more than 3,000 people have suffered burn injuries. Several members of the Hezbollah terrorist group have been killed in these explosions, while some have been injured.

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