Fears of wider Israeli conflict as new Lebanon device blasts kill 20, wound 450

Hand-held radios used by armed group Hezbollah detonated on Wednesday across Lebanon's south in the country's deadliest day since cross-border fighting erupted between the militants and Israel nearly a year ago, stoking tensions after similar explosions of the group's pagers the day before.

Lebanon's health ministry said 20 people were killed and more than 450 injured on Wednesday in Beirut's suburbs and the Bekaa Valley, while the death toll from Tuesday's explosions rose to 12, including two children, with nearly 3,000 injured.

Local media said the devices involved were identified as ICOM V82 models, walkie-talkie devices reportedly made in Japan. Emergency services were dispatched to the scene to transport the injured to local hospitals.

Israeli officials have not commented on the blasts, but security sources said Israel's spy agency Mossad was responsible. One Hezbollah official said the episode was the biggest security breach in the group's history.

The operations, which appeared to throw Hezbollah into disarray, played out alongside Israel's 11-month-old conflict in Gaza and heightened fears of an escalation on its Lebanese border and the risk of a full-blown regional war.

The attacks coincided with an announcement by Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant of a "new phase" in the conflict with Hezbollah. "The 'center of gravity' is moving north, meaning that we are allocating forces, resources and energy for the northern arena," Gallant said in remarks released by his office.

Israeli sources said this included the army's 98th Division, which has commando and paratrooper formations, moving from Gaza to the north.

Hezbollah, which has vowed to retaliate against Israel, said on Wednesday it attacked Israeli artillery positions with rockets, the first strike at its arch-foe since the blasts. The Israeli military said there were no reports of any damage or casualties.

"Hezbollah wants to avoid an all-out war," said Mohanad Hage Ali, deputy director of research at the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut. "But given the scale, there will be pressure for a stronger response."

International condemnations

The explosions have triggered widespread condemnation from regional and international powers, raising fears of an escalating conflict in the Middle East.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was deeply alarmed by the explosions, his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement, adding that the UN chief urged all concerned actors to exercise maximum restraint to avert any further escalation, and urged the parties to recommit to the full implementation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) and immediately return to a cessation of hostilities to restore stability.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said on Wednesday that the widespread and simultaneous explosions "are shocking, with an unacceptable impact on civilians."

Regional countries including Jordan and Iran joined in the condemnation. Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi accused Israel of pushing the Middle East to the brink of a regional war by orchestrating a dangerous escalation on many fronts.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian strongly condemned the attack on Wednesday, describing it as a "disgrace to Western states and especially the Americans," and calling for greater unity among Muslim states to counter what he termed "crimes and cruelty by Israel and its supporters against the oppressed Palestinians and Muslim world."

The Arab League condemned what it called "treacherous Israeli attacks on communication devices in Lebanon."

The UN Security Council will meet on Friday about the pager blasts after a request by Arab states.

Rising tensions may also complicate so far unsuccessful efforts by mediators Egypt, Qatar and the U.S. to negotiate a Gaza ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

(With input from Reuters, Xinhua)