Israel committed war crimes and tried to kill 5,000 in device attacks, claims Hezbollah leader

The death toll from device blasts targeting Hezbollah hit 37 today– as the Lebanese militant group’s leader accused Israel of war crimes and trying to kill 5,000.

The number of lives claimed in Wednesday’s explosions rose to 25, with over 600 people injured, Lebanon’s health minister said. It followed 12 people being killed and some 2,300 being wounded on Tuesday in what appeared to be an audacious remote attack on handheld Hezbollah pagers.

The region has been pushed to the brink of wider conflict as pagers and walkie-talkies detonated this week in the apparent Israeli attack – which took the lives of two children. And in a TV address on Thursday, Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah warned Israel had “crossed all boundaries and red lines” – claiming as many as 5,000 were targeted.

In other developments on Thursday, Israel and Hezbollah traded fresh strikes over the border. And Israel’s defence minister warned Hezbollah would "pay an increasing price". Meanwhile, UK Foreign Minister David Lammy said he spoke to the Lebanese PM to express “deep concern over rising tensions and civilian casualties".

“It can be called war crimes or a declaration of war - whatever you choose to name it, it is deserving and fits the description. This was the enemy's intention,” Nasrallah said, the BBC reported. Nasrallah said the group had formed committees to investigate how the attack over two days occurred, AP reported.

He vowed it would emerge stronger – and continue daily strikes into northern Israel. As he spoke, Israel said two of its soldiers were killed by the latest Hezbollah strikes across the Lebanon border. Nasrallah described the past two days as "harsh" saying: "Yes, we were subjected to a huge and severe blow." He vowed Hezbollah would recover.

Nasrallah said: "The enemy crossed all boundaries and red lines. Some of the explosions took place in hospitals, pharmacies, clinics, homes, cars and streets where many civilians are present." He added that as a result of "this aggression dozens were killed including women and children and thousands were wounded".

"When they detonated all these pagers their aim was to kill 4,000 human beings at the same time. This was the intention of the enemy and the level of crime they have reached," he said.

"Over two days and in one minute on Tuesday and in one minute on Wednesday the Israeli enemy was aiming to kill 5,000 in two minutes without any boundaries," Nasrallah said. "We will call them the massacres of Tuesday and Wednesday," he said.

As Nasrallah spoke, Hezbollah and the Israeli military traded new strikes over the border. Israeli war planes flew low over Beirut, breaking the sound barrier – sending people in their houses and offices rushing to open the windows to avoid the glass shattering.

Hezbollah said earlier on Thursday it had targeted three military positions in northern Israel near the border, two of them with drones. The Israeli military said the drones crashed near communities. Hospitals reported they treated at least eight patients lightly or moderately injured. The military said early on Thursday it had struck several militant sites in southern Lebanon overnight.

In another development on Thursday, it emerged an Israeli citizen was arrested on suspicion of being involved in an Iranian plot to assassinate PM Benjamin Netanyahu and other top officials. The man was twice smuggled into Iran and received payment for missions, according to Israeli police and domestic intelligence.

Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant said on Thursday that Hezbollah would "pay an increasing price" as Israel seeks to make conditions near its border with Lebanon safe enough for residents to return home. "Our goal is to ensure the safe return of Israel's northern communities to their homes. As time goes by, Hezbollah will pay an increasing price," said Gallant. "The sequence of our military actions will continue."

Gallant’s comments came after he told troops on Wednesday: "We are at the start of a new phase in the war - it requires courage, determination and perseverance." Meanwhile, UK Foreign Secretary Lammy said he had spoken with the Lebanese PM. Lammy tweeted on Thursday: "I spoke with Majib Mikati and expressed my deep concern over rising tensions and civilian casualties in Lebanon. We discussed the need for a negotiated solution to restore stability and security across the Blue Line."

The "Blue Line", drawn by the UN in 2000, separates Israel from southern Lebanon. Lammy has urged British nationals to leave Lebanon – warning the situation could "deteriorate rapidly". He tweeted: "My message to British nationals in Lebanon is leave while commercial options remain. Tensions are high and the situation could deteriorate rapidly."

Lebanon has been left reeling from Tuesday and Wednesday’s blasts. The Lebanese Army said it had been locating and detonating suspicious pagers and communication devices. And the country's civil aviation authorities have banned pagers and walkie-talkies on all planes departing Beirut's international airport.

The blasts went off wherever the holders of the pagers or walkie-talkies happened to be in multiple parts of Beirut and eastern and southern Lebanon. Locations included homes, cars, grocery stores, cafes, on the street – and even a funeral for some killed.

Many suffered gaping wounds on their legs, abdomens and faces or were maimed in the hand. Tuesday's pager blasts killed 12, including two kids, and wounded some 2,300 others. Wednesday’s explosion killed 25 and wounded over 600, Health Minister Firas Abiad said, giving updated figures.

Abiad said Wednesday's injuries were more severe than the previous day as the walkie-talkies that exploded were bigger than the pagers. He praised Lebanon's hospitals. "It was an indiscriminate attack. It was a war crime," he said.