Israeli planes bomb southern Lebanon after radio blasts (Reuters)

 

Smoke rises from the southern Lebanese town of Khiam, amid ongoing cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, as pictured from Marjayoun, near the border with Israel, September 18, 2024. REUTERS/Karamallah Daher/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

• Summary

• Tensions high after attack on Hezbollah devices
• Israel bombs southern Lebanon
• Israel thwarts assassination plot
• Lebanese prime minister calls on U.N. to end 'technological war'

BEIRUT/JERUSALEM, Sept 19 (Reuters) - Israel bombed southern Lebanon on Thursday and said it had thwarted an Iranian-led assassination plot, a day after explosions of Hezbollah radios that came on the heels of blasts in booby trapped pagers, setting the foes hurtling towards war.

The sophisticated attacks on armed group Hezbollah's communications equipment, which killed 37 people and wounded around 3,000 over two days, sowed disarray in Lebanon, with panicked residents abandoning their mobile phones.