Results very impressive: Israel declares new phase of war after Lebanon blasts

This statement from the Israeli Defence Minister comes a day after at least 12 people were killed after pagers used by Hezbollah members exploded in Lebanon.

In Short

• Minister's statement comes a day after 12 people died in pager explosions in Lebanon
• 14 people died after walkie-talkies and other electronic devices exploded in Lebanon on Wednesday
• Hezbollah leadership alleged that it was an 'Israeli breach' of its communications

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said on Wednesday that it was entering "a new phase" of war, a day after at least 12 people were killed after pagers used by Hezbollah members exploded in Lebanon.

"We are opening a new phase in the war - it requires courage, determination and perseverance from us," he was quoted as saying at an air force base by news agency Reuters.

Meanwhile, Israeli Army chief Herzi Halevi said that they have many "capabilities", which they had "not yet activated".

"We plan ahead by stages. At every stage, the price paid by Hezbollah should be high," he was quoted as saying by Reuters.

The explosion of pagers used by Hezbollah members, injured over 2,750 people as well.

At least 14 people were killed and over 450 were injured after walkie-talkies and other electronic devices used by Hezbollah members exploded on Wednesday, a day after the pager explosions.

Lebanese internal security forces said a number of wireless communication devices were detonated across the country on Tuesday, especially in Beirut's southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold. Hezbollah leadership alleged that it was an "Israeli breach" of its communications.

Mossad, Israel's spy agency, reportedly planted explosives inside pagers imported by Hezbollah.

However, a Taiwanese pager maker denied that it had produced the pager devices which exploded in an audacious attack that raised the prospect of a full-scale war between the Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israel.

Notably, Hezbollah had instructed its members to avoid mobile phones after the Israel-Hamas war began in October last year and to rely instead on its own telecommunications system to prevent Israeli breaches.