British News Agency

The Israeli military said hundreds of rocket launchers were hit that it said were to be used "in the near future."

Lebanon's official news agency, NNA, said the bombardment included more than 52 strikes in southern Lebanon. Lebanese security sources said they were the heaviest airstrikes since the conflict began in October.

Israeli jets showed their strength over Beirut earlier in the day, while Nasrallah threatened Israel with retaliation "where it expects and where it does not expect."

On Tuesday, thousands of pagers used by Hezbollah exploded simultaneously, killing 12 people, including two children, and injuring 2,800 across Lebanon. A day later, 25 people were killed and more than 450 wounded when radios exploded in supermarkets, on the streets and at funerals, stoking fears that full-fledged war between Hezbollah, which Iran backs, and Israel could be imminent.

There was no comment from Israel, which announced hours before Tuesday’s blasts that it was expanding the goals of its war in Gaza to include the return of residents of the north who had been evacuated from their homes by Hezbollah’s attacks.

Nasrallah acknowledged that the explosive attacks — the biggest security breach since Hezbollah was founded in the 1980s — dealt a major blow to the group.