Hezbollah Leader: Israel Violated 'All Conventions'

Blaming Israel for fatal explosions of handheld devices across Lebanon that he said violated "all conventions and laws," Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah promised retribution in a speech Thursday. "Indeed, we have endured a severe and cruel blow," he acknowledged, the New York Times reports. In his first public comments since the attacks began Tuesday, Nasrallah assured his followers that "retribution will come" but said he wouldn't specify when or where. He also said Hezbollah would continue its strikes on Israel to support Hamas' fight in Gaza against the Israeli military.

Israel, which has not publicly addressed the explosions, appeared to answer Nasrallah's comments as he spoke. Two sonic booms caused by Israeli fighter jets shook Beirut, and the Israeli military later said its fighter jets hit targets in southern Lebanon during the speech, per the Hill. At the same time, Hezbollah was carrying out at least four attacks in northern Israel, per the AP. Blaming Israel, Lebanon's foreign minister told CNN he fears escalation after the explosions. "It's a scary moment and we are afraid (of) coming to war, because we don't want a war," Abdallah Bou Habib said. (So who made the devices? It's murky.)