Israeli warplanes strike targets in southern Lebanon (VIDEO)

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has said it carried out airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon on Wednesday. The action comes after Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced “a new phase” of Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza and pro-Palestinian militants in Lebanon.

According to the IDF, warplanes struck a rocket launcher and several buildings used by Hezbollah operatives in Jebbayn, Haltam Kafr Kila, Odaisseh and Chama.

The IDF posted a video of the strikes.

The air raids came after the militants fired more than 40 rockets from Lebanon into northern Israel on Wednesday, according to the Times of Israel.

Hezbollah has vowed to retaliate against Israel after hundreds of handheld pagers and walkie-talkies used by the militants spontaneously exploded across Lebanon on Tuesday and Wednesday, killing at least 32 people and injuring some 3,200 others. Although the Jewish state refused to acknowledge its suspected role in the incident, multiple news organizations reported that the Israeli spy agency Mossad was responsible for rigging the devices with explosives.

Responding to escalating tensions with Hezbollah, the IDF has redeployed its elite 98th Paratrooper Division from northern Gaza to the border with Lebanon, Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi said on Wednesday.

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