Deadly Israeli attacks that blew up Hezbollah radios and pagers crossed all red lines, the leader of the heavily armed Iran-backed Lebanese movement said on Thursday, as the United States called for restraint and urgent de-escalation.

Watch a live view of Beirut after more explosions were heard on Wednesday, 18 September, with reports emerging that hand-held walkie-talkie devices have detonated. The blasts came a day after at least 12 people – including two children – were killed and thousands wounded after electronic pagers belonging to Hezbollah simultaneously exploded in Lebanon and Syria.

Israeli jets are carrying out huge sonic booms over the Lebanese capital, Beirut, during a speech by Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Thursday, a Reuters witness said. Lebanese residents, already on edge following this week's blasts across the country that the group blamed on Israel,

A witness in Beirut claimed this afternoon that Israeli jets were carrying out huge sonic booms over the city. Lebanese residents, already on edge following this week's blasts blamed on Israel, were panicked fearing a major escalation.