Beirut, Lebanon   -   Israel bombed Hezbollah strongholds in southern Lebanon on Thursday, after two waves of explosions targeted its communications systems, killing 37 people. Israel has not commented on the attacks in which Hezbollah operatives’ pagers and walkie-talkies exploded in supermarkets, on streets and at funerals.

The device explosions, involving pagers and walkie-talkies, killed 37 people across two days, including two children, and wounded more than 2,900 others, according to Lebanon’s health minister. Israel’s defence minister, Yoav Gallant, said on Wednesday, in reference to his country’s border with Lebanon: “The centre of gravity is moving northward.” “We are at the start of a new phase in the war,” he warned.