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Israel pounds Lebanon as Hezbollah vows revenge for device blasts

Israel said it struck hundreds of targets in Lebanon, hours after Hezbollah's leader vowed to retaliate for two "unprecedented" rounds of attacks targeting its operatives' communication devices.

Israel has not commented on the explosion of thousands of Hezbollah pagers and radios, which killed 37 people and wounded nearly 3,000 over two days this week, but it has been blamed by the Iran-backed group for the attacks.

Speaking for the first time since the deadly device sabotage, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah vowed on Thursday that Israel would face retribution.

Lebanese watch on as Nasrallah's address is aired on television

Japan firm says no longer makes radio reportedly used in Lebanon blasts

Japanese firm Icom said Thursday that it had stopped producing the model of radios reportedly used in recent blasts in Lebanon around 10 years ago.

"The IC-V82 is a handheld radio that was produced and exported, including to the Middle East, from 2004 to October 2014. It was discontinued about 10 years ago, and since then, it has not been shipped from our company," Icom said in a statement.

Japanese firm Icom says it is investigating after media reports that two-way radio devices bearing its logo exploded in Lebanon

With Lebanon blasts, Israeli spies flex muscles after October 7 fiasco

Israeli intelligence has suffered a blow after having failed to warn of Hamas's October 7 attack, but with this week's deadly pager blasts in Lebanon the fearsome Mossad agency appears to have hit back.

Israel has not commented on the unusual attack that turned communication devices used by Hezbollah members into explosives, killing 12 people including two children and wounding up to 2,800 others across Lebanon.

The remains of exploded Hezbollah pagers

Ronaldo's Al Nassr appoint former AC Milan boss Pioli

Saudi club Al Nassr announced Wednesday the appointment of Stefano Pioli as coach of the side headed up by Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Italian replaces Luis Castro, who parted ways with the club on Tuesday after a slow start to the season, both domestically and in the AFC Champions League.

"Pioli is Nassrawi," Al Nassr said a statement on social media platform X.

"We welcome Stefano Pioli as our new coach."

The 58-year-old was AC Milan boss from October 2019 to May 2024, and oversaw the club's Serie A title-winning campaign in 2022.

Italian coach Stefano Pioli has been appointed coach of Saudi Arabia's Al Nassr

Saudi crown prince says no Israel ties without Palestinian state

Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler said Wednesday that the kingdom will not establish ties with Israel until a Palestinian state has been created, in a blow to US efforts to seal a normalisation deal.

"We renew the kingdom's rejection and strong condemnation of the crimes of the Israeli occupation authority against the Palestinian people," Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told the opening session of its advisory Shura Council.

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman says the kingdom will not cease its tireless efforts to establish an independent Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital

Taiwan, Hungary deny making Hezbollah pagers

Taiwan and Hungary on Wednesday denied making pagers that exploded while being used by Hezbollah members in Lebanon, killing 12 people.

The New York Times, citing American and other anonymous officials, reported that Israel had inserted explosive material into a shipment of pagers from Taiwan's Gold Apollo.

Taiwanese prosecutors launched an investigation.

Gold Apollo denied producing the devices and instead pointed the finger at its Budapest-based partner BAC Consulting KFT.

Gold Apollo chief Hsu Ching-kuang  speaks to the media outside the company's office in New Taipei City

Pager explosions deal heavy blow to Hezbollah comms network: analysts

The simultaneous explosion of hundreds of pagers used by Hezbollah members has massively hindered the group's communications and could undermine its operations against Israel in Lebanon's south, analysts said.

The wireless devices used by Hezbollah combatants, health workers and administrative staff exploded across Lebanon on Tuesday killing 12 people and wounding around 2,800, according to official figures.

The remains of exploded Hezbollah pagers are put on display at an undisclosed location in Beirut's southern suburbs, a stronghold of the militant group

Lebanon doctors tell of horror after pager blasts

Doctors in Lebanon spoke Wednesday of horrific eye injuries and finger amputations, a day after Hezbollah paging devices exploded across the country, killing 12 people and wounding up to 2,800.

"The injuries were mainly to the eyes and hands, with finger amputations, shrapnel in the eyes -- some people lost their sight," said doctor Joelle Khadra, who was working in emergency at Beirut's Hotel-Dieu hospital.

An ambulance rushes people to hospital in Beirut, after paging device explosions

Lebanon's Hezbollah in disarray after second wave of device blasts

A second deadly wave of unprecedented explosions in the strongholds of Lebanon's Hezbollah left it in disarray on Thursday, hours before a major speech by its beleaguered leader Hassan Nasrallah.

The latest batch of device explosions killed 20 people and wounded more than 450 others on Wednesday, officials said, stoking fears of a full-blown war with Israel.

The blasts came a day after the simultaneous detonation of pagers used by Hezbollah killed 12 people, including two children, and wounded up to 2,800 others across Lebanon, in an unprecedented attack blamed on Israel.

People run for cover after a blast sounded during a funeral in south Beirut for those killed in pager explosions the day before

Taiwan, Hungary firms deny making Hezbollah pagers

A Taiwanese company and its Hungarian partner on Wednesday reportedly denied making pagers that exploded while being used by Hezbollah members in Lebanon.

The New York Times, citing American and other anonymous officials, reported that Israel had inserted explosive material into a shipment of pagers from Taiwan's Gold Apollo.

Taiwanese prosecutors launched an investigation.

Gold Apollo denied producing the devices and instead pointed the finger at its Budapest-based partner BAC Consulting KFT.

Gold Apollo chief Hsu Ching-kuang  speaks to the media outside the company's office in New Taipei City