Hezbollah leader says Israel crossed a line and vows revenge for pager, radio attacks

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• Geoff Bennett:

  Welcome to the "News Hour." The leader of Lebanese Hezbollah, labeled a terrorist organization by the U.S., told his followers today that they would exact revenge on Israel for two days of attacks that killed dozens and wounded thousands.

• Amna Nawaz:

  In Beirut, pagers and walkie-talkies exploded on Tuesday and Wednesday, targeting members of Hezbollah, but also injuring others. The "News Hour" is told that Israeli officials told their U.S. counterparts they planted the explosives.

  And, as Nick Schifrin tells us tonight, they're bracing for retaliation. And a warning: Some images in this story are disturbing.

• Nick Schifrin:

  Today in Beirut, Hezbollah buried its fighters and vowed vengeance. And Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah promised to continue attacking Israel, so long as Israel continues attacking Hamas in Gaza.

• Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah Leader (through interpreter):

  This will be confronted with a severe reckoning and just retribution in expected and unexpected ways. I will not talk about a time, form, place or date.

• Nick Schifrin:

  But as he spoke, Israeli jets flew over downtown Beirut, and Nasrallah admitted that two days of unprecedented attacks on Hezbollah walkie-talkies and pagers had dealt the terrorist group a serious blow and compromised its security.

• Hassan Nasrallah (through interpreter):

  Tuesday and Wednesday were heavy and bloody days for us. They were also a big test. The important thing is not to let the blow knock you down, no matter how big and strong it is.

• Nick Schifrin:

  U.S. officials tell "PBS News Hour" Israel hopes that blow to Hezbollah's communication network convinces the group to pursue diplomacy.

  But there was no sign of that today. In Israel, soldiers rushed their injured to the hospital after Hezbollah attacks that also killed sergeant Tomer Keren and Reserve Major Nael Fwarsy. And Israel's military struck more than 30 Hezbollah sites with hundreds of rocket launchers, part of its shift away from Gaza, said Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant.

• Yoav Gallant, Israeli Defense Minister (through translator):

  In the new phase of the war, there are significant opportunities, but also significant risks. Hezbollah feels that it is being persecuted, and the sequence of military actions will continue.

• Nick Schifrin:

  U.S. defense officials say Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin postponed his upcoming trip to Israel as the White House once again urged restraint.

• Karine Jean-Pierre, White House Press Secretary:

  We are concerned about the tension and afraid and concerned about potential escalation.

• Nick Schifrin:

  Tensions in the occupied West Bank continue to escalate, as, today, Israel raided the northern town of Qabatiya, where smoke billowed from residential buildings and a school was surrounded.

  Palestinian media reported three Palestinians were killed and a body was seen lying on the roof of one building. Another video shows Israeli soldiers dragging, kicking and pushing two bodies off a rooftop. The Israeli military said the raids targeted Iranian-backed militants.

  For the "PBS News Hour," I'm Nick Schifrin.