Walkie-talkie firm probes link to 2nd wave of Lebanon blasts as Israel declares ‘new phase’ of war

The blasts that rocked Lebanon for a second day reached the doors of a walkie-talkie maker in Japan on Thursday, as Israel's declaration of a "new phase" to the conflict raised fears of all-out war.

At least 32 people, including two children, were killed and thousands more injured across Lebanon, the country's health ministry said early Thursday, after devices belonging to Hezbollah members exploded in a two-day wave of attacks that left the country reeling and the region on the brink.

The stunning operation against walkie-talkies and pagers has left the Iran-backed militant and political group in disarray, with Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah set to deliver a much-anticipated response later Thursday. The attacks have also rattled an already beleaguered Lebanon, with hospitals overwhelmed and the public unsure if it's safe to use a mobile phone. 

As the world urged against further escalation after months of devastating war with Hamas in Gaza, Israel indicated its focus had shifted to its northern border with Lebanon.

"The 'center of gravity' is moving northward — resources and forces are being allocated [to this front]," Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said in an address at an airbase Wednesday, without mentioning the explosions. "We are at the start of a new phase in the war — it requires courage, determination and perseverance on our part," he said.

Gallant, in a separate post on X, said he spoke with Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin overnight, briefing him on "IDF operations in the southern and northern arenas, focusing on Israel's defense against Hezbollah threats."

Two U.S. officials told NBC News that Israel told its ally it was going to do something in Lebanon, but they did not give any details, and that the U.S. was