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.

The attacks offer a rare window into the inner-workings of Hezbollah — an organization that is notoriously secretive and deeply embedded in Lebanese society.

The Israeli military confirmed on Thursday that it had approved "plans for the continuation of the war" in Lebanon against Hezbollah, and launched a new wave of airstrikes targeting Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon, saying the strikes aimed to degrade the group's capabilities.