The White House earlier warned both Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group against "escalation of any kind" following pager and walkie talkie explosions targeting Hezbollah members.

Israel had a hand in the actual manufacturing of the pagers that exploded on Hezbollah operatives this week, an attack that was in planning for at least 15 years.

At least eight members of Hezbollah were killed and 2,750 more wounded on Tuesday when communication pagers exploded, Lebanon's health minister, Firas Abiad, said. Iran's ambassador in Lebanon was among those wounded in the simultaneous explosions, Iranian news reports said.