Israeli media reveal U.S.-Israel coordination on device explosions in Lebanon

Israeli media revealed Wednesday what it described as "coordination" between Israel and the U.S. on the explosions of wireless communication devices used by Hezbollah and medics in Lebanon, despite earlier denials from Washington.

Explosions of thousands of pager and Icom wireless devices in several areas of Lebanon on Tuesday and Wednesday resulted in the deaths of 26 people and injuries to more than 3,250.

According to KAN, the official Israeli broadcasting channel, there was coordination between Israel and the U.S. concerning the explosions that rocked Lebanon.

The broadcaster reported that Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant had two telephone conversations with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in the last 24 hours.

"The first call between Gallant and Austin took place on Tuesday, just minutes before the first wave of pager device explosions in Lebanon," said KAN. "The second call occurred before the second wave of explosions."

The U.S., however, has denied involvement in the explosions. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, during a news conference in Cairo, asserted that Washington had no prior knowledge of the explosions and was not involved.

The explosions came amid an exchange of cross-border attacks between Hezbollah and Israel against the backdrop of a brutal Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip which has killed nearly 41,300 victims, mostly women and children, following a cross-border attack on Israel by the Palestinian group, Hamas, on Oct. 7 last year.