Netanyahu's warning to Hezbollah: If it hasn't understood the message, it will

Israel has in recent days hit Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon in ways it could not imagine, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

In Short

• Israel, Lebanon exchange heavy fire, intense bombardment
• Israeli military strikes 290 Hezbollah targets
• Israeli airstrike kills 37, including senior Hezbollah leaders

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said that Tel Aviv has, in recent days, hit armed group Hezbollah in Lebanon "in ways it could not imagine".

"If Hezbollah has not understood the message, I promise you, it will understand the message," Reuters quoted Netanyahu as saying.

His statement comes as Israel mounted its attack on the Iran-backed Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, with Israeli warplanes carrying out the most intense bombardment in almost a year of war across Lebanon's south. Hezbollah also counterattacked, and claimed rocket attacks on military targets in Israel's north.

The Israeli military said it struck around 290 targets on Saturday, including thousands of Hezbollah rocket launcher barrels and said it would continue to strike targets of the Iran-backed movement.

Earlier on Friday, Israeli airstrikes killed at least 37 people in a suburb of the Lebanese capital Beirut, including Hezbollah commanders.

Hezbollah said 16 members including senior leader Ibrahim Aqil and another commander, Ahmed Wahbi, were among those killed in the deadliest strike in nearly a year of conflict with Israel.

Tensions escalated earlier this week after pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah members exploded, for which the armed group blamed Israel.

The death toll in those attacks, widely believed to have been carried out by Israel, has risen to 39 with more than 3,000 injured. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied involvement.