Jerusalem, Sep 18 (IANS): Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant held a security assessment meeting at the HaKirya military base in Tel Aviv, following deadly pager explosions in Lebanon allegedly carried out by Israel.

Israel has not claimed responsibility for the incidents, in which handheld pagers simultaneously exploded, killing at least eight people and injuring more than 2,800 others, including Hezbollah members, according to figures from the Lebanese Health Ministry as reported by Xinhua news agency.

In a statement, Hezbollah said it is conducting security and scientific investigations to identify the reasons behind these explosions, adding that the group is "at the highest level of readiness to defend Lebanon and its people".

In a separate statement, the Shia group blamed Israel for "this criminal attack," vowing to retaliate.

An Israeli government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Xinhua that the security assessment meeting was focusing on potential Israeli responses to a possible escalation triggered by the explosions.

Local authorities in northern Israel have asked residents to remain near shelters and have reinforced safe rooms, citing concerns of a potential escalation.

The incidents came after Israel's security cabinet decided earlier on Tuesday to expand the goals of the military operation in the Gaza Strip to include the safe return of residents in northern Israel who were evacuated due to the ongoing conflict with Hezbollah along the Israel-Lebanon border.

The decision, widely seen as a step toward further escalation, followed warnings from Netanyahu and Gallant that Israel was prepared to intensify the conflict.