Israel launched a wave of airstrikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon Thursday, as the militant group’s leader said two days of debilitating attacks on its members amounted to a declaration of war.

Israeli warplanes conducted intense airstrikes on southern Lebanon, escalating the conflict with Hezbollah. The strikes followed earlier attacks attributed to Israel, killing 37 and wounding 3,000. The White House urged for diplomatic solutions while Lebanon called for a ceasefire.