Questions raised about companies in several countries over alleged links to Israel's operation detonating communications devices in Lebanon

Israel's Mossad spy agency planted a small amount of explosives inside 5,000 Taiwan-made pagers ordered by Lebanese group Hezbollah months before Tuesday's detonations, a senior Lebanese security source and another source told Reuters.

Taiwan's government and Bulgarian authorities Friday both denied making the exploding pagers used by Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Since the onset of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah on October, 8 Beirut has been hit three times. The escalation began when Hezbollah launched

According to reports from senior Lebanese security sources, the explosions were caused by small amounts of explosives hidden inside 5,000 Taiwan-made pagers ordered by Hezbollah five months before the incident.

The company, Gold Apollo, said it had not manufactured the devices, pointing to another company that it said was licensed to use its brand.

Israel's Mossad spy agency planted a small amount of explosives inside 5000 Taiwan-made pagers ordered by Lebanese group Hezbollah months before Tuesday's detonations, sources told Reuters.

Explosions continued Wednesday in Lebanon, killing at least 20 people. The Lebanese government and Hezbollah blame Israel for the apparently coordinated attack. Israel’s defense minister said they are “at the start of a new phase in the war.

By Ben Blanchard and Faith Hung TAIPEI (Reuters) -Authorities in Taiwan and Bulgaria on Friday denied involvement in the supply chain of thousands of pagers that detonated on Tuesday in Lebanon in a deadly blow to Hezbollah.