At least 20 people have died and over 450 have been injured in Lebanon due to a series of explosions linked to wireless communication devices, according to the country’s health ministry. The blasts primarily affected areas in and around Beirut, as well as the Bekaa Valley and southern Lebanon, which are known strongholds of the armed group Hezbollah.
Some of these explosions occurred during funerals for victims of a previous incident, where 12 people were killed by the detonation of Hezbollah members’ pagers. Hezbollah has blamed Israel for this earlier attack, although Israel has not responded.
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These recent explosions come amid rising tensions and fears of a larger conflict, following 11 months of fighting between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. Israel’s Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant, announced that a “new phase in the war” has begun, and that Israeli military resources are shifting toward the north.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed concern about the potential for a dramatic escalation in violence and urged all sides to remain restrained. He suggested that the logic behind the explosions was to preempt a significant military operation.
The situation has become increasingly complicated. Hezbollah claims it supports Hamas and will continue its cross-border attacks until the fighting in Gaza ceases. On Thursday, Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, is expected to address the situation, which may provide insight into their next moves.
Hezbollah has reported the deaths of 13 of its fighters, including a teenager, since the latest wave of explosions. The group has also targeted Israeli forces with rocket fire, although the Israeli military reported that only about 30 projectiles crossed from Lebanon, causing a fire but no injuries.
The explosions have raised concerns about Hezbollah’s communication security. Many Lebanese are shocked and angered by the recent incidents, particularly because thousands of pagers exploded simultaneously after receiving a message they thought was from Hezbollah.
Reports indicate that the devices involved in the explosions were walkie-talkies, specifically a now-discontinued model called ICOM-V82.
There are allegations that Israeli intelligence had tampered with these walkie-talkies, planting explosives inside them before they were delivered to Hezbollah. U.S. and Lebanese sources suggested that explosives were also placed inside the pagers that detonated on Tuesday.
The explosions caused severe injuries. Dr. Elias Warrak described the day as “probably the worst” in his career, noting the overwhelming number of casualties and the severe nature of their injuries.
