Hezbollah members carrying the coffin of the members who were killed on Tuesday after their pagers exploded. Image: AP/ Bilal Hussein
(The Post News)- According to the Lebanese Health Ministry, explosions of pagers and walkie-talkies used by members of Hezbollah killed at least 20 people on Wednesday in the Beirut suburbs, while 12 people died in Tuesday’s blast, including two children.
More electronic devices exploded in Lebanon on Wednesday, a day after hundreds of militant Hezbollah pagers exploded, in what appeared to be a second wave of sophisticated and deadly attacks targeting several people.
Both attacks, believed by many to have been carried out by Israel, have raised fears that the simmering conflict between the two countries could escalate into an all-out war. This week’s explosions have also raised concerns about a range of potentially vulnerable explosive devices, especially after so many civilians were killed or injured in such attacks.
Hezbollah has used pagers as a form of communication for years, and more recently, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah warned group members not to carry mobile phones because Israel could use them to track the group’s movements.
On Tuesday, the pagers of hundreds of Hezbollah members exploded almost simultaneously in attacks in parts of Lebanon and Syria, killing at least 12 people, including two young children, and wounding thousands.
The day after these deadly explosions, more explosions occurred in Beirut and parts of Lebanon on Wednesday. Among them, multiple explosions were heard at a funeral in Beirut, killing three Hezbollah members and a child.
At least 25 people were killed and more than 600 were wounded in this apparent second attack, according to the Health Ministry. In a speech to the troops on Wednesday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant did not mention the electronic explosions but praised the work of the Israeli army and security services, stating they are at the beginning of a new phase of Israel’s war.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah called Thursday’s massive bombing of the group’s communications equipment a “big blow” and said Israel had crossed a line that should not be crossed. He vowed that Hezbollah would continue its attacks along the border with Israel as long as the war in Gaza continues. “The Lebanon front will not end until the aggression into Gaza stops,” he said.
About the Author
