Devastating Chaos in Lebanon: 14 Dead, Over 300 Injured in Explosive Walkie-Talkie Tragedy Following Pager Blasts
Beirut: Deadly Explosions Rock Hezbollah Strongholds
Beirut, Lebanon: A series of explosions involving walkie-talkies at Hezbollah strongholds across Lebanon have resulted in fourteen deaths and over 300 injuries. This follows a similar incident just a day prior, where pagers exploded, killing twelve and injuring nearly 3,000. The precise number of walkie-talkies that detonated remains unclear, though estimates suggest several hundred were involved. Additionally, there are reports of landline telephone explosions in East Lebanon.
The walkie-talkies were acquired around five months ago, coinciding with the purchase of the pagers. Today’s blasts occurred in southern Lebanon and Beirut’s suburbs, including one near a Hezbollah funeral for a member killed in the pager blast.
Escalating Tensions and International Warnings
In response to these attacks, Hezbollah launched rockets at Israeli artillery positions. This marks the first strike at Israel since the pager explosions. The United States has warned both sides against escalating the conflict further.
Israel, attributing the blasts to Mossad’s sophisticated operations, warned that the confrontation’s center has shifted north. Israel declared a strategic reallocation of forces to the northern arena while withholding direct comments on the blasts.
Casualties and During the Aftermath
Lebanese Health Minister Firass Abiad confirmed the high casualty toll from the pager explosions, with injuries largely concentrated on the face, hands, and stomach. Iran’s state media reported that its Ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, was among the injured.
Hezbollah, backed by Iran and banned by the US and EU, has called these incidents the largest security breach they have faced. They are holding Israel responsible and have vowed retaliation. Though the pagers were initially thought to be Taiwanese-made, they were actually produced under license by a company in Budapest, Hungary.
Implications and Future Responses
Hezbollah has termed the incidents "massacres" and "criminal aggression," insisting Israel is fully responsible. They have promised continued support for Hamas in Gaza and warned Israel of impending retaliation.
Sources: Reuters and AFP.
Original Story https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/walkie-talkies-explode-in-hezbollahs-beirut-stronghold-day-after-pager-blasts-6595278
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