After the attack on Hezbollah
Iran bans pagers on flights
October 13, 2024, 12:44 a.m
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On the highest Jewish holiday, Yom Kippur, Hezbollah continues to fire in the direction of Israel, and its armed forces continue air strikes in Lebanon. Meanwhile, there are concerns in Iran about possible Mossad operations.
Iran has banned passengers from carrying pagers and walkie-talkies on all flights. The new order applies to both hand luggage and suitcases, a spokesman for the Iranian aviation authority said, according to the Isna news agency. Passengers are only allowed to take their cell phones on board.
Thousands of pagers and walkie-talkies belonging to the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia in Lebanon exploded in September. At least 39 people were killed and around 3,000 were injured, some seriously. The victims were mostly Hezbollah members. In the fight against arch-enemy Israel, Iran is Hezbollah’s closest ally. Both blamed the Israeli secret service Mossad for the pager attacks. Following the Iranian attacks on Israel, Tehran fears that a similar Mossad operation could also be carried out against Iran.
Hundreds of bullets from Lebanon
Meanwhile, mutual attacks by the Israeli military and Hezbollah continued on the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur. The Day of Atonement, which is traditionally celebrated with prayer and fasting and on which public life comes to a halt everywhere in Israel, began on Friday evening and ended on Saturday at nightfall. Soldiers in the combat zones were banned from fasting, according to a report in the Times of Israel.
The Israeli army counted 320 projectiles fired at Israel from Lebanon during the day, followed by 40 more during the night. Most of the missiles and drones were intercepted by the air defense, others fell over open areas. Two Israelis suffered minor injuries from bullet fragments near the northern city of Acre, Israeli media reported. In the seaside resort of Herzliya near Tel Aviv, a drone that overcame air defenses caused damage to buildings. In northern Israel, the army declared five additional areas to be restricted military zones that are not allowed to be entered.
Air raid on market square
Israel’s armed forces said they attacked around 280 “terrorist targets” in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip on Yom Kippur. Since Friday evening, underground facilities, weapons depots, “military command centers, terrorist cells and other terrorist infrastructure” have been attacked, the army said. The Lebanese news agency NNA reports that fighter jets also attacked a market in the southern town of Nabatija. Videos purportedly showing scenes after the attack spread on social media. There you can see a large fire in a destroyed business area and rescue workers next to rubble. Nabatija is the most important town and commercial center in southeast Lebanon. After the massive expansion of Israeli attacks, the place was bombed several times, and many residents followed the Israeli call to evacuate and fled north.
According to the Ministry of Health in Beirut, there were also air strikes in other parts of Lebanon. At least 15 people were killed in the bombardment of three villages outside Hezbollah strongholds. It is unclear whether those killed were civilians or Hezbollah fighters.