Lebanon: Explosion of new Hezbollah transmission devices leaves 20 dead, over 450 injured

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THE ESSENTIAL

At least 12 people were killed and more than 2,800 injured in a new wave of blasts of communication devices on Wednesday, according to official sources, a day after deadly explosions of pagers belonging to members of the pro-Iranian Hezbollah. On Tuesday, at least 12 people were killed and some 2,800 injured in simultaneous explosions of pagers in Hezbollah strongholds in the southern suburbs, east and south of Lebanon, according to authorities.

Walkie-talkies exploded simultaneously in the southern suburbs of Beirut as the funeral of four Hezbollah members killed the day before in the explosion of pagers was taking place, according to a source close to the Lebanese movement and rescue workers. The explosions caused panic, according to an AFP photographer covering the funeral.

According to Lebanese authorities, nine people were killed and around a hundred others injured in the explosions which also occurred in Saida (south) and Baalbeck (east), where 15 people were injured, a hospital source told AFP.

The main information:

  • Hezbollah walkie-talkies and transmission devices exploded Wednesday, a day after pager explosions
  • An initial report indicates nine dead and more than 100 injured.
  • Hezbollah beeper attack heralds escalation of war, Lebanese diplomacy says

Representatives of American, French, German, Italian and British diplomacy to meet in Paris on Thursday

Representatives of American, French, German, Italian and British diplomacy will meet in Paris on Thursday to take stock of the state of negotiations for a truce in Gaza and the situation in Lebanon, AFP learned from diplomatic sources on Wednesday.

The meeting comes a day after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made a lightning visit to Cairo to try to restart negotiations on a truce in the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, and as a wave of explosions of Hezbollah communications devices, blamed on Israel by the Lebanese Shiite movement, left at least 26 dead and more than 3,000 injured in Lebanon on Tuesday and Wednesday, exacerbating fears of an all-out war in the region.

The death toll rises to 14

The death toll from the explosion of Hezbollah walkie-talkies has risen to 14 and more than 450 injured, the Lebanese Health Ministry announced.

No comments from Israel yet

On Tuesday, simultaneous explosions of pagers, a radio paging system used by the pro-Iranian Islamist movement, killed 12 people, including two children, and injured between 2,750 and 2,800, according to a new report from the Lebanese Health Ministry. Israel did not comment on the explosions, which came hours after the country announced it was expanding the objectives of its war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip to its northern border with Lebanon.

Since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023, Hezbollah has opened a front on the border with Israel, claiming to support Hamas. Since then, deadly exchanges of fire have been almost daily, leading to the displacement of tens of thousands of residents on both sides of the border.

“Indescribable”

Hezbollah has accused Israel of being “entirely responsible” for the beeper explosions, warning that it would “receive its just punishment.” The Lebanese movement, whose leader is due to speak on Thursday, has vowed to continue its operations in support of the Palestinian Hamas. Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib said yesterday’s attack could be a harbinger of a wider war in the Middle East.

“Infiltration”

The head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell condemned the “attacks” on pagers on Wednesday, saying he was “extremely concerned” by the situation. The UN deplored an “extremely worrying escalation”. Israel announced the same day its decision to extend the objectives of the war to the Israeli-Lebanese border, in order to allow the return of displaced people in northern Israel.

The main objectives displayed so far were the destruction of Hamas, which has been in power in Gaza since 2007, and the return of hostages held in the Palestinian territory. The Israeli army said on Wednesday that it had struck the day before an infrastructure “in which terrorists were operating” in Majdal Selm, in southern Lebanon, and during the night other Hezbollah “sites” in five southern sectors of the country.

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