nine people have been killed and around 300 wounded in Lebanon due to a new wave of explosions related to communication devices, according to the Health Ministry.
More Deadly Explosions Hit Lebanon Following Hezbollah Pager Blasts
By Imtiaz Ali Abbasi
Published on 18 Sep 2024
At least nine people have been killed and around 300 wounded in Lebanon due to a new wave of explosions related to communication devices, according to the Health Ministry. This comes just a day after thousands of pagers used by Hezbollah detonated across the country.
Multiple explosions were reported on Wednesday, with the state-run National News Agency indicating that pagers and other devices exploded in Hezbollah strongholds in both the eastern and southern regions of Beirut, as well as in the eastern Bekaa area, where three individuals sustained injuries.
Hezbollah's Al Manar TV reported blasts in various locations throughout Lebanon, attributing them to detonating walkie-talkies.
Al Jazeera’s Ali Hashem, reporting from Tyre in southern Lebanon, witnessed two explosions firsthand. “There was a car that exploded just behind us, and at the same time, another explosion occurred nearby,” he said. “I’m currently in the middle of the street, and there are a lot of ambulances—chaos is everywhere.”
Several blasts occurred simultaneously, similar to the incidents on Tuesday. However, this time, the explosions primarily involved walkie-talkies or radios. Reports also indicated that solar devices and some batteries in vehicles exploded, with Lebanon's official news agency noting that home solar energy systems detonated in multiple areas of Beirut.
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In Beirut, Al Jazeera’s Imran Khan said a blast was reported in Dahiyeh, a southern suburb of Lebanon’s capital city.
“We are hearing a lot of ambulance activity in the area suggesting there may be well casualties coming here or other hospitals nearby, possibly as a result of explosions within Beirut itself.”
The new round of explosions took place a day after pagers exploded nearly simultaneously in several locations across Lebanon, killing at least 12 people, including two children, and wounding around 2,800. Hezbollah and the Lebanese government blamed Israel for Tuesday’s attacks.
The attacks shook the civilian population with a stream of bloodied people trickling into different hospitals across the country. Health authorities called on all available medics to report for duty.
Dr Salah Zeineldine, chief medical officer at the American University of Beirut (AUB) Medical Center, said that more than 150 people were admitted in less than three hours on Tuesday. The majority of patients had facial injuries to their eyes and nose, as well as injuries to the lower abdomen and their hands, mostly their fingers.
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