Lebanon is facing a second wave of deadly explosions, targeting electronic equipment. HezbollahJust a day earlier, hundreds of pagers belonging to the terror group had exploded simultaneously. The recent attacks, which are widely believed to have been carried out by Israel, have raised fears of a full-blown war between the two sides. The blasts have also raised concerns about the extent of potentially compromised equipment, especially given the high number of civilian casualties.
pushing the news
pushing the news
- Lebanon has been rocked by several devastating explosions over the past two days, killing at least 26 people and injuring thousands.
- The devices responsible for the massacre – pagers and walkie-talkies – were being widely used by Hezbollah operatives. These seemingly ordinary items exploded in a wave of coordinated attacks across the country, with security experts pointing the finger at Israel.
- The blasts have not only claimed lives but also caused panic and chaos as people fear that more devices are set to explode.
- Thousands of Lebanese residents have been directly affected by these explosions, which have targeted Hezbollah strongholds in Beirut and southern Lebanon.
- Also, explosions have occurred in civilian areas, including shops, homes and even hospitals. The attack represents the biggest security breach in Hezbollah’s history, marking a new phase of violence between Hezbollah and Israel, who have been engaged in escalating hostilities for years.
why it matters
- The scale and sophistication of these attacks have exposed Hezbollah’s vulnerabilities in a way that few imagined. With Israel being blamed for the operation, the explosions have dramatically increased tensions in a region already strained by ongoing conflicts between Israel and Hezbollah.
Hamas and the Iran-backed Hezbollah. These attacks have sparked fear among Lebanese citizens, many of whom now fear that everyday devices could explode at any time. - According to a report by the Israeli intelligence agency Reuters,
Mossad This was the reason behind the series of explosions in the pager. - Organizing the pager bombings appears to have been a complex task that required many months of preparation. Many experts suspect that the Mossad manipulated the supply chain, planting explosives in hundreds of pagers before importing them into Lebanon. However, concrete evidence supporting this theory is currently scarce.
Gold Apollo The Taiwan-based company said it had given Hungary-based firm BAC Consulting Kft permission to use its name on the pagers to be sent to Hezbollah. However, Hungarian government spokesman Zoltán Kovács announced on Wednesday that the pagers sent to Hezbollah never arrived in Hungary and that BAC Consultants only played an intermediary role in the transaction.- Kovács further revealed on X that Hungary’s national security services were actively cooperating with international partners in the investigation.
- The chaos unleashed by these attacks threatens to further destabilise Lebanon, which is already grappling with economic collapse, political turmoil and the aftermath of the 2020 Beirut port explosion.
The Big Picture
- The attacks began when thousands of pagers used by Hezbollah exploded almost simultaneously in Lebanon and parts of Syria, killing 12 people and wounding about 3,000.
- The next day a second wave of explosions involving walkie-talkies and solar panels caused even more devastation, killing 14 more people and wounding hundreds. Lebanese media have reported that the dead included some children and civilians who were nowhere near Hezbollah operations at the time of the blasts.
- Hezbollah officials have publicly condemned Israel and accused it of committing “mass murder.” Iran, Hezbollah’s main backer, has also accused Israel and vowed revenge. Israel, meanwhile, has remained silent but has announced the start of a “new phase” in its ongoing war with Hezbollah, raising fears of a wider conflict between Iran and its allies.
- Journalist Hassan Harfoush shared his heartbreaking story about the devastation, reports the Daily Mail. “The scenes in Lebanon are straight out of a horror movie – fleshless faces, eyes hanging out. With dozens dead and thousands injured, none of us feel safe,” he wrote.
- “There is panic in Beirut. WhatsApp groups are going viral. There are rumours that solar panels, batteries, fridges – anything can explode. There are false reports that phones have exploded. I know it’s stupid, but I’ve also told my parents to bring a fire extinguisher home so they can use it if something explodes in the house,” Harfoush wrote in the Daily Mail, reflecting the fear that has spread across the country.
What are they saying?
- Lebanon’s residents, in panic, have taken drastic measures to protect themselves. Some have taken to removing the batteries from their walkie-talkies and throwing them in the streets, fearing that the devices could explode at any moment. In some areas, residents have turned off Wi-Fi routers and unplugged household appliances for fear that they too could explode.
- Doctors in Beirut’s hospitals are struggling to handle the surge in patients. “We are seeing terrible injuries,” said Dr. Elias Warrak, an ophthalmologist at Mount Lebanon University Hospital. “In the last 24 hours, we have had more than 60 to 70 percent of our patients who needed at least one eye removed.” Many of the injuries include horrific shrapnel wounds to the face, hands and eyes, leaving many people permanently disfigured.
- At the funeral for the victims of the first wave of explosions, panic spread again when a walkie-talkie exploded during the ceremony. When ambulances arrived at the scene, attendees fled in fear. “The Hezbollah officials present behaved as if nothing had happened, but we all felt it, heard it,” Harfoush recalled. This latest wave of violence has also eroded any remaining sense of security in Beirut and beyond.
zoom in
- The Lebanese Armed Forces have been called in to carry out controlled explosions of any suspicious devices. In one case, soldiers blew up a bag of rice at the American University of Beirut Medical Center because they feared it contained explosives. The Lebanese army is also working to disable damaged solar panels and radios, but the sheer number of devices in circulation makes this task challenging.
- Photos of the exploded walkie-talkies and pagers show the words “Icom” and “Made in Japan” written on them. Although the devices appear to be from Japanese electronics firm Icom, the company has denied any involvement, saying the specific models used in the attacks were discontinued in 2014. Taiwanese firm Gold Apollo has also distanced itself, saying its pagers were licensed to Hungarian company BAC Consulting, which acted as an intermediary.
between the lines
- Experts believe these devices were tampered with before being shipped to Hezbollah, indicating a long-term infiltration of the group’s supply chain. Some security sources have suggested that small explosives were hidden inside the devices and were possibly triggered remotely via radio frequencies. This level of sophistication suggests the involvement of a state actor, with Israel’s Mossad the most likely culprit.
- The psychological impact of the explosions has been devastating. “People used to think that if they were affiliated with Hezbollah but not fighters, they were safe. But this changed everything,” said a Hezbollah source. Civilians who once believed they were outside the direct line of conflict are now terrified that their homes, shops or workplaces could become the next targets.
what will happen next
- The situation remains very volatile, with Hezbollah vowing to retaliate. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah is expected to make a public address, possibly outlining the group’s retaliatory plans.
- Meanwhile, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Galant has warned that Israel is beginning its “new phase” of the war, which could see more aggressive military action in the coming days.
- There are growing fears that the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah could escalate into a large-scale regional war that could involve other countries such as Iran and Syria. Meanwhile, Lebanese residents are worried about whether an electronic device could be the next explosion.
(with inputs from agencies)
