19-9-2024 (BEIRUT) A devastating second wave of explosions rocked Lebanon on 18 September, claiming 20 lives and leaving over 450 wounded in areas known as Hezbollah strongholds. The incident has heightened fears of an all-out war with Israel, as tensions in the region reach a boiling point.
The Lebanese Health Ministry confirmed the grim toll, stating, “The wave of enemy explosions that targeted walkie-talkies… killed 20 people and wounded more than 450.” This latest attack follows a similar incident just a day prior, where explosions targeting paging devices killed 12 people and injured nearly 2,800 across Lebanon.
Eyewitnesses reported chaos as explosions disrupted a funeral for Hezbollah militants in south Beirut. AFPTV footage captured harrowing scenes of people scrambling for safety amidst the blasts.
A source close to Hezbollah revealed that the explosions originated from walkie-talkies used by its members, with state media reporting similar incidents in southern and eastern Lebanon. The unprecedented nature of these attacks, targeting communication devices, has left many speculating about their origin and purpose.
While Israel has not officially commented on the explosions, the timing is notable. Just hours before the first wave of attacks on 17 September, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant had announced a broadening of war aims against Hamas to include its ally Hezbollah. “The centre of gravity is moving northward,” Gallant stated during an air base visit. “We are at the start of a new phase in the war.”
The international community has responded with alarm. The White House urged restraint, with US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby emphasising, “We don’t believe that the way to solve where we’re at in this crisis is by additional military operations at all.”
⚡️⭕️ Reports now in #Lebanon indicate that new explosions have also occurred in phones, laptops, radios and regular devices.
Many residential buildings are on fire pic.twitter.com/e3zuzcv8Wu
— Middle East Observer (@ME_Observer_) September 18, 2024
Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib warned that this “blatant assault on Lebanon’s sovereignty and security” could “signal a wider war.” Hezbollah, for its part, has vowed revenge, holding Israel “fully responsible for this criminal aggression.”
The attacks have overwhelmed hospitals in Hezbollah-controlled areas. Dr Joelle Khadra from a Beirut hospital described unprecedented injuries, primarily to eyes and hands, with some patients losing their sight. Another doctor called the injuries “out of this world.”
Analysts suggest that operatives likely planted explosives on the communication devices before their delivery to Hezbollah. Charles Lister of the Middle East Institute posited, “A small plastic explosive was almost certainly concealed alongside the battery, for remote detonation via a call or page.”
As the region teeters on the brink of wider conflict, the international community watches anxiously. Senior diplomats from the US, UK, Germany, France, and Italy are set to meet in Paris on 19 September to discuss the escalating tensions, ahead of a planned UN Security Council meeting on 20 September.
