News Brief
After Pagers, Walkie-Talkies Used By Hezbollah Members Explode In Lebanon: 32 Killed, Over 3,300 Injured
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At least 32 people were killed and more than 3,350 injured as walkie-talkies and pagers used by members of Lebanese terror group Hezbollah exploded in its strongholds across Lebanon in the last two days.
On Wednesday (18 September), walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah members in Beirut detonated, claiming the lives of at least 20 people and leaving more than 450 injured, NDTV reported.
One explosion occurred close to a funeral organised by Hezbollah for those killed in the pager blast a day earlier.
The explosions came a day after thousands of pagers used by Hezbollah exploded across Lebanon, killing 12 people, including two children, and injuring about 2,800.
Hezbollah accused Israel of being "fully responsible for this criminal aggression" and vowed retaliation, although Israel has not yet officially commented on the blasts.
According to the reports, Israeli spies remotely triggered explosives placed in a shipment of 5,000 pagers intended for Hezbollah before they reached Lebanon.
Hezbollah, regarded as Iran's strongest proxy in the region, claimed to have launched rocket attacks on Israeli artillery positions on Wednesday. However, the Israeli military reported no damage or casualties.
Following the two days of explosions in Lebanon, the US urged all sides to avoid escalation in the Middle-East.
John Kirby, the spokesperson for the US National Security Council, stated, "We still don't want to see an escalation of any kind. We don't believe that the way to solve where we're at in this crisis is by additional military operations at all".
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed concern that the pager explosions targeting Hezbollah could escalate the situation in Lebanon, calling for efforts to prevent further violence.
Hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah have intensified along the Lebanese border following the outbreak of war in Gaza on 7 October 2023, when Hamas, an ally of Hezbollah also backed by Iran, attacked Israeli towns, killing nearly 1,200 people.
