32 People Dead So Far in Pagers and Walkie-Talkie Blasts in Lebanon, Over 3,000 Injured

Lebanon, 19th September 2024: Following a series of pager blasts in Lebanon on Tuesday (17th September), another explosion occurred in the Bekaa region on Wednesday (18th September). This blast, triggered by a walkie-talkie device, resulted in the deaths of 14 people and left hundreds injured. Security sources warn that the death toll and number of injured could rise. So far, a total of 32 people have been killed, and more than 3,250 have been injured in the explosions involving walkie-talkies and pagers.

On Tuesday, eight people were killed, and 3,000 others were injured in a pager blast in Lebanon. Among the victims were Hezbollah fighters. Hezbollah has accused Israel of orchestrating the blast, although the Israeli army has declined to comment on the incident.

Tensions between Lebanon and Israel have escalated following these explosions. The second wave of blasts on Wednesday came as Hezbollah forces were preparing for the funerals of those killed the previous day.

Today, Iran-backed Hezbollah announced that it had launched rocket attacks on Israeli artillery positions in retaliation. This action by Hezbollah follows the series of pager explosions, raising fears of a broader conflict in the Middle East.