Lebanon: Nine dead after new explosions, over 300 injured – Walkie-talkies exploded

A new wave of attacks has begun in the Middle East, with new explosions, this time involving walkie-talkies, reported in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, and its southern suburbs. Many sources indicate that the Mossad is behind the attack. As reported, nine people are dead and over 300 are injured, many with injuries to their arms and stomachs.

Eyewitnesses stated that portable radios used by Hezbollah exploded in the southern suburbs of Beirut. It has also been reported that residential solar power systems exploded in various areas of Beirut, with the Lebanese news agency suggesting these systems were responsible for some of the explosions.

Second round of mystery explosions in Beirut. Explosion during the funeral of Mahdi Ali Ammar who was eliminated by beeper yesterday.
Reports of over 100 injuries throughout Lebanon pic.twitter.com/1Od8OTTRQR

— #EBluemountain1 (@EBluemountain1) September 18, 2024

Images of damaged photovoltaic systems, fingerprint devices, and other equipment have circulated on social media, though it’s not yet clear if they exploded on their own or were simply close to the walkie-talkies.

Earlier, Hezbollah had carried out an attack against Israel.

According to Reuters, citing eyewitnesses and security sources, communication devices, specifically walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah, exploded in the southern suburbs of Beirut. The explosions occurred in different areas of the suburbs, and over 30 ambulances from the Red Cross were dispatched.

Ahora hay una ola de explosiones de walkie talkies en El Líbano. La operación continúa pic.twitter.com/9HmKOpzE3K

— Nacho Montes de Oca (@nachomdeo) September 18, 2024

Images of a destroyed radio device on the ground are circulating online.

Hezbollah is reported to have purchased these walkie-talkies five months ago, around the same time as the bombers that exploded yesterday.

One of the two explosions occurred during a funeral in the Dahieh area, a southern suburb of Beirut, while people were mourning four individuals who were killed in Tuesday’s bombings.

Among those attending the funeral were children, women, and men of all ages. At the time of the explosion, the funeral was just beginning.

A Hezbollah source confirmed that the walkie-talkies used by this Lebanese group were targeted. The Lebanese state news agency also reported earlier that communication devices exploded inside homes in the southern suburbs of Beirut and southern Lebanon.

Some injured individuals were transported to hospitals in the capital and Baalbek, located in the Bekaa Valley. According to another source cited by the Lebanese agency, a bomber exploded inside a car near a cemetery in southern Bekaa.

Scenes of chaos unfolded in Dahieh, the southern suburb of Beirut and Hezbollah’s stronghold, with many calling for the avoidance of using phones. Communications have been interrupted, and roads are blocked.

Earlier, Hezbollah stated that it launched a rocket attack against an Israeli position following the explosions in Lebanon.

It’s noted that since October, there have been repeated exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and the Israeli army, with Hezbollah having launched over 8,000 rockets into northern Israel and the IDF responding with airstrikes.

Wednesday’s explosions in Beirut follow a day after bombings by members of the organization in Lebanon, leaving at least 12 dead and nearly 3,000 injured. The Lebanese Hezbollah movement earlier assured that Israel would “receive just punishment” following “this criminal attack.”

Warnings from the US and UN

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned about the risk of escalation in the Middle East following the detonation of thousands of bombs.

The news of the explosions came as the top US diplomat was traveling to Cairo to meet with senior Egyptian officials, hoping to advance ceasefire efforts in Gaza and improve relations with Egypt.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that the bombings targeting Hezbollah members indicate “a serious risk of dramatic escalation in Lebanon and that everything must be done to prevent this escalation.”

“It is apparent that the logic behind causing the explosion of all these devices is to carry out a preemptive strike before a large-scale military operation,” he told reporters.

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