While the shock of the pager explosions in Lebanon is still deep, a second wave of explosions sweeps the country. In total, more than 3,000 people are injured.
According to authorities, 20 people were killed and more than 450 injured in renewed explosions involving numerous electronic devices in Lebanon. As on the previous day, many members of the pro-Iranian Hezbollah were hit, according to Lebanese security sources.
Already on Tuesday, hundreds of pagers that people were carrying in their pockets exploded simultaneously in several places in Lebanon. Around 2,800 people were injured and at least 12 died. Hezbollah blamed Israel for Tuesday’s attack and vowed retaliation. Israel itself did not comment on the incident. Israel also did not initially comment on Wednesday’s explosions.
In view of the situation, the UN Security Council wants to hold an emergency meeting. According to diplomatic sources, the most powerful body of the United Nations is scheduled to meet on Friday at 9 p.m. CEST.
Israel’s Defense Minister Joav Galant announced a “new phase” of the war with a focus on the north.
New explosions during funeral ceremonies
The second wave of explosions hit Lebanon in the late afternoon. While funerals for the victims of the previous day were being held in the southern Beirut suburb, the new explosions were reported. Hezbollah sources said that “wireless devices such as walkie-talkies” had exploded.
Videos on social media showed panic spreading during the funeral ceremony after loud bangs were heard. Senior Hezbollah official Hashim Safieddine said in response to the pagers exploding the previous day: “This aggression has its own punishment and retribution, and the punishment will come.” Hezbollah had previously announced retaliation. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah will address the public on Thursday.
Many houses and cars damaged
Sounds of explosions were also heard in the port city of Tyre in the south of the country, people on the ground reported. Numerous ambulances were deployed. Local media also reported explosions in Sidon and other places in the south of the country. The Lebanese Civil Defense said its teams were deployed in the south and east of the country and in the southern suburbs of Beirut to extinguish fires in cars, shops and other buildings. These areas are mainly controlled by Hezbollah.
The Lebanese government had previously declared that it was preparing for a possible major Israeli attack. According to the Lebanese news agency NNA, the head of the government’s emergency committee, Nasser Yassin, said: “We have presented possible scenarios in the event of extensive Israeli attacks.” The Ministry of Education has presented a list of around 100 schools that could serve as emergency shelters. According to government sources, food reserves in Lebanon are sufficient for more than three months.
UN Secretary-General sees signs of “dramatic escalation”
UN Secretary-General António Guterres sees the explosions as evidence of a massive impending escalation in the Middle East. “The logic behind exploding all this equipment is, of course, to do this as a preemptive strike before a major military operation,” Guterres said in New York.
There is a “serious risk of dramatic escalation,” Guterres continued. Everything must be done to prevent this. Guterres spoke at a press conference and referred to the explosions on Tuesday – the news of the new detonations trickled in during the event.
The UN Human Rights Office had already condemned the first attack allegedly coordinated by Israel as “shocking”. It violated international human rights standards to carry out an attack on thousands of people simultaneously without knowing who had the device with them at the time of the attack or where and in what environment the person was. It could also be a violation of international humanitarian law. Only courts can make definitive determinations as to whether an act violates international humanitarian law.
Mutual shelling at the border continues
In recent months there have been repeated fears that the months of shelling between Hezbollah and the Israeli military could turn into a second, major theater of war alongside the Gaza war. Since the war in the Gaza Strip between Israel and the Islamist Hamas began almost a year ago, there have been almost daily military confrontations between Israel and Hezbollah. The situation had already escalated significantly before the explosions in Lebanon.
On Wednesday there was also mutual shooting. Hezbollah says it is acting in solidarity with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Israel’s army announced that more than 30 missiles had been fired from Lebanon towards Israel. There were no reports of injuries. Hezbollah claimed responsibility for several attacks on Israeli targets. The Lebanese state agency NNA reported several Israeli attacks on locations in southern Lebanon.
Israel’s Defense Minister Joav Galant has already announced a “new phase” of the war. The focus is on the front in the north, where the army is fighting with Hezbollah, several media reported, citing Galant’s office. Forces and resources are to be shifted to the north, Israeli media quoted Galant as saying. He reminded Israel of its recently defined war goal: the return of refugees to the border region.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
