More booby-trapped communications equipment injures hundreds

Hezbollah holds funeral for four people killed in pagers explosion in Lebanon

Mourners carry the coffin of one of the people who died a day earlier in pagers blasts (AAP) Source: AAP / WAEL HAMZEH/EPA

Lebanon has suffered a second wave of attacks with the explosion of walkie-talkies and solar energy equipment across the country. The recent blasts have been worrying the international community, which fears an escalation of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel.


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Walkie-talkies and solar energy equipment have exploded in Beirut and other parts of Lebanon in what appears to be a second wave of attacks in the region.

The Lebanese Ministry says at least 14 people have died and more than 450 were injured.

It comes a day after hundreds of pagers imported from Taiwan and used by Hezbollah, exploded in Lebanon and Syria, claiming at least 12 lives and wounding almost 3,000 people.

Store electronics owner in Lebanon, Mustafa Jemaa says he is worried about the continuity of the attacks.

"People are afraid to speak because they don’t know what’s really happening in this country (Lebanon). This is something that has never happened before in the world. We didn’t expect it, and we don't know of any place that has faced a similar attack. Everything happening is new; it’s the first time we’ve seen incidents like this. We understand that the youth need to be cautious and vigilant, but for a breach to reach this level, it's something truly serious."

Lebanese Health Minister Firas Abiad says hospitals are dealing with a lot of casualties.

"What we have observed is that the vast majority of  injuries are actually injuries to the face and the hand. We've seen a lot of people who have practically lost their eyesight and probably the use of one their hands at least. The spectrum of patients coming to the emergency room was wide. We've seen children, including two have died.”

The Israeli government has not commented on any of the explosions in Lebanon, but the Iranian-backed Hezbollah military group has blamed Israel.

Meanwhile, Israel's government has declared that it is entering a new phase in the war and that the centre of gravity is shifting to the north, where the border with Lebanon is located.

Experts say that the measure could an indication that Israel is moving into combat against the extremist group Hezbollah.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he wants to ensure that the more than 60,000 Israelis displaced by the fighting in the region can return home.

"I have said it before, we will return the citizens of the north to their homes safely and that's exactly what we are going to do."

The pagers that exploded were used by Hezbollah in place of mobile phones, as they don't have geolocation features.

It's feared the wave of explosions across Lebanon could fuel a major escalation of conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres.

"Obviously the logic of making all these devices explode, is to do it as a preemptive strike before a major military operation. So as important as the event in itself, is the indication that these events confirms that there is a serious risk of a dramatic escalation in Lebanon, and everything must be done to avoid that escalation.”

Iran's envoy to the United Nations has said that the country will take all necessary measures to respond to Israel.

He claims the action that provoked the pager explosions violated Lebanon's sovereignty, and since a Iranian official was injured in the operation - referring to the Iranian ambassador to Lebanon - Iran would have the right to respond on the basis of international law.

This is not the first time Iran has threatened Israel; most recently in July, it promised to punish the Israelis for the death of then Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in a bombing on Iranian soil.

In the letter sent to the UN, the Iranian envoy asked Secretary-General António Guterres to condemn what he claims was an Israeli attack.

Mr Guterres did not refer to the letter, but said he was concerned about the impunity of the exchange of attacks between the leaders in the Middle East.

“But I have to say, I'm deeply frustrated, deeply frustrated with the fact that the present situation is such that the two parties feel that they can do whatever they want, that nothing will happen to them. And this is the situation of impunity that unfortunately we see in other parts of the world.”

According to Associated Press, an American authority reported anonymously that Israel had installed explosives in Hezbollah's pagers and that the US knew about the operation.

However, the US has denied any involvement.

John Kirby, spokesman for the White House National Security Council, says they are focused on reaching a ceasefire agreement through diplomatic channels.

"We want to see the war end. And everything we've been doing since the beginning has been designed to prevent the conflict from escalating. We still believe, for instance, that there is a diplomatic path forward, that the particularly up near Lebanon, and we still believe that while it is increasingly difficult and we are certainly no closer to finality, that we're going to that we, that we believe a cease fire deal and then a negotiation to get the hostages out is still the best outcome. And we're going to keep pursuing that."

Either way, the war in the Middle East could be entering unprecedented territory.

Former CIA Operative Bob Baer says that a response from Hezbollah is a matter of sovereignty.

"Hezbollah is basically Lebanon. They control all the government institutions effectively, and if they don't respond to this, their power will dissipate because they'll no longer be able to protect Lebanon as they have since. Going back to 2000, really nothing that Hezbollah has, including rocket guidance systems, and I don't even know how far the Israelis got into it, are no longer reliable. So for Hezbollah, it's completely demoralising."


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