A tragic incident unfolded in Lebanon on Wednesday as explosions from walkie-talkies left at least 14 people dead and 450 others injured. The blasts have added to the growing tension in the region, following a similar attack involving pager explosions just a day earlier. The Lebanese Health Ministry confirmed the casualties, while dozens of rescue teams rushed to the affected areas to aid those injured.
The explosions caused widespread chaos, particularly in southern Lebanon, the southern suburbs of Beirut, and the Beqaa valley. Emergency teams from the Lebanese Red Cross were quick to respond.
Over 30 teams were deployed across these regions, and 50 more ambulance crews were placed on high alert in Mount Lebanon and Beirut. Their efforts have been crucial in evacuating the wounded, while the Lebanese Civil Defense worked tirelessly to contain fires that broke out after the explosions.
The explosions caused damage beyond loss of life. Fires engulfed houses, shops, cars, and motorcycles. The blast even damaged fingerprint devices in the Nebatieh Governorate, and a lithium battery shop was among the properties affected by the intense flames. Despite the chaos, the emergency response teams continued their rescue missions, ensuring that those most in need received immediate medical care.
This attack follows Tuesday’s deadly pager explosions, which had already shaken the country. That incident left 12 people dead and over 2,800 wounded, prompting Lebanon’s Health Ministry to call on healthcare workers to report for duty urgently.
With so many injured, officials have been urging people to donate blood to meet the increasing demand in hospitals. In response to Tuesday’s attack, Lebanese authorities had already begun advising people to discard their pagers, suspecting the devices were involved in the blasts.
Lebanon's political and military group Hezbollah has pointed fingers at Israel for these attacks. On Tuesday, Hezbollah accused Israel of being behind the pager explosions and vowed retaliation. These accusations have further escalated tensions in a region already facing significant unrest.
Internationally, Lebanon has received support in its time of crisis. Jordan was one of the first countries to offer medical assistance to Lebanon. In a phone call with Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi expressed solidarity with Lebanon and assured the country of Jordan’s readiness to provide medical support.
Safadi also highlighted the need to halt the ongoing violence in the region, urging an end to Israeli aggression in Gaza, which is seen as a contributing factor to the wider conflict.
Hezbollah’s regional ally Hamas also condemned the explosions. In a statement, the group labeled the attacks as part of Israel’s ongoing aggression and expressed solidarity with the Lebanese people and Hezbollah. They described the detonation of communication devices in civilian areas as a deliberate attack on Lebanese citizens and public infrastructure.
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