Lebanon blasts: 20 Killed, 450 Injured in Walkie Talkies Explosion, Israel declares ‘new phase’ in war against Hezbollah

Beirut: Coordinated attacks across Lebanon targeted verbal exchange devices, leading to devastating consequences. Contained within essentially the most fresh attacks, as a minimum 20 people lost their lives and over 450 were injured, the Health Ministry said, in line with a report by the Associated Press(AP). Walkie-talkies and solar equipment exploded in Beirut and other parts of Lebanon on Wednesday in an apparent second wave of attacks targeting devices. This attack came a day after pagers used by Hezbollah blew up, as reported by state media and officials for the militant group.

One of essentially the most fresh attack comes just a day after 12 people were killed and greater than 2800 others were wounded in a coordinated explosion of pagers in Lebanon.

Following two days of explosions targeting verbal exchange devices across Lebanon, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has said that Israel has entered a “new phase” in its conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon. Israel’s Defence Minister Yoav Gallant declared the origin of a “new phase” within the war. He emphasized that the focal point is now on the northern arena. Taking to X(previously Twitter), Israel’s Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said,” We're earlier than everything of a fresh phase within the war – we are allocating resources and forces to the northern arena and our mission is apparent: making certain the safe return of Israel’s northern communities to their homes. To accomplish that, the safety situation has to be changed.”

We're earlier than everything of a fresh phase within the war – we are allocating resources and forces to the northern arena and our mission is apparent: making certain the safe return of Israel’s northern communities to their homes. To accomplish that, the safety situation has to be changed. %twitter.com/Hy2sD1jnq9

— יואב גלנט – Yoav Gallant (@yoavgallant) September 18, 2024

The attacks — which were widely believed to be carried out by Israel targeting Hezbollah but have also killed civilians — have hiked fears that the 2 sides’ simmering conflict may escalate into all-out war, AP reported. “In a conversation with the Air Force personnel on the Ramat David base, I emphasized: We're opening a fresh phase within the war, the middle of gravity is shifting to the north through the diversion of forces and resources, so that you may perhaps meet our goals – the return of the residents of the north to their homes after the change within the safety situation,” Gallant said.

Gallant in the same fashion added, “I told the pilots and the technical teams that at this stage we require determination, courage and adherence to the mission with full cooperation – between each and every of the safety bodies and at all levels.”

As per a CNN report, dozens of ambulances on Wednesday crews from the Lebanese Red Cross worked to rescue and evacuate folks that were wounded after walkie-talkie explosions in Lebanon. Over 30 teams of Lebanese Red Cross emergency medics were working in southern Lebanon, the southern suburbs of Beirut and central Beqaa valley. In the same fashion, 50 ambulance crews were on alert in Mount Lebanon and Beirut to help in evacuation efforts.

The Lebanese Civil Defence had said it became working to contain fires in 60 houses and stores that started after the walkie-talkies exploding, including one in a lithium battery shop. As many as 15 cars and dozens of motorcycles caught fire and two fingerprint devices within the Nebatieh Governorate. Earlier on Tuesday, the Lebanese Ministry of Health directed health workers to urgently report back to work taking into consideration the “large collection of injured people being transferred to hospitals” after the pager explosions, CNN reported. Officials have also urged people to donate blood in anticipation of increased need.

Hezbollah had blamed Israel for the pager explosions on Tuesday and pledged retribution. Meanwhile, Lebanese officials urged folks that possess pagers to discard them.

(With Agencies Inputs)