A day after the terrorist group Hezbollah suffered scores of casualties in a series of pager explosions, a second wave of explosions is being reported from all across Lebanon including Beirut, especially from areas that are considered strongholds of the terror organisation. As per global media reports, the latest wave explosions involve Walkie-talkies and handheld radios that were bought along with the pagers which exploded on mass scale yesterday.
As per the latest reports citing the Lebanese Health Ministry, at least 9 persons have died and over 500 are injured in the current wave of blasts. However, the number can go up as more and more blasts are being reported.
Apart from communication devices, other equipment like solar power systems, car radios, iPhones, video cameras, fingerprint locks and other devices have reportedly burst into flames. The explosions caused fires in multiple buildings. Several unconfirmed videos are circulating on social media showing the pandemonium during and after the second wave of explosions involving Walkie-talkies and handheld radios. At least one explosion took place during the funeral of a Hezbollah leader killed in yesterday’s pager explosions.
IT HAPPENED AGAIN: Report of many casualties in explosions on #Hizbullah's #radios in #Beirut and southern Lebanon!
— Abraham Weinstein (@Abraham1948I) September 18, 2024
First pictures from the explosion sites throughout #Lebanon. The #explosions took place in houses and vehicles, there are reports of #casualties. pic.twitter.com/OY3x6bu6eM
Chaos as electronic devices blew up across Lebanon injuring hundreds pic.twitter.com/tJpJhJeRFr
— Mossad Commentary (@MOSSADil) September 18, 2024
As per the Guardian report, the second wave of explosions across Lebanon mainly targeted Hezbollah’s walkie-talkies. A security source and a witness said that hand-held radios used by the Hezbollah terror group detonated late this afternoon across the country’s south and in the southern suburbs of the capital Beirut. Sources say, “A number of walkie-talkies exploded in Beirut’s southern suburbs.” However, apart from the two-way radios, several other devices also reportedly exploded, including iPhones.
Explosions are being reported across Lebanon, including Beirut, with new devices like car radios now causing incidents. These explosions are also occurring inside homes, leading to civilian casualties and widespread panic.#Lebanon #Beirut #CivilianSafety #Urgent #Attack #Chaos pic.twitter.com/gjjiBX3Ptq
— Observe Lebanon (@ObserveLebanon) September 18, 2024
The National News Agency of Lebanon reported that a large number of solar power systems exploded in people’s homes across Lebanon. Images of burnt and damaged solar panels, fingerprint readers and other devices are being shared on social media, but it can’t be confirmed that they exploded like pagers and walkie-talkies were simply near walkie-talkies which blew up. Unconfirmed reports claimed that lithium batteries for solar energy storage had detonated, causing fires in some houses.
Fires broke out in a number of residential apartments, vehicles and a motorcycle, as a result of the explosion of wireless communication devices in Lebanon.
— Ryan Rozbiani (@RyanRozbiani) September 18, 2024
Currently dozens and even hundreds more injured in another wave of explosions in Beirut, the Beqaa, Nabatieh and southern… pic.twitter.com/lI8iv2soe6
According to Lebanese media, the blasts occurred in Beirut, the Bekaa Valley, and Southern Lebanon, killing three people. According to a Times of Israel report, at least one of the blasts took place near a funeral organised by Iran-backed Hezbollah for those killed the previous day when thousands of pagers used by the group exploded across the country.
Hezbollah funeral footage, much better quality.
— 𝗡𝗶𝗼𝗵 𝗕𝗲𝗿𝗴 ♛ ✡︎ (@NiohBerg) September 18, 2024
There are at least 100 casualties at this location alone, excluding everywhere else. pic.twitter.com/MJM7g0Nq6m
Lebanese Civil Defense said that it was operating to extinguish the fires that had broken out following the explosions in some 60 shops and homes, 15 vehicles, motorcycles, and two fingerprint devices. It added that ambulances were transferring the wounded to hospitals throughout the country.
#BREAKING: Sources in #Lebanon report new explosion of communication devices in some areas of the country, including the southern suburbs of #Beirut pic.twitter.com/cu23AfSf53
— SNN (@snntv_en) September 18, 2024
🇱🇧| سلسلة انفجارات جديدة في عدد من مناطق #لبنان أبرزها #الضاحية_الجنوبية
— الجسرة الإخبارية (@aljasranews) September 18, 2024
حديث أولي عن تفجيرات بأجهزة اتصالات لاسلكية مشابهة لما حدث أمس
| #البيجر – #Beirut
| #الجسرة_الإخبارية – #قطر pic.twitter.com/drFIyeu08h
A time-lapse video of the Beirut skyline courtesy of news agency Reuters of Wednesday evening shows plumes of smoke coming out in several locations across the city over a period of time.
Timelapse of the last 15 minutes of the #Beirut skyline. Plumes of smokes can be seen all over the place #pager #hezbollah #israel pic.twitter.com/yh2LvD4ekO
— Don't Tell Gus! (@DontTellGus) September 18, 2024
A security source told Reuters, “Hundreds of people were wounded in the latest blasts involving communication devices used by Hezbollah.” A senior security source said that the explosions were “small in size”, similar to yesterday’s attacks. According to the Guardian report, pictures showed broken and singed communication devices amid scenes of destruction.
REPORT
— Conflict Radar (@Conflict_Radar) September 18, 2024
Causes of explosions in Lebanon today:
Pagers
Walkie-talkie radios
Fingerprint machines
Solar energy systems
Follow for more!#Israel #hezbollahpagers #Lebanon #Hezbollah pic.twitter.com/Eo9UmISyWa pic.twitter.com/JbBOItNWx2
Social media users have identified at least two models of two-way radios involved in the explosions based on photos of the exploded devices, which are ICOM IC-V82 and BAOFENG BF-888S walkie-talkies. These hand-held radios were purchased by Hezbollah five months ago, around the same time that the pagers were bought.
As per Lebanese security sources and other experts, Israel’s spy agency Mossad planted explosives inside pagers imported by Hezbollah months before Tuesday’s detonations. It is likely that the same theory will be presented for the today’s explosions.
It is NOT the same as the image at the top of the thread, so we already have 3 devices, two of which are identified.
— GiamMa-based researchers SDR R&D IoT (@giammaiot2) September 18, 2024
BAOFENG BF-888S
IC-V82/IC-U82
Mistery pic.twitter.com/XGSE3kxOZJ
Meanwhile, the Lebanese state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported that “old pagers” exploded inside homes in the southern suburbs of Beirut and southern Lebanon.
NNA report added that a number of injured were transferred to hospitals in the capital and in Baalbek, which is in the Bekaa Valley. Two people were injured after a device exploded on a road in the village of Ali al-Nahri in Bekaa. A pager also exploded inside a car near a cemetery in Jdeidet Marjeyoun, in southern Bekaa, the report added.
Reports claim that Israel planted explosives in thousands of pagers bought by Hezbollah, triggering yesterday’s attack. However, Israel has not claimed responsibility for either of the two days’ attacks.
In the meanwhile, Hezbollah has reportedly told its operatives to distance itself from communication devices. It is also being reported that Hezbollah leaders have asked its members to dispose of devices containing lithium battery or any internet connected device.
