At least 14 people have been killed and more than 450 injured in fresh explosions of wireless transceivers (walkie-talkies) used by Hezbollah in Lebanon, a day after thousands of buzzers used by the Lebanese group were detonated.
12 people, including two children, died in yesterday’s bomb blasts, while almost 3,000 were injured.
Mossad and Unit 8200 behind the attack writes Reuters
A senior Lebanese security source and another source told Reuters that Israel’s Mossad spy agency was responsible for a sophisticated operation to plant small amounts of explosives inside 5,000 bombers ordered by Hezbollah.
A Western security source told Reuters that Unit 8200, a non-intelligence military unit, was involved in the development stage of the operation against Hezbollah, which was more than a year in the making.
Read more HERE
Israel is turning to Lebanon’s northern front
At the same time, as the Associated Press reports, “Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallad is declaring the beginning of a new phase of the war, as the army turns its attention to Lebanon’s northern front.” This statement essentially amounts to an admission.
“The center of gravity is shifting northwards, with the diversion of resources and forces [εκεί]. We are at the beginning of a new phase of war, it requires courage, determination and perseverance from us.” Galland tells Israeli Air Force personnel at Ramat David Air Base.
It should be noted that UN Secretary General António Guterres, while condemning the attack, noted: “The logic behind detonating these devices is to carry out a pre-emptive strike before a major military operation. Therefore, also important, beyond the fact itself, is that this is an indication that confirms that there is a serious risk of escalation in Lebanon.”
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant says Israel’s focus has moved to the northern front as a “new phase” of the war is beginning.
“The center of gravity is shifting to the north, by diverting resources and forces [there]. We are at the onset of a new phase in the war, it requires… pic.twitter.com/zJY6OjmG7A
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) September 18, 2024
Wounded and dead from the attack
A security source emphasized that many of the injured were injured in the stomach and hands. Several devices, as reported, exploded during the funeral of yesterday’s victims.
Read also: Mystery of the sirens that spread terror in Lebanon – “Made in Hungary”
BREAKING:
Lebanon announces at least 9 killed and 300 wounded after today’s 2nd wave of explosions of electric devices owned by Hezbollah terrorists pic.twitter.com/mjWH0B78aG
— Visegrad 24 (@visegrad24) September 18, 2024
A source told AFP that wireless transmitters exploded in Beirut’s southern suburbs, where funerals were being held for Hezbollah members killed the day before when thousands of buzzers used by the movement went off across the country.
#BREAKING: Hundreds of fresh explosions being reported across Lebanon, 24 hours after over 4000 pagers exploded killing 12 and injuring over 3000 Hezbollah terrorists. Fresh explosions are now taking place in hand-held Walkie-Talkie VHF sets used by Hezbollah terrorists. pic.twitter.com/oVLpMLcIxD
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) September 18, 2024
AFP correspondents reported explosions in Saida (south) and Baalbek (east).
A security source and an eyewitness told Reuters that communications devices used by Hezbollah exploded late this afternoon in the southern part of the country and in the southern suburbs of the capital Beirut.
The source said it was not clear whether the devices were buzzers.
⚡️⭕️ Reports now in #Lebanon indicate that new explosions have also occurred in phones, laptops, radios and regular devices.
Many residential buildings are on fire pic.twitter.com/e3zuzcv8Wu
— Middle East Observer (@ME_Observer_) September 18, 2024
Reuters reporters said they heard at least two low-intensity explosions today in different parts of Beirut’s suburbs.
Footage circulating on social media appears to show the moment a Hezbollah radio exploded during a funeral in Beirut’s Dahiyeh suburb.
The moment a radio exploded during a funeral in the southern suburb pic.twitter.com/jNYyKHhzDq
— Al Jadeed News (@ALJADEEDNEWS) September 18, 2024
USA – Blinken: Appeal not to further escalate the situation in the Middle East
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken warned on Wednesday 18/9 about the risk of escalation in the Middle East after the detonation of thousands of sirens belonging to members of the Lebanese group Hezbollah.
News of the blasts came as the top US diplomat was traveling to Cairo to meet with senior Egyptian officials in hopes of advancing efforts for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and improving relations with Egypt.
Hezbollah vowed to respond to Israel, accusing it of setting off suicide bombers in various parts of Lebanon on Tuesday, killing at least 12 people, including two children, and injuring nearly 3,000. Israel declined to answer questions about the blasts.
Asked about the explosions, Blinken said the United States was still gathering evidence but it was in no one’s interest to widen the conflict.
Read more HERE
UN-Guterres: “Serious risk of escalation in Lebanon”
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned today that bomb blasts targeting members of the Hezbollah group indicated “a serious risk of a dramatic escalation in Lebanon and everything must be done to prevent this escalation.”
“Obviously the rationale for detonating all these devices is to do it as a pre-emptive strike before a large-scale military operation.”he told reporters.
The “objects for political purposes” they must not be turned into weapons, the Secretary-General of the United Nations pointed out.
“It is very important to have an effective control on objects for political purposes so that they do not become weapons. This should be a rule for everyone on earth, which governments should be able to enforce.” Antonio Guterres said to reporters.
Asked about the simultaneous blasts yesterday, which killed 12 people and injured between 2,750 and 2,800, according to Lebanon’s health ministry, the UN secretary-general said it was a “particularly serious” fact, though “not only because of the number of victims.”
“The logic behind detonating these devices is to carry out a pre-emptive strike before a major military operation. Therefore, also important, beyond the fact itself, is that this is an indication that confirms that there is a serious risk of escalation in Lebanon.”he added.
“Everything must be done to prevent this escalation”he concluded
The European Union through Josep Borel condemns the attacks in Lebanon
The European Union, through its High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borel, condemns the attacks in Lebanon, describing the situation as “extremely worrying”.
Read more HERE
Zakharova: The attacks on Lebanon are acts of hybrid war
Moscow “unequivocally” condemned the attacks and called for “restraint” by all parties involved so as not to “further destabilize” the region.
“We unequivocally condemn the unprecedented attack against our friend Lebanon and its citizens, which is a flagrant violation of its sovereignty,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement today.
Read more HERE
“Fire” from Iran: Israel responsible for “mass murder” and terrorism
Iran has accused Israel of “mass murder”, the day after the simultaneous explosion in various parts of Lebanon of loudspeakers used by Hezbollah, according to a statement from the Foreign Ministry.
“The spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Kanaani, strongly condemned as a mass murder the terrorist act of the Zionist regime in Lebanon, targeting Lebanese citizens,” the text states.
Read more HERE
Human Rights Watch: Act illegal under the laws of war
Human Rights Watch Researcher Ramzi Kaiss says the Israeli bomb attack in Lebanon that killed at least 12 people and injured thousands more was a “blind strike” and “an illegal act under the laws of war.”
Human Rights Watch researcher @kaiss_ramzi says the Israeli pager attack in Lebanon that killed at least 12 and injured thousands more was an “indiscriminate attack” and “unlawful under the laws of war.” pic.twitter.com/XJPLVjnwLp
— Democracy Now! (@democracynow) September 18, 2024
Mystery with the buzzers who spread terror in Lebanon
Examination of pieces from the detonators that exploded in Lebanon led to the first conclusion that they belong to Gold Apollo, a company from Taiwan. The reports prompted the company to issue a statement noting that the model AR-924 used in the attacks was manufactured and sold by a Hungarian company called BAC Consulting, which licensed its trademark.
Read more HERE
BREAKING: More radio explosions in Lebanon!
The explosions occurred during the funeral of 4 Hezbollah operatives who were killed last night in explosions in Beirut. pic.twitter.com/FF3lKYYUIe
— Hananya Naftali (@HananyaNaftali) September 18, 2024
⚡ Reports now in #Lebanon indicate that new explosions have also occurred in phones, laptops, radios and regular devices.
Many residential buildings are on fire. pic.twitter.com/zZsHM7lOAU
— King Chelsea Ug 🇺🇬🇷🇺 (@ug_chelsea) September 18, 2024
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Mystery of the sirens that spread terror in Lebanon – “Made in Hungary”
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Tagesspiegel: “Hezbollah threatens Israel with retaliation for bomb blasts”
What are the buzzers that spread terror in Lebanon – How do they work?
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