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Walkie-talkie explosions kill three, wound over 100 in Lebanon

Amr Al Housni

Sep. 18, 2024 • 2 min read
Image of Walkie-talkie explosions kill three, wound over 100 in Lebanon Local residents gather in front of a hospital on September 18, 2024 in Baalbek, eastern Lebanon after communication devices exploded for the second consecutive day. AFP photo

 A new wave of explosions involving Icom IC V-82 devices has rocked various parts of Lebanon, killing three and wounding over 100

 

DUBAI, UAE - A new wave of explosions involving portable wireless communication devices has struck various regions of Lebanon on Wednesday, killing three and wounding over 100 people.

 

“The communication devices that exploded today in Lebanon were not pagers, but rather Icom IC V-82,” Mohammed Afif, Hezbollah’s media officer confirmed to The New Region 
 
According to Reuters, witnesses said the devices that exploded Wednesday were portable wireless communication tools, not pagers, that were involved in Tuesday’s similar wave of explosions that killed 12 and wounded over 3,000. 

 

 

Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Rashid Bou Habib said the explosions are “am omen of widening war,” pointing the finger of blame at Israel.

 

In today’s fresh explosions, some mobile phones inside shops were also exploded.
   
Reports indicate that multiple explosions were heard across northern Bekaa, with wireless devices and batteries involved in the blasts. In addition to communication devices, several lithium batteries in homes also exploded, contributing to the damage in various parts of the country.

 


 
Residents in the southern suburbs of Beirut reported hearing new explosions, which simultaneously took place in other regions of the country
 
The Lebanese army has urged citizens to avoid gathering in areas where the explosions occurred to allow emergency responders to reach out to the injured.

 

 Ambulances were dispatched to multiple sites across the country to transport victims to nearby hospitals.
 
The Lebanese News Agency also reported explosions involving solar energy systems in several homes in southern Lebanon, though no further details were provided.

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Author Amr Al Housni

Amr Al Housni is a Dubai-based journalist with a focus on reporting news and events across the MENA region.

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