Multiple explosions were heard during the funeral of four Hezbollah fighters in Beirut on Tuesday, sources say.
Just one day after pagers used by the militant group Hezbollah detonated in Lebanon, killing at least 12 and injuring thousands, explosions were again heard across the country on Wednesday.
Blasts said to be targeting handheld radios or walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah’s militants were heard in the southern suburbs of Beirut, as well as Nabatieh, Tyre and Saida, Euronews confirmed.
Multiple explosions were heard during the funeral of four Hezbollah fighters in Beirut on Tuesday, sources say. Preliminary reports claim dozens have been injured in the latest attack. No deaths have been reported at this time.
In earlier attacks on Tuesday, some 2,750 were injured, mostly suffering injuries to their face and hands, and some required amputations, according to Lebanon’s Health Minister Firass Abiad. At least 200 were in critical condition, he said.
Photos and videos circulating on social media showed people lying on the pavement with injuries to their face, abdomen or extremities.
Hezbollah and the Lebanese government blamed Israel for what appeared to be a sophisticated remote attack. Israeli has declined to comment on the allegations. The US has denied any involvement in the attack.
This week’s incidents come at a time of heightened tensions between Lebanon and Israel. Hezbollah and Israeli forces have been clashing near-daily for more than 11 months against the backdrop of the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
The clashes have killed hundreds in Lebanon and dozens in Israel and displaced tens of thousands on both sides of the border.
On Tuesday, Israel declared that it has made an objective of halting Hezbollah’s attacks in the north to allow Israeli residents in the area to return to their homes.
Hezbollah began striking Israel almost immediately after Hamas’s terrorist attack on 7 October, which sparked the Israel-Hamas war. Since then, Israel and Hezbollah have exchanged fire daily, coming close to a full-blown war on several occasions and forcing tens of thousands on both sides of the border to evacuate their homes.
Gaza’s Health Ministry says more than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed in the territory since Hamas’ 7 October attack. The ministry does not differentiate between fighters and civilians in its count but says a little over half of those killed were women and children. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence.
The war has caused vast destruction and displaced about 90% of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million.
Our journalists are working on this story and will update it as soon as more information becomes available.
Additional sources • AP