Lebanon – more explosions. Electronic devices exploded

A series of shortwave radios exploded on Wednesday, Reuters reported, citing witnesses and Lebanese security officials. The devices were purchased by Hezbollah about five months ago, around the same time as the batch of pagers that exploded on Tuesday, the agency said.

At least 14 people were killed and more than 450 injured. Many of the victims suffered wounds to their abdomens and hands. At least one explosion occurred during a funeral for victims of Tuesday's explosions, Reuters reported. AFP added that Wednesday's explosions occurred in the south and east Lebanon and in the southern districts of Beirut, considered a Hezbollah stronghold.

There were also explosions at home photovoltaic installations in several locations in Beirut on Wednesday, the state-run Lebanese news agency reported. According to unofficial reports, other devices also exploded, including smartphones and video cameras, and Hezbollah ordered its members to stay away from all electronic devices, the Jerusalem Post reported.

Lebanese media also reported that drones and aircraft were seen flying over western and central Lebanon at the time of the explosion.

– There will certainly be exceptional punishment for these attacks, there will be bloody revenge – announced after Wednesday's explosions the chairman of Hezbollah's Executive Council, Hashem Safieddin, who blamed the attack on Israel. Also after Tuesday’s series, Hezbollah announced it would retaliate against Israel. The group’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, is scheduled to speak out on Thursday to address the attacks.

Western media reported on Wednesday, citing sources, that Israeli services were behind Tuesday's operation, placing small explosive charges in the pagers before the devices were sent to Lebanon.

The head of the IDF General Staff, Gen. Hertzi Halevi, said after Wednesday's series of explosions that the IDF has “many resources” that have not yet been used against Hezbollah, but that “some of these resources” could already be seen. Defense Minister Yoav Galant said that Israel was entering a “new phase of the war” and was concentrating its forces in the north of the country.

Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a 10-second statement in which he said, “I have said this before, that we will allow the people of the north to return safely to their homes, and that is exactly what we will do.” He did not address the issue of mass electronic device explosions in Lebanon.

On Tuesday, in about 40 minutes, there was a series of explosions of Hezbollah members' pagersmainly in areas of Lebanon considered to be strongholds of this terrorist organization – the Bekaa Valley, the suburbs of Beirut and the south of the country.

At least twelve people were killed and over three thousand injured, the vast majority of them members of Hezbollah.

The Lebanese Health Ministry said most of the wounded were to the hands and face. Saudi TV channel Al Hadath reported that up to 500 Hezbollah fighters suffered serious eye injuries in the attack, losing at least one eye or completely losing their sight. Among them is the Iranian ambassador to Lebanon, who is reportedly unable to continue his mission and is being flown back to Iran.