Israel-Hezbollah conflict – latest: Israel strikes Lebanon as Hezbollah says device blasts are ‘act of war’
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah blames Israel for attacks on group's communications devices that left 37 dead
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The Israeli military said it was striking Hezbollah targets in Lebanon as the movement’s leader accused Israel of “crossing all of the red lines”, heightening fears of an escalation into a full-blown regional war.
Israeli jets were carrying out huge sonic booms over the Lebanese capital Beirut during a speech by Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Thursday, according to a witness.
Nasrallah blamed Israel for this week's deadly attacks on the militant group's communications devices, which he called a "severe blow" and said the group is investigating.
Hand-held walkie-talkie radios used by the armed group were detonated across Lebanon’s south on Wednesday, stoking tensions after similar explosions of the group’s pagers the day before.
Lebanon's health minister said on Thursday that the death toll from the second attack in Beirut's suburbs and the Bekaa Valley has now risen to 25, with at least 608 injured. A further 12 people were killed in explosions the previous day, including two children, with nearly 2,300 wounded.
"We are opening a new phase in the war," Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said in the aftermath, adding that his country’s military focus is shifting to its northern border.
Although Israeli officials have not commented on the blasts, security sources said Israel's spy agency Mossad was responsible.
Hezbollah chief Hassan Sayyed Nasrallah said on Thursday the attacks blamed on Israel will be met with "just punishment".
At least 20 dead as walkie-talkies explode in Lebanon as Israel declares ‘new phase of war’ against Hezbollah
A war with Hezbollah may be looming. Is Israel prepared?
From booby-trapped walkie-talkies to exploding pagers – could our phones and cars be next?
Everything we know about the Hezbollah device explosions – and the questions that remain
Hezbollah pager attack mapped: Where did the explosions take place?
Walkie-talkies reportedly have Japanese company label
Images of the exploded walkie-talkies examined by Reuters showed an inside panel labelled “ICOM” and “made in Japan.”
According to its website, ICOM is a Japan-based radio communications and telephone company.
The company has said that production of several models of the ICOM hand-held radio have been discontinued, including the IC-V82, which appeared to closely match those in images from Lebanon on Wednesday and which was phased out in 2014.
There was no immediate reply from ICOM to a request for comment on Wednesday.
Watch: Moment of explosion in Beirut one day after pagers detonate
Watch: Moment of explosion in Beirut one day after pagers detonate
The moment explosions rang out in Beirut on Wednesday, 18 September, during a funeral procession for a person who was killed when pagers detonated the previous day, was captured on video. Lebanon’s health ministry says at least nine people were killed and 300 were wounded. It comes a day after at least 12 people – including two children – were killed and thousands wounded after electronic pagers belonging to Hezbollah simultaneously exploded in Lebanon and Syria. Reports emerged that hand-held walkie-talkie devices detonated one day after the pager blasts.
Full statement from Israel’s defence minister Yoav Gallant
During a visit to the Ramat David base on Wednesday, Israel’s defence minister Yoav Gallant told Israeli troops that the IDF were allocating more resources to the northern border with Lebanon.
He said: “The ‘center of gravity’ is moving north, meaning that we are allocating forces, resources and energy for the northern arena. We have not forgotten the hostages and we have not forgotten our missions in the south – we are committed to our duties, and we are carrying them out simultaneously.
“Operations are carried out by all the security organizations and our task is clear – ensuring the safe return of Israel’s northern residents to their homes.”
“If we look at the current picture - the IDF has made excellent achievements, together with the ISA and the Mossad – the results of their work are impressive. We know how important it is at this time to carry out our activities in close cooperation.
“We are fully coordinated and united in our determination to achieve our goals: the Prime Minister, the IDF Chief of the General Staff, ISA Director, Mossad Director and Minister of Defense. Everything they represent, everything is dedicated to a single goal – the return of the residents [of the north to their homes].”
“I believe that we are at the start of a new phase in the war and we must adapt. This is true for everyone, certainly for those who are in the air or controlling what happens in the air – because the position here is stronger – it’s not Hamas. This is something else and we need to prepare for this accordingly and take it into account.”
“We must remain consistent over time – this war requires great courage, determination and perseverance. Thank you for everything you do. We are going to complete our missions on all fronts. You have the duty, but also the privilege to take a part in this effort.”
Death toll rises to 14 people after Wednesday’s explosions
The death toll of those killed by a second day of explosions in Lebanon has risen to 14 people, with more than 450 people injured, the health ministry has said.
On Wednesday afternoon, hand-held walkie-talkie devices exploded just one day after pagers belonging to Hezbollah members detonated.
Security source says hand-held radios were bought five months ago
The hand-held radios were purchased by Hezbollah five months ago, around the same time that the pagers were bought, said a security source.
Israel’s spy agency Mossad, which has a long history of sophisticated operations on foreign soil, planted explosives inside pagers imported by Hezbollah months before Tuesday’s detonations, a senior Lebanese security source and another source told Reuters.
Israel’s military has declined to comment on the blasts.
Israel’s Netanyahu vows to return their citizens to the north
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Wednesday to return tens of thousands of residents evacuated from northern border areas to their homes, amid mounting tensions with the Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement in Lebanon.
In a brief video statement, Netanyahu made no mention of the operation that detonated thousands of pagers and hand-held radio devices used by operatives of Hezbollah, which has blamed the attack on Israel.
“I have said it before, we will return to the citizens of the north to their homes in security and that’s exactly what we are going to do,” he said in a brief video statement, giving no further details.
Israel’s defence minister says focus is shifting to the north
Israel’s defence minister, Yoav Gallant, has declared the start of a “new phase” of the war with a focus shifting to the northern border with Lebanon.
In a speech to Israeli troops on Wednesday, he avoided specifically mentioning the detonations in Lebanon but praised work of Israel’s army and security agencies.
“The center of gravity is moving north. We are diverting forces, resources, and energy toward the north,” Gallant said, according to the Times of Israel.
“I believe that we are at the onset of a new phase in this war, and we need to adapt. We will need consistency over time, this war requires great courage, determination, and perseverance.”
Who uses pagers?
As mobile phones became the world’s main communications tool, pagers were largely rendered obsolete, with demand plunging from their 1990s heyday.
But the tiny electronic devices remain a vital means of communication in some areas - such as healthcare and emergency services - thanks to their durability and long battery life.
“It’s the cheapest and most efficient way to communicate to a large number of people about messages that don’t need responses,” said a senior surgeon at a major UK hospital, adding that pagers are commonly used by doctors and nurses across the country’s National Health Service (NHS).
“It’s used to tell people where to go, when, and what for.”
The UK’s NHS was using around 130,000 pagers in 2019, more than one in 10 of the world’s pagers, according to the government. Britain’s Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) also uses pagers to alert its crews, a source familiar with the lifeboat service told Reuters.
Iran condemns attacks in Lebanon and offers support
Iran condemned attacks in Lebanon on Tuesday and Wednesday that involved exploding communications devices, government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said in a post on X.
Hand-held radios used by Hezbollah detonated on Wednesday killing nine people and injuring more than 100, further stoking tensions with Israel a day after similar explosions launched via the group’s pagers which caused 12 fatalities.
“The terrorism of the Zionist regime causes aversion and disgust. Iran strongly condemns yesterday’s criminal explosion of communication devices and today’s criminal explosion of walkie-talkies, which resulted in the death and injury of hundreds of Lebanese civilians,” Mohajerani said.
Earlier in the day, according to state media, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian had said: “The incident in Lebanon shows once again that Western countries and the United States, despite claiming to seek a ceasefire, fully support the crimes, massacres and blind terrorism of the Zionist regime in practice.”
Watch live from Beirut as more explosions heard in Lebanon one day after pagers detonate
Watch live from Beirut as more explosions heard in Lebanon day after pagers detonate
Watch a live view of Beirut after more explosions were heard on Wednesday, 18 September, with reports emerging that hand-held walkie-talkie devices have detonated.
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