Explosions Rock Lebanon: Personal Beacons Turn Deadly Amid Accusations of Israeli Involvement
On Tuesday afternoon, chaos erupted in several locations across Lebanon after a series of explosions linked to personal beacons left thousands injured and at least nine dead. The detonations occurred in Dahiyeh, a suburb of Beirut, and in the Bekaa Valley near the Syrian border—areas known to harbor Hezbollah members, who frequently utilize these beacons for secure communication.
According to Lebanon's Ministry of Health, a staggering 2,750 individuals have sustained injuries, with initial reports indicating that the blasts primarily impacted those carrying the beacons. Witnesses described scenes of horror as those affected experienced injuries to their faces, hands, and abdomens. The explosions began around 3:30 PM local time and persisted for approximately an hour.
Hezbollah has swiftly pointed fingers at Israel, asserting the country's involvement in the tragic events. Though no immediate comments from the Israeli military were available as of early Wednesday morning, Lebanese officials have characterized the explosions as an Israeli cyber attack, a statement lacking detailed explanation regarding how this conclusion was reached.
The reasons behind the unexpected detonations of the personal beacons remain unclear. Reports from major media outlets like The New York Times and Reuters suggest the possibility that explosives may have been clandestinely placed within the devices. Citing anonymous sources, allegations have surfaced that Israel's intelligence agency, Mossad, executed this covert operation, potentially equipping around 5,000 beacons with explosive mechanisms.
The beacons in question have been traced back to a company named Apollo Gold in Taiwan, although the company itself has denied any connection to the events on Wednesday evening, stating that the beacons were manufactured by a European firm utilizing the Taiwanese brand. Security experts are not dismissing the theory that explosives were inserted within the beacons, leading to catastrophic outcomes. Notably, previous reports indicated Hezbollah's switch to these personal beacons as a strategy to maintain communications without detection by Israeli forces.
The Lebanese Health Minister, Firass Abiad, noted the disturbing trend of the explosions causing significant trauma to the affected individuals. It appears that the devices emitted beeping alerts before some explosions occurred, prompting users to engage with the devices, which ultimately led to the devastating outcome.
As the investigation unfolds, the international community watches closely, eager for clarity on responsibility and motives behind the shocking attacks that have thrust Lebanon into further turmoil.
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