A second wave of deadly explosions has plunged Hezbollah into disarray, killing at least 20 people and injuring more than 450 in Lebanon, officials reported on Thursday.
The blasts occurred just hours before a critical speech by the group’s embattled leader, Hassan Nasrallah, intensifying fears of an all-out war in the region.
Wednesday’s explosions, which took place in Hezbollah strongholds, came a day after a similar wave of device detonations across Lebanon. On Tuesday, explosions from pagers used by Hezbollah operatives claimed 12 lives, including two children, and wounded up to 2,800 others in a shocking and unprecedented attack that Hezbollah blames on Israel.
The latest round of explosions occurred in Beirut, with similar incidents reported in southern and eastern Lebanon. Sources close to Hezbollah revealed that walkie-talkies used by its members had been rigged with explosives. Footage from AFPTV showed chaos as mourners at a funeral for Hezbollah militants in south Beirut fled for safety amid the detonations.
“The wave of enemy explosions targeting walkie-talkies killed 20 people and injured more than 450,” the Lebanese Health Ministry confirmed.
Israel, which had just announced plans to expand its military campaign against Hamas’s ally Hezbollah in Lebanon, did not comment on the attacks. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant hinted at escalating conflict during a visit to an air base on Wednesday, noting, “We are at the start of a new phase in the war.”
Amos Harel of Haaretz described the situation as one that has brought “Israel and Hezbollah to the brink of all-out war.”
As tensions soar, diplomats from the United States, Britain, Germany, France, and Italy are set to meet in Paris on Thursday, ahead of a UN Security Council meeting on Friday. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to join the talks after pushing for a Gaza truce during discussions in Cairo.
The White House issued a stark warning against further escalation. “We don’t believe additional military operations will resolve this crisis,” National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters.
Meanwhile, Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib condemned the attack as a “blatant assault on Lebanon’s sovereignty and security,” cautioning that the developments could spark a wider war. Hezbollah, backed by Iran, holds Israel “fully responsible for this criminal aggression” and has vowed retaliation. Iran’s UN envoy also stated the nation “reserves the right to take retaliatory measures” after its ambassador in Beirut was injured in the blasts.
Doctors at hospitals in Beirut described the horrific injuries, with reports of amputations and shrapnel wounds. “Some people lost their sight,” said Dr. Joelle Khadra, while another doctor remarked that the injuries were unlike anything he had seen before.
Among the fatalities was a 10-year-old girl, the daughter of a Hezbollah member, who died in east Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley when her father’s pager exploded.
Analysts believe the explosive devices were likely planted on the communication tools before they reached Hezbollah, signaling a sophisticated and coordinated effort against the group.
The series of blasts has heightened the already volatile situation in the Middle East, with no clear resolution in sight.
