In the past two days, at least 32 people have died, and over 3,250 have been injured in a series of explosions linked to walkie-talkies and pagers used by Hezbollah, a powerful Iran-backed militia in Lebanon. The first wave of explosions occurred when thousands of pagers detonated across the country, resulting in 12 fatalities and approximately 2,800 injuries. This was followed by additional blasts in Beirut, which killed at least 20 people during a Hezbollah funeral for earlier victims.

Hezbollah has accused Israel of being “fully responsible” for these attacks, claiming that Israeli operatives remotely detonated explosives planted in a shipment of pagers before it entered Lebanon. These communication devices are favored by Hezbollah to avoid Israeli surveillance.

In retaliation, Hezbollah launched rockets at Israeli artillery positions, although the Israeli military reported no damage or casualties. The United States has urged both sides to avoid escalation, while UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed concern over the potential for further violence.

This surge in violence follows heightened tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, exacerbated by the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which erupted after a Hamas attack on Israeli territory on October 7, 2023. The situation remains precarious, with the UN Security Council scheduled to meet to address the recent events.