First pagers, now walkie-talkies: Lebanon on edge after new wave of explosions kill 20

Lebanon is reeling from a second wave of deadly explosions targeting electronic devices used by Hezbollah , just a day after hundreds of the militant group's pagers detonated simultaneously. The latest attacks, which are widely believed to have been carried out by Israel, have heightened fears of an all-out war between the two sides. The explosions have also raised concerns about the extent of potentially compromised devices, especially given the high number of civilian casualties.

Driving the news

• Lebanon has been rocked by a series of devastating explosions over the past two days, leaving at least 26 people dead and thousands more injured.
• The two main devices responsible for the carnage — pagers and walkie-talkies—were in widespread use by Hezbollah operatives.
• These seemingly mundane objects detonated across the country in a coordinated wave of attacks, with security experts pointing fingers at Israel.
• As per a report in Aljazeera, exploding devices include portable two-way radios, laptops, and even certain solar power setups. "There are reports of several different devices blowing up."
• A number of vehicles have also reportedly burst into flames. However, it remains uncertain whether these explosions originated from the cars themselves or from objects within the vehicles.
• The explosions have not only claimed lives but also unleashed panic and chaos as people fear more devices could still be rigged to explode.
• Thousands of Lebanese residents have been directly affected by the blasts, which have targeted Hezbollah strongholds in Beirut and southern Lebanon.
• At the same time, explosions have hit civilian areas, including shops, homes, and even hospitals. This attack represents the largest security breach in Hezbollah’s history, marking a new phase of violence between Hezbollah and Israel, who have been engaged in escalating hostilities for years.

Why it matters

• The scale and sophistication of these attacks have exposed Hezbollah’s vulnerabilities in a way that few anticipated. With Israel being blamed for the operation, the explosions have dramatically heightened tensions in a region already on edge due to ongoing conflicts between Israel, Hamas , and Iran-backed Hezbollah. The attacks have struck fear into Lebanese civilians, many of whom are now terrified that everyday devices could explode at any moment.
• As per a news report from Reuters, Israel’s intelligence agency, Mossad , was behind serial explosions in pagers.
• The orchestration of the pager bombings seemed to be an intricate undertaking that required several months of preparation. Numerous specialists suspect that Mossad tampered with the supply chain, planting explosives in hundreds of pagers prior to their importation into Lebanon. However, concrete evidence supporting this theory remains scarce at present.
• Gold Apollo , a company based in Taiwan, said that it granted permission to BAC Consulting KFT, a firm located in Hungary, to utilize its name on the pagers shipped to Hezbollah. However, Zoltán Kovács, a spokesperson for the Hungarian government, announced on Wednesday that the pagers delivered to Hezbollah never entered Hungary and that BAC Consultants simply served as a mediator in the transaction.
• Kovács further disclosed on X that Hungary's national security services were actively collaborating with international partners in the investigation.
• The chaos unleashed by these attacks threatens to destabilize Lebanon further, a country already grappling with economic collapse, political turmoil, and the lingering aftermath of the 2020 Beirut port explosion.

The big picture

• The attacks began when thousands of pagers used by Hezbollah exploded almost simultaneously across Lebanon and parts of Syria, killing 12 people and injuring nearly 3,000.
• The next day, a second wave of explosions from walkie-talkies and solar panels caused more devastation, killing 14 more and wounding hundreds. Lebanese media have reported that some of the dead include children and civilians who were nowhere near Hezbollah operations at the time of the explosions.
• Hezbollah officials have publicly condemned Israel, accusing it of committing “mass murder.” Iran, Hezbollah’s chief backer, has also blamed Israel and vowed retribution. Meanwhile, Israel has remained tight-lipped but has declared the start of a "new phase" in its ongoing war with Hezbollah, raising fears of a broader conflict involving Iran and its allies.
• In a Daily Mail report, journalist Hassan Harfoush shared chilling firsthand accounts of the devastation. "The scenes here in Lebanon are from a horror film—fleshless faces, eyes hanging out. With dozens dead and thousands hurt, none of us feel safe," he wrote.
• "Beirut has collapsed into panic. The WhatsApp groups are going non-stop. There are wild rumours doing the rounds that solar panels might explode, batteries, fridges – anything. There's fake news saying phones have exploded. I know it's stupid but I even told my parents to get a fire extinguisher, just in case ­something blows up in the house," Harfoush wrote in the Daily Mail, echoing the fear that has swept the country.

What they are saying

• Lebanese residents, gripped by panic, have taken drastic steps to protect themselves. Some have begun tearing the batteries out of their walkie-talkies and throwing them into the streets, terrified that the devices could explode at any moment. In some areas, residents have turned off Wi-Fi routers and unplugged home appliances out of fear they could also be rigged to detonate.
• At Beirut hospitals, doctors are struggling to keep up with the flood of patients. "We are seeing horrific injuries," said Dr Elias Warrak, an ophthalmologist at Mount Lebanon University Hospital. "In the last 24 hours, we’ve had more than 60 to 70 percent of patients needing at least one eye removed." Many of the injuries involve gruesome shrapnel wounds to the face, hands, and eyes, leaving many permanently disfigured.
• At a funeral for victims of the first wave of explosions, panic struck again when walkie-talkies detonated during the ceremony. Attendees fled in terror as ambulances rushed to the scene. "The Hezbollah officials present behaved as if nothing had happened, but all of us felt it, heard it," Harfoush recalled. This latest wave of violence has shattered any remaining sense of security in Beirut and beyond.

Zoom in

• The Lebanese armed forces have been called in to conduct controlled explosions of any suspicious devices. In one instance, soldiers detonated a bag of rice at the American University of Beirut Medical Centre, fearing it had been rigged with explosives. The Lebanese army is also working to neutralize compromised solar panels and radios, but the sheer number of devices in circulation makes the task daunting.
• Images of exploded walkie-talkies and pagers show them labeled with “ICOM” and “Made in Japan.” While the devices appear to be from the Japanese electronics firm ICOM, the company has denied any involvement, saying that the specific models used in the attacks were discontinued in 2014. Taiwanese firm Gold Apollo has also distanced itself, saying that its pagers had been licensed to a Hungarian company, BAC Consulting, which acted as an intermediary.

Between the lines

• Experts believe the devices were likely tampered with before they were delivered to Hezbollah, indicating a long-term infiltration of the group’s supply chain. Some security sources have suggested that small explosives were hidden inside the devices and remotely triggered, possibly through radio frequencies. This level of sophistication suggests the involvement of a state actor, with Israel’s Mossad being the most likely culprit.
• The psychological impact of the explosions has been devastating. "People used to think that if they were affiliated with Hezbollah but not fighters, they were safe. But this changes everything," said a Hezbollah source. Civilians who once believed they were outside the conflict’s direct line of fire are now terrified that their homes, shops, or workplaces could become the next target.

What’s next

• The situation remains highly volatile, with Hezbollah vowing to retaliate. Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, is expected to make a public address, possibly outlining the group’s plans for retaliation.
• Meanwhile, Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant has warned that Israel is just beginning its "new phase" of war, which could see more aggressive military actions in the coming days.
• There is a growing fear that the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah could escalate into a full-scale regional war, drawing in other countries such as Iran and Syria. Meanwhile, residents in Lebanon are left wondering whether any electronic device could be the next to explode.

(With inputs from agencies)