Following two waves of communication device explosions that targeted Hezbollah members on Tuesday and Wednesday across several Lebanese regions, notably in Beirut’s southern suburb, caretaker Minister of Health Firas Abiad confirmed a death toll of 37.
In a briefing to the press at the Ministry’s emergency operations center, Abiad said theĀ first wave of pager explosions on Tuesday claimed 12 lives, while 25 people died in Wednesdayās walkie-talkie blasts. The number of injured has surpassed 3,000, with 2,323 wounded on Tuesday and 698 on Wednesday.
Among the injured, 226 remain in intensive care.
The pager blasts reportedly caused over 500 cases of eye injuries, with more than 300 individuals completely losing their eyesight, as reported by MTV Lebanon.
Abiad praised the swift response of medical teams, highlighting their ability to provide adequate care to the injured despite the overwhelming circumstances. He also stressed the urgent need to reinforce hospital operations to deal with such emergencies.
āThis doesnāt exempt us from calling for a radical solutionāthe cessation of Israeli aggression,ā Abiad said, emphasizing that these technological attacks qualify as āwar crimes.ā
He further announced the implementation of a mechanism to expedite compensation payments to hospitals following discussions with the hospital ownersā union.
In turn, MP Bilal Abdallah expressed concern over the depletion of medical supplies in some hospitals but praised the resilience of Lebanonās healthcare sector, which has demonstrated remarkable capability during these trying times.
Local and International Reactions
On Thursday, caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati called on Britain to take a firm stance at Fridayās UN Security Council meeting regarding Israelās technological warfare on Lebanon.
Mikati made these remarks during a meeting with the British Ambassador to Lebanon, Hamish Cowell, at the Grand Serail, where they discussed the latest developments.
Additionally, Mikati and Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri received a phone call from French President Emmanuel Macron. According to sources quoted by MTV, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to hold talks with Macron on Wednesday afternoon, focusing on the escalating situation in Lebanon.
Josep Borrell, the European Unionās High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, strongly condemned Wednesdayās attack, stating, āThe indiscriminate methods used are unacceptable due to the heavy collateral damage inflicted on civilians, as well as the broader impact on the population, including fear, terrorĀ and the collapse of healthcare facilities.ā
Borrell echoed the call of Volker TĆ¼rk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, for an independent inquiry into the attacks. He affirmed the EU’s commitment to supporting āthe voices of peace and reasonāĀ amidst the ongoing crisis.
