Explosions in Lebanon: Death Toll Rises to 20 with 450 Injured
- ANTARA/Anadolu
Lebanon, VIVA – At least 20 more people were killed and 450 injured in Lebanon on Wednesday (Sept 18), after a series of new explosions of wireless devices rocked the South, the Bekaa and the southern suburbs of Beirut, according to the Ministry of Health and the Lebanese Red Cross.
Ten Hezbollah members were among those killed on Wednesday, the group confirmed.
More than 30 ambulances are providing treatment and evacuations to wounded people in Lebanon on Wednesday, the Lebanese Red Cross said.
Ledakan terjadi di Lebanon selatan, termasuk kota Sidon, serta pinggiran selatan Beirut dan Lembah Bekaa. (Doc. BBC)
- Dok. BBC
At least 95 people injured in the Wednesday explosions have been transferred to Iran for medical treatment, according to emergency officials in Lebanon.
The Lebanese Army command has asked citizens not to gather in places witnessing security incidents to allow medical teams to arrive.
Members of the Lebanese Civil Defense are working to extinguish fires that broke out inside homes, cars and shops in the Bekaa, the South, Mount Lebanon and the southern suburbs due to the explosions, officials said.
All walkie-talkie devices were taken from security services members at the Rafiq Harir International Airport in Beirut after news of the devices exploding.
Meanwhile, at least 12 civilians were killed and at least 2,800 people injured in the explosions that took place Tuesday, according to Lebanese authorities.
Around 460 of the injuries were critical and required surgery, Lebanese Health Minister Firass Abiad said.
Most victims are suffering from eye and facial injuries, while others suffered injuries to hands and fingers, he said.
Israel was behind the deadly explosion of pagers across Lebanon on Tuesday, as quoted from ABC News site.
There was about 1 to 2 ounces of explosives in each of the pagers that exploded Tuesday, according to a source familiar with the attacks.
The Hezbollah militant group said it is conducting a security and scientific investigation into the explosion of pagers across Lebanon.
Hezbollah said 11 of its members were killed on Tuesday, though - as is typical in its statements - did not specify how they died.
"We hold the Israeli enemy fully responsible for this criminal aggression, which also targeted civilians and led to the deaths of a number of martyrs and the injury of a large number with various wounds," Hezbollah said of the pager explosions in a Tuesday statement.
In a Wednesday morning statement, Hezbollah said it would continue operations to "support Gaza," and vowed a "reckoning" for Israel for the "massacre on Tuesday."
The dead and injured included people who are not members of Hezbollah.
Lebanese officials said that an 8-year-old girl and an 11-year-old boy are among the dead.
At least 14 people were also injured in targeted attacks on Hezbollah members in Syria, according to the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
