MONITORING (SW) – Many people in Beirut, and across Lebanon, are inevitably wondering what will come next following a string of exploding device attacks.
According to a BBC report, some even say they do not know if it is safe to walk next to other people, and are changing their plans.
Wednesday’s attack, which killed 25 people, came as the country was still shocked and angered by what happened the day before, when thousands of pagers exploded in a synchronized attack, after users received a message they believed had come from Hezbollah. At least 37 people including two children were killed by exploding devices on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The devices detonated as people were in shops, or with their families at home, killing 12, including an eight-year-old girl who went to pick up the pager for her father, and an 11-year-old boy. Around 2,800 others were wounded, with hundreds needing surgery.
Reports suggest a shipment of pagers may have been rigged with explosives, before being detonated remotely. Hezbollah had distributed the devices amid concerns that smartphones were being used by the Israeli military and intelligence agencies to track down and kill its members. It was still not clear how Wednesday’s attacks might have been carried out.
Hezbollah has vowed to respond, blaming Israel for the attacks. As usual, Israel has not commented.
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