Explosives put in devices before they arrived in Lebanon, says Lebanon's UN mission

The authorities also determined the devices, which included pagers and hand-held radios, were detonated by sending electronic messages to the devices

This video grab shows a walkie-talkie that was exploded inside a house, in Baalbek, east Lebanon, on September 18, 2024. | Photo Credit: AP

A preliminary investigation by Lebanese authorities into the communications devices that blew up in Lebanon this week found that they were implanted with explosives before arriving in the country, according to a letter sent to the U.N. Security Council by Lebanon's mission to the United Nations.

The authorities also determined the devices, which included pagers and hand-held radios, were detonated by sending electronic messages to the devices, says the letter, seen by Reuters on Thursday (September 19, 2024). Israel was responsible for the planning and execution of the attacks, Lebanon's U.N. mission said.

Lebanon: Walkie-talkies, solar equipment explode, many dead

Walkie-talkies and solar equipment exploded in Beirut and other parts of Lebanon on Sept 19a day after pagers exploded in Lebanon and Syria At least 20 people were killed and more than 450 wounded in the second wave | Video Credit: The Hindu

The 15-member Security Council is due to meet on Friday over the blasts.

The attacks on Hezbollah's communications equipment on Tuesday and Wednesday killed 37 people and wounded around 3,000, overwhelming Lebanese hospitals and wreaking bloody havoc on the militant group.

Israel has not directly commented on the attacks, which security sources say were probably carried out by its Mossad spy agency, which has a long history of carrying out sophisticated attacks on foreign soil.

Published - September 20, 2024 05:03 am IST