37 dead, 2,931 injured in 2 days of exploding-device attacks on Hezbollah

Lebanese caretaker Health Minister Firass Abiad speaks during a press conference in Beirut on Sept. 17, 2024. (File/Reuters)
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Updated 19 September 2024
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37 dead, 2,931 injured in 2 days of exploding-device attacks on Hezbollah

  • Group’s leader Hassan Nasrallah says mass bombing crossed a ‘red line’ and vows to retaliate against Israel
  • Paramedic tells Arab News about immediate aftermath of explosions, says medical supplies ran out due to sheer number of casualties

BEIRUT: The death toll in Lebanon caused by exploding communications devices used by members of Hezbollah has risen to 37, Lebanese Health Minister Firass Abiad said on Thursday. The number of people wounded stands at 2,931, he added.

The number of deaths during Wednesday’s second wave of attacks, when booby-trapped walkie-talkies detonated, rose to 25, and 608 injuries have been reported.

The number of people wounded in the first wave on Tuesday, when handheld paging devices exploded, has been revised downward to 2,323 following a review of the data, as a result of the transfer of patients between hospitals and duplication of names. Tuesday’s death toll remains at 12.

Dozens of the injured remain in intensive care, some of whom will require several surgeries.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said the two-day mass bombing was a “severe blow” and accused Israeli authorities, who are blamed for the attack by Hezbollah and the Lebanese government, of crossing a “red line.”

But he said his group would continue its daily strikes on targets in northern Israel and vowed Israelis would not be able to return to their homes there until the war in Gaza ends.

As Nasrallah was speaking in a televised speech broadcast from a secret location, Hezbollah and the Israeli military exchanged fire across the border and at least two Israeli soldiers were reportedly killed.

Israeli warplanes flew low over Beirut, breaking the sound barrier and prompting people in houses and offices to rush to open windows to prevent them from shattering.

A paramedic from Hezbollah’s Islamic Health Organization told Arab News about the immediate aftermath of the explosions.

“Several of the injured who were alone in their homes crawled to the doors of their apartments and called for help,” he said. “Others were reported injured by neighbors who heard explosions from nearby or opposite apartments and called for our assistance.

“Some injured individuals remained in locations unknown to us and they bled to death before their bodies were retrieved on Wednesday night.”

He added that first responders faced great challenges as a result of the sheer numbers of wounded patients requiring help.

“The pressure from the large number of injuries depleted the medical supplies we were provided, particularly IV fluids, and we ended up bandaging wounds on the ground before sending the injured to hospitals for further treatment,” the paramedic said.

“Ambulances themselves were not spared from the explosions of wireless devices inside them. Fortunately, the paramedics were outside the vehicles when they exploded.”

Following the explosions, special units of the Lebanese army were deployed to detonate suspicious devices. The army urged residents “to report any suspicious devices or objects and avoid approaching them.”

The Lebanese population was reeling in the aftermath of the explosions. Movement in the streets has decreased, and many political, social and sporting events were canceled amid fears of further attacks or all-out war.

However, members of Hezbollah and their supporters were busy organizing funerals for those killed in the attacks. In speeches, party leaders vowed “to retaliate against the Israeli enemy, who won’t expect when the strike will come or how painful it will be.”

An Iranian plane landed in Beirut on Wednesday night to take some of the wounded to Tehran for treatment, including Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani.

Media reports in Beirut suggested that “when the pager carried by the Iranian diplomat exploded, he lost one of his eyes and the other was severely injured.”

In Tehran, it was reported that the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Maj. Gen. Hossein Salami, visited wounded patients transferred to Tehran.

Independent MP Elias Jaradeh, who is also an eye surgeon, gave an emotional account of the extent of the eye injuries caused by the exploding devices, and the other traumas Lebanon has endured in recent years.

“The scene repeats itself since the Beirut port explosion (in 2020),” he said. “I wish this were the end of the tragedy. I saw part of Lebanon in the injured and as I tried to treat their eyes, I felt like I was repairing a part of Lebanon.”

Abiad, the health minister, praised “the medical and nursing staffs, as well as the administrations of private hospitals in Lebanon which, despite not yet receiving their financial dues from the state for treating victims of the Beirut port explosion four years ago, opened their doors without exception to the wounded Hezbollah members. Everyone worked for free, with dedication and humanity, to save lives.”

Prime Minister Najib Mikati called on “the UN Security Council to take a firm stand to stop the Israeli aggression and the technological war that Israel is waging against Lebanon, which has resulted in hundreds of martyrs and thousands of injuries.”

Nabih Berri, the speaker of the Lebanese parliament, received a telephone call from French President Emmanuel Macron, who offered his condolences and pledged France’s support to help Lebanon recover from the current situation.

Berri labeled the attacks “a clear war crime” and called on French authorities to “support Lebanon’s stance at the UN.” He also urged the wider international community to “press Israel to halt its aggression against the Gaza Strip and Lebanon before it’s too late.”

The Lebanese judiciary opened an investigation “into the serious security incident that left hundreds of Lebanese dead and wounded.”

A judicial source said: “Hezbollah doesn’t follow the legitimate procedures when importing its weapons and ammunition, meaning that the investigation should start from the moment the communication devices were bought, and cover their source and the way they arrived in Lebanon.”

As rumors about the possibility that other devices that use lithium batteries might explode, the Ministry of Communication reassured the public that properly imported “communication devices in Lebanon are safe and controlled before they enter the country.”

Hezbollah started to use less sophisticated, non-smart communication devices amid concerns that electronic surveillance by Israeli authorities had compromised cellphone networks in Lebanon, resulting in recent assassinations carried out by drone strikes.

In February, Nasrallah said: “Cellphones are spy devices and a killer agent, providing accurate and specific information” and so “confronting this issue requires great seriousness.”

Meanwhile, clashes continued along the southern Lebanese front as Hezbollah and the Israeli army exchanged fire. Israeli forces targeted areas on the outskirts of Aita Al-Shaab and Ramiyah with phosphorus and smoke bombs, while warplanes carried out raids on the outskirts of Odaisseh and Kfarkila.

Hezbollah said it targeted “Israeli soldiers in the Al-Burj site with appropriate weapons, killing and injuring them.” It also fired on “the Hanita outpost with artillery shells” and launched “an aerial attack with a squadron of precision drones on the newly established headquarters of the Western Brigade in Yaara, hitting its targets accurately.”

The group said it carried out a similar attack “against the enemy’s artillery emplacements in Beit Hillel, targeting the positioning of commanders and soldiers and hitting them accurately.”


Israel’s warfare in Gaza consistent with genocide, UN committee finds

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Israel’s warfare in Gaza consistent with genocide, UN committee finds

  • Committee’s report states ‘Israeli officials have publicly supported policies that strip Palestinians of the very necessities required to sustain life’
  • It raises ‘serious concern’ about Israel’s use of AI to choose targets ‘with minimal human oversight,’ resulting in ‘overwhelming’ casualties among women and children

NEW YORK: Israel’s methods of warfare in Gaza, including the use of starvation as a weapon, mass civilian casualties and life-threatening conditions deliberately inflicted on Palestinians in the territory, are consistent with the characteristics of genocide, the UN Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices said in a report published on Thursday.

“Since the beginning of the war, Israeli officials have publicly supported policies that strip Palestinians of the very necessities required to sustain life: food, water and fuel,” the committee said.

Statements from Israeli authorities and the “systematic and unlawful” blocking of humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza make clear “Israel’s intent to instrumentalize life-saving supplies for political and military gains,” it added.

The committee, the full title of which is the UN Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian people and other Arabs of the Occupied Territories, was established by the UN General Assembly in 1968 to monitor the human rights situation in the occupied Golan heights, the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. It comprises the permanent representatives to the UN from three member states, currently Malaysia, Senegal and Sri Lanka, who are appointed by the president of the General Assembly.

Its latest report, which covers the period from October 2023 to July 2024, mostly focuses on the effects of the war in Gaza on the rights of Palestinians.

“Through its siege over Gaza, obstruction of humanitarian aid, alongside targeted attacks and killing of civilians and aid workers, despite repeated UN appeals, binding orders from the International Court of Justice and resolutions of the Security Council, Israel is intentionally causing death, starvation and serious injury, using starvation as a method of war and inflicting collective punishment on the Palestinian population,” the committee said.

The “extensive” Israeli bombing campaign has wiped out essential services in Gaza and caused an “environmental catastrophe” that will have “lasting health impacts,” it adds.

By early 2024, the report says, more than 25,000 tonnes of explosives, equivalent to two nuclear bombs, had been dropped on Gaza, causing “massive” destruction, the collapse of water and sanitation systems, agricultural devastation and toxic pollution. This has created a “lethal mix of crises that will inflict severe harm on generations to come,” the committee said.

The report notes “serious concern” about Israel’s use of artificial intelligence technology to choose its targets “with minimal human oversight,” the consequence of which has been “overwhelming” numbers of deaths of women and children. This underscores “Israel’s disregard of its obligation to distinguish between civilians and combatants and take adequate safeguards to prevent civilian deaths,” it adds.

In addition, Israel’s escalating censorship of the media and targeting of journalists are “deliberate efforts” to block global access to information, the committee found, and the report states that social media companies have disproportionately removed “pro-Palestinian content” in comparison with posts inciting violence against Palestinians.

The committee also condemned the continuing “smear campaign” and other attacks on the reputation of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, and the wider UN.

“This deliberate silencing of reporting, combined with disinformation and attacks on humanitarian workers, is a clear strategy to undermine the vital work of the UN, sever the lifeline of aid still reaching Gaza, and dismantle the international legal order,” it said.

It called on all states to honor their legal obligations to stop and prevent violations of international law by Israel, including the system of apartheid that operates in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and to hold Israeli authorities accountable for their actions.

“Upholding international law and ensuring accountability for violations rests squarely on member states,” the committee said.

Failure to do this weakens “the very core of the international legal system and sets a dangerous precedent, allowing atrocities to go unchecked.”

The committee will officially present its report to the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly on Monday.


UN to bolster UNIFIL for post-truce support in Lebanon, peacekeeping chief says

Updated 7 min 20 sec ago
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UN to bolster UNIFIL for post-truce support in Lebanon, peacekeeping chief says

  • “I think that has to be very clear. Implementing the 1701 is the responsibility of the parties,” said Lacroix
  • Lacroix said the peacekeeping mission would work with the Lebanese army to “support the implementation of a settlement

BEIRUT: The United Nations intends to bolster its peacekeeping mission in Lebanon to better support the Lebanese army once a truce is agreed but would not directly enforce a ceasefire, UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix said on Thursday.
The peacekeeping mission known as UNIFIL is deployed in southern Lebanon to monitor the demarcation line with Israel, an area that has seen more than a year of hostilities between Israeli troops and Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters.
Diplomatic efforts to end the fighting have centered on UN resolution 1701, which ended the last round of conflict between the two heavily-armed foes in 2006 and requires Hezbollah to remove fighters and weapons from areas between the border and the Litani River, which runs about 30 km (around 20 miles) from Lebanon’s southern border.
Israel has for years accused UNIFIL of failing to implement the resolution, and now says peacekeepers must get out of the way as Israeli troops fight Hezbollah. UNIFIL troops have refused to leave their posts, despite repeated Israeli attacks that have wounded peacekeepers.
“I think that has to be very clear. Implementing the 1701 is the responsibility of the parties,” said Lacroix, speaking to reporters on a three-day visit to Lebanon. “UNIFIL has a supportive role, and there is a lot of substance in that supporting role.”
Lacroix said the peacekeeping mission would work with the Lebanese army to “support the implementation of a settlement” and was already in discussions with contributing nations to assess UNIFIL’s needs, including with advanced technology, without necessarily increasing troop numbers.
Following a truce, UNIFIL’s capacities could be expanded to include clearing explosive devices and reopening roads.
“We don’t necessarily think in terms of numbers, we think in terms of what would be the needs and how could they be fulfilled,” he said.
Lacroix said the UN and several member states have repeatedly called on all parties to ensure the safety of peacekeepers and that while incidents had not stopped, they had not increased following international condemnation.


Lebanon says at least three killed in Israeli strike on Baalbek

Updated 14 November 2024
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Lebanon says at least three killed in Israeli strike on Baalbek

  • A ministry statement said body parts were recovered from the site

BEIRUT: Lebanon’s health ministry said at least three people were killed in an Israeli strike Thursday on the main eastern city of Baalbek.
“The Israeli enemy strike... in Baalbek killed three people, in an initial toll,” a ministry statement said, adding that “body parts were recovered from the site and their identities are being verified.”


Cafe in Libya champions recycling and sustainability

Updated 14 November 2024
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Cafe in Libya champions recycling and sustainability

  • Lamma, which means “gathering” or “hangout” in Arabic, has become a cultural hub for locals and other visitors
  • Its central mission, its owner said, is raising awareness of an eco-friendly lifestyle in Libya

TRIPOLI: In Libya’s capital, a cafe’s sleek exterior gives little hint of the vibrant space inside, built entirely from recycled materials to promote sustainability in a country recovering from years of war.
Lamma, which means “gathering” or “hangout” in Arabic, has become a cultural hub for locals and other visitors, featuring an art gallery that showcases Libyan artists, and hosts events and workshops.
But its central mission, its owner said, is raising awareness of an eco-friendly lifestyle in Libya, where green initiatives are scarce as people grapple with the aftermath of a gruelling conflict.
“We use materials that were abandoned in the streets, such as rubber from tires, wood from trees and construction waste” to build the cafe, said Louay Omran Burwais, an architect who designed and founded Lamma.
“The idea is to show people that what is thrown in the street and may seem ugly or useless is actually still valuable,” he told AFP.
Libya was hurled into war after a NATO-backed uprising led to the overthrow and killing of dictator Muammar Qaddafi, followed by years of fighting between militias, mercenaries and jihadists.
Power remains split between a UN-recognized government and a rival authority in the east.
Behind the long, narrow door into Lamma, visitors are greeted with a kaleidoscope of colors and shapes.
The plant-covered walls contrast with a web of suspended metal scraps, alcoves and slide tunnels that children swoop down through.
“There are no places like this in Libya,” said Roula Ajjawi, Lamma’s art director. “We base everything on one aspect that we consider very important: recycling.”
Families gather at Lamma on Thursdays, the start of the Libyan weekend, when the cafe holds art workshops for children.
Others borrow books from the venue’s small library.
Burwais says his team hopes recycling and other eco-friendly practices, which remain rare, start up in Libya, which currently has no recycling facilities.
Visitors to Lamma will recognize familiar everyday objects repurposed throughout the space, Burwais said, but they will “start seeing them differently. We are here to foster a new mindset.”
In Libya, the plastic, metal, and glass left from over a decade of civil war destruction are rarely, if ever, reused or recycled, Ajjawi said.
More often, they are abandoned in nature and on the streets, occasionally washed into the Mediterranean by rain and wind.
But with initiatives like Lamma, objects once destined for the landfill are transformed into works of art — a concept now catching on with locals.
“I love this place,” said Riyad Youssef, now a Lamma regular. “The food is great, the service is excellent, and I appreciate the commitment to reducing waste. Every idea here is amazing.”


Turkiye probes event spending in opposition-run cities

Updated 14 November 2024
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Turkiye probes event spending in opposition-run cities

  • The office said late on Wednesday it would investigate “irregular spendings“
  • The Ankara chief prosecutor’s office has also launched an investigation into two concerts

ISTANBUL: The Istanbul chief prosecutor’s office has opened a probe into allegations of illicit expenditures at some public events organized by the Istanbul municipality, marking the latest legal challenge to opposition-run districts in Turkiye.
The office said late on Wednesday it would investigate “irregular spendings” to determine whether the public experienced financial harm, without elaborating.
The Ankara chief prosecutor’s office has also launched an investigation into two concerts organized by the Ankara municipality on Republic Day celebrations on Oct. 29.
The municipalities, which are Turkiye’s two largest cities and both run by the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), deny the allegations.
Speaking at a career fair on Thursday, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu — who is seen as a potential future challenger to President Tayyip Erdogan — said the probes amounted to “reputation assassination.” The Istanbul municipality did not comment further on the probe when contacted by Reuters.
Late last month the CHP mayor of Istanbul’s Esenyurt district was arrested and accused of belonging to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), charges he and his party reject.
Since then, the interior ministry dismissed and replaced elected mayors from the pro-Kurdish DEM party in some southeastern cities for alleged ties to militants, charges they and their party also deny.