- 27 Sep, 2024
On 19 September 2024, Qatar Airways made an announcement in which they state that all passengers who are traveling from Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport (BEY) from bringing pagers and walkie-talkies onto flights. This ban applies to both check-in and carry-on luggage, as well as cargo. As per the report of Al Jazeera report on the latest blasts on Wednesday, at least 20 people died, and more than 450 individuals were injured. This incident followed another blast that killed 12 people, and over 2800 persons were injured in a coordinated explosion of pagers in Lebanon.
According to the report upon asking Why did Qatar Airways ban pagers and walkie-talkies on Lebanon flights? Qatar Airways has mentioned on its social media account X that the regulations would be in place until further notice. “Effective immediately: As per the directive from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation of the Republic of Lebanon, all passengers flying from Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport are prohibited from carrying pagers and walkie-talkies on board.
In a post on X, IDF stated, "We are currently striking Hezbollah targets in Lebanon to diminish their terrorist capabilities and infrastructure. For decades, Hezbollah has exploited civilian homes, constructed tunnels beneath them, and used civilians as human shields, transforming southern Lebanon into a conflict zone. The IDF started an operation in which their motive was to bring residents to their homes and achieve war goals.
Israel Defense Minister Yoav Gallant also stated that they have started a "new phase" in the war, emphasizing a focus on the northern front. According to a report on 18 September 2024, Lebanese Red Cross teams and multiple ambulance crews have been deployed in the rescue operations and evacuations of the injured individuals due to the walkie-talkie explosions.
Moreover, government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said, "The terrorism of the Zionist regime causes aversion and disgust. Iran strongly condemns yesterday's criminal explosion of communication devices and today's criminal explosion of walkie-talkies, which resulted in the death and injury of hundreds of Lebanese civilians."
The war started on 7 October 2024, in which Hamas-led fighters killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians. They abducted another 250 people and are still holding around 100 hostages. Israel’s campaign in Gaza has killed at least 41,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between fighters and civilians. Al Jazeera's Ramallah office also continues to rise over a possible expansion of the war to Lebanon, where electronic devices were blasted last week in a likely sabotage campaign by Israel targeting the Shiite militia Hezbollah.
According to a source, Israel Defense Forces, said many of those killed in the air attacks in Lebanon were Hezbollah “terrorists.” In New York, Danny Danon, Israel’s United Nations ambassador, said in an interview that “Hezbollah has placed rocket launchers in private homes and other civilian facilities,” and Israel had urged those nearby “to move away from those locations.” The Pentagon said the US is urging restraint, and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has spoken to Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant several times in recent days, stressing and achieving a diplomatic solution.
Contact us
