New round of explosions in Lebanon amidst Borrell's condemnation on yesterday's attack
Lebanon faced new deadly explosions on Wednesday, killing three people and injuring fifteen in Sohmor and Baalbek in the eastern part of the country. According to the official Lebanese state news agency, the blasts occurred in the latest wave of attacks on communications equipment, following a series of explosions that rocked the country the day before.
The attacks on Wednesday appeared to target walkie-talkies, with emergency services responding to several incidents in and around the Lebanese capital, Beirut, as well as in the south and east of the country.
This followed Tuesday’s deadly explosions in which hundreds of pagers, reportedly belonging to members of the pro-Iranian Hezbollah militia, detonated, killing at least twelve people and injuring over 2,800.
A hospital source informed the French news agency AFP that the injured from Wednesday’s explosions included civilians in critical condition. As hospitals in Lebanon struggle to cope with the influx of patients, there is growing concern over the country’s ability to manage the escalating crisis.
Borrell condemns the violence
Meanwhile, in response to Tuesday’s attacks, Josep Borrell, vice-president of the European Commission and High Representative of the Union for foreign affairs, issued a statement condemning the violence.
“Following yesterday’s series of explosions in Lebanon, I called the Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib. He briefed me on the explosion of a high number of electronic devices in many areas across the country. Thousands of people were injured - hundreds in critical condition - hospitals are collapsing," Borrell said.
He continued by condemning the indiscriminate nature of the attacks: "Even if the attacks seem to have been targeted, they had heavy, indiscriminate collateral damages among civilians: several children are among the victims. I consider this situation extremely worrying. I can only condemn these attacks that endanger the security and stability of Lebanon, and increase the risk of escalation in the region."
Borrell also warned of the broader implications of the violence, urging for calm and restraint: "The European Union calls on all stakeholders to avert an all-out war, which would have heavy consequences for the entire region and beyond."
An ambulance rushes wounded people to the American University of Beirut Medical Center on 17 September, 2024, after explosions hit locations in several Hezbollah strongholds around Lebanon. ©ANWAR AMRO / AFP
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