In a significant development, Lebanon announced on September 20, the prohibition of the usage of walkie-talkies and pagers on flights departing from Beirut Airport.
The Civil Aviation Directorate of Lebanon issued instructions to airlines operating out of Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport (BEY) in a statement saying, “Effective immediately: all passengers flying from Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport (BEY) are prohibited from carrying pagers and walkie-talkies on board flights.”
Being termed the ‘biggest security breach’, these two objects have now been blocked in carry-on, checked-in luggage and cargo shipments until further notice.
The decision was taken by the Lebanon Government after Iranian-backed Hezbollah-owned walkie-talkies and pagers detonated in a deadly attack on September 17, killing a total of 37 people and injuring more than 3000 people.
The explosion caused chaos in Dahiyeh which is Hezbollah’s stronghold as thousands of pagers exploded in a synchronised attack.
Lebanon officials publicly said in a letter addressed to the UN Security Council that Israel detonated the devices via electronic messages and explosives implanted in them. After the request of Arab states, the UN Security Council is all set to meet on September 20 to discuss the recent attacks.
Hezbollah also claims that the deadly explosion using their pages and walkie-talkies was carried out by Israel and further accused the Jewish State of crossing ‘all red lines’, calling it an ‘open declaration of war.’
In his first public reaction to the exploding device attack, Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s leader blamed Israel in a televised speech on September 19. He said “This is a massacre, a major aggression against Lebanon, its people, its resistance, its sovereignty, and its security. It can be called war crimes or a declaration of war – whatever you choose to name it, it is deserving and fits the description. This was the enemy’s intention.’’
The Israeli government has not taken official responsibility for the explosion. However, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said Israel is embarking on a “new phase of the war”, shifting their focus to the northern side. Security sources told Reuters that they suspected the involvement of Mossad, Israel’s spy agency in the attack.
