Lebanon has banned walkie-talkies and pagers on flights departing from Beirut airport. The decision, announced on Thursday, comes after walkie-talkies and pagers, reportedly used by Hezbollah members, exploded in a deadly attack earlier this week that killed at least 37 people and injured thousands.
According to Lebanon’s National News Agency, the Directorate of Civil Aviation has instructed airlines operating from Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport (BEY) to inform passengers about the new restrictions. Both walkie-talkies and pagers are now prohibited in carry-on and checked luggage, as well as cargo shipments. The ban will remain in effect until further notice, the agency reported.
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According to Lebanese health officials, two explosions on Tuesday and Wednesday killed 37 people and injured more than 3,000. The blasts involved large caches of walkie-talkies and pagers, reportedly used by the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in its operations.
Lebanese officials have claimed Israel was responsible for the attack, although Israel has yet to officially take credit. Hezbollah and Israel have been in a constant conflict, with exchanges of gunfire across the Lebanese-Israeli border for nearly a year.
Qatar Airways responded to the new directive by announcing that it would enforce a ban on pagers and walkie-talkies on all flights to and from Beirut.
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“Effective immediately: Following a directive received from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation of the Republic of Lebanon, all passengers flying from Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport (BEY) are prohibited from carrying pagers and walkie-talkies during flight,” the airline wrote. “This restriction applies to both checked and carry-on luggage, as well as cargo, and will be enforced until further notice.”
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Thursday launched new airstrikes targeting Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon, as tensions between Hezbollah and Israel escalate. In a statement posted on X, the IDF said it aims to degrade Hezbollah’s military capabilities and infrastructure. Israeli forces are focusing on Hezbollah’s network of tunnels and civilian homes in southern Lebanon, which the group reportedly uses for military operations.
“The IDF is currently attacking Hezbollah targets in Lebanon in order to debilitate Hezbollah’s terrorist capabilities and infrastructure,” the IDF said in the post. “For decades, Hezbollah has weaponized civilian homes, dug tunnels underneath them and used civilians as human shields – turning southern Lebanon into a war zone.”
In an address on Thursday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant declared the start of a “new phase” in Israel’s ongoing conflict with Hezbollah. Galant said Israel is shifting resources and attention to the northern region, with the aim of bringing security to the area and allowing displaced residents to return to their homes.
“We are at the beginning of a new phase of the war,” Galant said in a post on social media. “We are allocating resources and troops to the northern region, and our mission is clear: to ensure the safe return of Israel’s northern communities to their homes. To do this, the security situation must change.”
