Hezbollah walkie-talkies targeted by Israel in new round of coordinated fatal blasts

A fresh wave of fatal cyberattacks hit Hezbollah in Lebanon on Wednesday – and this time, old-school walkie-talkies were the target – in what appears to be another successful supply chain operation carried out by the Israeli Mossad.

Lebanese security sources reported the ‘handheld radios’ began exploding late afternoon in the capital of Beirut.

As of 10:00 p.m. local time EEST, the Times of Israel reported at least 14 people have been killed and roughly 450 more injured, once again, in coordinated blasts.

Explosions were reported at a mobile repair shop and during a funeral procession in Beirut, the Israeli news outlet said.

According to the Associated Press, solar energy systems had also exploded in homes across several areas of Beirut and the nation's south, wounding at least one girl, the official news agency of Lebanon reported.

Military correspondent for the Times of Israel Emanuel Fabia posted an alleged video of one the blasts on X.

“Footage purportedly shows the moment a Hezbollah walkie-talkie exploded during a funeral in the Dahiyeh suburb of Beirut,” Fabia wrote.

Footage purportedly shows the moment a Hezbollah walkie-talkie exploded during a funeral in the Dahiyeh suburb of Beirut. https://t.co/3Qpkdgcjcy pic.twitter.com/BfzeeYykfL

undefined Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) September 18, 2024

The explosions come just one day after thousands of pagers belonging to the Hezbollah terror group were blown up in coordinated attacks by the Israeli Mossad spy agency across Lebanon and Syria, wounding thousands and killing over a dozen people.

High-ranking Hezbollah leaders and advisors, as well as civilians, were said to be among the casualties Tuesday, although Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah has been reported to have escaped harm in both waves of attacks.

“BREAKING a new round of explosions are being reported across Lebanon, Israeli author Aviva Klompas posted on X.

“The blasts were caused by communication devices used by Hezbollah," Klompas posted along with several images of damaged walkie-talkies.

BREAKING a new round of explosions are being reported across Lebanon. The blasts were caused by communication devices used by Hezbollah. pic.twitter.com/pQPQrmTziN

undefined Aviva Klompas (@AvivaKlompas) September 18, 2024

Israel’s defense minister on Wednesday declared a 'new phase of war' against Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, although the Israeli government has not officially claimed responsibility for either attack, the AP further reported.

Veteran Israeli investigative reporter and analyst Ronen Bergman was quoted by the Israeli Times stating that “Anyone who was close to these devices would have had a much smaller chance of surviving.”

Bergman noted that although fewer handheld devices were blown up in Wednesday’s attack, the devices were larger and therefore most likely “primed with more explosives,” causing a more impactful blast radius.

He also described the devices as “walkie-talkies used for military communications.”

It was revealed by media sources worldwide on Tuesday that the Mossad was able to intercept a shipment of thousands of pagers ordered by the Iranian-backed terror group before they reached Lebanon months earlier.

The spy agency had allegedly packed the pagers with a tiny amount of PETN, a highly explosive material, next to the device's lithium-ion batteries along with a remote detonator switch.

Considered a successful supply chain cyberattack, the pagers were alleged to have been set up so that when a pre-programmed alphanumeric message was received on the activated device, it would trigger the battery to heat up and then explode.

The United Nations Security Council announced earlier Wednesday it would be holding a meeting this coming Friday, September 20th, to discuss the pager attacks, determine accountability, and any potential ramifications that may be handed down by the global peace-keeping body.

According to Cybernews’ coverage of the Hezbollah pager attacks, an estimated 4000 people have been reported injured, hundreds of them critically, and more than a dozen killed between both nations, including the 10-year-old daughter of a high-ranking Hezbollah leader.

Tensions between Israel and Iran-backed militias in Lebanon and other bordering nations have risen since the Jewish state declared war on Hamas in retaliation for the terror attacks on October 7th.

The surprise Hamas attacks killed more than 1100 Israelis, and roughly 250 hostages were taken by militants, 101 of them still unaccounted for.

Hezbollah fighters have vowed extreme retaliation against Israel.

Cybernews will follow this developing story.