Lebanese authorities on Thursday banned pagers and walkie-talkies on all flights departing from Beirut, after such devices exploded this week in an Israeli surprise attack against Hezbollah terrorists.
Passengers flying out of the Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport are now prohibited from carrying pagers and walkie-talkies in both their checked and carry-on luggage, according to a directive issued by Lebanon’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation. The ban also extends to air shipments of these devices.
The precaution follows two waves of deadly explosions involving Hezbollah militants' pagers and walkie-talkies across Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq. On Tuesday, thousands of pagers detonated simultaneously, killing at least 12 and injuring the "waist and crotch areas" of many Hezbollah operatives. Another wave targeting walkie-talkies on Wednesday claimed at least 20 more lives and wounded hundreds.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, in a televised address Thursday, acknowledged that Hezbollah "received a heavy, painful blow," calling the surprise attacks a "declaration of war" and daring the Jewish state to invade Lebanon.
While he spoke, Israeli forces carpet bombed Hezbollah strongholds in southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah terrorists switched to using pagers and walkie-talkies earlier this year due to concerns about Israel surveilling and infiltrating their cell phones.