Pagers, Walkie-Talkies Banned On Flights From Lebanon After Deadly Blasts

Lebanon has banned walkie-talkies and pagers from flights departing Beirut airport. The decision, announced on Thursday, was made after walkie-talkies and pagers, reportedly used by Hezbollah members, detonated in a deadly attack earlier this week, killing at least 37 people and injured thousands

According to Lebanon's National News Agency, the Civil Aviation Directorate instructed airlines operating out of 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 place until further notice, the agency reported.

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Two waves of explosions occurred on Tuesday and Wednesday, killing 37 and wounding more than 3,000 people, according to Lebanese health authorities. The explosions involved large caches of walkie-talkies and pagers, which Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group, reportedly used in their operations.

Lebanese officials have claimed that Israel was responsible for the attack, although Israel has yet to officially take credit. Hezbollah and Israel have been locked in an ongoing conflict, exchanging fire across the Lebanese-Israeli border for nearly a year.

Qatar Airways responded to the new directive, announcing it would enforce the ban on pagers and walkie-talkies for all flights from Beirut. 

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"Effective immediately: Following the 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 on board flights," the airline wrote. "The ban applies to both checked and carry-on luggage, as well as cargo, and will be enforced until further notice."

As tensions escalate between Hezbollah and Israel, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched new airstrikes targeting Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon on Thursday. In a statement posted on X, the IDF said it aimed to degrade Hezbollah's military capabilities and infrastructure. The Israeli military has been focusing on Hezbollah's network of tunnels and civilian homes in southern Lebanon, which the group allegedly uses for military operations.

"The IDF is currently striking Hezbollah targets in Lebanon to degrade Hezbollah's terrorist capabilities and infrastructure," the IDF said in the post. "For decades, Hezbollah has weaponized civilian homes, dug tunnels beneath them, and used civilians as human shields-having turned southern Lebanon into a war zone."

In an address on Thursday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant declared the start of a "new phase" in Israel's ongoing conflict with Hezbollah. Gallant said that Israel is shifting resources and attention to the northern arena, aiming to bring security to the region and allow displaced residents to return to their homes.

"We are at the start of a new phase in the war," Gallant said in a social media post. "We are allocating resources and forces to the northern arena, and our mission is clear: ensuring the safe return of Israel's northern communities to their homes. To do so, the security situation must be changed."