The minister said that 12 people died in the first wave of pager explosions on Tuesday and 25 in the second wave of walkie-talkie explosions on Wednesday. An earlier report had indicated 20 deaths.
Lebanese Army detonates "suspicious" communication devices
The Lebanese Army announced on Thursday that it is conducting controlled detonations of a series of "suspicious" communication devices, after successive waves of explosions in thousands of them caused 32 deaths and over 3,200 injuries in the country in the last two days.
"Specialized units of the Army have begun detonating suspicious communication devices and pagers in different areas, inviting citizens to stay away from explosion sites and report any suspicious device or object," a military statement reads.
Over 40 amputees or blind from the explosions
The Lebanese health minister said that over 2,000 injured individuals had arrived at hospitals in the first half-hour after the pager attack, and by noon on Wednesday, hospitals had performed around 500 operations, including on faces, eyes, and hands, reports The Wall Street Journal.
Ghassan Abu Sitta, a plastic surgeon at a Lebanese hospital, explained to the US media what they found after the Israeli attack. "Basically, you have thousands of young men with nearly identical injuries leading to permanent disabilities. These injuries affect the hands and one or both eyes."
Meanwhile, Dr. Georges Ghanem, director of the crisis unit at the American University Medical Center in Lebanon, said that over 40 patients had complex injuries, including some with amputated eyes and limbs.
Lebanon bans bringing pagers and walkie-talkies on planes
Lebanon's aviation authorities have issued a new directive to prohibit passengers from bringing pager and walkie-talkie devices on planes after the coordinated explosions of the last two days, reports Europa Press.
The order affects the Rafik Hariri International Airport in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, and extends not only to carry-on luggage but also to checked baggage. According to the official news agency NNA, it is effective immediately and until further notice.
Over thirty people have died between Tuesday and Wednesday from explosions of hundreds of communication devices linked to the Hezbollah militia party, the apparent target of an Israeli attack. According to initial investigations, these devices were concealing explosive charges.