Lebanon bans pagers, walkie-talkies on flights after blasts

BEIRUT

Lebanon’s General Directorate of Civil Aviation banned pagers and walkie-talkies on flights on Thursday, a day after two waves of device explosions across the country.

At least 32 people were killed and 3,250 others injured on Tuesday and Wednesday in explosions that targeted thousands of wireless communication devices across the country.

In a statement, the directorate said it instructed airlines operating in Rafic Hariri Airport to inform passengers that pagers and walkie-talkies are prohibited on flights.

The ban applies to both checked luggage and carry-on items, it said, warning that any such devices will be confiscated.

Lebanese group Hezbollah has accused Israel of being behind the device explosions and vowed retaliation.

There has been no Israeli comment on the device blasts, which came amid an escalation in cross-border warfare between Israel and Hezbollah since the start of Israel’s deadly war on the Gaza Strip, which has killed nearly 41,300 people, mostly women and children, following a cross-border attack by Hamas last Oct. 7.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar