Deadly Walkie-Talkie Explosions Hit Lebanon, Killing 20 and Injuring 450

BEIRUT, Lebanon - A second wave of device explosions rocked Lebanon on Wednesday, killing 20 people and injuring 450 others, just a day after hundreds of pagers belonging to Hezbollah members detonated, killing 12 and injuring over 2,700.

The Lebanese Red Cross deployed 30 ambulances across southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley in response to the walkie-talkie explosions. Civil defense teams worked to put out fires ignited by the blasts in homes, cars, and shops.

The Lebanese Telecommunications Ministry identified the exploding devices as Icom V82s, handheld transceivers not purchased through the official distributor and not licensed by the ministry. Icom America stated that the explosive devices appeared to be knock-offs.

The attacks come amid escalating tensions between Hezbollah and Israel. Two U.S. officials said Israel was behind the pager attacks, targeting Hezbollah, which the U.S. considers a terrorist organization.

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati condemned the attacks, calling them a "collective crime" that defies humanity and human rights. The U.N. Security Council is set to meet Friday to address the matter.

The U.S. denied involvement in the attacks, emphasizing diplomacy as the best way to prevent escalation. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called for a "full accounting" of the attacks to Congress.

Hezbollah has been exchanging fire with Israel since October, aligning with Hamas after the Palestinian group's terrorist attack. International officials warn that the conflict could widen and destabilize the region further.

Thousands of civilians in southern Lebanon and northern Israel have been displaced by the exchange of fire. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office updated its war objectives to include the safe return of residents in the north.