Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport intends to search for these devices and will not allow them in checked or carry-on luggage, nor will they be permitted in cargo.
More than 3,000 people have been injured and at least 37 are dead following the series of blasts. However, it is not known how many airlines are adhering to the new regulation; some airlines have even canceled flights in the area amid heightened tensions. For example, Lufthansa has suspended flights “due to the current situation” in the Middle East until at least October 26, reiterating in a press release: “The safety of our passengers and crews is always our top priority.”
Although Israel has yet to confirm its role in the explosion, a number of current and former intelligence and defense officials told the New York Times that it was indeed caused by the Israelis, and it was part of a complex operation that had been in the works for quite some time.
Hezbollah leaders like Hassan Nasrallah had been concerned for some time about Israel’s ability to use cellphone networks to identify the locations of operatives and urged them to stop using them in favor of pagers, which can receive data without exposing the location of their users.
Israel took advantage of this, creating a shell company that would make ordinary pagers for regular customers while selling models with batteries laced with an explosive to Hezbollah customers. The group unwittingly purchased thousands of them, and Israel decided this week that the time had come to activate them and set off their explosions.
The Kremlin has condemned Israel’s actions as “international terrorism,” while the EU’s Josep Borrell criticized their “indiscriminate” tactic. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Gutteres cautioned that the operation could lead to a “dramatic escalation.”
Some civilians ended up being injured, including children and medical workers, as devices blew up in apartment buildings and homes. Doctors on the ground report that the attacks resulted in countless of amputations.
"Almost exclusively the pager explodes in the hand while people are trying to read the message, so we're getting mangled hands and penetrating injuries and blast injuries to the face and the eyes," said local medical professional Dr. Ghassan Abu-Sittah.
Could the ban be extended beyond Middle East airports?
Many people in the area are so spooked by the attack that they have disconnected all their household appliances and devices. The Lebanese army is reportedly blowing up pagers and other suspicious devices in various areas using controlled blasts. They have also asked citizens to report suspicious devices they encounter.
There are now concerns that the ban could extend beyond Middle East airports. After all, a rigged pager on a flight could pose a danger to all passengers, especially if it goes off while someone is in a window seat. As people start to second-guess the safety of everyday items in the wake of Israel’s bold operation, some wonder if the airline pager ban could soon extend to other devices or even reach the U.S.
Sources for this article include:
Please contact us for more information.
