doha Lebanon has banned carrying walkie-talkies and pagers on flights flying from Beirut Airport. This step was taken after explosions in pagers and walkie-talkies across the country for two consecutive days in Lebanon. Many people died due to these explosions while thousands were injured. After this decision of Lebanon, Qatar Airways has also banned passengers traveling from Beirut-Rafique Hariri International Airport from carrying pagers and walkie-talkies on flights. The airline said on Thursday on the social media platform X that these rules will remain in force until further orders. Qatar Airways wrote on X with immediate effect: Following the instruction received from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation of the Republic of Lebanon, carrying pagers and walkie-talkies on the plane will be prohibited for all passengers flying from Beirut-Rafique Hariri International Airport (BEY).
Qatar Airways said the ban would apply to both checked carry-on luggage and cargo. Lebanon’s Health Minister Firas Abiad said on Thursday that the death toll from explosions that hit several pagers and handheld radios on Tuesday and Wednesday had risen to 37, while 2,931 people were injured. The recent explosions have brought the 11-month-long conflict between Israel and Hezbollah to a dangerous turn. Both sides have been carrying out major attacks on each other. These include Israeli air strikes and Hezbollah attacks on northern Israel.
The Lebanese Foreign Ministry described the explosions as ‘dangerous and deliberate Israeli action’. Lebanon’s internal security forces said that wireless communication devices exploded in many parts of the country but especially in the southern suburbs of Beirut. This area is a stronghold of Hezbollah. Three security sources said that the pagers that exploded were ordered by Hezbollah in recent months. Hezbollah has blamed Israel for these explosions. Israel, on the other hand, has not taken responsibility for the blasts.