The 20 Hezbollah members killed in walkie-talkie explosions in Lebanon. (Montage made from statements published by the party)
Twenty dead in a few hours. The toll of the Israeli operation consisting of simultaneously blowing up walkie-talkies used by members of Hezbollah is the heaviest recorded in one day, both for the party and in Lebanon, since the start of the fighting on Oct. 8, 2023.
The deaths, all reported as Hezbollah members, bring to 32 the death toll from two waves of explosions of the party's telecommunications devices, including pagers on Tuesday and walkie-talkies late Wednesday. The walkie-talkie explosions were more deadly than the pager explosions, with the toll nearly twice as high, even though the devices were less widely distributed among Hezbollah members. The New York Times estimates that one explanation is that the walkie-talkies were "three times heavier" than the pagers, and could have contained more explosives. The explosions also sparked larger fires.
The detonations of the last two days have also left a total of more than 3,200 people injured: Between 2,750 and 2,800 on Tuesday and more than 450 on Wednesday, according to the latest figures available from the Ministry of Health.
Among Wednesday's victims, the youngest was barely 16 years old. They were mainly from south Lebanon and the Bekaa. The party identified them as follows:
- Ali Mohammad Sleiman, born in 1994, and originally from Ainata, in south Lebanon.
- Ahmad Ali Hassan, born in 1998, originally from Aitaroun and living in the southern suburbs.
- Salim Abbass Shehadeh, born in 1974, originally from Maaroub.
- Hassan Adel Jaber, born in 1970, from Bani Hayyan, in south Lebanon.
- Abbas Hassan Seifeddine, born 1987, from Halabta in the Bekaa.
- Ali Hassan Hammoud, born in 1991 and originally from Touline, in south Lebanon.
- Mohammad Ali Alameh, born in 1983 and from Aadloun in south Lebanon.
- Ali Ahmad Haidar, born in 1986, and originally from Kfardan in the Bekaa.
- Mohammad Hassan Kourani, born in 1982, originally from Yater in south Lebanon.
- Ali Fawaz Hajj Hassan, born 1991, originally from the town of Shaat in the Bekaa.
- Jawad Yasser Abou Khalil, born in 2005 and originally from Kawthariyet al-Rez (Saida).
- Ahmad Ali Lamah, born in 1982, originally from Aadsheet in south Lebanon.
- Ali Hosni Zaatar, born in 1999, originally from Hadath Baalbeck in the Bekaa.
- Hafez Hussein Ali Melhem, born in 1976, originally from Qabrikha in south Lebanon.
- Mohammad Hussein al-Arab, born in 1979 and originally from Falawi in the Bekaa.
- Fadel Abbass Bazzi, born in 1991 and originally from Bint Jbeil.
- Abdel Menhem Jamal Abdel Menhem, born in 2008, originally from Aitaroun and resident of Kawthariyet al-Rez.
- Ibrahim Abdel Karim Zein al-Din, born in 1995, from the locality of Safad al-Battikh (Bint Jbeil).
- Ali Mohammad Tarhini, born in 2001, from the town of Ebba.
- Ali Mohammad Shalabi, born in 1993 and originally from Kfar Melki (near Saida).
This article originally appeared in French in L'Orient-Le Jour.