Lebanon in Panic: Mobile Phones Abandoned Amid Pager and Walkie-Talkie Attacks

People in Beirut are abandoning their mobile phones in panic over pager and walkie-talkie attacks by Israel targeting Iran-backed Hezbollah. The Lebanese Aviation Department has banned the carrying of pagers and walkie-talkies on flights. The Lebanese Armed Forces have begun destroying wireless sites.

Manufacturer Denies Bomb Planting Claims

The Japanese company Icom, manufacturer of the walkie-talkies, said that it was not possible to plant a bomb in the walkie-talkie during the construction phase. Construction is fast in a highly automatic system. ICOM director Yoshiki Inamoto stated at the company’s headquarters in Osaka that there was no way to put the bomb inside. The company said it had stopped producing the model that exploded in Lebanon a decade ago.

Investigation Launched into Pager Explosion

Bulgaria has opened an investigation against a company in connection with the Pager explosion. Bulgarian media reported that Norta Global Ltd. of Sofia provided the callers that exploded in Lebanon, but the government statement did not name the company. Gold Apollo callers from Taiwan were said to have been manufactured by Budapest-based Bak Consulting. However, there are media reports that the sale was made by Norta.

Plot to Assassinate Israeli Leaders Foiled

Security agencies have revealed that an Israeli citizen has been arrested in connection with an Iranian plot to assassinate top leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A businessman with Turkish connections was arrested last week.

The plan was to assassinate the Prime Minister, the Minister of Defense, and the head of the Internal Intelligence Agency. The arrested person took part in two meetings held in Tehran. Israel also said they discovered a Hezbollah plot to assassinate former Defense Minister Masho Ya’alon.