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- Israel-Hamas war
- Hezbollah vows revenge after suffering significant losses
Hezbollah vows revenge after suffering significant losses
The Lebanese Ministry of Health reported 14 deaths and over 450 injuries, but the number of victims is likely much higher
While Lebanon officially reports 26 deaths over two days from pager and walkie-talkie explosions, other estimates suggest a much heavier toll.
According to Israeli reports, the pager attack alone would have caused "dozens of deaths, if not more" among Hezbollah members. Hezbollah's elite Radwan force is reported to have suffered significant losses, losing "a large part of its command structure" that was either killed or maimed. At least 450 people were injured in the walkie-talkie explosions on Wednesday, adding to the more than 3,000 Hezbollah operatives wounded in the pager explosions a day before.
Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, is scheduled to speak on Thursday for the first time since the incidents, which went beyond Lebanese borders and affected terrorists in Syria. Hezbollah has not yet officially responded, but a high-ranking member of the group, Hashm Safi Al Din, threatened Israel with retaliation: "We are facing a new phase, punishment will inevitably come."
"We say to the enemy - if your goal is to wind the Gaza campaign down, know that it will only intensify in strength and determination," he said, possibly referring to Israeli forces moved from the Gaza Strip to the border with Lebanon.
"The punishment for aggression will certainly come, and there will be retribution," he added.
According to Lebanese reports, hospitals are overloaded following the many injuries from the explosions. The Lebanese channel MTV reported that 95 injured people, including the Iranian ambassador to Lebanon who lost sight in one eye, were transferred to Iran with their families for additional medical care. An Iranian source told Tasnim news agency that "most of the injured have suffered serious injuries to their hands and eyes."
Prime Minister Najib Mikati announced that his government has filed a complaint with the UN Security Council.
"The Israeli enemy ignores all international laws," he said. "We will do everything in our power to prevent a war in Lebanon." Diplomatic sources told Al Jazeera that the Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Friday evening on the developments in Lebanon.
The Lebanese Civil Defense reported extinguishing fires in 60 houses and stores, 15 cars, and dozens of motorcycles following the explosions.