Lebanese Health Minister Firas Abiad said at a press conference on Friday that he appreciates any assistance from abroad as the country is in full swing to treat those wounded in recent communication device explosions.
Lebanon was hit by pager explosions on Tuesday, and walkie-talkie explosions on Wednesday. The two waves of explosions have left 39 dead and around 3,000 injured.
Abiad said Lebanon is capable of caring for all the victims in the explosions.
"We are sure that Lebanon has the capabilities and can provide specialized care. And we will coordinate as the Ministry of Health with all syndicates and cover the costs to establish specialized centers that are compatible with our needs. Currently, some hospitals need them. The syndicates and doctors are ready to do their duties in this matter," Abiad said.
"We, as Lebanese people, appreciate any assistance that may come from abroad. Regarding health workers, especially doctors, we say that in Lebanon we want to work in an organized manner and under the umbrella of the Ministry of Health and the relevant unions," the minister said.
Abiad said the medical staff had performed around 1,200 surgeries and the number would be updated to the public.
"The vast majority of the people have had their surgeries here. Up till now, we have performed, I think, around 1,200 surgeries. But tomorrow we will have the updated number. I think the number will be more than that. And there are still surgeries still ongoing now," he said.
Lebanese health minister appreciates assistance for treatment of explosion victims
The United States is behind the explosions of wireless communication devices across Lebanon as "it's hard for Israel to do it by itself," a Lebanese political and military strategic analyst said Friday.
General Georges Saghir, also a former brigadier general in the Lebanese Army, shared his view on this series of attacks on Tuesday and Wednesday, killing at least 30 people, including children, and injuring about 3,000. He said Israel has been helped by the United States to do that.
The Lebanese government and Iran-backed Hezbollah blamed Israel for the deadly blasts of pagers and walkie-talkie devices, but Israel has not commented directly on the explosions.
"This is the manipulation of an electromagnetic spectrum. It's very advanced, very technological. And it's hard for Israel to do it by itself. The technique is possessed only by very advanced (countries) like the United States. Israel, I think, it has been helped by the United States," Saghir said.
The expert said such a cyber attack is less costly and risky than an attack on Lebanon.
"If you take your own mobile, it's a lithium battery and we have heard of so many accidents, incidents happening. When the battery was so warm and after this heat, there was an explosion. So it's the same thing, but it's like a beam projected on the area where people have a lithium battery on their mobile or on their pagers. And they manipulate the frequency until they hit it, and then it explodes. The cyber attack, they use it now because it is less, by cost, than can do to people," he said.
Tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border have intensified since Oct 8, 2023, when Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel in solidarity with Hamas. Israel responded with artillery fire into southeastern Lebanon. The conflict has since resulted in significant casualties on both sides.
US behind Lebanon wireless device blasts: expert
US behind Lebanon wireless device blasts: expert
