Qatar Airways bans walkie-talkies & pagers on board amid deadly Israeli attacks on Lebanon

In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), it said: “Following the directive received from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation of the Republic of Lebanon, all passengers flying from Beirut Rafic Harirl International Airport (BEY) are prohibited from carrying pagers and walkie-talkies on board flights. The ban applies to both checked and carry-on luggage, as well as cargo, and will be enforced until further notice.”

The deadly attack on Wednesday killed 25 people, just a day after Lebanon was shaken by a synchronised explosion of thousands of pagers.

The devices, believed to have been linked to Hezbollah, detonated after users received messages, resulting in 12 deaths, including two children, and injuring around 2,800 people.

Dr Elias Warrak, treating those injured in the blasts, reported that at least 60% of the patients he saw had lost at least one eye, with many also losing fingers or entire hands. He called it "the worst day of (his) life as a physician." Warrak added, "Unfortunately, we were not able to save a lot of eyes, and the damage extends beyond that to the brain and face."

Reports suggest that a shipment of pagers distributed by Hezbollah may have been rigged with explosives and detonated remotely. The devices were handed out amid fears that smartphones were being used by Israeli intelligence to track and target Hezbollah members. However, the exact method of how the attacks were carried out remains unclear.

On Friday, an Israeli airstrike on Beirut's Dahiyeh district killed at least eight and wounded over 59 others - marking the first Israeli attack on the capital in months, following Hezbollah's rocket assault on northern Israel.