(Image source from: REUTERS)

Lebanese authorities banned walkie-talkies and pagers from Beirut airport on Thursday after thousands of such devices exploded in a deadly attack on Hezbollah this week, Lebanon's state news agency reported. Lebanon's General Directorate of Civil Aviation has asked airlines operating in Beirut to inform passengers that they should ban the use of walkie-talkies and pagers until further notice. The Lebanese state news agency reported that transport of this equipment by air was also banned. Following the issuance of this policy, Qatar Airways announced that carrying pagers and walkie-talkies by passengers departing from Beirut Rafiq Hariri International Airport (BEY) is prohibited. The ban applies not only to cargo, but also to all types of baggage, including checked baggage and carry-on baggage, the organization said. According to the order of the General Directorate of Civil Aviation of the Republic of Lebanon, all passengers departing from Rafiq Hariri International Airport (BEY) are prohibited from carrying a pager or walkie-talkie on the plane, said a statement from Qatar Airways Media: Baggage and until further notice the secondary will be active.

Pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah members exploded in two waves of attacks on Tuesday and Wednesday, killing at least 37 people and wounding more than 3,000. Hezbollah, a heavily armed group backed by Lebanon and Iran, claimed Israel carried out the attack. Israel has taken no responsibility for this. The Lebanese army said Thursday it would detonate suspected pagers and communications devices in controlled explosions in various areas. He urged people to report any suspicious items. Hezbollah and Israel have been fighting fires across the Lebanese-Israeli border over the Gaza war for almost a year.