BEIRUT AIRPORT BANS PAGERS, WALKIE-TALKIES AFTER INGENIOUS ISRAELI ATTACK
After a clandestine and ingenious Israeli attack targeted pagers and walkie-talkies sold to Hezbollah that were rigged with explosives and then remotely detonated, Lebanon is in a state of panic, leading public officials to immediately prohibit these electronic devices on any commercial aircraft.
Pagers, Walkie-Talkies Banned At Beirut Airport After Israeli Operation Against Hezbollah
Lebanon’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation has banned travelers from taking pagers and walkie-talkies onto flights. The ban is effective immediately, is indefinite, and applies to:
- carry-on luggage
- checked luggage
- cargo
The reason for this seemingly strange ban is a pair of incidents this week in Lebanon. First, a batch of pagers sold to Hezbollah blew up in a targeted mission that killed over a dozen terrorists and injured thousands of others, including rendering many permanently infertile. The following day, walkie-talkies were remotely detonated in an attack that injured hundreds and killed 25 more.
The result, understandably, was fear and panic in Lebanon. I won’t embed any of the CCTV video of some of these pagers exploding, but the mission worked according to plan: it is thought that Israeli intelligence directly facilitated the sale of these electronic devices, selling them directly to Hezbollah.
You might recall the brief ban on electronic devices in carry-on bags we experienced in 2017…I wrote about my own experience
here. This goes a step further in that electronic devices are not even permitted in the cargo hold.
Lebanon appears so petrified that it wants to take no chances in even trying to screen each electronic device for explosives. Its response is understandable under the circumstances.
On The Politics Of It All…
And finally, let me clearly and unequivocally say that I shed no tears for any member of Hezbollah who lost his life or his ability to reproduce in this brilliant Israeli attack.
Unlike the unfortunate destruction of civilians in Gaza because Hamas has used them as human shields, here it appears that Israel brilliantly planned this attack over a months-long period in order to target Hezbollah officials for destruction, not civilian bystanders.
Let’s not forget that Hezbollah was formed to violently fight against what it called “American and Israeli imperialism.” It has been designated as a terrorist organization by most Western governments because…it is a terrorist organization with a stated goal of eliminating the state of Israel through any and all means necessary.
There was no terror attack in Lebanon this week; this was a highly targeted strike against terrorists. There is no tragedy in the loss of these lives except that they will spend eternity in torment.
CONCLUSION
If you’re flying via Beirut or other points in Lebanon, keep in mind that you’ll have to leave your pagers and walkie-talkies at home. There’s no word yet on whether your fax machines are still permitted.
Pagers, Walkie-Talkies Banned At Beirut Airport After Israeli Operation Against Hezbollah. Details On The Ban And How It Impacts Travelers.
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