Explosions in Lebanon signal potential prelude to widespread conflict

Explosions in Lebanon appear to be a preemptive strike before a major military operation, argues the UN chief. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, calls for an independent investigation. At least nine people were killed, and over 300 were injured in a series of explosions involving electronic devices that occurred on Wednesday in Lebanon.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that the explosions in Lebanon pose "a serious risk of a dramatic escalation in Lebanon, and everything must be done to prevent it", Reuters reported on Wednesday. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, also addressed the issue and called for an independent investigation.

Guterres warned of an escalation of the conflict in Lebanon and added that "the obvious logic of causing the explosion of all these devices is that it is supposed to be a preemptive strike before a major military operation."

Meanwhile, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk called for an independent investigation into these explosions.

"An independent, thorough, and transparent investigation into the circumstances of these mass explosions must be conducted, and those who ordered and carried out such an attack must be held accountable," he emphasized. He added that "such attacks violate international human rights law and potentially also international humanitarian law."

Reuters reported that the UN Security Council will meet on Friday regarding the pager explosions in Lebanon. The UN General Assembly passed a resolution on Wednesday calling on Israel to end the "illegal presence in the occupied Palestinian territory" within 12 months.

124 countries voted for the resolution, 43 abstained, and 14 voted against, including Israel and the United States. The US urged the UN General Assembly to vote against this resolution. The United States believes it weakens the two-state solution in the Middle East.

On September 17, pagers belonging to members of the terrorist organization Hezbollah exploded in Lebanon. As a result of the explosions, 12 people died, and nearly 3,000 were injured.

On Wednesday afternoon, another wave of explosions of electronic devices belonging to members of this organization occurred. At least 14 people died, and over 450 were injured in a series of explosions of electronic devices that occurred on Wednesday in Lebanon.