Walkie-Talkies, Pagers Explode Across Lebanon in Series of Apparent Attacks amid Tension with Israel

The country's defense force said on Sept. 18 that officials were working to extinguish fires that broke out "inside homes, cars and shops"

Walkie-talkies used by members of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah exploded across southern Lebanon on Sept. 18, a day after simultaneously detonating pagers killed a dozen and injured thousands more, according to reports.

The country's health minister said 14 people were killed and 450 were injured in the latest explosions, Reuters reported. Meanwhile, the death toll from the initial pager blasts rose to 12, including two children, with about 3,000 injured.

At least one of the detonations on Sept. 18 happened near a funeral organized by Hezbollah for those killed in the previous day's attacks, when the thousands of pagers used by the group exploded, according to the outlet.

Lebanon's Red Cross said in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter) after the second attack that they were responding with "30 ambulance teams to multiple explosions in different areas including the South of Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley."

Related: Angelina Jolie Says 'Humanity Demands an Immediate Ceasefire' in Israel-Hamas War

The country's civil defense force said in a translated post on X that officials were working to extinguish fires that broke out "inside homes, cars and shops."

“There are buildings burning right now in front of me,” Mortada Smaoui told The New York Times after the explosions rocked his neighborhood in the Sept. 18 attack.

Though Israel declined to comment on the first explosions, CNN reported that Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant appeared to reference the blasts on Sept. 18.

“We are at the beginning of a new era in this war and we need to adapt ourselves,” Gallant said.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

A senior Lebanese security source and another source alleged to Reuters that Israel's spy agency Mossad planted the explosives inside the pagers imported by the terror group months before the explosions.

Despite the blasts, Hezbollah vowed to continue its campaign against Israel until it ends its war in Gaza, according to the Times. The confrontation between Israel and Lebanon has caused over 150,000 to flee their homes.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.