United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for the protection of civilian objects following a series of explosions in Lebanon, which resulted in more than 20 deaths and hundreds of injuries. The blasts occurred over two days, with the first wave on Tuesday killing 12 people and injuring up to 2,800. Additional explosions on Wednesday caused nine more fatalities and around 300 injuries.
The explosions targeted wireless paging devices and walkie-talkies, raising concerns about potential further escalation in the region. Guterres highlighted the importance of preventing the weaponization of civilian objects and urged governments to take necessary measures. He also expressed concern about the risk of escalating conflict in Lebanon.
Volker Turk, the UN's human rights chief, emphasized that those responsible for the attacks must be held accountable, noting that indiscriminate targeting violates international human rights law.
Hezbollah has attributed the attacks to Israel, though Israeli officials have not commented on the incidents.
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