Latest news with #El-Zein
Nahar Net
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Nahar Net
Hezbollah says it tipped off Turkey on seized pagers shipment
by Naharnet Newsdesk 07 May 2025, 11:57 Turkey's intelligence service thwarted a remote attack using pagers last year in Lebanon, days after similar attacks by Israel killed dozens and wounded thousands, including members of Lebanon's Hezbollah group, a Turkish daily and officials said. Daily Sabah reported that 1,300 pagers and 710 chargers rigged with explosives were confiscated inside a cargo shipment at Istanbul Airport that was on its way to Beirut from Hong Kong. A Turkish security official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, confirmed the report but would not provide further details. In Beirut, Hezbollah's chief spokesman Youssef el-Zein told The Associated Press Tuesday that days after the Sept. 17 pagers attack in Lebanon and Syria, Hezbollah informed Turkish intelligence that a shipment of pagers was in Turkey and about to be sent to Lebanon. El-Zein said Turkish authorities confiscated the pagers and most likely destroyed them. He had no further details. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to an AP request for comment on the report. Israel triggered the Sept. 17 attack when pagers all over Lebanon started beeping. The devices exploded even if a person carrying one failed to push buttons to read an incoming encrypted message. The next day, Israel activated walkie-talkies, some of which exploded at funerals for some of the people who were killed in the pager attacks. The attacks marked a major escalation in the Israel-Hezbollah war that started after Hamas launched its attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, triggering the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip. Although the Lebanon attack struck many Hezbollah members, civilians were also killed or wounded. At least 37 people were killed, including two children, and some 3,000 were wounded in the two-day explosions. Daily Sabah said that acting on a tip that a shipment of pager devices would be in Istanbul to be delivered to Lebanon two days after the attacks, Turkish intelligence agents launched an operation. The newspaper said that authorities discovered a shipment that arrived in Istanbul from Hong Kong one day before the Lebanon explosions. The cargo had 61 boxes and was scheduled to depart from Istanbul to Beirut on Sept. 27 through Istanbul Airport. The cargo was described as a shipment of food choppers, Daily Sabah said. Inside, authorities found 1,300 Gold Apollo brand pagers and 710 desktop chargers. After the pagers attack, Israel expanded the war against Hezbollah with strikes that killed nearly 500 people on Sept. 23, forcing hundreds of thousands to flee their homes. On Sept. 27, Israeli airstrikes on a southern suburb of Beirut killed Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah's leader and one of its founding members, in the biggest blow for the Iran-backed group. The war ended on Nov. 27, when a U.S.-brokered ceasefire went into effect.
Indian Express
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Turkey thwarted another attack with pagers in Lebanon last year, officials say
Turkey's intelligence service thwarted a remote attack using pagers last year in Lebanon, days after similar attacks by Israel killed dozens and wounded thousands, including members of Lebanon's Hezbollah group, a Turkish daily and officials said Tuesday. Daily Sabah reported that 1,300 pagers and 710 chargers rigged with explosives were confiscated inside a cargo shipment at Istanbul Airport that was on its way to Beirut from Hong Kong. A Turkish security official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, confirmed the report but would not provide further details. In Beirut, Hezbollah's chief spokesman Youssef el-Zein told The Associated Press Tuesday that days after the September. 17 pagers attack in Lebanon and Syria, Hezbollah informed Turkish intelligence that a shipment of pagers was in Turkey and about to be sent to Lebanon. El-Zein said Turkish authorities confiscated the pagers and most likely destroyed them. He had no further details. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report. Israel triggered the Sept. 17 attack when pagers all over Lebanon started beeping. The devices exploded even if a person carrying one failed to push buttons to read an incoming encrypted message. The next day, Israel activated walkie-talkies, some of which exploded at funerals for some of the people who were killed in the pager attacks. The attacks marked a major escalation in the Israel-Hezbollah war that started after Hamas launched its attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, triggering the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip. Although the Lebanon attack struck many Hezbollah members, civilians were also killed or wounded. At least 37 people were killed, including two children, and some 3,000 were wounded in the two-day explosions. Daily Sabah said that acting on a tip that a shipment of pager devices would be in Istanbul to be delivered to Lebanon two days after the attacks, Turkish intelligence agents launched an operation. The newspaper said that authorities discovered a shipment that arrived in Istanbul from Hong Kong one day before the Lebanon explosions. The cargo had 61 boxes and was scheduled to depart from Istanbul to Beirut on Sept. 27 through Istanbul Airport. The cargo was described as a shipment of food choppers, Daily Sabah said. Inside, authorities found 1,300 Gold Apollo brand pagers and 710 desktop chargers. After the pagers attack, Israel expanded the war against Hezbollah with strikes that killed nearly 500 people on Sept. 23, forcing hundreds of thousands to flee their homes. On Sept. 27, Israeli airstrikes on a southern suburb of Beirut killed Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah's leader and one of its founding members, in the biggest blow for the Iran-backed group. The war ended on November. 27, when a US-brokered ceasefire went into effect.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Turkey thwarted another attack with pagers in Lebanon last year, officials say
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey's intelligence service thwarted a remote attack using pagers last year in Lebanon, days after similar attacks by Israel killed dozens and wounded thousands, including members of Lebanon's Hezbollah group, a Turkish daily and officials said Tuesday. Daily Sabah reported that 1,300 pagers and 710 chargers rigged with explosives were confiscated inside a cargo shipment at Istanbul Airport that was on its way to Beirut from Hong Kong. A Turkish security official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, confirmed the report but would not provide further details. In Beirut, Hezbollah's chief spokesman Youssef el-Zein told The Associated Press Tuesday that days after the Sept. 17 pagers attack in Lebanon and Syria, Hezbollah informed Turkish intelligence that a shipment of pagers was in Turkey and about to be sent to Lebanon. El-Zein said Turkish authorities confiscated the pagers and most likely destroyed them. He had no further details. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report. Israel triggered the Sept. 17 attack when pagers all over Lebanon started beeping. The devices exploded even if a person carrying one failed to push buttons to read an incoming encrypted message. The next day, Israel activated walkie-talkies, some of which exploded at funerals for some of the people who were killed in the pager attacks. The attacks marked a major escalation in the Israel-Hezbollah war that started after Hamas launched its attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, triggering the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip. Although the Lebanon attack struck many Hezbollah members, civilians were also killed or wounded. At least 37 people were killed, including two children, and some 3,000 were wounded in the two-day explosions. Daily Sabah said that acting on a tip that a shipment of pager devices would be in Istanbul to be delivered to Lebanon two days after the attacks, Turkish intelligence agents launched an operation. The newspaper said that authorities discovered a shipment that arrived in Istanbul from Hong Kong one day before the Lebanon explosions. The cargo had 61 boxes and was scheduled to depart from Istanbul to Beirut on Sept. 27 through Istanbul Airport. The cargo was described as a shipment of food choppers, Daily Sabah said. Inside, authorities found 1,300 Gold Apollo brand pagers and 710 desktop chargers. After the pagers attack, Israel expanded the war against Hezbollah with strikes that killed nearly 500 people on Sept. 23, forcing hundreds of thousands to flee their homes. On Sept. 27, Israeli airstrikes on a southern suburb of Beirut killed Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah's leader and one of its founding members, in the biggest blow for the Iran-backed group. The war ended on Nov. 27, when a U.S.-brokered ceasefire went into effect. ____ Mroue reported from Beirut.
The Hill
06-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Turkey thwarted another attack with pagers in Lebanon last year, officials say
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey's intelligence service thwarted a remote attack using pagers last year in Lebanon, days after similar attacks by Israel killed dozens and wounded thousands, including members of Lebanon's Hezbollah group, a Turkish daily and officials said Tuesday. Daily Sabah reported that 1,300 pagers and 710 chargers rigged with explosives were confiscated inside a cargo shipment at Istanbul Airport that was on its way to Beirut from Hong Kong. A Turkish security official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, confirmed the report but would not provide further details. In Beirut, Hezbollah's chief spokesman Youssef el-Zein told The Associated Press Tuesday that days after the Sept. 17 pagers attack in Lebanon and Syria, Hezbollah informed Turkish intelligence that a shipment of pagers was in Turkey and about to be sent to Lebanon. El-Zein said Turkish authorities confiscated the pagers and most likely destroyed them. He had no further details. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report. Israel triggered the Sept. 17 attack when pagers all over Lebanon started beeping. The devices exploded even if a person carrying one failed to push buttons to read an incoming encrypted message. The next day, Israel activated walkie-talkies, some of which exploded at funerals for some of the people who were killed in the pager attacks. The attacks marked a major escalation in the Israel-Hezbollah war that started after Hamas launched its attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, triggering the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip. Although the Lebanon attack struck many Hezbollah members, civilians were also killed or wounded. At least 37 people were killed, including two children, and some 3,000 were wounded in the two-day explosions. Daily Sabah said that acting on a tip that a shipment of pager devices would be in Istanbul to be delivered to Lebanon two days after the attacks, Turkish intelligence agents launched an operation. The newspaper said that authorities discovered a shipment that arrived in Istanbul from Hong Kong one day before the Lebanon explosions. The cargo had 61 boxes and was scheduled to depart from Istanbul to Beirut on Sept. 27 through Istanbul Airport. The cargo was described as a shipment of food choppers, Daily Sabah said. Inside, authorities found 1,300 Gold Apollo brand pagers and 710 desktop chargers. After the pagers attack, Israel expanded the war against Hezbollah with strikes that killed nearly 500 people on Sept. 23, forcing hundreds of thousands to flee their homes. On Sept. 27, Israeli airstrikes on a southern suburb of Beirut killed Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah's leader and one of its founding members, in the biggest blow for the Iran-backed group. The war ended on Nov. 27, when a U.S.-brokered ceasefire went into effect.
LBCI
02-04-2025
- Politics
- LBCI
Lebanon's Environment Minister participates in global dialogue on science diplomacy at UNESCO
Environment Minister Tamara El-Zein participated in the "Global Ministerial Dialogue on Science Diplomacy," held at UNESCO headquarters in Paris at the organization's invitation. Ministers, delegation heads, and representatives from various UNESCO member states attended the conference. The event aimed to promote international discussions on a new approach to science diplomacy that aligns with the needs of modern societies. The discussion focused on strengthening the role of science diplomacy as a strategic tool to ensure the sustainable and transparent management of natural and scientific resources on a global scale. Particular emphasis was placed on addressing shared challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, emerging diseases, and critical issues related to food, water, and energy. On the sidelines of the event, El-Zein met with UNESCO officials and Lebanon's Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, Ambassador Mustapha Adib, to seek support for projects to preserve natural heritage, particularly nature reserves and UNESCO-listed sites.
