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☆ Video: Hear how civilians are reacting to strike on Beirut
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-21 | by ( John Branch | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: 1 min

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BEIRUT — An eye doctor in Lebanon said he has treated some 40 to 50 people with serious injuries, including some who lost both eyes, after a wave of communication device explosions targeted members of the militant group Hezbollah this week, killing dozens. “We’ve never seen that much cases of patients and casualties that have been losing their eyes because of explosions,” Dr. Elias Warrak told NBC News. Warrak said he has been running between several different hospitals to tend to the injured. “This is the first time that I had to take out that much eyes in a couple of days,” he said. “As a human being, definitely, it is devastating.

Persons: “ We’ve, Dr, Elias Warrak, “, Ziad Jaber, Warrak, neurosurgeons, Yoav Gallant, Israel, Hassan Nasrallah, ” Organizations: NBC News, Hezbollah, NBC, Israel Locations: BEIRUT, Lebanon, Israel, Beirut

Hussein Malla / AP“We have examples where supply chains were compromised in very elaborate, long lasting, super sophisticated ways for espionage. This may be the first supply chain attack that actually really deserves to be called a supply chain attack,” said Thomas Rid, a Johns Hopkins University professor who studies the history of intelligence operations. “Supply chain compromises are tried and true in intelligence work,” said Harding, who is the director of the Intelligence, National Security, and Technology Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “I literally cannot think of a single example that is unclassified.”But she said the combined scope, planning and violence behind the pager and walkie-talkie operation made it a unique incident in the history of supply chain compromises. While the attack in Lebanon broke with spy agencies’ tradition by using a supply chain for an attack rather than for espionage, it could benefit Israel’s military objectives and have larger political implications.

Persons: It’s, Hussein Malla, ”, Thomas, Israel, Icom, pagers, Emily Harding, Harding, “, Edward Snowden, There’s, Fidel Castro, Yahya Ayyash, it’s Organizations: NBC News, Johns Hopkins University, Lebanon’s Telecommunications Ministry, New York Times, CIA, U.S . National Security Council, Intelligence, National Security, Technology, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Crypto, Washington Post, ZDF, National Security Agency, NSA, FBI, Australian Federal Police Locations: Israel, Beirut, Swiss, Cuban, Lebanon

☆ Wigs, robotic guns and exploding pagers: Israel has a long history of hunting down its enemies
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-20 | by ( Dan De Luce | Dan De Luce Is A Reporter For The Nbc News Investigative Unit. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

Over the years, Israel has viewed “targeted killings” as a way to deter attacks on the county, fuel fear among its enemies and exact revenge. Iran’s nuclear program is closer to building a bomb than ever, even after several nuclear scientists were killed, he said. But the Mossad operation dismayed Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion, who demanded the resignation of the spy service’s chief. Almost four decades later, Israel killed a major Hamas official, Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, in a Dubai hotel in a complex plot involving more than two dozen Mossad operatives. In an echo of this week’s attacks in Lebanon, Israel killed a Hamas bombmaker, Yahya Ayyash, in 1996 with a cellphone outfitted with explosives.

Persons: ”, Bruce Riedel, Adolf Eichmann, Eichmann, David Ben, Gurion, God —, Russell Mcphedran, Ehud Barak, Ahmed Bouchikhi, Ali Hassan Salameh, Yasser Arafat, Bouchikhi, Israel, Mahmoud al, Mabhouh, Mohammed Salem, Ahmed Jibril, Ronen Bergman, Jibril, Yahya Ayyash, Ayyash, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, Fakhrizadeh, Ismail Haniyeh, David Barnea, Israel “, ” Barnea Organizations: Lebanese, CIA, Argentine, Nazi, Damocles, Palestinian, Fairfax Media, Getty, Palestine Liberation Organization, Hamas, New York Times Locations: Israel, British, Nazi, Argentina, Egypt, Munich, Beirut, Moroccan, Norwegian, Lillehammer, Europe, Dubai, Gaza, Israeli, Lebanon, U.S, Iran’s, Absad, Tehran, Syria, Iran, Mossad’s

☆ Israel unleashes new strikes on Lebanon as Hezbollah vows revenge for device blasts
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-20 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Yuliya-Talmazan-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Yuliya Talmazan | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

The Middle East was on edge Friday as Israel unleashed new strikes on Lebanon and Hezbollah's leader vowed revenge for attacks targeting its communication devices that killed dozens of people and left thousands injured across the country. The strikes on southern Lebanon continued early Friday, Lebanese state news agency and Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV channel said. Smoke and fire rise from the site of an Israeli strike on the southern Lebanese border village of Mahmoudiyeh late Thursday. The attacks sowed fear and chaos across the nation, overwhelming hospitals and making people fearful of using any electronic devices. He accused Israel of an act of war against Lebanon, but stopped short of specifying how or when his group would retaliate.

Persons: Israel, Hezbollah's, Rabih Daher, Hassan Nasrallah, ” Nasrallah Organizations: Getty, Hezbollah Locations: Lebanon, Iran, Gaza, Lebanese, Mahmoudiyeh, AFP, Beirut

☆ How pagers turned into explosive devices in Lebanon
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-20 | by ( Bruna Horvath | Bruna Horvath Is An Intern On Nbc News' Tech Team. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

Pagers, devices that are used every day as a crucial form of communication for health care professionals, became a deadly weapon Tuesday as thousands of them simultaneously exploded in Lebanon, killing 37 people and injuring thousands. The explosions targeted the militant and political group Hezbollah, after the devices had reportedly begun beeping and heating up. Pagers are wireless communication devices that receive radio signals from short- or long-range paging networks. The pagers that exploded in Lebanon were made to appear as if they were Gold Apollo’s AR-924 pagers, but The New York Times reported that they were actually created by Israeli intelligence workers. Following the explosions on Tuesday, Hezbollah told Al Jazeera that the “treacherous and criminal enemy will certainly be punished for this aggressive act.”How did the pagers explode?

Persons: Al Jazeera, ” Israel, Mohamed Azakir, Amer Al Sabaileh, Matthew Pines, ” “, John Brennan, ” Brennan, Muhammad Mahdi, Firas Abiad, Mojtaba Amani Organizations: Hezbollah, New York Times, Consulting KFT, Consulting, NBC News, ”, American University of, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Strategic Advisory, CIA, National News Agency, Lebanese, Cross, American University of Beirut Medical Locations: Lebanon, Israel, Hungarian, Hungary, American University of Beirut, Syria

☆ Video shows aftermath of Israel’s strike in Beirut
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-20 | by ( Caroline Baxendale | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: 1 min

He accused Aqil and the commanders of planning to raid and occupy communities in Galilee in northern Israel. A photo taken in southern Beirut shows the remains of an exploded pager on Tuesday. Friday’s airstrike was the third Israeli airstrike on Beirut since hostilities began last year, after Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel. In January, an Israeli airstrike killed Saleh Al-Arouri, deputy head of Hamas’ military wing, who had been living in Beirut. In July, a second Israeli strike on Beirut killed Hezbollah’s most senior military official, Fu’ad Shukr.

Persons: Lebanon CNN —, Ibrahim Aqil, Daniel Hagari, Aqil, Hagari, Witnesses, Friday’s, Hassan Nasrallah, Yoav Gallant, Shin, Gallant, Nasrallah, Israel, Saleh Al, Arouri, Hezbollah’s, Fu’ad Shukr, Benjamin Netanyahu’s Organizations: Lebanon CNN, Radwan Force, Israel Defense Forces, CNN, West Bank, Getty, Israel, US State Department, REUTERS, Hamas, CNN’s Locations: Beirut, Lebanon, Galilee, Israel, United States, Gaza, AFP

☆ Middle East on the precipice after Hezbollah leader vows retribution and Israel launches strikes. Here’s what we know
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-20 | by ( Helen Regan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

In a speech Thursday, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah condemned the twin attacks, calling them “massacres” that “crossed all the red lines” because the devices exploded in public areas, with civilians among those harmed. Though Hezbollah “suffered a major blow,” a “reckoning will come,” he added, and vowed the attacks would not bring the group down. The Hezbollah chief also warned Israel that fighting on the Lebanese front will not stop until hostilities end in Gaza. Hours later, Israel launched a barrage of strikes in Lebanon, saying it hit about 100 Hezbollah rocket launchers and “terrorist infrastructure sites.”Meanwhile, Hezbollah said it launched at least 17 attacks on military sites in northern Israel. For months, the international community has been trying to de-escalate tensions between Israel and Hezbollah.

Persons: CNN — Israel, Israel’s, Hassan Nasrallah, “, Israel, Nasrallah, –, Hossein, Israel “, Ismail Haniyeh Organizations: CNN, Hamas, Hezbollah, United Nations Security, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, UN Security Locations: Lebanon, Israel, Gaza, Iran, Lebanese, Beirut, Tehran, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Argentina, India, Georgia, Thailand, United States

☆ Doctors overwhelmed by blast injuries as civilian impact of device explosions sparks outcry
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-19 | by ( Charlene Gubash | Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Yuliya-Talmazan-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

BEIRUT — Hospitals in Lebanon are packed with people whose hands and eyes have been dealt serious injuries. The streets of Beirut appeared largely back to normal Thursday, but people NBC News spoke with expressed fear and concern. Relatives mourn 9-year-old Fatima Abdallah, who was killed after hundreds of pagers exploded in a deadly wave across Lebanon. He went on to call it an act of war against Lebanon, but did not specify how or when Hezbollah would retaliate. Although designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. and Israel, Hezbollah is also a political party in Lebanon, embedded in the country’s civilian structures.

Persons: Israel, Fatima Abdallah, Hassan Nasrallah, ”, Salah Zeineldine, Elias Jrade, Jrade, John Brennan, NBC’s, Lama Fakih, Marwan Naamani, ” Fakih, Fakih, Anwar, Volker Türk, Charlene Gubash, Yuliya Talmazan, Shira Pinson Organizations: Hezbollah, NBC, Getty, CIA, NBC News, American University of, American University of Beirut Medical Center, AFP, U.S, United, Human Rights, American University, Anwar Amro, United Nations Locations: BEIRUT, Lebanon, Beirut, AFP, American University of Beirut, WhatsApp, Israel, United Nations, East, North Africa, there’s, Beirut district, London, Tel Aviv

The blasts that rocked Lebanon for a second day reached the doors of a walkie-talkie maker in Japan on Thursday, as Israel’s declaration of a “new phase” to the conflict raised fears of all-out war. As the world urged against further escalation after months of devastating war with Hamas in Gaza, Israel indicated its focus had shifted to its northern border with Lebanon. “We are at the start of a new phase in the war — it requires courage, determination and perseverance on our part,” he said. In northern Israel, at least eight people were injured by anti-tank fire from across the Lebanon border, health authorities said early Thursday. While Israel has not taken responsibility for the attacks, the militant group and Lebanese officials also pinned the blame on Israel.

Persons: pagers, Hassan Nasrallah, Yoav Gallant, ”, Gallant, Defense Lloyd Austin, Israel, Abdallah Rashid Bouhabib, NNA, Icom, Kazuhiro Nogi, ” Yoshiki Enomoto, Enomoto, didn't, ” Icom, Cristiana, Gold, Arcidiacono Organizations: ”, Defense, NBC News, . Security, Lebanese Telecommunications Ministry, Getty, Reuters, Icom, NBC, Consulting, Taiwanese Ministry of Economic Affairs Locations: Lebanon, Japan, Iran, Gaza, Israel, U.S, New York, Taiwan, Bulgaria, Beirut, Osaka, Tokyo, AFP, East

A photo taken on September 18, 2024, in Beirut's southern suburbs shows the remains of exploded pagers on display at an undisclosed location. “The design and manufacturing of the products are solely the responsibility of BAC,” Gold Apollo said. The allegations raise further questions as to who manufactured the devices and just how they made their way into Hezbollah’s pockets. Hungarian authorities denied Gold Apollo’s suggestion, saying that the Budapest-registered company “is a trading intermediary” with no manufacturing sites in the country. CNN has attempted to reach BAC at the address listed for its office, located in a residential area of Budapest.

Persons: Hsu Ching, kuang, Hsu, Gold, International Communication Zoltan Kovacs, Kovacs, ” Organizations: Getty, Consulting, ”, International Communication, CNN Locations: Beirut's, AFP, Lebanon, Budapest, Hungarian, Hungary, ” Hungary’s

☆ See the moment Israeli jets fly over Beirut while CNN reporter is on air
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-19 | by ( Augusta Anthony | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: 1 min

☆ Lebanon attacks: What we know about the pager and walkie-talkie explosions
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-19 | by ( Jessie Yeung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —Lebanon is reeling after facing deadly back-to-back attacks targeting Hezbollah members – with pagers simultaneously exploding across the country on Tuesday, then walkie-talkies detonating in a similar fashion on Wednesday. At least 22 people, including children, have died so far from the two attacks, which Lebanese officials have blamed on Israel. Firefighters put out flames and a crowd gathers after a reported explosion in Saida, Lebanon, on September 18, 2024. How have Hezbollah, Israel and the world responded? It appears US officials were largely in the dark until reports emerged of the explosions, according to three sources familiar with the matter.

Persons: pagers, Mahmoud Zayat, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, Mohamed Azakir, ICOM, “, Abdallah Bou Habib, Yoav Gallant, ” Gallant, ” Organizations: CNN, pagers, Firefighters, Getty, Hamas, American University of, American University of Beirut Medical Center, The New York Times, NBC News, Lebanon’s, United Nations Security Council, Israeli, UN, ”, Human Rights Watch Locations: Lebanon, Israel, Beirut, Iran, Saida, AFP, Gaza, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Israeli, American University of Beirut, Asia, Europe, Hungarian, Budapest, United States

☆ Analysis: Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s speech shows signs of a group driven deeper underground
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-19 | by ( Tamara Qiblawi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The second sign was that Nasrallah’s address – his first since two waves of attacks detonated thousands of Hezbollah wireless devices earlier this week – was very possibly pre-recorded. The leader of the powerful militant group has not delivered a speech in person since the start of Lebanon’s last all-out war with Israel in 2006. In his speech last month, for example, Nasrallah referenced two sonic booms caused by Israeli jets that had broken the sound barrier over Beirut. The roar reverberated throughout the city yet the Beirut-based militant leader neither flinched nor referenced the incident during his speech. Israel’s fighter jets seemed intent to underscore the gains of Tuesday and Wednesday’s attacks on Hezbollah’s wireless devices: the group had been driven deeper underground.

Persons: –, Hassan Nasrallah, Nasrallah, ”, Mohamed Azakir, Reuters Nasrallah, “ We’ve, “, group’s Organizations: Beirut CNN, ”, American University of, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Reuters, of Locations: Beirut, Israel, Lebanon, American University of Beirut, Gaza

☆ Walkie-talkie firm probes link to 2nd wave of Lebanon blasts as Israel declares ‘new phase’ of war
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-19 | by ( Mithil Aggarwal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The Israeli military said it had struck Hezbollah infrastructure and a weapons storage facility in southern Lebanon in overnight airstrikes. Israeli artillery also struck several areas in southern Lebanon, the IDF said in a statement. In northern Israel, at least eight people were injured by anti-tank fire from across the Lebanon border, health authorities said early Thursday. While Israel has not taken responsibility for the attacks, the militant group and Lebanese officials also pinned the blame on Israel. Whether original Gold Apollo products were tampered with, or entirely fake ones manufactured, was still being investigated, a spokesperson for the Taiwanese Economic Affairs Ministry told NBC News.

Persons: Hassan Nasrallah, Yoav Gallant, Gallant, Lloyd Austin, Israel, Abdallah Rashid Bouhabib, NNA, Icom, Yoshiki Enomoto, Enomoto, didn't, Cristiana, Gold, Arcidiacono Organizations: Hamas, Israeli, NBC News, United Nations Security Council, Lebanese Telecommunications Ministry, Reuters, Icom, NBC, Consulting, Taiwanese Economic Affairs Ministry Locations: Beirut's, Lebanon, Japan, Iran, Gaza, Israel, U.S, New York, Taiwan, Bulgaria, Beirut, Osaka, East

☆ Why did Israel blow up hundreds of Hezbollah pagers — and what might happen next?
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Yuliya-Talmazan-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Yuliya Talmazan | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

A region fearing all-out war may have been taken to the brink by a legion of pagers. Israel has not claimed responsibility for the operation, but Hezbollah laid the blame squarely on its adversary, and two U.S. officials told NBC News that Israel was behind the attack. It follows months of tensions between Hezbollah and Israel since Hamas’ Oct. 7 terror attacks and Israel’s assault on the Gaza Strip. Israel announced a new war objective late Monday — the safe return of residents displaced from their homes by months of fighting with Hezbollah across the northern border with Lebanon. Israel could benefit on several different levels from such a massive and shocking operation, Horowitz said.

Persons: Israel, Yoav Gallant, ” Michael Horowitz, Horowitz, ”, —, ” Horowitz, Mohanad Hage Ali, Malcolm H, ” Hage Ali said, What’s, “, Masoud Pezeshkian, ” Hage Ali, Ori Gordin, Washington, Ben Rhodes, Barack Obama, ” Rhodes Organizations: Hezbollah, NBC News, NBC, Israeli, U.S, Le Beck, Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center, Kremlin, Israel Defense Forces ’ Northern Command, BBC Locations: Lebanon, Beirut, Israel, Russia, Jordan, Gaza, Iran, Israeli, U.S, doesn’t

More device explosions were reported across Lebanon on Wednesday, a day after pagers belonging to Hezbollah members detonated across the country, killing at least 12 people and injuring nearly 3,000, state media reported. According to Lebanon's National News Agency, or NNA, "a number" of wounded people had been taken to hospitals in the southern suburbs of Beirut after their wireless pagers exploded. At least three people were killed in device explosions Wednesday, NNA reported. Al-Manar, a Hezbollah-affiliated news agency, reported that wireless devices exploded in people’s hands across the country. The Associated Press reported that its own journalists were in Beirut at a funeral for four people killed by exploding pagers the day before when they heard "multiple explosions at the site."

Persons: NNA, Israel, Firas Abiad Organizations: Lebanon's National News Agency, Associated Press, Public, National News Agency Locations: Lebanon, Beirut, Israel

Images of the destroyed pagers showed that they bore stickers from Taiwan-based Gold Apollo, Reuters reported. In a statement, Gold Apollo identified the other company as the Hungary-based BAC. Reached by phone on Wednesday, a spokesperson for Gold Apollo declined to comment further, citing the ongoing investigation. The explosions on Tuesday come amid rising concern that tensions between Israel and Lebanon could spiral into all-out war. Hsu of Gold Apollo said he also felt he had been victimized and was considering filing a lawsuit.

Persons: Hsu Ching, kuang, ” Hsu, ”, “, Mohamed Azakir, Jeanine Hennis, Matthew Miller, Muhammad Mahdi, Ali Ammar, Hsu, Gold Apollo Organizations: Reuters, of Economic Affairs, NBC News, Hamas, . Security, American University of, American University of Beirut Medical Center, U.S . Locations: HONG KONG, Taiwan, Lebanon, Iran, Israel, Europe, New Taipei, Hungary, Beijing, United States, Gaza, Israeli, American University of Beirut, U.S

Most of the injuries were to the face, abdomen, hands, and eyes, he said, according to NNA. Footage from inside one of the hospitals showed chaotic scenes with staff attending to dozens of men bandaged and bleeding. Abiad visited several hospitals in the capital, Beirut, on Tuesday evening and then again on Wednesday morning, NNA reported. The American University of Beirut Medical Center said it had received more than 190 patients and was operating at full capacity. AUBMC added that its paging system had been upgraded in April 2024 and began operating on August 29, 2024.

Persons: Firass Abiad, Abiad, NNA, ” AUBMC, Pagers, AUBMC Organizations: Public, NNA, Healthy Ministry, American University of, American University of Beirut Medical Center Locations: Lebanon, Beirut, American University of Beirut

☆ Taiwan manufacturer rejects links to Lebanon's exploding pager attacks, names Hungarian firm
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Taiwanese pager manufacturer Gold Apollo rejected reports that it produced the devices at the center of deadly attacks in Lebanon that killed at least 12 people and injured nearly 3,000 others. Thousands of pagers used by Hezbollah members around Lebanon simultaneously exploded on Tuesday evening, sending local emergency services into overdrive as hospitals filled up with wounded patients. Hezbollah called the act an "Israeli aggression"; Israel, meanwhile, has not commented on the blasts. Tens of thousands of people in both Lebanon and Israel have been evacuated from their homes. Hezbollah's leadership has previously said it does not seek a wider war, but would fight if provoked by Israel.

Persons: Hsu Ching, kuang, Gold Apollo, Mojtaba Amani, Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, — Organizations: Reuters, Consulting, CNBC, Lebanese, Palestinian, Hamas Locations: Beirut's, Lebanon, New Taipei, Budapest, Hungary, Iran, Israel, Gaza, Israel's

☆ Hezbollah hand-held radios detonate across Lebanon, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The hand-held radios were purchased by Hezbollah five months ago, around the same time that the pagers were bought, said a security source. The two sides have been engaged in cross-border warfare since the Gaza conflict erupted last October, fuelling fears of a wider Middle East conflict that could drag in the United States and Iran. But given the scale, the impact on families, on civilians, there will be pressure for a stronger response," said Mohanad Hage Ali of the Carnegie Middle East Center. One Hezbollah official said the detonation was the group's "biggest security breach" in its history. It followed a series of assassinations of Hezbollah and Hamas commanders and leaders blamed on Israel since the start of the Gaza war.

Persons: Tuesday's detonations, Firass Abiad, Tuesday's, Gold Apollo, Israel, Ayman Safadi, Mohanad Hage Ali Organizations: American University of, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Hezbollah, Reuters, Lebanese Health, Israel, Jordan's, Carnegie Middle East Center Locations: American University of Beirut, Lebanon, Israel, Lebanon's, Beirut's, Iran, Lebanese, Beirut, Hungary's, Budapest, Gaza, United States

☆ Israel planted explosives in Hezbollah's Taiwan-made pagers, Reuters reports
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The senior Lebanese security source said the group had ordered 5,000 beepers made by Taiwan-based Gold Apollo, which several sources say were brought into the country earlier this year. Israel's Mossad spy agency planted a small amount of explosives inside 5,000 Taiwan-made pagers ordered by Lebanese group Hezbollah months before Tuesday's detonations, a senior Lebanese security source and another source told Reuters. But the senior Lebanese source said the devices had been modified by Israel's spy service "at the production level." Another security source told Reuters that up to three grams of explosives were hidden in the new pagers and had gone "undetected" by Hezbollah for months. "We really got hit hard," said the senior Lebanese security source, who has direct knowledge of the group's probe into the explosions.

Persons: Israel, Tuesday's detonations, Gold, pagers, Jonathan Panikoff, government's, General Hassan Nasrallah Organizations: Hezbollah, Reuters Locations: Beirut, Lebanon, Israel, Taiwan, Iran, Lebanese, Taipei, Gaza, U.S

☆ Oil prices steady, with investors focusing on Fed decision
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Oil prices steadied on Wednesday, after rising in the previous two sessions, as investors await the U.S. Federal Reserve's anticipated interest rate cut, with the potential for more violence in the Middle East supporting the market. "Markets have calmed down as concerns over hurricane damage and escalating tensions in the Middle East have been factored in," said Mitsuru Muraishi, an analyst at Fujitomi Securities. "Now, investors are focusing on the Fed's rate cuts which could revitalize U.S. fuel demand and weaken the dollar," he said, predicting that oil prices are likely to maintain a bullish tone after Brent hit its lowest since 2021 last week. Traders kept bets the Fed will start an expected series of interest rate cuts with a half-percentage-point move downward on Wednesday, an expectation that may itself put pressure on central bankers to deliver just that. Oil stockpiles rose by 1.96 million barrels in the week ended Sept. 13, according to market sources citing the API figures, but gasoline and distillate stocks both rose by about 2.3 million barrels.

Persons: Hurricane Francine, Mitsuru Muraishi, Brent, Biden Organizations: U.S, U.S . Federal, Brent, Fujitomi Securities, Traders, Strategic Petroleum Reserve, American Petroleum Institute, Reuters, U.S . Energy Locations: U.S ., U.S, Israel, Lebanon, Beirut

Hezbollah fighters at the funeral of a commander in August, in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon. By 2000, Israel had withdrawn from Lebanon, making Hezbollah a hero to many Lebanese. In that war, Israel rained bombs on southern Lebanon and Beirut, the capital; the fighting killed more than 1,000 Lebanese. Even some of Hezbollah’s traditionally loyal Shiite Muslim constituents in southern Lebanon are questioning the price of the current fighting. Estimates vary about just how many missiles Hezbollah has and just how sophisticated its systems are.

Persons: Israel hasn’t, Israel, Hassan Nasrallah, Nasrallah, Diego Ibarra Sánchez, Bashar al, Assad, Euan Ward Organizations: Hezbollah, Hamas, Palestine Liberation Organization, Credit, The New York Times, Central Intelligence Locations: Beirut, Lebanon, Gaza, Israel, Iran, Lebanese, United States, Syria

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