 "Several people gather outside a hospital after the arrival of men injured in pager explosions in Lebanon.AP")
Lebanon has been rocked by two days of device attacks. On Tuesday, pagers detonated across the country; on Wednesday, walkie-talkies started blowing up.
At least 32 have been killed and thousands injured because of the exploding devices, largely used by Hezbollah fighters. Although no one has taken responsibility for the attacks, the militant group has accused Israel and vowed retaliation against what it labels the “biggest security breach” it has faced.
These attacks have raised concerns that the long-standing tension between Hezbollah and Israel could escalate into a full-scale war. Meanwhile, the United States has urged all parties in West Asia to avoid further escalation, and the UN Security Council is set to discuss the explosions on Friday.
The ongoing strife between Hezbollah and Israel has been escalating since the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October. Like Hamas, Hezbollah is part of the Axis of Resistance, a coalition of Iran-backed extremist groups.
With West Asia once again staring at the possibility of a wider conflict, we take a look at the origins of Hezbollah and their fight with Israel.