Islamic State Claims Responsibility for Beirut Explosions

Two suicide bombings shook the Burj al-Barajneh neighborhood in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon's capital, on Thursday evening, November 21. The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for these explosions, which left dozens dead. Wael Abu Faour, Lebanon's Minister of Health, stated in an interview with local media that at least 43 people were killed and 239 injured, emphasizing that due to the critical condition of some of the injured, the death toll could rise. Earlier, the Lebanese Red Cross and the Ministry of Interior, led by Minister Nohad Machnouk, reported 37 dead and over 181 injured. Hezbollah confirmed the occurrence of the two explosions in a statement, adding that the two suicide bombers were wearing explosive vests. Hezbollah also stated that the 'long battle' between this group and 'terrorists' would continue. How did the explosions occur? Initially, two suicide bombers were reported, but the Lebanese Army later announced the existence of a third bomber who was killed in the second explosion before he could detonate his bombs. Images of this suicide attacker were also released in the media. Some local television stations, including Al-Jadeed, reported the arrest of another suicide bomber and published images regarding this, although this information has not yet been confirmed by official sources. According to Lebanese media reports, the suicide attackers reached the explosion site on foot. The first attacker detonated himself in front of shops where people were passing by, and minutes later, after a crowd gathered to assist the injured, the second bomber detonated his vest in front of the 'Imam Hussein Mosque.' The Burj al-Barajneh area, where the suicide bombings occurred, is a low-cost and therefore very crowded region. The narrow streets in this neighborhood are filled with people, which justifies the high number of casualties. It appears that the planning for these attacks was precise and long-term. These explosions occurred after months of calm in the Dahiyeh area. Following a series of suicide attacks and explosions that targeted the southern suburbs of Beirut last year, military checkpoints were established by both the Lebanese Army and Hezbollah in this area, and since then, all vehicles entering and exiting have been inspected. The Islamic State group (ISIS) claimed responsibility for these explosions in a statement posted on its Twitter account, describing it as a 'Ghazwa.' This statement named three suicide attackers, two of whom are Palestinian and the third Syrian. ISIS stated that the first explosion was carried out by a motorcycle and the second by an explosive vest. Hezbollah forces are participating in the Syrian wars in defense of the regime of Bashar al-Assad, the president of that country, which has led Hezbollah-controlled areas to become targets of retaliatory attacks. The political deputy secretary-general of Hezbollah, present at the explosion site, described the aim of the attack as 'humanity' and said, 'Now we must unite behind the resistance, the army, and the security organizations.' Various Lebanese political groups and figures condemned these explosions and emphasized the need for Lebanese unity. The U.S. Embassy in Lebanon also condemned these suicide attacks, describing them as a 'vile' act and extending condolences to the victims' families.