'Sonic boom' heard over Beirut as Israeli jets fly low over the Lebanese capital during Hezbollah leader's speech
19 September 2024, 17:20
A dramatic 'sonic boom' has been heard over the city of Beirut after Israeli jets were spotted flying low over the Lebanese capital.
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The loud blast coincided with a Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah's speech on Thursday, in which the leader warned that "the resistance in Lebanon will not stop" until the war in Gaza ends.
The sound, believed to be Israeli jets breaking the sound barrier over the city, coincided with Nasrallah's public address, as the world's media watched on.
It comes as the leader condemned two waves of attacks on Hezbollah devices that have so far killed 37.
The sound was so loud, birds could be seen flying from trees in panic.
The attacks, which have so far been blamed on Israel, were labelled "very impressive" by the country who has not taken responsibility for the blasts.
Tuesday's pager explosions killed 12 people and injured nearly 3,000 more after it's believed explosives were implanted in the devices during production, according to reports.
The second wave of blasts rippled across Lebanon on Wednesday evening, with the death toll currently standing at 25, Firass Abiad said.
608 were injured in the second attack, after walkie-talkies used by the militant group exploded across the country.
The noise took place during live media broadcasts in the area, with Sky correspondant, John Sparks, noting: "I just heard a loud blast from somewhere behind me, I can hear airplanes".
Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said yesterday: ‘We are at the start of a new phase in the war — it requires courage, determination and perseverance.’
Read more: Why did the Hezbollah pagers explode and was Israel behind the deadly attack?
The head of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, said earlier in his first public address that the group vowed to retaliate against Israel amid fears of a full-scale war.
Footage shared on social media showed pagers blowing up in people's pockets in supermarkets.Lebanon blamed Israel, who declined to comment.
The two have been trading blows for months against the backdrop of the war in Gaza, and have a history of conflict stretching back decades.
