Chris Knayzeh was in a town overlooking Lebanon's capital when he heard the rumbling aftershock of the 2020 Beirut port blast. Hundreds of tons of haphazardly stored ammonium nitrates had exploded, killing and injuring thousands of people.
Already struggling with the country's economic collapse, the sight of the gigantic mushroom cloud unleashed by the blast was the last straw. Like many other Lebanese, he quit his job and booked a one-way ticket out of Lebanon.
Knayzeh was in Lebanon visiting when news broke Tuesday that hundreds of handheld pagers had exploded across the country, killing 12, injuring thousands and setting off fires. Israel, local news reports said, was targeting the devices of the militant Hezbollah group . Stuck in Beirut traffic, Knayzeh started panicking that drivers around him could potentially be carrying devices that would explode.
Within minutes, hospitals were flooded with patients, bringing back painful reminders of the port blast four years ago that killed more than 200 people and injured more than 6,000, leaving enduring mental and psychological scars for those who lived through it.
In total, the explosions of pagers and walkie-talkies over two days killed at least 37 people and injured more than 3,000. Israel is widely believed to be behind the blasts, although it has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility.
