Death toll rises to 37 following back-to-back explosions in Lebanon

The death toll has risen to 37 after a series of explosions involving various communication devices in Lebanon, according to the Lebanese health ministry.

At a press conference in the capital Beirut, Health Minister Firas Abiad said that about 3,000 people were injured in the blasts.

Hundreds of pagers used by the Hezbollah militia simultaneously exploded on Tuesday, a second wave of communication devices - this time walkie-talkies - blew up on Wednesday.

The walkie-talkie devices are significantly larger than pagers, Abiad said. "That explains why we had more serious injuries on Wednesday,” he said.

Israel has not publicly admitted responsibility, but the country is widely assumed to be behind the coordinated blasts and Hezbollah has vowed retaliation.

It was previously said that around 2,800 people were injured on Tuesday alone.

The number was corrected by the Ministry of Health “after thorough investigations,” the minister added.

Some of the wounded were transferred to more than one hospital before being treated, therefore there were duplications, Abiad said.

The number of injured on Tuesday was 2,323, the minister said.

Most of the dead and injured were Hezbollah members and their families, hospital sources said.

Lebanese sources have said that the militia group had been badly hit.