Foreign Secretary DAVID LAMMY on Hezbollah devices attack

Foreign Secretary David Lammy has warned that a wider Middle East conflict would have 'very big global consequences' speaking on Mail's new podcast 90 Seconds to Midnight.

Lebanese civilians are living in terror after thousands of pagers and walkie-talkies belonging to Hezbollah fighters exploded, with fears the 'technological war' could be a precursor to a full-scale conflict.

Thousands were left with horrific injuries to their eyes, faces and hands, while dozens lost their lives in the two waves of clandestine attacks.

Israel is widely believed to have orchestrated the blasts, and while it has not claimed responsibility, Hezbollah and its backers Iran have condemned their arch-foe for carrying out 'mass murder' and have vowed to exact revenge.

Speaking on the Mail's new podcast, David Lammy revealed he was in Lebanon just a few weeks ago 'urging calm'.   

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He said: 'The images that we've seen are extremely distressing and especially the loss of civilian life that I've seen.

'I was in Lebanon just a few weeks ago alongside the French Foreign Minister and we were urging calm, determined that we do not want to see regional escalation and a wider regional war.

'Getting those messages across to Hezbollah... I think we did see a calming down of relations at that time.

'We will need to amplify our activity to bring about calm heads because none of us want to see a second front open up in war, which I think would be a disaster and would lead to a tremendous loss of life but also very big global consequences.'