Turkey is reassessing its protocols for securing communication devices utilized by its armed forces in light of the recent deadly explosions in Lebanon, according to a Turkish defense ministry official on Thursday.

Hand-held radios employed by the armed group Hezbollah detonated on Wednesday in southern Lebanon, marking the deadliest day in the region since cross-border hostilities began nearly a year ago between Hezbollah and Israel. This incident heightened tensions following similar explosions involving the militants’ pagers the previous day. The blasts seemed to disrupt Hezbollah, which is Iran’s most influential proxy in the Middle East, coinciding with Israel’s ongoing conflict with Palestinian Hamas militants in Gaza and raising concerns about potential escalation and regional conflict.

The Turkish official, who requested anonymity, noted that Turkey’s military relies solely on domestically manufactured equipment, but additional control measures are implemented when third parties are involved in the procurement or production of devices. “In light of our operations, the ongoing war in Ukraine, and the situation in Lebanon, we continuously review and develop new measures based on lessons learned from each incident,” the official stated. “In response to this event, our Defense Ministry is conducting the necessary assessments,” the individual added, without disclosing further information.

According to sources, the explosions on Tuesday were triggered by Israeli operatives who remotely activated explosives they had previously placed in a shipment of 5,000 pagers intended for Hezbollah before it crossed into the country.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan informed the state-owned Anadolu news agency that the government is prioritizing the establishment of an independent cyber-security agency, emphasizing that President Tayyip Erdogan views this initiative as essential.