Turkish minister underscores need for national technology after pager explosions in Lebanon

By Halil Ibrahim Sincar, Bestami Bodruk

MARDIN, Türkiye (AA) - Türkiye's industry and technology minister emphasized the importance of advancing national technology following the recent mass explosion of pagers in Lebanon, which the Lebanese government has blamed on Israel.

"It appears that Israel has detonated explosives simultaneously in thousands of devices in Lebanon," said Mehmet Fatih Kacir. "This incident has once again demonstrated how vital our national technology drive is."

Kacir stressed that Türkiye must focus on local production not only in defense but across a range of industries, including communications, finance, health, and agriculture.

"Developing and producing critical technologies with our own domestic resources is not a choice, but an absolute necessity," he added.

The minister highlighted Türkiye's progress in defense technology, noting that the country has shifted from importing 80% of its defense needs to producing 80% domestically.

He also pointed out the importance of ongoing research and innovation to further accelerate the country's technological and industrial development.

On Tuesday, 12 people were killed and hundreds injured in Beirut and surrounding areas when wireless communication devices, commonly known as pagers, exploded.

The Lebanese government has accused Israel of orchestrating the incident.