In a coordinated detonation of pagers targeting Hezbollah, a US-designated terror group, eight people have died, and more than 2,750 others have been injured in Lebanon.
Among those wounded is Iran’s Ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, as reported by Iran’s state media. The explosions occurred at approximately 3:30 pm local time (6 pm IST) in Lebanon.
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⚠️ Over 1,000 injured including a child killed and multiple Hezbollah members wounded in a series of a coordinate ‘pager explosion’ in Lebanon and Syria
Iranian Ambassador in Beirut is among the injured
Casualties still rising as rescue operation continuesPray for Lebanon pic.twitter.com/5S6PKHXSSL
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Hezbollah, which holds significant political and military influence in Lebanon, is backed by Iran and supports Hamas in its ongoing conflict with Israel in Gaza since October 2023. Ali Ammar’s son, the Hezbollah representative in the Lebanese Parliament, was reported killed in the attacks, according to the Saudi news channel Al Hadath.
Possible Causes of the Explosions
Reports have emerged with differing claims regarding the cause of the pager explosions. Some suggest that a cyberattack led to the overheating of lithium batteries, while others allege that a thin lining of explosives was placed inside the pagers before distribution. However, these claims have not been independently verified.
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Hezbollah has directly accused Israel of orchestrating the attack, labeling it as the “biggest security breach” the group has encountered. “All the pagers exploded nearly at the same time,” Hezbollah stated, attributing the event to an “Israeli breach” of its communications network.
Incident Spreads Beyond Lebanon
The blasts were not confined to Lebanon; at least one pager detonated in Damascus, Syria, injuring four people in a vehicle. “Dozens of Hezbollah members have been wounded in the south and in Beirut’s southern suburbs after their pagers exploded,” an anonymous source close to Hezbollah informed AFP.
Lebanon’s National News Agency has called this “an unprecedented enemy security incident,” with handheld pagers detonating simultaneously across the country. According to AFP, Hezbollah relies on its own telecommunications system and has instructed its members to avoid using mobile phones to prevent Israeli breaches.
Shortly after the explosions, Hezbollah released an official statement: “Around 3:30 pm (local time) on Tuesday, several pager devices used by Hezbollah members and officials of various institutions exploded.” The group also confirmed that “a girl and her two brothers” were among those killed in the incident.
Hezbollah is currently conducting “extensive security and scientific investigations” to determine the cause of these synchronized explosions. In its statement, the group urged people to be wary of “rumors and misinformation spread by certain parties, as this may serve the psychological warfare” by Israel.
No Official Response from Israel
As of now, Israel has not responded to the claims made by Hezbollah or Iran regarding the incident. The event marks a significant escalation in the ongoing tensions in the region, which have been heightened since Hezbollah began supporting Hamas in its conflict with Israel.
This incident is the latest in a series of confrontations and highlights the fragile security situation in Lebanon and the surrounding region. Further developments are expected as investigations into the explosions continue.
