Exploding pagers kill eight people and wound thousands

A series of lethal pager explosions targeted Hezbollah operatives on Tuesday, resulting in at least eight deaths and over two thousand injuries in Lebanon and Syria. The hand-held pagers, which went off simultaneously in both countries, were primarily used by Hezbollah members to avoid phone tracking by Israeli intelligence.

Among the injured was Iranian envoy to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, just hours after Israeli officials claimed they had thwarted a Hezbollah attempt to target Tel Aviv’s security agency with a remote device.

The explosions, allegedly aimed at Hezbollah agents, inflicted severe damage. An eight-year-old girl succumbed to her injuries. One of the deceased was the son of Ali Ammar, a Hezbollah member of the Lebanese parliament. Hezbollah confirmed that three of the eight fatalities were its operatives.

Lebanon’s health ministry reported over 2,750 injuries, with 200 in critical condition. Fourteen people were wounded in Syria. Footage from hospitals showed varied injuries, including facial wounds, missing fingers, and hip injuries. Despite the intensity, the blasts did not ignite fires.

Lebanon’s foreign ministry labeled the explosions an “Israeli cyber attack,” although Israel has not issued an official statement. Lebanon’s information minister described the incident as an “assault” on the country’s sovereignty.

The explosions followed an Israeli statement about foiling a Hezbollah plot to assassinate a senior official. Hezbollah vowed “fair punishment” in response to what it considers Israeli aggression.

The Hezbollah-Israel tension has been ongoing since the conflict with Hamas began on October 7 last year. The United States, an ally of Israel, stated they were unaware and uninvolved in the attacks.

At 3:30 pm local time, hundreds of hand-held pagers exploded, with the blasts continuing for hours. The new devices, adopted by Hezbollah, detonated mainly in southern Beirut, Damascus, and Beqaa, areas with a strong Hezbollah presence.

Experts suggested the pagers were remotely detonated, indicating a well-planned operation. Alex Plitsas, a weapons expert, noted the possibility of Israeli agencies modifying the pagers before they reached Hezbollah.

Yehoshua Kalisky, a senior researcher, mentioned that an “electronic pulse” could have triggered the explosions, pointing to a deliberate and premeditated action.