A series of synchronized explosions involving pagers linked to the U.S.-designated terrorist group Hezbollah left nine people dead and more than 2,800 injured in Lebanon on Tuesday. The blasts occurred around 3:30 p.m. local time, according to Iranian state media and Lebanese health officials.
Lebanon’s Health Minister Firass Abiad confirmed the casualties during a televised press conference, stating that the victims included a 10-year-old girl, the daughter of a Hezbollah member. Abiad reported that about 2,800 people were injured, with over 200 suffering critical injuries, primarily to the face, hands, and abdomen.
The explosions also injured Iran’s Ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, as confirmed by Iranian state media. An independent war monitor noted that 14 additional people were injured in Syria due to pager blasts, highlighting the widespread impact of the incident.
Sources close to Hezbollah revealed that the sons of Hezbollah lawmakers Ali Ammar and Hassan Fadlallah were among those killed. While some reports suggest that the explosions resulted from overheating lithium batteries due to an electronic signal breach—akin to a cyber attack—others allege that explosives were secretly placed inside the pagers before distribution. NDTV has not independently verified either claim.
Hezbollah has attributed the attack to Israel, labeling it the “biggest security breach” the group has faced. The simultaneous nature of the blasts has led Hezbollah to assert that this incident reflects an “Israeli breach” of its communications network. The group’s strongholds across Lebanon were affected, and the Lebanese National News Agency called it “an unprecedented enemy security incident.”
In a statement, Hezbollah said, “Around 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, several pager devices used by Hezbollah members and officials exploded.” The statement confirmed the fatalities, including “a girl and her two brothers,” and emphasized that investigations are ongoing to determine the causes of the explosions.
This incident marks the first major attack on Hezbollah since the group began engaging in daily skirmishes with Israel in support of Hamas, which has been at war with Israel since the October 7 attacks targeting Israeli nationals. The pager blasts also affected areas outside of Lebanon; reports indicate that four people were injured in Syria, where at least one pager exploded in a vehicle in Damascus.
Hezbollah has instructed its members to avoid using mobile phones since the onset of the Gaza conflict to mitigate the risk of Israeli surveillance. This directive underscores the heightened security concerns in the region.
The vulnerability of pager systems, particularly their susceptibility to breaches, has come under scrutiny. According to reports, pagers use unencrypted data transmissions, making them potentially easy targets for interception and manipulation.
As investigations continue, authorities and Hezbollah officials urge the public to be wary of misinformation that may serve as psychological warfare tactics amid the ongoing conflict. Israel has yet to respond to Hezbollah’s accusations regarding the explosions.
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