On Wednesday, Hezbollah announced that it has attacked Israeli artillery positions with rockets, marking its first strike against Israel since the deadly pager explosions that injured thousands of its members in Lebanon. This escalation raises concerns about the potential for a wider conflict in the Middle East.
The exact timing of Hezbollah’s rocket attack remains unclear, but the group typically announces such actions shortly after they occur, indicating that the strikes likely took place on Wednesday.
Earlier, the Lebanese group has pledged to retaliate against Israel, which has yet to comment on the explosions.
The explosions have resulted in at least 12 deaths, including two children, as confirmed by Lebanese Health Minister Firass Abiad. Nearly 3,000 individuals were injured in the attack, which primarily affected Hezbollah fighters and Iran’s envoy to Beirut.
This explosion has been described as one of the most audacious attacks in recent times, raising fears of an all-out war between Hezbollah and Israel.
Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi criticized Israel for escalating tensions in the Middle East, warning that it risks provoking a broader war.
Experts note that while Hezbollah seeks to avoid full-scale conflict, the recent violence and its impact on civilians may compel the group to respond more aggressively.
In a statement, Hezbollah expressed solidarity with Hamas in Gaza and warned that Israel should brace for consequences following the pager “massacre,” which has left many fighters wounded or dead.
Meanwhile, the security source indicated that Hezbollah had ordered 5,000 pagers from Gold Apollo, which were reportedly brought into Lebanon earlier this year. However, Gold Apollo’s founder Hsu Ching-Kuang, clarified that the pagers used in the explosion were manufactured by BAC, a company based in Hungary.
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About These Pagers
These pagers were identified as model AR-924, which Hezbollah has been using for secure communication to avoid Israeli tracking. As per Lebanese source, the devices had been modified by Israel’s spy service during production.
Reports indicate that the explosives, estimated to be about three grams, remained undetected by Hezbollah for months. But subsequently, the pagers exploded simultaneously upon receiving a coded message. Thus, causing widespread chaos.
Earlier, Hezbollah’s Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah cautioned members against the dangers of using smartphones, suggesting they were more perilous than Israeli spies.
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But Interestingly, hezbollah chose to distribute pagers to its operatives, including fighters and medics in its relief services, in an effort to maintain secure communication.
