BEIRUT: At least eight people were killed, and 2,750 others, including Hezbollah fighters, medics, and Iran’s envoy to Beirut, were wounded on Tuesday after communication pagers exploded across Lebanon, according to security sources and the Lebanese health minister.
Lebanon’s Information Minister, Ziad Makary, condemned the detonations as an “Israeli aggression.” Hezbollah also blamed Israel for the blasts and vowed retaliation. The Israeli military declined to comment on the incident.
A Hezbollah official, speaking anonymously, described the incident as the “biggest security breach” the group has faced in nearly a year of conflict with Israel. Since the Gaza war erupted in October, Israel and Hezbollah have been engaged in cross-border hostilities.
Hezbollah confirmed the deaths of at least three individuals, including two of its fighters and a young girl. The group is conducting an investigation into the cause of the blasts. Notably, Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah was not injured in the explosions.
The explosions began at around 3:45 p.m. local time and lasted for about an hour, with no immediate explanation for how the pagers were detonated. Lebanese internal security forces reported that several wireless communication devices were detonated, particularly in Beirut’s southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold.
The Lebanese foreign ministry labeled the explosions a “dangerous and deliberate Israeli escalation” and warned that Israel’s actions could lead to a larger conflict.
Health Minister Firass Abiad said that 2,750 people were wounded, with 200 of them in critical condition. Many of the injured were Hezbollah fighters, including the son of Lebanese MP Ali Ammar, according to security sources. Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, suffered minor injuries in the explosions.
Meanwhile, Israel’s domestic security agency, Shin Bet, claimed earlier on Tuesday to have foiled a Hezbollah plot to assassinate a former senior defense official. The agency revealed it had seized an explosive device intended to be detonated remotely.
The explosions caused widespread panic across Lebanon, with ambulances rushing to affected areas and hospitals overwhelmed by the influx of wounded. Medical workers were instructed to avoid using pagers in response to the attacks, while the Lebanese Red Cross mobilized emergency services to assist with evacuations.
Hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel have displaced tens of thousands on both sides of the border. The ongoing conflict, tied to the Gaza war, has shown no signs of de-escalation, despite efforts by international mediators.
