Three killed, over 1,000 injured in Lebanon pager explosions

At least three people, including two Hezbollah fighters and a young girl, were killed and more than 1,000 others wounded on Tuesday after pagers used for communication exploded across Lebanon, according to security sources. Among the injured was Iran’s envoy to Beirut, Mojtaba Amani, who sustained minor wounds.

Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group, confirmed the deaths in a statement and described the event as one of the most significant security breaches they’ve faced during their yearlong conflict with Israel. The Israeli military declined to comment on the incident when contacted by Reuters.

BREAKING:

Hospitals filling up in Lebanon as hundreds of Hezbollah operatives had their pagers blown up simultaneously pic.twitter.com/Uow3KKlNdd

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) September 17, 2024

The explosions, which occurred primarily in Hezbollah strongholds in Beirut and southern Lebanon, caused widespread panic and chaos. Ambulances were seen racing through the streets, and hospitals, particularly in Mt. Lebanon and Nabatieh, were overwhelmed with injured individuals suffering from wounds to their hands, faces, and limbs.

The Lebanese health ministry’s crisis operations center mobilized emergency medical workers, urging staff not to use pagers as the cause of the blasts remained under investigation. The Lebanese Red Cross dispatched over 50 ambulances and 300 emergency workers to assist with the evacuations.

Reports indicated that the detonations began around 3:45 p.m. local time and lasted for about an hour. Surveillance footage showed handheld devices exploding near civilians at markets and shops, though the exact cause behind the detonations remains unclear.

The incident comes as tensions remain high between Hezbollah and Israel, with both sides engaging in cross-border hostilities since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October. So far, the fighting has displaced tens of thousands on both sides of the border.

[Source: Reuters]