Lebanon reels as pager explosions kill nine, injuring over 2,800. Hezbollah accuses Israel, raising tensions further in the region.
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| Hezbollah accuses Israel after explosive pager devices kill nine and wound thousands, escalating tensions in Lebanon. Image Courtesy: The AlManar |
Beirut, Lebanon - September 18, 2024:
In a tragic incident, nine people, including a child, were killed, and thousands were injured after explosions rocked Lebanon, caused by handheld pagers used by Hezbollah members. Lebanon’s health minister confirmed the explosions occurred in Beirut and several other regions, with over 2,800 people wounded, including Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon.
Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group, accused Israel of orchestrating the explosions, calling it “criminal aggression” and vowed retaliation. Eight of the fatalities were Hezbollah fighters, according to the group’s statement. The explosions are believed to have originated from Hezbollah’s communication devices, pagers, used to avoid hacking risks. Footage from Beirut captured a blast in a supermarket, underscoring the severity of the incident.
Israel has not commented on Hezbollah’s accusations. However, tensions between Hezbollah and Israel have been rising, with frequent exchanges of fire along the Israel-Lebanon border since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7. Hezbollah has aligned itself with Hamas in support of Gaza, as both groups face widespread international designation as terrorist organizations.
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Iran condemned the incident, with the UN expressing deep concern about the escalating violence. Despite the magnitude of the event, the exact cause of the pager explosions remains unclear, though some reports suggest they may have been tampered with or hacked, resulting in the deadly blasts.
The situation has intensified fears of further violence in the already volatile region, with Hezbollah under pressure to respond to what it views as a significant breach of its security.