Eight people were killed and 3,000 injured across Lebanon on Tuesday when their pagers exploded, local media have reported. The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has stated that hundreds of its members were affected by the incident, which it is blaming on Israel. West Jerusalem has not commented on the developments.
People were allegedly mostly affected in the southern suburbs of the country’s capital, Beirut, an area considered a Hezbollah stronghold, as well as in the east and south of the country. More than 2,800 people were injured in the detonations, which have killed eight, including a child, Al Manar news media outlet reported, citing Lebanese Health Minister Firas Abiad.
Abiad confirmed the numbers of injured across the country. His ministry also put hospitals on alert and told them to be ready to respond to health emergencies, Al Manar said. All health specialists were also requested to “go to their workplaces,” digital media outlet Naharnet reported.
Iranian ambassador to Beirut Mojtaba Amani was also allegedly injured in a pager blast, the Iranian Mehr news agency reported. The diplomat, who reportedly sustained minor injuries, was hospitalized. Two other embassy staff are believed to have been affected by the series of detonations.
Photos and videos of people across Lebanon having their pagers exploding in their pockets and hands have surfaced on social media. Some clips also show injured persons being treated in a hospital.
Hezbollah called the incidents “the biggest security breach” in nearly a year and blamed it on Israel. The group switched from using smartphones to pagers in its communications after a conflict between West Jerusalem and Gaza broke out last year, due to the concerns about Israel potentially hacking the devices.
The militant group and the Israeli military have been exchanging strikes for nearly a year, as Hezbollah supports the Gaza-based Hamas militant group in its conflict. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has also struck targets in Lebanon, killing several senior Hezbollah operatives, including Fuad Shukr, who was hit in an airstrike in Beirut in late July.
Israeli officials have reportedly threatened Hezbollah with a devastating military response in case of further escalation. Iran threatened Israel with “an obliterating war” if it attacks Lebanon. Hezbollah issued a stark warning last week, warning that an all-out war would lead to “large losses on both sides” and to more refugees.