Dubai, Sep 18 (Alliance News): In a dramatic escalation of violence, hundreds of paging devices used by Hezbollah members exploded across Lebanon, resulting in at least nine deaths, including a child, and injuring approximately 2,800 individuals.
More than 200 of the injured are reported to be in critical condition, with numerous cases of amputations and severe injuries.
The explosions, which began shortly after 3 PM local time on Tuesday, have severely impacted Hezbollah, an organization that has recently faced heightened security concerns following losses from Israeli strikes.
Hezbollah has accused Israel of orchestrating the attack, although Israel has not yet commented.
Details of the Attack:
The paging devices, which were reportedly newly imported by Hezbollah, detonated simultaneously across the country.
According to sources close to the group, the devices appear to have been sabotaged before reaching Hezbollah members.
The New York Times identified the pagers as having been ordered from Taiwanese manufacturer Gold Apollo, produced by its Hungarian partner BAC Consulting KFT.
Charles Lister from the Middle East Institute suggested that the explosions likely involved a small plastic explosive concealed with the battery, triggered remotely via a call or page. He implied that Israel’s Mossad might have infiltrated the supply chain.
Context of Rising Tensions:
The attack comes amid escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. Israel had announced earlier in the day an expansion of its offensive aims to include securing the northern front with Lebanon, following Hamas’ attack on October 7.
The ongoing clashes along the Lebanon-Israel border have resulted in numerous casualties and forced thousands to flee their homes.
Impact and Response:
The influx of casualties has overwhelmed hospitals in Lebanon, complicating the medical response. Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, was among those wounded, though his injuries were described as minor.
