A devastating series of pager explosions rocked Lebanon when handheld pagers, used by Hezbollah for communication, detonated simultaneously across the country. The blasts, which killed nine people, including a child, and injured around 2,800 others, occurred in multiple regions, including Beirut, Tyre, and the Bekaa Valley. Among the dead were two Hezbollah members, including the sons of prominent Hezbollah MPs.
Hezbollah Pager Explosions is biggest-ever security breach
Hezbollah has accused Israel of orchestrating the attack, calling it “criminal aggression,” though Israel has yet to comment. The explosions occurred at 15:30 local time and were captured on CCTV, showing the chaos that unfolded in public areas such as supermarkets. The Lebanese health minister reported that 200 people are in critical condition, with many requiring surgery or intensive care.
The pagers, which Hezbollah uses to avoid mobile phone tracking, were reportedly part of a new shipment the group had received. Some survivors noted that their pagers had heated up moments before the explosion. While Hezbollah has not clarified how the devices detonated, a former British Army expert suggested the pagers may have been rigged with military-grade explosives and detonated remotely.
Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, was among the injured, sustaining minor wounds. Hezbollah has vowed retaliation against Israel, further escalating the conflict between the two. The United Nations expressed concern over the situation, warning of the region’s increasing volatility. Israel, meanwhile, conducted a situational assessment but has maintained its current defensive posture.
Since October, the ongoing conflict between Hezbollah and Israel has claimed over 589 lives in Lebanon, the majority of them Hezbollah fighters.
