TNI Bureau: A coordinated explosion of handheld pagers in Lebanon and parts of Syria on Tuesday killed at least eight people, including Hezbollah members, and wounded over 2,700, according to Lebanese officials. The devices, reportedly used by Hezbollah, heated up and exploded in a sophisticated remote attack, which Hezbollah attributes to Israel.
According an Aljazeera report, the Israeli military declined to comment. Among the injured was Iranian Ambassador Mojtaba Amani. Hospitals across southern Lebanon, the Bekaa Valley, and Beirut are overwhelmed with patients, with 200 critically wounded.
Hezbollah described the incident as the group’s “biggest security breach” in nearly a year of cross-border clashes with Israel, exacerbating tensions in the region. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah had previously warned members against carrying cellphones, citing security risks. Lebanon’s Health Ministry has urged the public to distance themselves from pagers and asked health workers to limit wireless device usage.
The incident highlights the ongoing conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, which has resulted in heavy casualties and displacement on both sides of the Lebanon-Israel border.