News 18
Last Updated: September 17, 2024, 20:35 IST
Lebanon
A Hezbollah official described the pager detonations as the biggest security breach the group has faced in nearly a year of conflict with Israel. (Screengrab via X/@SputnikInt)
There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military, which has been engaged in conflict with Hezbollah since last October, alongside the Gaza war
More than 1,000 people, including members of the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, were wounded on Tuesday when their communication pagers mysteriously exploded.
Iranian media outlet Mehr News reported that Mojtaba Amani, the Iranian ambassador to Lebanon, was also injured in the pager blast in Beirut.
Videos and photos circulating on social media appear to show wounded individuals sitting or lying on the floor, while others are being rushed to hospitals.
CCTV footage shared by the Russian state-owned news agency Sputnik shows a man inside a store with a sudden explosion from a side bag he was carrying. He collapses to the floor immediately after the blast, while others in the store panic and flee.
Dozens of people have been injured in Lebanon as a result of an electronic attack, Sputnik’s correspondent reportsAl Jazeera reports hacking and simultaneous undermining of Hezbollah’s encrypted communications network pic.twitter.com/IgJBTBhM78
— Sputnik (@SputnikInt) September 17, 2024
The wave of explosions continued for about an hour after the initial detonations, which occurred around 3:45 p.m. local time (1345 GMT). It was not immediately clear how the devices were detonated.
Lebanese internal security forces reported that several wireless communication devices were detonated across Lebanon, particularly in the southern suburbs of Beirut, resulting in numerous injuries.
‘High alert’
In a statement, the health ministry urged “all hospitals in areas near the locations of the injured to be on high alert and increase their level of preparedness,” and called for “all health workers to urgently report to their workplaces” to provide assistance.
The Lebanese Red Cross said it was on “high alert” in a statement shared on X. “More than 30 Ambulances from the #LebaneseRedCross are responding to multiple bombings across South Lebanon, Bekaa Valley and the Southern Suburbs of Beirut . All our stations across Mount Lebanon and Beirut are on high alert!,” the post read.
More than 30 Ambulances from the #LebaneseRedCross are responding to multiple bombings across South Lebanon, Bekaa Valley and the Southern Suburbs of Beirut . All our stations across Mount Lebanon and Beirut are on high alert! pic.twitter.com/oUifZMARMw— Lebanese Red Cross (@RedCrossLebanon) September 17, 2024
‘Biggest security breach’
A Hezbollah official, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the pager detonations as the “biggest security breach” the group has faced in nearly a year of conflict with Israel, as per news agency Reuters.
The agency also reported that one of its journalists witnessed ambulances rushing through the southern suburbs of Beirut amid widespread panic. Residents reported explosions occurring even 30 minutes after the initial blasts.
The journalist noted that groups of people gathered at building entrances, checking on acquaintances who might have been injured.
Similar device explosions have also been reported in southern Lebanon.
However, there was no immediate comment from the Israeli military, which has been engaged in conflict with Hezbollah since the October 7 attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas that triggered the Gaza war, marking the worst escalation in years.
(With inputs from agencies)
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