Barran Press
On Tuesday, September 17, 2024, Lebanese Minister of Health, Firas Al-Abyad, reported that hundreds were injured across various regions in Lebanon due to simultaneous explosions of communication devices.
International media outlets quoted the minister confirming that the blasts were linked to "pager" devices used for communication. In response, the Lebanese Health Ministry urged hospitals to declare a state of maximum alert to accommodate the influx of injured individuals, advising citizens to dispose of their pager devices immediately.
Iranian news agency "Mehr" reported that the Iranian Ambassador to Beirut, Mojtaba Amani, sustained injuries from one of the explosions.
Earlier, several areas in Lebanon, particularly the southern suburbs of Beirut, experienced a series of simultaneous explosions from the pager devices utilized by Hezbollah members, leading to numerous injuries.
According to Al-Hurra, a Hezbollah official described the detonation of these devices as “the most significant security breach” the group has faced to date. The National News Agency noted that the pagers were compromised using advanced technology, resulting in dozens of injuries, with victims transported to hospitals by ambulances.
Social media users circulated videos showing Hezbollah members lying on the ground, blood visible on their hands and faces, while hospitals issued urgent calls for blood donations due to the high number of casualties.
A source close to Hezbollah told AFP that “dozens of Hezbollah members were injured in southern Lebanon and the southern suburb of Beirut following the explosions,” adding that hospitals were in urgent need of blood supplies. Another source indicated that the incident was a “security breach attributed to Israeli actions.”
Preliminary reports suggest that some injuries are severe, prompting Hezbollah to instruct its members to immediately cease the use of these devices. No group has claimed responsibility for the explosions so far, although suspicions point towards Israel being behind the breach and subsequent detonations.