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On Tuesday, over 1,000 individuals, including members of Hezbollah and emergency responders, sustained injuries when communication pagers exploded throughout Lebanon, as reported by security sources to Reuters.
A Hezbollah representative, who preferred to remain anonymous, characterized the incident as the “largest security breach” the organization has experienced during nearly a year of conflict with Israel.
Since the outbreak of warfare in Gaza last October, Israel and Hezbollah have engaged in significant cross-border hostilities, marking one of the most intense escalations in recent times.
The Israeli military refrained from providing comments regarding the explosions when approached by Reuters.
According to Iran’s Mehr news agency, the Iranian ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, was among those injured in the blasts, although Reuters has not yet confirmed this information.
Explosions Spanned an Hour
A journalist for Reuters witnessed ambulances navigating through Beirut’s southern suburbs—a Hezbollah stronghold—amid scenes of chaos and panic. A security source indicated that additional devices exploded in southern Lebanon as well.
At a hospital in Mt. Lebanon, a Reuters reporter observed motorcycles arriving at the emergency department, bringing in patients with severe injuries, including bloodied hands and expressions of distress.
The Health Ministry’s crisis operations center called for all medical personnel to report to hospitals in preparation for the influx of victims requiring urgent medical treatment. The center also advised healthcare workers to refrain from using pagers amidst the chaos.
Hassan Wazni, the head of the Nabatieh public hospital in southern Lebanon, reported that approximately 40 injured individuals were being treated at his facility, suffering from a range of injuries, particularly to their faces, eyes, and limbs.
The initial detonations were recorded at about 3:45 p.m. GMT, with subsequent explosions continuing for around an hour. The method of detonation remains unclear.
Lebanon’s internal security forces confirmed that various wireless communication devices exploded in multiple locations, primarily in the southern suburbs of Beirut, resulting in numerous injuries.
Witnesses described scenes of apprehension, with individuals congregating at building entrances to inquire about the safety of those they knew who might have been affected.
Medical Response Mobilized
Local broadcasters aired CCTV footage showing what seemed to be portable devices spontaneously detonating near a grocery store cashier during a transaction. Other video captured an explosion that knocked over a person at a nearby fruit stand.
The Lebanese Red Cross mobilized over 50 ambulances and dispatched approximately 300 emergency medical personnel for the evacuation of the injured.
Following the initial attacks by Hamas militants on Israel on October 7, Hezbollah launched missiles targeting Israel. Tensions have persisted between Hezbollah and Israel, with exchanges of fire continuing, albeit without escalating to full-scale conflict amidst the broader turmoil in Gaza.
The ongoing clashes have led to the displacement of tens of thousands from communities on both sides of the border.
Source
www.cbc.ca