BEIRUT, (Reuters): At least eight people were killed and nearly 3,000 injured when pagers used by Hezbollah members, including fighters and medics, detonated simultaneously across Lebanon on Tuesday. The blasts occurred in Hezbollah strongholds, including southern Lebanon, the southern suburbs of Beirut, and the eastern Bekaa Valley.
The explosions, which began at around 3:30 pm local time, lasted for an hour. Reuters witnesses in Dahiyeh reported hearing the explosions until 4:30 pm. Some detonations occurred after the pagers rang, with fighters inadvertently causing them to explode when they checked the device.
Contained blasts & limited damage
Footage reviewed by Reuters showed that the explosions were relatively contained, primarily affecting the person wearing or standing near the pager.
CCTV footage from supermarkets showed that the blasts did not cause widespread damage or fires but inflicted severe injuries on some individuals, including facial wounds, missing fingers, and hip injuries where the pagers were worn.
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The devices involved were reportedly made by Gold Apollo, a Taiwan-based pager manufacturer, although both the company and Hezbollah have yet to comment on the issue. Hezbollah has been using pagers as a low-tech method to avoid Israeli tracking, according to sources familiar with the group’s operations.
Investigation underway amid speculation of sabotage
Hezbollah has launched a “security and scientific investigation” into the cause of the Lebanon blasts, while diplomatic and security sources have speculated that battery overheating might be responsible. However, experts, including Paul Christensen, an expert on lithium-ion batteries, expressed doubts that the batteries alone could cause such damage.
A Lebanese digital rights group, SMEX, suggested that Israel may have exploited vulnerabilities in the devices to trigger the explosions. Similar tactics have been used by Israeli intelligence in the past, according to prior reporting.
Hezbollah has accused Israel of orchestrating the attack, with Lebanon’s foreign ministry calling it an “Israeli cyber attack” and its information minister describing the blasts as an assault on Lebanon’s sovereignty.
US gathers information on Lebanon blasts
Meanwhile, the US State Department said it is gathering information on the incident, with spokesperson Matthew Miller confirming that the US was not involved and did not know who was responsible. Hezbollah has threatened to retaliate against Israel for the incident, escalating tensions in the region. Israel’s military declined to comment.
