More than eight killed and over 3000 suspected Hezbollah fighters in hospital after pagers exploded across Lebanon Iranian ambassador reportedly injured time running out for Beirut Israeli Defence Minister says
Dozens of people were killed and 3,000 injured across Lebanon on Tuesday when their pagers exploded, local media have reported. The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has stated that hundreds of its members were affected by the incident, which it is blaming on Israel. West Jerusalem has not commented on the developments.
People were allegedly mostly affected in the southern suburbs of the country’s capital, Beirut, an area considered a Hezbollah stronghold, as well as in the east and south of the country. More than 2,800 people were injured in the detonations, which have killed eight, including a child, Al Manar news media outlet reported, citing Lebanese Health Minister Firas Abiad.
Abiad confirmed the numbers of injured across the country. His ministry also put hospitals on alert and told them to be ready to respond to health emergencies, Al Manar said. All health specialists were also requested to “go to their workplaces,” digital media outlet Naharnet reported.
Iranian ambassador to Beirut Mojtaba Amani was also allegedly injured in a pager blast, the Iranian Mehr news agency reported. The diplomat, who reportedly sustained minor injuries, was hospitalized. Two other embassy staff are believed to have been affected by the series of detonations.
Photos and videos of people across Lebanon having their pagers exploding in their pockets and hands have surfaced on social media. Some clips also show injured persons being treated in a hospital.
Hezbollah called the incidents “the biggest security breach” in nearly a year and blamed it on Israel. The group switched from using smartphones to pagers in its communications after a conflict between West Jerusalem and Gaza broke out last year, due to the concerns about Israel potentially hacking the devices.
Only further military action against Hezbollah would make it safe for displaced Israelis to return to their homes in the areas bordering Lebanon, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has said.
During a meeting with US envoy Amos Hochstein in Tel Aviv on Monday, Gallant stressed that the window for a diplomatic agreement with the Lebanese-based militants was closing.
“Hezbollah continues to tie itself to Hamas,” Gallant wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “Therefore, the only way left to ensure the return of Israel’s northern communities to their homes, will be through military action.”
Gallant relayed the same point during his phone call with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, warning that time was “running out” for an agreement with Hezbollah.
More than 60,000 Israelis have been displaced since Hezbollah began firing rockets and mortar shells across the border in support of Hamas in Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) responded by striking targets in Lebanon and killing several senior Hezbollah operatives, including Fuad Shukr, who was killed in an airstrike in Beirut in late July.
Civil Defense first-responders carry a man who was wounded after his handheld pager exploded, in the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. © AP Photo
Gallant and other Israeli officials have threatened Hezbollah with a devastating military response in the past, raising fears of a full-blown invasion of Lebanon. Iran has threatened Israel with “an obliterating war” if it attacks Lebanon.
The US, however, has discouraged Israel from expanding operations against Hezbollah due to concerns that it could spark a new prolonged regional conflict.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who has been attempting to broker a peace deal between Israel and Hamas, said in July that Washington was “determined” to avoid a larger conflict
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) military personnel. © Morteza Nikoubazl / NurPhoto via Getty Images
During his meeting with Gallant, Hochstein said that Washington favors a diplomatic solution and warned that an offensive against Hezbollah would not lead to the return of refugees, the Times of Israel reported, citing a source familiar with the matter.
Hezbollah also issued a stark warning last week, with senior member Naim Qassem saying a full-fledged war would produce “large losses on both sides” and more refugees.
The militant group and the Israeli military have been exchanging strikes for nearly a year, as Hezbollah supports the Gaza-based Hamas militant group in its conflict. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has also struck targets in Lebanon, killing several senior Hezbollah operatives, including Fuad Shukr, who was hit in an airstrike in Beirut in late July.
Source X/Telegram/RT/AP