Lebanon: At least 11 killed, 4,000 injured in suspected Israeli pager attack against Hezbollah
The blasts, which reportedly killed several and injured thousands, came amid rising tensions between Israel and Hezbollah.
Israel is suspected of being behind a large-scale attack on pagers used by Hezbollah members that exploded across Lebanon on Tuesday, which the government said injured thousands and killed at least 11 people.
“After examining all facts and information that we have available about the attack … we hold the Israeli enemy fully responsible for the criminal attack,” Hezbollah said in a statement.
What we know: Hezbollah said in an earlier statement on Tuesday that pagers in the possession of its members exploded at around 3:30 p.m. local time (8:30 a.m. ET). The group said a “wide-ranging security and scientific investigation” is underway, according to its news outlet, Al-Manar.
The Lebanese Ministry of Health said that at least 11 people were killed by the pager explosions, including a small girl, and that more than 4,000 were injured. Most of the injuries occurred to the hands, according to Lebanon’s official National News Agency.
An anonymous Hezbollah official told Reuters that the incident constituted the "biggest security breach” since the group’s conflict with Israel following Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack.
The affected pagers were from a new shipment that Hezbollah received in the past few days, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing anonymous sources.
Videos spread on Lebanese social media purportedly showing the blasts.
Seen dozens of photos/videos of people in Lebanon with injuries to their legs — where pagers would have been in pocket — or hands/arms.
— Timour Azhari (@timourazhari) September 17, 2024
Videos being shared on social media seem to show the pagers ring, then explode. pic.twitter.com/uq76o4MO08
Lebanon's National News Agency reported that Prime Minister Najib Mikati ordered the health minister to "mobilize all the ministry's departments to follow up on the treatment of the wounded in hospitals.”
Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency reported that the Iranian ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, was injured in the incident. The Iranian Embassy said he suffered a “light injury” and is in good condition, according to the National News Agency.
Lebanese media reported that the son of Hezbollah parliament member Ali Ammar was killed.
The Israeli military has not commented. Israel typically does not comment on its suspected military operations abroad.
The United States "was not involved in [the incident],” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters Tuesday. “The US was not aware of this incident in advance, and at this point, we're gathering information.”
Regional reactions: Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi voiced his support to Mikati in a call on Tuesday, offering to provide medical assistance to Lebanon for those injured in the "mass bombing," Jordan's Foreign Ministry posted on X. In the call, Safadi "affirmed Jordan's condemnation and rejection of any action that threatens Lebanon's security, stability and the safety of its citizens."
Meanwhile, the spokesperson for Yemen’s Houthi forces, Mohammed Abdulsalam, condemned Israel over the alleged attack, calling it a “heinous crime and a violation of Lebanese sovereignty” in a post on X. "We are certain that Lebanon is capable of facing all challenges, and has a resistance capable of deterring the Zionist entity and making it pay a heavy price for any escalation it may take against Lebanon," Abdulsalam added. The Iran-backed Houthis struck central Israel on Sunday.
The Iran-backed Iraqi militia Kataib Hezbollah said in a statement that it is prepared to help its Lebanese namesake, including with the provision of fighters. "We … are putting all our capabilities in the hands of our brothers in Lebanon, and we are fully prepared to go with them until the end, sending fighters and equipment and support, whether on the technical or logistical level,” said the group.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke to his Lebanese counterpart, Abdallah Bou Habib, on the phone on Tuesday following the incident, expressing his condolences to and solidarity with the Lebanese people and government. According to Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency, Araghchi further condemned what he described as “the terrorist act” committed by Israel, saying that his country was ready to provide any assistance for the treatment of the wounded.
Why it matters: The explosions occurred amid escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is considering a plan for a limited ground offensive against the Iran-backed group, Al-Monitor’s Ben Caspit wrote on Tuesday.
Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel on Oct. 8, a day after Hamas’ attack, and tit-for-tat exchanges have continued in the border areas nearly nonstop since then. The situation escalated further when Israel killed senior Hezbollah military leader Fuad Shukr in July.
This is a developing story has been updated since first publication.
