By Dozens of people were wounded across Lebanon on Tuesday when handheld pagers unexpectedly exploded, according to Lebanese state media and security officials. The exact number of casualties remains unclear.
Two anonymous officials, a senior military intelligence officer and a representative from a Lebanese organization, reported that the detonated pagers belonged to Hezbollah members. One official suggested the incident might be an Israeli attack, though this claim remains unverified. The Israeli military declined to comment when contacted by the Associated Press.
Social media and local news outlets shared images and videos from Beirut’s southern suburbs showing injured individuals on the ground with wounds on their hands or near their pockets.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah had previously cautioned the group’s members against carrying cellphones, warning that Israel could use them to track movements and conduct targeted strikes.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry urged hospitals to prepare for emergency patients and advised pager owners to distance themselves from the devices. The ministry also recommended health workers avoid using wireless devices.
The state-run National News Agency reported that hospitals in southern Lebanon, the eastern Bekaa Valley, and Beirut’s southern suburbs – areas with a strong Hezbollah presence – called for blood donations of all types.
A Hezbollah official, speaking anonymously, stated that at least 150 people, including group members, were injured when their pagers exploded in various parts of Lebanon. The official attributed the explosions to “a security operation that targeted the devices” and implied Israeli involvement.
The incident occurs amid escalating tensions between Lebanon and Israel, with near-daily clashes between Hezbollah and Israeli forces over the past 11 months, coinciding with the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza.
