Media reports say Hezbollah blames Israel after pager explosions have killed nine and injured thousands in Lebanon
Pagers used by hundreds of members of the militant group Hezbollah reportedly exploded near-simultaneously Tuesday in Lebanon and Syria, killing at least nine people, including an 8-year-old girl, and wounding several thousand. Hezbollah and the Lebanese government blamed Israel for what appeared to be a sophisticated remote attack.
The Associated Press (AP) says the pagers that blew up were apparently acquired by Hezbollah after the group’s leader ordered members in February to stop using cellphones, warning they could be tracked by Israeli intelligence.
A Hezbollah official told AP that the pagers were a new brand, but declined to say how long they had been in use.
Taiwanese company Gold Apollo reportedly said Wednesday that it authorized its brand on the AR-924 pagers used by the Hezbollah militant group, but the devices were produced and sold by a company called BAC.
The BBC says hours before the explosions, Israel’s security cabinet said stopping Hezbollah attacks on the north of the country to allow the safe return of displaced residents was an official war goal.
According to the BBC, Hezbollah said an unspecified number of pagers – which the group relies on heavily for communications due to the risk of mobile phones being hacked or tracked – exploded at around 15:30 local time (12:30 GMT) in the capital Beirut and many other areas.
A source close to the group told AFP news agency that the son of Hezbollah MP Ali Ammar and the 10-year-old daughter of a Hezbollah member in the Bekaa Valley were among those killed. Later, the source said the son of another lawmaker, Hassan Fadlallah, was wounded, having initially reported that he was dead.
The UN's spokesman said the latest developments in Lebanon were “extremely concerning, especially given that this is taking place within a context that is extremely volatile.”
According to the BBC, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he told his Lebanese counterpart that he "strongly condemned Israeli terrorism".
The US, Israel's closest ally, reportedly denied any involvement and urged Iran not to heighten tensions.
