A large-scale operation attributed to Israel caused the simultaneous explosion of hundreds of pager devices held by members of the Shiite group Hezbollah This Tuesday simultaneously at several points in the Lebanonkilling at least nine people and injuring another 2,800.
At around 3:30 p.m. local time (12:30 GMT), pagers exploded in different locations, mainly in the south of the country and in the southern suburbs of Beirutboth controlled by the Shiite movement, although it is not yet clear how the devices were manipulated.
The Shiite group confirmed in a statement that the pagers were “in the possession of several workers in different units and institutions of Hezbollah,” and later attributed the operation to Israel, with whom it has been engaged in a border conflict since last October.
“After examining all the facts, current data and available information regarding the heinous attack that occurred this afternoon, we hold the Israeli enemy fully responsible for this criminal aggression that also targeted civilians and killed several people.”he said in a second note.
Several dead
The explosions killed nine people, including a child, and injured more than 2,800, according to the latest figures provided by the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health.
The head of that government department, Celebrate Abiadexplained in a brief press conference that most of the injured suffered injuries to the face, hands or abdomen, adding that among them there are about 200 patients in critical condition.
Following the incident, ambulance sirens rang out loud across Beirut, where the transfer of such a large number of injured people to different hospitals also affected traffic.
Given the large number of casualties, the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health immediately called on “all” hospitals in the affected areas to activate the “highest alert” level and prepare to deal with an “urgent need for emergency health services.”
Also the Red Cross The Lebanese government mobilized dozens of ambulances and hundreds of emergency technicians, amid urgent calls from various NGOs and Civil Defense groups to donate blood.
Among the wounded is Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amaniwho is in “good” condition after suffering a superficial wound from one of the explosions, according to what the Iranian diplomatic mission said on its X account.
The incident also claimed the life of a son of the parliamentarian Hezbollah Ali Ammar and caused at least 14 injuries in Syriawhere the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights counted four victims in Damascus and another ten in two surrounding areas.
Suspicions of Israeli action
The Lebanese Foreign Ministry also attributed Tuesday’s incident to an “Israeli cyber attack, in which a large number of pagers were detonated,” and said it was preparing a complaint to the UN Security Council.
“This serious and deliberate Israeli escalation coincides with Israeli threats to expand the war into Lebanon and with its intransigent stance calling for more bloodshed, destruction and sabotage.”the government department denounced in a statement.
However, the Hebrew state has not yet commented on the matter, nor has Lebanon provided details on how it believes the pagers could have been infiltrated.
Speaking to reporters, Lebanese Telecommunications Minister, Johnny Cormdetailed that the affected shipment of pagers had arrived in the country “recently” and that the batteries of the devices overheated before they were detonated, perhaps “remotely.”
“We need to know how and when this shipment of devices entered Lebanon, which company they belong to, who their owner is. We need to know more details to find out how this device works and how it entered Lebanon,” the minister said.
The Ministry of Education announced in a statement the closure of all academic institutions in the country, public and private, to condemn tomorrow “the criminal act committed by the Israeli enemy.” EFE (I)
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