Lebanon: 9 killed, thousands injured in pagers' explosion

At least nine people were killed and thousands more were injured after a number of handheld pagers exploded across Lebanon on Tuesday, the country's Health Ministry said.

Lebanese Health Minister Firas Abiad said the blasts "killed nine people, including a girl."

"About 2,750 people were injured... more than 200 of them critically," he added.

Hezbollah, a political organization and militant group in Lebanon, said at least two of its members were killed.

More than a dozen others were wounded in Syria, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

"Fourteen people whose nationalities are unknown have been wounded in Damascus and its countryside after pagers used by Hezbollah exploded," the organization said.

Lebanon's Foreign Ministry condemned what it described as a "dangerous and deliberate Israeli escalation." Israel did not immediately comment on the incident.

The Foreign Ministry accused Israel of threatening to "expand the war towards Lebanon on a large scale."

Hezbollah vows 'just punishment' for explosions 

Iranian-backed Hezbollah also blamed Israel for the explosions.

"We hold the Israeli enemy fully responsible for this criminal aggression," Hezbollah said.

It added that Israel "will certainly receive its just punishment for this sinful aggression."

A Hezbollah official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told the Reuters news agency that the incident was "the biggest security breach" the group had been subjected to in nearly a year of conflict with Israel.

Reports that Israel targeted the communications devices and was behind the detonations remain unconfirmed.

There have been near-daily cross-border exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah fighters since Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, triggering war in the Gaza Strip.

What we know about the incident

A Hezbollah official, speaking to Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media, said the explosions were the result of "a security operation that targeted the devices."

"The enemy [Israel] stands behind this security incident," the official said, without elaborating. He added that the new pagers that Hezbollah members were carrying had lithium batteries that apparently exploded.

According to the German DPA news agency, the Bahman hospital in Beirut received more than 100 people. Some were said to be in critical condition.

The Lebanese Health Ministry urged all hospitals across the coutnry to be on alert. It also advised people to stay clear of devices that might pose a threat.

"The Ministry requests all citizens who own wireless communications devices to stay away from them until the truth of what is happening is revealed," the ministry said in a statement.

Iran's Mehr news agency reported that the Iranian ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, was among those injured.

Hezbollah is considered a terrorist organization by the US, Germany and several Sunni Arab countries, while the EU lists its armed wing as a terrorist group. It also operates as a major political party within Lebanon.

zc, rc/rmt (AP, AFP, dpa, Reuters)