A wave of explosions ripped through Lebanon on Tuesday afternoon, injuring hundreds of Hezbollah operatives and claiming the lives of at least nine people, including a child. The cause of the explosions, which appeared to be coordinated, remains shrouded in mystery, but the finger of blame has swiftly pointed towards Israel.
Thousands of Hezbollah operatives were carrying pagers that detonated almost simultaneously. The US government, however, has stated they were unaware of the incident before it occurred. Both Hezbollah and the Lebanese government have accused Israel of being behind the attacks.
Reports from the Wall Street Journal suggest that the pagers were part of a recent shipment received by Hezbollah operatives. The Journal, citing an unnamed Hezbollah official, speculates that malware could have caused the devices to overheat and explode.
Hezbollah has condemned the blasts as an “Israeli aggression” and vowed to inflict “fair punishment” on those responsible. Meanwhile, Axios, citing an anonymous source with knowledge of the situation, reports that Israeli officials had approved the operation earlier this week during meetings between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his cabinet, and security services.
The Israeli government is now on high alert for potential retaliation by Hezbollah, fearing a further escalation of the conflict. The explosions mark a significant development in the ongoing cross-border conflict between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah, which began last October during the Gaza war.
Videos circulating on social media show the aftermath of the explosions, with Hezbollah members suffering serious injuries, including missing limbs. The incident has also had a ripple effect on the global financial markets. The United States Oil Fund USO saw a rise of over 1.2% following the news, while the Israeli shekel had already taken a hit last month due to escalating tensions with Iran and Hezbollah.
