What initially seemed like a series of freak accidents involving exploding pagers quickly escalated into a coordinated attack targeting Hezbollah, a powerful Lebanese militant group. On Tuesday, hundreds of handheld devices detonated across Lebanon, leaving at least nine dead and over 2,800 injured, with over 200 in critical condition. Hezbollah swiftly accused Israel of being behind the explosions, a claim that, while not officially confirmed by Israel, has been widely supported by experts.
The explosions began around 3:30 PM local time in Hezbollah strongholds, Dahiyeh in southern Beirut and the eastern Bekaa Valley. The blasts lasted for an hour, with some pagers detonating after ringing, causing severe injuries to those who reached for them or brought them close to their faces. Video footage shows individuals with facial injuries, missing fingers, and gaping wounds at the hip where the pagers were likely worn. Among the victims is an eight-year-old child and the son of a Hezbollah MP, and even Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, was injured.
While no one has claimed responsibility for the attack, the sophistication of the operation has led to widespread suspicion of Israeli involvement. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati condemned the explosions as a “serious violation of Lebanese sovereignty and a crime by all standards,” echoing the accusations of Hezbollah, which labelled the incident a “criminal aggression.”
The attack appears to have been meticulously planned, capitalizing on Hezbollah’s reliance on pagers for internal communications over smartphones due to security concerns. Sources indicate that the pagers involved were part of a recent shipment of 1,000 devices imported by Hezbollah, suggesting a potential sabotage at the source. Analysts believe Israel likely corrupted the devices prior to delivery, enabling them to detonate at a specific time.
Reports suggest a joint operation between the Israeli military and Mossad, Israel’s intelligence agency, to insert explosives into a new batch of Taiwanese-made pagers imported to Lebanon. The pagers, manufactured by Gold Apollo, were reportedly tampered with before reaching Hezbollah. Sources claim that Mossad planted small explosives within the devices, concealed in a way that made detection nearly impossible. A coded message triggered the simultaneous detonation of the explosives, releasing a small amount of explosive material, estimated at up to three grams per device.
The incident has raised concerns about the potential for escalation in the region, with Hezbollah vowing retaliation. The attack comes amidst a long-standing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which is an ally of Iran, Israel’s arch-enemy. The militant group is part of Iran’s Axis of Resistance, and has been engaged in frequent exchanges of rocket and missile fire with Israel. Recent weeks have seen near-daily exchanges of fire, leading to the displacement of thousands of people on both sides of the border. The attack, happening on the same day Israel reaffirmed its commitment to the safe return of its citizens living near the Lebanese border, adds another layer of tension to the volatile situation. The escalating conflict raises concerns of a potential full-blown war between the two nations, prompting the need for diplomacy and restraint to avoid a wider conflict.
