Dozens of individuals in Beirut’s suburbs sustained injuries on Tuesday when their handheld pagers exploded, according to Lebanese state media and security officials. A senior military intelligence official and a source from a Lebanese group familiar with the incident, who requested anonymity due to its sensitivity, indicated that the pagers belonging to Hezbollah members were deliberately detonated. The Lebanese source suggested it may have been an Israeli strike.
The state-run National News Agency reported that in Beirut’s southern suburbs and other areas, an advanced technology system detonated the handheld pagers, resulting in numerous injuries. There was no immediate confirmation on fatalities.
Israeli military authorities were contacted by The Associated Press for comment but declined to respond.
This event occurs amidst escalating tensions between Lebanon and Israel. Hezbollah, a Lebanese militant group, has been engaging in frequent clashes with Israeli forces for over 11 months, set against the broader conflict between Israel and Hezbollah supporter Hamas in Gaza.
These clashes have led to significant casualties on both sides, with hundreds killed in Lebanon and dozens in Israel, and a large number of people displaced along the border.
Photos and videos from Beirut’s southern suburbs circulated on social media and local news outlets, depicting individuals on the ground with injuries to their hands or near their pockets.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah had previously cautioned members against carrying cellphones, citing concerns that they could be exploited by Israel to monitor their movements and execute targeted attacks.
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Josef Federman contributed to this report from Jerusalem.