Hezbollah pager blasts: what we know about the deadly attack

BEIRUT, Lebanon: Hundreds of paging devices used by members of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah exploded across Lebanon in an attack that killed at least nine people, including a child, and wounded 2,800 more.

The blasts dealt a heavy blow to the militant group, which blamed its arch-foe Israel for the attack.

Hezbollah already had concerns about the security of its communications after losing several key commanders to Israeli strikes in recent months.

Here is what we know so far about the attack.

– What happened? –

Shortly after 3:00 pm (1200 GMT) on Tuesday, hundreds of paging communication devices carried by Hezbollah members began exploding across Lebanon.

The explosions killed at least nine people and wounded 2,800 others, according to Lebanon’s Health Minister Firass Abiad, who said more than 200 were in a critical condition.

Those hurt include people wounded in the eyes, he said, adding that there had been “a lot of cases of amputations”.

Hezbollah swiftly pointed the finger of blame at Israel, though Israel has yet to issue any comment on the attack.

The influx of casualties overwhelmed some hospitals in Lebanon.

The 10-year-old daughter of a Hezbollah member whose pager exploded in east Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley was among those killed, the family and a source close to the group said.

Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon Mojtaba Amani was among those wounded, albeit lightly, according to Iranian state media.

– What happened in the lead-up? –

Israel had announced earlier Tuesday that it was expanding the aims in its war with Palestinian militant group Hamas to include securing the northern front with Lebanon.

Following Hamas’s October 7 attack, Israel vowed to bring home scores of hostages taken by Palestinian militants and to crush Hamas.

Since October, Hamas ally Hezbollah has also traded almost daily fire with Israeli troops along the Lebanon-Israel border.

Not formally declared as a war, the clashes on the Lebanon front have killed hundreds in Lebanon, mostly fighters, and dozens including soldiers on the Israeli side.

They have also forced tens of thousands of people on both sides of the border to flee their homes.

– How was the attack carried out? –

A source close to Hezbollah, asking not to be identified, told AFP that “the pagers that exploded concern a shipment recently imported by Hezbollah” which appear to have been “sabotaged at source”.

After The New York Times reported the pagers had been ordered from Taiwanese manufacturer Gold Apollo, the company said they had been produced by its Hungarian partner BAC Consulting KFT.

“This was more than lithium batteries being forced into override,” said Charles Lister of the Middle East Institute.

“A small plastic explosive was almost certainly concealed alongside the battery, for remote detonation via a call or page.”

Israel’s spy agency “Mossad infiltrated the supply chain”, he said.

-AFP