Amid the raging war in the Middle East, a major incident is being reported from Lebanon on Tuesday (17th September 2024). Cadres of the terrorist organisation Hezbollah, in hundreds, have suffered severe injuries after their pagers exploded. The incident showed that the Hezbollah cadres have been using pagers on a mass scale to communicate with each other.
While it was not immediately clear how the devices detonated on such a large scale within a short span, pro-Hezbollah, Lebanese citizens and a section of social media users especially from the Arab are blaming Israel for it, alleging that it carried out a cyberattack and destroyed Hezbollah’s communication system.
Exploding pagers and other communication devices in #Lebanon among #Hezbollah members today. Recall the public reporting that #Israel has infiltrated the Hezbollah communication networks and that Hezbollah had switched to pagers and couriers after cell phones were banned. pic.twitter.com/AGGVYhE2lC
— Jason Brodsky (@JasonMBrodsky) September 17, 2024
A security source said that devices were also exploding in the south of Lebanon.
On the condition of anonymity, a Hezbollah terrorist holding an official post in the terror organisation, said that the detonation of the pagers was the “biggest security breach” the group had been subjected to in nearly a year of war with Israel.
According to news agency Reuters, locals said explosions were taking place even 30 minutes after the initial blasts. These multiple explosions have triggered panic and chaos in Lebanon, especially throughout the southern suburbs of the capital Beirut, which is a Hezbollah stronghold.
Multiple unverified videos are doing rounds on social media in which people can be seen running helter-skelter amid explosions. Several individuals can also be seen shouting in pain as blood can be seen dripping from their limbs or faces.
The pagers are generally kept in their pockets.
— 𝗡𝗶𝗼𝗵 𝗕𝗲𝗿𝗴 ♛ ✡︎ (@NiohBerg) September 17, 2024
This means Israel is literally blowing off Hezbollah testicles all across Lebanon today. Hundreds of them.
Well deserved.
pic.twitter.com/uzKvjDa6DA
🚨🇱🇧UNCONFIRMED: ISRAEL REMOTELY DETONATES HANDHELD PAGERS OF HEZBOLLAH MEMBERS
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) September 17, 2024
The Israeli army allegedly used advanced technology to detonate handheld pagers belonging to Hezbollah members in multiple locations within Beirut’s southern suburbs.
Source: Local Media Reports in… https://t.co/9G6PVb2nYW pic.twitter.com/kuq7IbgjLM
The pagers attack in Lebanon; where huge numbers of Hezbollah fighters have been injured when their pagers exploded after receiving a message is among the craziest things I have seen in this new generation of warfare.
— ScharoMaroof (@ScharoMaroof) September 17, 2024
Reportedly, the Israeli intelligence send a message to the… pic.twitter.com/Hgt0eYauY5
Lebanese internal security forces said that a number of wireless communication devices were detonated across Lebanon, especially in Beirut’s southern suburbs, leading to injuries.
According to Iranian news agency Mehr, the Iranian ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, was also injured in the incident. However, the claim has not been independently verified by global news agencies.
As per Reuters, the wave of explosions lasted around an hour after the initial detonations, which took place at about 3:45 p.m. local time.
Speaking with Reuters, the head of the Nabatieh public hospital in the south of the country, Hassan Wazni, said that around 40 wounded people were being treated at his facility. The wounds included injuries to the face, eyes, and limbs.
Currently, Israel and Iran-backed terror organisation, Hezbollah are engaged in a cross-border warfare. The two warring sides have been exchanging strikes in the aftermath of the 7th October terror attack on Israel.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military, which has often faced allegations of striking out terrorists, has declined to comment about the detonations.
Nonetheless, the mass explosions in pager may not be a case of faulty instruments, rather it raises concern of a whole new domain of warfare.
