Pager Explosions Kill at Least Nine and Injure 2750 People in Lebanon: Hezbollah Blames Israel.
Handheld pagers blast in Lebanon claimed at least nine lives, and about 2,750 people got injured, as per an estimate by Lebanese Health Minister Firass Abiad. They are an eight-year-old girl among them; 200 people were seriously injured. They received injuries to the face, hands and stomachs.
Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group, accused Israel of the series of pager blasts, blaming retaliation for “a major security breach. ” Two Hezbollah men were among the dead. The group said that the fatality is the most significant security blunder that is said to be since Israel’s war on Gaza commenced after the Hamas-led attacks on October 7.
They blasted almost at the same time and targeted different parts of southern Lebanon, the eastern areas and Beirut’s southern outskirts, which caused panic among the populace. Several hospitals have said there has been an increased demand for blood transfusion due to the coronavirus pandemic, hence the need to donate blood.
Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, was also hurt in the pager blasts, according to Iran’s Mehr News Agency.
Hezbollah’s Communication System Compromised
Both the blasts represent a significant trade-off in Hezbollah’s telecommunications system, which has gone on pagers after Nasrallah warned against its use of smartphones due to its interception by the Israelis. SHAH reported that as for the communications, while Hezbollah turned to pagers, which were known to be safer means, these have also been penetrated as well.
Political scientist and expert on militaries Elijah Magnier suppose that the pagers were interfered with before delivering them to Hezbollah members. He posited that it is possible that the third party was involved in the process of a relay activation of the explosions in a way that targeted Hezbollah’s communication infrastructure deeply.
Israel Remains Silent Amid Tensions
Hezbollah has accused Israel of the attacks, but the Israeli defence force has not responded to the particular event. On the other hand, the U. S. State Department dismissed any involvement, asserting that it had no hand in the attack and was still assembling information.
The occurrence takes place at a time when Israel has declared its intention to broaden its goals with the war in the context of the residents’ evacuation from the adjacent areas due to the intensification of the conflict on the Lebanese border. The new military aims, as stated by the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, distinguish that among the targets is the safety of the relocated northern Israeli communities due to the constant conflict with Hezbollah.
A Growing Crisis
The explosions are considered as a measure regarding stepped up near daily skirmishes between Hezbollah and Israel, adding to an already tense conflict. As for Hezbollah, the number of its fighters killed reaches hundreds. Although the number of Israeli soldiers and civilians that were killed is also considerable, it has been a nearly year-long war.
These well-coordinated attacks on Hezbollah’s communication system herald a new phase in the enduring conflict and leave one wondering about the possibility of further escalations between Israel and Hezbollah as well as the effects on Lebanon’s security, which is already considered volatile.
