Nine people are dead, including Hezbollah fighters and a girl, and 2,750 injured after hundreds of handheld pagers exploded simultaneously across Lebanon and in parts of Syria on Tuesday, officials said.
Officials from the militant group pointed the finger at Israel in what local media called the “biggest security breach” it has faced.
The devices blew up in the countries in what appeared to be a sophisticated, remote attack.
There was no immediate comment from the Israel military.
Videos and photos on social media appeared to show wounded men sitting or lying on floors and others being rushed to hospitals.
A Hezbollah official said that the new brand of handheld pagers used by the group first heated up, then exploded, killing at least two of its members and wounding others.
CCTV footage was shared online that reported to show blasts in shops.
🚨 Breaking: Tens of Hezbollah communication devices are exploding during the past hour. Initial reports state that over one hundred Hezbollah terrorists already injured.
— Dr. Eli David (@DrEliDavid) September 17, 2024
Here's footage from two such explosion 👇 pic.twitter.com/rMwdRWsTGB
Lebanon’s health minister, Firas Abiad, said at least nine people were killed, including an eight-year-old girl, and 2,750 wounded - 200 of them critically.
Iranian state-run IRNA news agency said that the country’s ambassador Mojtaba Amani was superficially wounded by an exploding pager and was being treated at a hospital.
The incidents happened in the southern suburbs of Beirut, which is a stronghold of the Iran-backed armed group, and several other regions.
A Hezbollah official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said explosions were as a result of a sophisticated, massive remote hacking attack.
It took place amid heightened violence between Israel and Hezbollah, who have been engaged in cross-border warfare since the Gaza war erupted last October - the worst such escalation in years.
Hezbollah is classed as a terrorist organisation in the UK, US and many other countries.
A Reuters journalist saw ambulances rushing through the capital’s suburbs with 10 Hezbollah members bleeding from wounds amid widespread panic.
Residents said explosions were taking place even 30 minutes after the initial blasts. The security source added that pagers were also exploding in the south of Lebanon.
Groups of people huddled at the entrance of buildings to check on people they knew who may have been wounded, the Reuters journalist said.
Regional broadcasters carrying CCTV footage which showed what appeared to be a small handheld device placed next to a grocery store cashier where an individual was paying spontaneously exploding. In other footage, an explosion appeared to knock out someone standing at a fruit stand at a market area.
Lebanon’s crisis operations centre, run by the health ministry, asked all medical workers to head to their respective hospitals to help cope with the massive numbers of wounded coming into for urgent care. It said health care workers should not use pagers.
Hezbollah fired missiles at Israel immediately after last October’s murderous attacks by Hamas gunmen on Israel.
Hezbollah and Israel have been exchanging fire constantly ever since, while avoiding a major escalation as war rages in Gaza to the south.
Tens of thousands of people have been displaced from towns and villages on both sides of the border by the hostilities.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah previously warned the group’s members not to carry cellphones, saying that they could be used by Israel to track their movements and to carry out targeted strikes.
A statement from Hamas said: “We appreciate the struggle and sacrifices of our brothers in Hezbollah, and their insistence on continuing to support and back our Palestinian people in Gaza, and we affirm our full solidarity with the Lebanese people and our brothers in Hezbollah.”
Lebanon’s Health Ministry called on all hospitals to be on alert to take in emergency patients and for people who own pagers to get away from them. It also asked health workers to avoid using wireless devices.
Associated Press photographers at area hospitals said the emergency rooms were overloaded with patients, many of them with injuries to their limbs, some in serious condition.
The Hezbollah official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media said the explosions were the result of “a security operation that targeted the devices.”
“The enemy (Israel) stands behind this security incident,” the official said, without elaborating. He added that the new pagers that Hezbollah members were carrying had lithium batteries that apparently exploded.
Lithium batteries, when overheated, can smoke, melt and even catch on fire. Rechargeable lithium batteries are used in consumer products ranging from cellphones and laptops to electric cars. Lithium battery fires can burn up to 590C (1,100F).
