BEIRUT – A significant security incident unfolded in Lebanon on Tuesday, leaving over 1,000 individuals, including Hezbollah fighters and medics, injured due to the explosion of communication pagers across the country. Early reports indicate at least two fatalities, including a 10-year-old girl, with Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon also sustaining non-serious injuries.
A Hezbollah official, who requested anonymity, described the pager detonations as the “largest security breach” the group has experienced during nearly a year of conflict with Israel. The ongoing cross-border hostilities between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah intensified following the eruption of the Gaza conflict last October.
In an effort to counter Israel’s advanced surveillance capabilities, Hezbollah has increasingly relied on low-tech communication methods, such as coded messages and pagers. The pagers involved in the explosions were reported to be a recent model, having just arrived in the country.
Witnesses reported ambulances racing through Beirut’s southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold, as chaos ensued. Explosions were also reported in southern Lebanon. At a local hospital, injured individuals were seen arriving with severe wounds, particularly to their faces, eyes, and limbs, with emergency personnel overwhelmed by the number of casualties.
The wave of explosions began around 3:45 PM local time and lasted for approximately one hour, but the method of detonation remains unclear. Lebanese internal security forces confirmed multiple instances of pager detonations across the nation, particularly in Beirut’s southern districts.
Footage from the scene captured the chaotic moments, with small handheld devices seemingly detonating unexpectedly near grocery stores and market areas. The Lebanese health ministry’s crisis operations center urged medical personnel to respond to hospitals and advised against the use of pagers in light of the situation.
The Lebanese Red Cross mobilized more than 50 ambulances and dispatched over 300 emergency medical staff to assist in evacuating victims and providing urgent care.
Since the onset of the Gaza war, which was triggered by Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, tensions have remained high, with ongoing exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and Israeli forces. The conflict has led to the displacement of tens of thousands from communities on both sides of the border.
