A heavy attack on Tuesday saw hundreds of paging devices used by Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah explode across Lebanon, killing at least nine people, including a child, and wounding 2,800 more.
The blasts occurred shortly after 3:00 pm (1200 GMT) on Tuesday, with hundreds of paging communication devices carried by Hezbollah members suddenly exploding across Lebanon.
The explosions resulted in a heavy toll, with at least nine people killed and 2,800 others wounded, according to Lebanon’s Health Minister Firass Abiad.
The wounded include people hurt in the eyes, with many cases of amputations reported.
The influx of casualties overwhelmed some hospitals in Lebanon.
Among those killed was the 10-year-old daughter of a Hezbollah member whose pager exploded in east Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley.
Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon Mojtaba Amani was also wounded, albeit lightly.
Hezbollah swiftly pointed the finger of blame at Israel, although Israel has yet to issue any comment on the attack.
A source close to Hezbollah suggested that the pagers that exploded were part of a recent shipment that had been “sabotaged at source”.
Experts believe that the pagers may have been tampered with, with a small plastic explosive concealed alongside the battery, allowing for remote detonation via a call or page.
The attack comes amid heightened tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, with the two sides trading almost daily fire along the Lebanon-Israel border since October.
The clashes have killed hundreds in Lebanon, mostly fighters, and dozens including soldiers on the Israeli side, forcing tens of thousands of people on both sides of the border to flee their homes.
The incident is currently under investigation, with authorities working to determine the full extent of the attack and the parties responsible.
The attack has dealt a significant blow to Hezbollah, which had already been concerned about the security of its communications after losing several key commanders to Israeli strikes in recent months.
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