By Pagers used by hundreds of Hezbollah members exploded almost simultaneously on Tuesday in Lebanon and Syria, resulting in at least nine fatalities, including an 8-year-old girl, and injuring several thousand individuals. The explosions have been described as a sophisticated remote attack, with Hezbollah and Lebanese authorities attributing the incident to Israel.
An American official revealed that Israel briefed the United States about the operation after it was completed. The operation involved detonating small amounts of explosives hidden within the pagers. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, stated that the information was sensitive and not authorized for public discussion.
The Israeli military has chosen not to comment on the incident.
Among the casualties is Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon, highlighting the severe impact of the attacks. The explosions come at a time of heightened tension between Israel and Hezbollah, particularly after the October 7 Hamas attack, which intensified the ongoing conflict in Gaza and led to exchanges of fire along the Israel-Lebanon border.
Hezbollah had reportedly acquired the pagers following a directive from its leader in February, who ordered members to discontinue the use of cell phones due to fears that Israeli intelligence could track their movements. The pagers involved in the explosions were a new brand, although Hezbollah officials have not disclosed how long they had been in use.
