A man looks at a pager moments before it explodes inside a grocery store in Beirut, as captured by CCTV footage on Tuesday, September 17, 2024. AP Photo
On Tuesday, a coordinated series of explosions rocked areas in Lebanon and Syria, killing at least nine people, including an 8-year-old girl, and injuring thousands. The blasts were caused by exploding pagers used by Hezbollah members, a group that has been escalating tensions with Israel. Hezbollah and the Lebanese government have pointed the finger at Israel, accusing it of orchestrating the attack.
The explosions occurred around 3:30 p.m., while people were engaged in daily activities like shopping and commuting. Pagers, which had been issued to Hezbollah members following a ban on cellphones to avoid Israeli tracking, suddenly started overheating and detonating. The explosions left bloodied scenes in busy public places, with bystanders panicking and rushing for safety. Most of the blasts occurred in Hezbollah strongholds, including southern Beirut, eastern Lebanon’s Beqaa region, and parts of Damascus.
According to Lebanese security sources and Hezbollah officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the attack seemed to target the group's members. However, the extent of the damage suggests that others may have been caught in the explosions as well. Hospitals were overwhelmed as many of the wounded arrived with severe injuries, including missing limbs, facial wounds, and gaping wounds around the abdomen.
People gather outside the American University Hospital in Beirut, Lebanon, on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, after several men injured by exploding pagers were brought in for treatment. AP Photo
An Iranian official, the country's ambassador to Lebanon, was among those injured in the attack. Hezbollah claims that the explosions were the result of an intricate and long-planned operation carried out by Israel, possibly by planting explosives in the pagers during manufacturing or distribution. They vowed retaliation against Israel, blaming them for what they described as a "criminal aggression."
Videos circulating online captured some of the horrifying moments. One showed a man casually shopping when the pager he carried in his pocket exploded, leaving him sprawled on the ground while others fled in terror.
At least eight of those killed were Hezbollah members, and the group confirmed that two of their members were among the dead, with one being the son of a parliament member. They later updated the death toll to include six more members, though they did not specify how they were killed.
Despite Hezbollah's accusations, Israel has not commented on the attacks. Earlier in the day, Israel’s internal security agency claimed to have foiled an assassination plot by Hezbollah involving a remotely detonated explosive device, adding to speculation about heightened tensions between the two adversaries.
An injured person is being taken to an ambulance after a series of pager explosions in Lebanon on Tuesday, September 17, 2024. AP Photo
Experts suggest that the attacks could have been planned well in advance, with the explosive devices hidden within the pagers before being distributed. The fact that the explosions occurred almost simultaneously across multiple locations points to a well-coordinated operation.
As tensions between Hezbollah and Israel continue to rise, likely, this latest incident will only deepen the conflict. Hezbollah has been involved in clashes with Israeli forces along the border since the start of the recent Gaza conflict, further complicating the already volatile situation in the region.
