The Lebanese Shia Islamist political party and paramilitary group, Hezbollah, has accused Israel of orchestrating a series of simultaneous pager explosions in Lebanon, which have injured thousands and killed at least nine people.
According to CNN, Lebanese Health Minister Firass Abiad, confirmed that at least nine people, including a child, lost their lives in the blasts, while approximately 2,800 others were injured, with 170 currently in critical condition.
Hezbollah, which has long been in conflict with Israel, condemned the incident, holding Israel fully responsible for the attacks.
In a statement issued on Tuesday evening, the group vowed retaliation, declaring that Israel, whom they labelled as a ‘criminal and treacherous enemy,’ would face just punishment for the assault,
Echoing Hezbollah’s view, Lebanese officials also described the incident as ‘criminal Israeli aggression.’
Lebanon’s Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, during a cabinet meeting, called the attack a severe violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty and a blatant crime.
However, the Lebanese Ministry of Health has responded swiftly to the incident, urging citizens to dispose of pagers and alerting hospitals to remain on high alert due to the influx of injured individuals.
The explosions primarily affected the southern suburbs of Beirut and areas in the Beqaa Valley, known Hezbollah strongholds. Iran’s Ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, was among those injured.
Despite Hezbollah’s accusations, Israel’s military has refrained from commenting on the incident. Tensions have been escalating along the Israeli-Lebanese border since the outbreak of the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
As investigations continue, Hezbollah has pledged to defend Lebanon, stating that its forces remain on high alert.
Meanwhile, health workers across Lebanon have been urged to report for duty, and citizens are encouraged to donate blood in anticipation of further needs.
Videos circulating on social media captured the aftermath of the explosions, showing injured individuals, including a child, covered in blood. One surveillance video depicted an explosion in a supermarket where a man was seen clutching his lower abdomen in pain after the blast ripped through his bag.
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