Day After Pager Blasts, Walkie-Talkies Explode in Hezbollah Units in Lebanon; 12 Dead

Beirut: At least 12 people have died following a series of walkie-talkie explosions across Hezbollah strongholds across Lebanon on Wednesday. This incident follows yesterday’s blasts involving pagers, which claimed nine lives and injured over 2,800 people across the country.

The number of walkie-talkies that exploded is still unclear, with reports suggesting that landline phones in East Lebanon are also being affected. Sources indicate that the walkie-talkies were purchased around the same time as the pagers.

In response, Hezbollah, backed by Iran, launched rocket attacks on Israeli artillery positions, marking the first strike since the pager blasts. The explosions, which injured thousands of Hezbollah members, have heightened fears of escalating tensions in the region.

According to a senior Lebanese security official, Mossad, Israel’s intelligence agency, planted explosives in pagers imported by Hezbollah months before Tuesday’s blasts.

Lebanese Health Minister Firass Abiad confirmed that nine people, including a young girl, were killed in the pager explosions, with over 2,800 others wounded. More than 200 of the injured remain in critical condition, with injuries primarily affecting the face, hands, and abdomen.

Iran’s state media also reported that its Ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, was injured in the pager blasts.