IRIA News

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A series of devastating explosions rocked Lebanon on September 17, 2024, killing nine people and injuring around 2,800. The blasts occurred across multiple locations in the country and were linked to pagers, low-tech wireless communication devices primarily used by Hezbollah.

Lebanese Health Minister Firass Abiad, during a televised press conference, confirmed that the explosions killed eight people, including a young girl. He added that the injuries were extensive, with more than 200 people critically wounded. The injuries were primarily to the face, hands, and stomach, underscoring the severe impact of the blasts.

Hezbollah, the powerful Iran-backed political and military group, had been using these pagers for communication purposes in its ongoing cross-border conflict with Israel. According to security sources, Hezbollah fighters, medics, and even Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, were among the wounded when the devices unexpectedly exploded across different regions of the country. Amani reportedly suffered a superficial injury and was admitted to a hospital for observation.

The explosions have caused widespread panic in Lebanon, already reeling from years of political instability and economic crises. “This is the biggest security breach we’ve experienced in nearly a year of conflict with Israel,” said a Hezbollah official who requested anonymity.

Hezbollah has been actively engaged in cross-border warfare with Israel, a conflict that intensified after the eruption of violence between Israel and Hamas in Gaza in October 2023. Since then, Hezbollah has exchanged fire with Israeli forces, trying to avoid a full-scale escalation of the conflict.

BREAKING via Reuters

Hundreds of members of Hezbollah were seriously wounded on Tuesday when the pagers they use to communicate exploded.

Here is one video of one of the pager explosions. pic.twitter.com/UDepHvkkEe

— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) September 17, 2024

While Hezbollah confirmed the deaths of three people, including two of its fighters, the identity of one of the victims has sparked additional attention. One of the deceased fighters was the son of a Hezbollah member of the Lebanese parliament, according to security sources. The death of a prominent parliamentarian’s son has intensified concerns about the deepening internal strife within the country. Hezbollah has promised to launch a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the explosions.

At this point, it remains unclear how the pagers were detonated. However, three security sources suggested that these devices were part of the latest model Hezbollah had imported over recent months. These newer versions appear to have malfunctioned catastrophically, leading to the deadly explosions.

Amid the chaos, ambulances were seen rushing through Beirut’s southern suburbs, a stronghold for Hezbollah, to assist the injured. Panic-stricken residents scrambled to check on loved ones, with large crowds gathering at hospital entrances across Beirut and southern Lebanon.

A Reuters journalist on the scene described the horror at Mt. Lebanon hospital, where wounded individuals, their hands bloodied and bandaged, screamed in pain. Motorcycle riders could be seen speeding toward emergency rooms, further underscoring the urgency of the situation.

At Nabatieh public hospital, located in the south of Lebanon, around 40 wounded individuals were being treated, with their injuries including wounds to the face, eyes, and limbs, according to the hospital’s head, Hassan Wazni. Wazni described the situation as overwhelming, with medical personnel racing to assist the incoming waves of patients.

The wave of explosions, which lasted for approximately an hour after the first detonations, began around 3:45 p.m. local time. As devices continued to detonate, residents across the country were gripped by fear, unsure of where the next blast might occur. Several of the wireless communication devices exploded in Beirut’s southern suburbs, the heart of Hezbollah’s operational base, causing substantial injuries. Some of the explosions were captured on regional broadcast CCTV footage.

Lebanon’s crisis operations center, operated by the Ministry of Health, issued an urgent call for all medical workers to report to their respective hospitals. With so many wounded, the healthcare system was quickly overwhelmed, and the ministry called for additional personnel to help cope with the emergency. In its advisory, the health ministry also warned medical workers to stop using pagers, emphasizing the danger these devices now posed.

The Lebanese Red Cross, responding swiftly to the crisis, dispatched over 50 ambulances and 300 emergency medical staff to aid in the evacuation and treatment of victims. The organization’s immediate response helped prevent further chaos as they worked to stabilize the situation.

Hezbollah’s involvement in the current conflict with Israel has only added to the tension in Lebanon. The group had fired missiles at Israel following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, which had ignited the ongoing Gaza conflict. Since then, both Hezbollah and Israeli forces have been engaged in sporadic cross-border exchanges of fire, with casualties on both sides. The conflict has displaced tens of thousands of people from border towns and villages, with civilians bearing the brunt of the violence. Over 41,000 Palestinians have been killed since the hostilities began.

The series of explosions has further exacerbated Lebanon’s fragile situation, leaving the country grappling with a new layer of instability as it continues to struggle with its domestic challenges. An investigation into the cause of the pager detonations is ongoing, and the situation remains highly volatile.