Lebanon: Series of exploding pagers – eight dead and 2750 injured

The conflict between Israel and the Shiite Hezbollah militia continues to escalate: around 2,750 people were injured and 8 people killed in Lebanon in presumably coordinated explosions of hundreds of portable radio receivers. The condition of around 200 injured people is critical, said Lebanese Health Minister Firas Abiad in the capital Beirut. Hezbollah blamed Israel for the explosions of the so-called pagers and announced on Telegram that it would retaliate for the “sinful aggression”.

Many Hezbollah fighters are said to have been among the injured, including members of the elite Radwan force. High-ranking Hezbollah officials are also said to have been injured, a source close to the militia confirmed. The organization said it was investigating the reasons for the simultaneous explosions.

Exploding pagers in Lebanon: Hezbollah blames Israel and threatens retaliation

There was speculation that Israel might have deliberately detonated the devices as an attack on Hezbollah fighters. Israel’s army did not initially comment on the incidents. The Israeli Kan broadcaster reported that the military and the Ministry of Defense assumed that Hezbollah would respond with military action against Israel. Discussions on this matter are currently taking place at the military headquarters in Tel Aviv.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the pagers came from a shipment that Hezbollah had recently received. Hundreds of fighters have such devices, the newspaper reported, citing an unnamed Hezbollah representative. He suspected that the devices were infected with malware that caused them to overheat and explode. Experts in the Israeli media assumed that the pagers were a very important communication system for the militia.

Videos from surveillance cameras in Lebanon showed small explosions in supermarkets, for example. Some people were lying on the ground afterward. According to local media, the explosions occurred in the southern suburbs of Beirut, where Hezbollah is particularly strong, and in the south of the country.

Panic in the streets

Eyewitnesses reported panic in the streets of Beirut. Numerous ambulances were deployed. The Ministry of Health called on all hospitals to be on high alert and citizens to donate blood.

Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, was also reportedly injured when a pager exploded. The pager belonged to a bodyguard, reported the Iranian news agency Tasnim. Hezbollah is the most important non-state ally of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Israel speaks of the need for military action in Lebanon

After almost a year of constant fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, there have recently been increasing signs that the conflict could escalate into open war. The return of Israeli refugees to their homes in the north of the country is now one of Israel’s declared war aims – alongside the liberation of hostages from the Gaza Strip and the destruction of Hamas.

The only way to achieve this is “military action,” said Israel’s Defense Minister Joav Galant on Monday, according to his office, at a meeting with US mediator Amos Hochstein. The possibility of a diplomatic solution to the conflict with Hezbollah is becoming increasingly remote because the militia has tied its fate to Hamas in the Gaza Strip and refuses to end the conflict, he said.

Conflict between Hezbollah and Israel

Since the Gaza war began almost a year ago, there have been almost daily confrontations between Hezbollah and the Israeli military in the border region. There have been deaths on both sides as a result of the shelling – most of them were members of Hezbollah. Just on Tuesday, according to Israeli sources, three Hezbollah fighters were killed in an attack on a town in southern Lebanon.

Since then, around 6,000 Israelis have had to leave their homes and apartments in many villages and the town of Kiriat Shmona in northern Israel. Many of those affected have been living in hotels paid for by the state for months. In several towns in the Israeli border region, dozens of houses and infrastructure have been damaged. The military has always been present in the area. Since the beginning of the fighting with Hezbollah, however, there have also been army checkpoints on roads used by civilians. Thousands of people have also fled from southern Lebanon to other parts of the country.

The Israeli domestic intelligence service Shin Bet announced that it had foiled a Hezbollah bomb attack on a former high-ranking Israeli security official. The attack was planned for the coming days, it said. The bomb was equipped with a remote detonator connected to a camera and a cell phone. This meant that the bomb could have been detonated by Hezbollah from Lebanon.

Under Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah has steadily expanded its influence with support from Tehran. This influence reaches deep into the Lebanese state, which is paralyzed by crises. The organization mainly controls the south on the border with Israel, Shiite-populated districts of the capital Beirut, and the Bekaa Valley in the north of the country. Hezbollah considers itself prepared for “any scenario,” according to informed sources.

Observers expect further military actions

Observers assume that there could be further and possibly larger military clashes between Israel and Hezbollah in the near future. The possible extent of the confrontation is unclear, however, said Riad Kahwaji, director of the Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis (INEGMA), to the dpa. There are also different opinions within the Israeli government. According to political analyst Makram Rabah, an Israeli deployment of ground troops in Lebanon is likely. “But it is a question of timing,” he said.

Report: Full-scale war with Hezbollah closer than ever

Meanwhile, the Israeli newspaper “Jerusalem Post” reported, citing political and military sources, that Israel is closer to a full-scale war with Hezbollah than ever before. However, a large-scale war remains risky for all sides.

Israel wants to use military and diplomatic pressure to force the Hezbollah militia to withdraw behind the Litani River, 30 kilometers from the border – as required by UN Resolution 1701.

Further mediation efforts for ceasefire in Gaza

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken wants to be in Egypt until Thursday to revive talks to end the Gaza war. An agreement between Israel and Hamas currently seems almost impossible. Israel wants to destroy Hamas in the war – but many innocent Palestinians keep losing their lives. Egypt, Qatar and the USA have been trying to mediate in the conflict for months without success.

Note: This article has been updated several times