Simultaneous detonations of pager devices occurred in Lebanon's capital of Beirut and several other cities, leaving thousands injured. Local media reported that the detonation of the devices happened due to a “high-tech impact.”
Personal communication devices began exploding around 3:30 p.m. due to simultaneous remote attacks. Pager owners have been urged to dispose of their pagers immediately.
Media reports suggest that the attack mainly targeted devices carried by Hezbollah members. Shortly after the explosions, the movement blamed Israel for mass detonations in the country, threatening retaliation.
"After examining all the facts, current data and available information about the sinful attack that took place this afternoon, we hold the Israeli enemy fully responsible for this criminal aggression, which also targeted civilians and led to the deaths of a number of martyrs and the injury of a large number with various wounds," the movement's statement said.
At least eight people, including a child, have died as a result of the attack, according to the Lebanese health minister, over 2,800 were injured, and 200 of the injured are in critical condition.
Iranian Ambassador to Lebanon Mojtaba Amani is among the injured. Most of the wounded have severed fingers, severe burns, and other blast injuries.
The exploded devices came from a new shipment that Hezbollah had recently received in recent days, the Wall Street Journal reported. Hezbollah said it had not yet determined the reasons behind the mass explosion.
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu is currently holding a meeting with senior security officials in light of the explosions, according to Israeli media. On the agenda is a possible retaliatory attack by Hezbollah on Israel.
The Lebanese government considers the mass detonation of pagers in different parts of the country as an Israeli aggression based on the initial results of the investigation, Lebanese Information Minister Ziad Makary said on Tuesday.
"The head of the government briefed the ministers with the initial findings of the investigation, and the cabinet reiterated its condemnation of the Israeli aggression, which constitutes a dangerous attack on Lebanese sovereignty and an outright crime," Makary said.