Thousands Injured in Series of Pager Explosions Across Lebanon, Officials Say
Lebanese state media reported that about 2,800 people were injured when handheld pager devices began exploding across the country on Sept. 17.
Thousands of people across Lebanon were reported injured as their handheld pagers exploded on Sept. 17, Lebanese state media and security officials have said.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry called on hospitals throughout the country to be ready to take in emergency patients and advised people who use pagers to get away from the electronic devices.
The exact reason for the rash of exploding pagers is unclear, but many members of Hezbollah—which is designated a terrorist organization by the United States and Israel—appear to have been injured in the blasts.
Hezbollah leaders shared a statement through one of their affiliated press agencies on Tuesday, saying that members of various Hezbollah-aligned military units and political institutions were injured in these pager blasts.
Among those reported killed on Tuesday was Mahdi Ammar, the son of a Hezbollah-affiliated member of the Lebanese Parliament named Ali Ammar.
The Epoch Times could not immediately confirm who had been injured in the pager blasts.
Hezbollah has clashed with Israeli forces across the Lebanon–Israel border for months, in a skirmish that has shown signs of escalating into a wider conflict.
The Israel Defense Forces declined a request for comment from The Epoch Times about the pager explosions occurring across Lebanon on Tuesday.
Iran’s Islamic regime has for years been aligned with Hezbollah in opposition to Israel.
At a Tuesday press briefing, U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said the U.S. government had no involvement in the pager explosions or advanced knowledge that these explosions would occur. He said the U.S. government is gathering information about the incident and that he would avoid speculating about the possible parties behind the explosions.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre likewise said she would not speculate on the pager explosions during the Tuesday White House press briefing.
Middle East Tensions Run High
Hezbollah and Israeli forces began trading fire last fall, shortly after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks across southern Israel. While Israeli forces have largely focused their attention on defeating Hamas—another U.S.- and Israeli-designated terrorist group—in the Gaza Strip, Israeli military leaders have prepared for a wider fight to Israel’s north.
Efforts to reach a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip remain elusive after nearly a year of fighting.
The Israeli government didn’t claim responsibility for Haniyeh’s death, while both Hamas and Iranian leaders have blamed Israel for the killing. Iranian leaders have threatened Israel with retaliation.
Miller, speaking with reporters on Tuesday, reiterated U.S. calls for diplomacy after the pager explosions across Lebanon.
“We do want to see a diplomatic resolution to the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah,” Miller said on Tuesday. “We want to see one that allows the tens of thousands of Israelis who have been displaced from their homes and the tens of thousands of Lebanese who have been displaced from their homes to be able to return home. And that’s what we are continuing to pursue.”
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Ryan Morgan is a reporter for The Epoch Times focusing on military and foreign affairs.
Featured image: An ambulance approaches the American University of Beirut Medical Center after pager explosions at locations throughout Lebanon, in Beirut, Lebanon, on Sept. 17, 2024. Anwar Amro/AFP via Getty Images
