Lebanon’s health ministry has reported that at least nine people were killed and hundreds injured following another wave of exploding electronic devices in various locations across the country. According to news sources, two-way radios used by Hezbollah members were targeted on Wednesday, just a day after pager explosions killed at least 12 people and injured approximately 2,800.
Hezbollah and the Lebanese government have blamed Israel for Tuesday’s blasts, although Israel has not commented on the incidents. On Wednesday, Hezbollah stated that it would continue its fight against Israel in support of Hamas militants in Gaza and warned that Israel should expect “harsh punishment.”
Meanwhile, in Cairo, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized that the United States was neither aware of nor involved in Tuesday’s pager blast incident.
He also expressed concerns about the potential for regional escalation, stating, “We remain very clear about the importance of all parties avoiding any steps that could further escalate the conflict.” During a joint press conference with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, Blinken added, “It’s imperative that all parties refrain from any actions that could escalate the conflict.”
Abdelatty condemned the incident, along with any unilateral actions that violate “the sovereignty of Lebanon.” He warned, “We are on the brink of a comprehensive war,” speaking through a translator.
The incident occurred shortly after the Israeli government announced it was expanding its objectives in the conflict against Hamas militants in Gaza to include securing northern Israel from Hezbollah rocket attacks.
There is suspicion that the explosive devices may have been introduced into the pagers before they were delivered to Hezbollah, which had been relying on them after its leader ordered members to stop using cell phones due to concerns that Israeli intelligence could intercept and track their communications.
Hsu Ching-Kuang, the founder of Taiwan-based manufacturer Gold Apollo, stated on Wednesday that his company did not produce the pagers involved in the recent explosions, despite their corporate markings being found on the remains of the devices. He explained that Gold Apollo had licensed its brand to a company named BAC, based in Budapest, which manufactured and sold the devices.
Security experts in the Middle East and the United States informed U.S. media outlets that they suspect Israeli agents intercepted the shipment of these pagers and added explosives before they reached Lebanon and were distributed by Hezbollah.
Iranian state media reported that Mojtaba Amani, Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon, was among those injured by one of the exploding pagers. This incident has heightened concerns about the potential for a broader regional conflict, given Iran’s support for Hezbollah and Hamas and the ongoing tensions in Gaza and along the Israel-Lebanon border.
In response to the escalating situation, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell described it as “extremely worrying” and said he discussed the matter with Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib. Borrell expressed concern over the indiscriminate harm caused to civilians, including children, despite the targeted nature of the attacks.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov also commented, warning that the incident in Lebanon was “certainly leading to an escalation of tensions.” He added, “The region itself is in an explosive situation … And every incident like this has the potential to be a trigger.”
