A devastating series of explosions ripped through Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah fighters and civilians alike, leaving a trail of death and destruction in its wake. The blasts, which occurred at 3:30 local time, were triggered by thousands of pagers used by Hezbollah members, which suddenly and simultaneously detonated, killing at least nine people and wounding over 2,800.
The attacks, which were captured on video and shared widely on social media, showed the horrific aftermath of the blasts, with victims suffering severe injuries, including missing fingers, eye damage, and amputations. The explosions occurred in public areas, including streets and markets, catching people off guard and causing widespread panic.
Despite the severity of the attacks, the US government has distanced itself from the incident, with both the White House and Pentagon denying any knowledge of the operation. “We’re aware of the reports, but we don’t have any information to share,” said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. A Pentagon spokesperson, Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, echoed this sentiment, stating that the US is “monitoring the situation, but we don’t have any information to provide.”
However, sources close to the matter have revealed that Israel is believed to be behind the attack, with an American official telling the Associated Press and the New York Times that Israel had briefed the US on the details of the operation. Israel has refused to comment publicly on the incident, neither confirming nor denying its involvement.
Hezbollah has condemned the attack, vowing to seek revenge against Israel. “We hold the Israeli enemy fully responsible for this criminal aggression that targeted civilians,” the group said in a statement. “This treacherous enemy will face its just retribution for this sinful aggression, from expected and unexpected places.”
Investigations into the attacks have revealed that the pagers, which were manufactured in Hungary under a licensing agreement with a Taiwanese company, were tampered with before they reached Lebanon. A high-explosive material, such as RDX, was added to the devices, which were then programmed to detonate remotely.
According to US officials, the explosive material was implanted next to the battery in each pager, and a switch was embedded that could be triggered remotely to detonate the explosives. The devices were also programmed to beep for several seconds before exploding.
Military expert Retired Australian Maj. Gen. Mick Ryan has described the attack as “audacious and imaginative,” with “profound implications for Hezbollah and its leadership.” Ryan believes that the attack demonstrates Israel’s ability to identify and target Hezbollah members, regardless of their location or position within the organization. “This is indicative of a sophisticated Israeli intelligence apparatus,” Ryan writes. “The Israelis have demonstrated that they are inside Hezbollah’s communications and supply chains, which will give every member of Hezbollah pause to reconsider whether to trust the equipment issued by the organization.”
