Hezbollah blames Israel for the pager explosions in Lebanon that injured nearly 3,000 people. Hezbollah threatens retaliation.
After examining all “available information about the attack that took place this afternoon, we hold the Israeli enemy fully responsible,” the Iran-backed militias wrote on Telegram on Tuesday.
“This treacherous and criminal enemy will surely receive just retribution for this sinful aggression,” the group said.
Nine people were killed and about 2,800 others were injured, including Hezbollah members, by suspected coordinated explosions of pagers in several Lebanese regions, mainly in Hezbollah-controlled areas, the Health Ministry said in an update.
Unconfirmed reports circulated that Israel had attacked Hezbollah communications equipment and was behind the detonations.
The Israeli army initially refused to comment on the events in Lebanon.
A source close to Hezbollah told dpa that the explosions, which took place in several regions of Lebanon, were a major “blow to Hezbollah’s security apparatus.”
The dead include the son of Hezbollah lawmaker Ali Ammar, the group said. The son of Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah and the son of the head of the Wafiq Safa movement’s security service were also wounded, Hezbollah said.