In the biggest security breach.. Hezbollah members killed and about 2,750 injured in explosion of communication devices they were carrying

The Lebanese Minister of Health announced the killing of 8 people, including a child, and the injury of about 2,750, most of them Hezbollah members, in southern Lebanon and the southern suburb of Beirut after the explosion of the wireless communication devices they were using.

The Minister of Health called on all hospitals to receive all the injured, while the Lebanese Civil Defense said that hospitals in the south have exceeded their capacity and we are working to transfer the injured outside the governorate.

Hezbollah announced in a statement that what it described as "mysterious explosions" have so far led to the death of a girl and two people and the injury of a large number of people with various injuries, stressing that medical teams are treating the wounded in a number of hospitals in various Lebanese regions.

The statement stressed that "the competent agencies in Hezbollah are conducting a wide-ranging security and scientific investigation to determine the cause of the simultaneous explosions," calling for "attention to rumors and misleading information that serves the psychological war in the interest of the Zionist enemy."

Two security sources told Reuters that a Hezbollah fighter and the son of a Hezbollah member of parliament were killed in the explosion of mobile communications devices.

The Iranian embassy in Beirut announced that the Iranian ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, sustained superficial injuries, noting that he is in good health.

Earlier, Iran's Fars News Agency reported that the ambassador had been transferred to the hospital.

🚨Urgent
♦️♦️♦️What is happening!!!
▪️The handheld pagers system of dozens of party members was blown up by high-tech technology in a single moment in more than one place in the southern suburb . pic.twitter.com/fG80IKZcyM

- Raymond Hakim (@RaymondFHakim) September 17, 2024

A Lebanese security source told Al Jazeera that hundreds of injuries occurred as a result of pager devices exploding in the possession of their owners in various parts of the country.

A security source told Al Jazeera that the explosion of communication devices in Lebanon was caused by a hack using wireless technology.

The security source explained that the explosion of communication devices included areas in the southern suburbs of Beirut, the Bekaa, and southern Lebanon.

Israeli breach

For its part, the Associated Press quoted an unnamed Lebanese official as saying that it is believed that the targeting of communication devices is the result of an Israeli attack.

AFP quoted the Lebanese Minister of Health as saying that "hundreds of people were injured" in different areas of Lebanon as a result of the explosion of communication devices.

The agency also quoted a source close to Hezbollah as saying that "hospitals are asking for blood" due to the high number of wounded. Another source close to the party confirmed that the incident was an "Israeli violation."

The Lebanese News Agency said that "the Israeli enemy hacked into mobile Pager communications devices and detonated them using high technology." The agency explained that dozens were injured in an unprecedented event as a result of hacking into mobile Pager communications devices and detonating them at the hands of their owners in various areas of the country.

Israel's Channel 12 reported that a senior adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hinted that Israel was behind the explosion of communications devices in Lebanon.

Later, Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper said that Netanyahu's advisor deleted his tweet in which he indicated Israel's responsibility for the Beirut attacks, minutes after posting it.

A former senior official in the Israeli internal security service (Shabak) said that the bombing of the communications devices of hundreds of Hezbollah members was an unprecedented security and intelligence breach.

Meanwhile, the Israeli Broadcasting Authority said that the National Security Council asked ministers to refrain from making statements regarding the events in Lebanon.

The Authority stated that the Likud Party banned its members from making statements and conducting interviews regarding the events in Lebanon.

The authority added that the Home Front Command informed the heads of local authorities of the possibility of a security escalation without new instructions.

This comes as Haaretz newspaper quoted Israeli sources as saying that security services believe that Hezbollah intends to launch a military operation against Israel.

The newspaper said that senior security leaders were asked to attend an emergency meeting and present options to confront a possible escalation with Hezbollah.

She pointed out that the Israeli security services recently detected signs of unusual preparations by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

The newspaper "Israel Today" also quoted an Israeli security source as saying that there were intensive security consultations in the last hours regarding the possibility of a war against Hezbollah, indicating that the severe tension with the party had reached the brink of the abyss.

Emergency

The Lebanese Ministry of Health has asked hospitals to mobilize and raise their level of preparedness to meet the urgent need for emergency services.

📌Injuries due to the explosion of mobile communication devices in the hands of Hezbollah members in the southern suburb of Beirut.

⛔ A security source in Hezbollah:

- An "Israeli" hack into communication devices designated for party members and detonated them.

- Injuries were recorded in the southern suburb of Beirut, as a result of the explosion of communications devices, and no martyrs so far.… pic.twitter.com/p8wlmS3mZY

— Firas Almasi | Firas Almasi 💎 (@FAlmasee2) September 17, 2024

The ministry called on health workers to urgently head to hospitals. It appealed to citizens to go to hospitals to donate blood for the injured.

Lebanese government sources said that Prime Minister Najib Mikati asked the Minister of Health to leave a government session and mobilize all the ministry's departments to keep up with developments.

It is noteworthy that Hezbollah had previously asked its members not to use mobile phones to avoid any Israeli breach, and instead put in place its own communications system.

These developments come at a time when the Israeli official radio reported that Defense Minister Yoav Galant and the leadership of the security system have been holding intensive consultations since the morning regarding Lebanon.

Source: Al Jazeera + Agencies