Hundreds of pagers used by members of Hezbollah and civilians across Lebanon exploded simultaneously on September 17, 2024, leading to a wave of serious injuries and fatalities.
How did the pagers explode?
Around mid-afternoon, pagers started to explode in various parts of the country, particularly from Hezbollah strongholds in Beirut’s southern suburbs, southern Lebanon, and the Beqaa Valley.
The method behind the mysterious incident is unclear.
It is speculated that the pagers may have been hacked and set to explode. The affected devices reportedly came from a new shipment, hinting at a sophisticated operation that required intimate knowledge of the devices’ specifics, possibly down to serial numbers.
Pagers, an almost outdated technology, are still used for secure communication by Hezbollah.
According to officials, the pager explosions resulted in at least eight deaths, with over 2,500 people injured, many critically.
Iran, an ally of Hezbollah, reported that its ambassador in Lebanon was among the injured.
Hezbollah blames Israel
Hezbollah, a powerful military and political organization in Lebanon, was quick to attribute the attack to Israel.
A Hezbollah official, speaking anonymously, labeled the incident the biggest security breach. The pagers explosion incident follows a period of increased hostilities, with Israel and Hezbollah exchanging fire almost daily since the onset of the Israel-Hamas war last October.
Israel has not commented on the incident.