11 Dead, More than 4,000 Injured in a Wave of Lebanese Pager Explosions

Jerusalem, 18 September, 2024 (TPS) -- The Lebanese Health Ministry has declared 11 dead, more 4.000 injured, including 200 critically, as a result of numerous explosions of the communication devices of the Hezbollah operatives.

Hezbollah has so far confirmed the death of nine of its operatives. In a statement published by the group, it held Israel responsible ‘for this criminal aggression’ and vowed it would receive ‘its fair punishment.’

The explosions in Lebanon began at around 3.45 local time on Tuesday, September 17 and lasted for about an hour. Communication devices, believed to be used by Hezbollah operatives, heated up and eventually exploded while in the hands or in the packers of their owners.

According to Lebanese media reports, the hospitals in the county are full of injured people. Many have eye injuries.

The explosions also happened in Syria, where several people were killed.

Israel has not commented on the attack.

The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) Chief of Staff, Major General Herzi Halevi, held a situation assessment Tuesday evening, with the participation of the General Staff Forum, with an emphasis on preparedness in attack and defense in all arenas. However, there was no change in the directives of the IDF Home Front Command regarding security measures and the need for the civilian population to prepare for a possible attack as of Tuesday, September 17.

Possible escalation of the conflict with Hezbollah has been in the news in Israel since the beginning of the week, when Israel’s Security Cabinet updated its official war goals to include the secure return of 60,000 evacuated northern residents to their homes.

The pager attack took place just several hours after the news that Israeli security officials thwarted an assassination attempt on a former security official.

Israel’s Security Cabinet on Monday night updated its official war goals to include the secure return of 60,000 evacuated northern residents to their homes

Nearly 60,000 Israelis were forced to evacuate their homes near the Lebanon border when Hezbollah began launching rockets and drones in October. Hezbollah leaders have said they will continue the attacks to prevent Israelis from returning to their homes. The attacks have killed 26 civilians and 20 soldiers on the Israeli side.

According to figures released by the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) Hezbollah fired 1,307 rockets at northern Israel in August, an average of 40 rockets daily. Since October 8, Hezbollah has launched more than 6,700 rockets and drones.

Israeli officials have been calling for Hezbollah to be disarmed and removed from southern Lebanon in accordance with UN Security Council resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 Second Lebanon War.

Israel’s three other official war goals are the eradication of Hamas’s military and governing capabilities, the return of all hostages, and ensuring that Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel.

At least 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 97 remaining hostages, more than 30 have been declared dead. Hamas has also been holding captive two Israeli civilians since 2014 and 2015, and the bodies of two soldiers killed in 2014.