According to Sky News Arabic, Lebanese sources indicate that Israel successfully infiltrated the devices used by Hezbollah members and detonated them. Saudi network Al-Hadath reports that Hezbollah’s communication devices were exploded using “certain technology.” Numerous videos documenting the explosions have been circulating on social media.
Iranian news agency Mehr reports that Iran’s Ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, was lightly injured in one of the explosions. His bodyguards were also injured.
The Wall Street Journal states that Hezbollah operatives affected by the explosions had recently received new beepers within the last few months. According to the report, some operatives noticed their devices heating up and discarded them just before the explosions.
Reports suggest dozens of injuries in Beirut’s Dahiya district alone, an area that has long served as Hezbollah’s headquarters and was a major target of IDF strikes during the 2006 Lebanon War. In addition to casualties in Beirut, around 50 injuries have been reported in Nabatieh, southern Lebanon, with a total of thousands of injured individuals across Lebanon and Syria.
Lebanon’s Ministry of Health has instructed all hospitals to increase their alertness and prepare for an influx of injured individuals. Additionally, anyone in possession of the compromised communication devices has been urged to “immediately dispose of them.”
Hospitals in Lebanon are experiencing overwhelming demand, with some no longer able to admit patients and diverting ambulances to distant cities. Hospitals in Tyre and Sidon have also stopped accepting more casualties.
Simultaneously, reports of IDF strikes in villages in southern Lebanon and an explosion in a vehicle in Damascus, Syria, are emerging, likely linked to the detonation of another beeper device.
Israeli Security Cabinet Meeting Ongoing
In a possibly related development, Israel’s Security Cabinet convened late Monday night in the underground command center (“the Pit”) in Tel Aviv’s Kirya military base. Several consultations have been held there throughout the night and day, with cabinet ministers, senior IDF officials, and the Mossad chief participating. Recent reports indicate intense discussions involving top security officials. This security drama unfolds against the backdrop of political tensions, including the potential dismissal of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and the appointment of MK Gideon Sa’ar as his replacement.
Israel hasn’t taken responsibility for the attack, however Hezbollah is blaming Israel. This high-level attack was a major blow to Hezbollah. The beepers had been distributed to them recently with the belief that this was the safest way for them to communicate.
