Hezbollah pager explosions: What we know so far

A series of explosions involving pagers used by Hezbollah occurred across Lebanon on Tuesday, killing at least 12 people, including two children, and injuring thousands. The nature and origin of the attack remain unclear, with Hezbollah blaming Israel, though Israeli officials have not commented.

Timeline of Events

Time of Explosions: The blasts began around 15:45 local time in Beirut and other parts of Lebanon.

Witness Accounts: Witnesses saw smoke and heard sounds resembling fireworks and gunshots from people's pockets.

CCTV Footage: Video evidence shows an explosion in a man’s trouser pocket at a shop till.

Nature of Messages: The New York Times reported that the pagers received messages appearing to be from Hezbollah leadership before detonating.

Duration: Explosions continued for about an hour.

Hospital Reports: Mass confusion and numerous injuries were reported as people arrived at hospitals.

Analysis

Experts suggest a supply chain attack, with explosives potentially placed inside the devices during manufacture or transit. A Lebanese security source indicated that a small quantity of explosives had been embedded in the devices months prior.

Investigation

Pager Model: The pagers were identified as Rugged Pager AR-924, made by the Taiwanese firm Gold Apollo, though Gold Apollo denied involvement.

Gold Apollo's Statement: The company’s CEO said the devices were made under license by a Hungarian company, BAC.

BAC's Response: BAC's CEO denied making the pagers, stating they acted as intermediaries.

Possible Motive

Unnamed US and Israeli officials suggested the explosions were initially intended as the start of an offensive against Hezbollah but were triggered early due to concerns Hezbollah had detected the plan. Analysts believe Israel is likely behind the attack.

Victims

Casualties: Two of those killed were children of Hezbollah MPs, and the daughter of a Hezbollah member was also killed.

Injuries: Among the injured was Iran's ambassador to Lebanon, with reports of minor injuries.

Nature of Injuries: The majority involved damage to the face and hands, with some amputations.

Hezbollah’s Use of Pagers

Hezbollah has used pagers to avoid detection by Israeli intelligence. The recent switch to pagers from mobile phones was a directive by Hassan Nasrallah, aiming to evade Israeli surveillance.

Reactions and Potential Escalation

Lebanese Government: Prime Minister Najib Mikati condemned the explosions as a violation of Lebanese sovereignty.

Hezbollah's Statement: Hezbollah accused Israel of responsibility and held it accountable for the attack on civilians.

Conflict Risk: The incident has heightened fears of escalating the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, with both sides maintaining a fragile balance in the region.

The situation remains fluid, and further developments are expected as investigations continue.