Hezbollah Promises Retaliation Against Israel Following Pager Blasts That Kill Nine and Injure Thousands Across Lebanon, Reports Reuters

By Laila Bassam

BEIRUT – The militant group Hezbollah has vowed to retaliate against Israel following accusations that the Israeli military detonated pagers across Lebanon on Tuesday, resulting in the deaths of nine people and injuring nearly 3,000, among them fighters and Iran’s ambassador to Beirut.

Lebanese Information Minister Ziad Makary condemned the late-afternoon detonation of the pagers—devices used by Hezbollah and others in Lebanon for messaging—as an act of "Israeli aggression." In response, Hezbollah warned that Israel would face "its fair punishment" for the blasts.

The Israeli military has been involved in cross-border fighting with Iran-backed Hezbollah since the onset of the Gaza conflict in October, but chose not to comment on the detonation incident.

According to Lebanon’s health ministry, the death toll rose from eight to nine overnight, while the number of injured remained at 2,750. Hezbollah later confirmed that at least two of its fighters, as well as a young girl, were among the deceased.

The explosions occurred in several areas including southern Lebanon, the Dahiyeh suburb of Beirut, and the eastern Bekaa Valley, all of which are strongholds of Hezbollah. Surveillance footage shown by regional broadcasters depicted a person shopping at a grocery store when a device, placed near the cashier, erupted.

A Hezbollah official, speaking confidentially, described the event as the "biggest security breach" for the group in nearly a year of conflict with Israel.

Reports suggest that Israel concealed explosive materials within the Taiwan-manufactured Gold Apollo pagers prior to their import into Lebanon. This setup reportedly allowed the explosives to be detonated remotely via a switch adjacent to the device’s battery.

The Palestinian militant group Hamas, currently engaged in conflict with Israel in Gaza, deemed the pager explosions as an "escalation" that would ultimately lead Israel to "failure and defeat."

Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, the UN special coordinator for Lebanon, expressed deep concern over the incident, labeling it a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict.

U.S. officials stated that they were not involved in the explosions and lacked clarity on who was responsible. They have reiterated calls for a diplomatic solution to the tensions between Israel and Lebanon while urging Iran and its allies, including Hezbollah, Yemen’s Houthis, and armed factions in Iraq, not to exploit the situation for further destabilization.

While avoiding direct comments on the explosions, an Israeli military spokesperson conveyed that the chief of staff, Major General Herzi Halevi, held meetings with senior officers to evaluate the situation. Though no policy updates were shared, he emphasized the continued need for vigilance.

Hezbollah operatives have utilized pagers as a low-tech communication method to evade Israeli tracking, according to two sources familiar with the group’s operations. A pager is a wireless device that receives and displays messages.

MANY INJURED

Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, sustained a "superficial injury" in the blasts and was receiving medical observation, according to an Iranian news agency report that has yet to be confirmed.

Among the casualties were Hezbollah fighters who were the sons of high-ranking officials in the organization, including the son of a Hezbollah parliamentary member, Ali Ammar.

"This is not merely targeting one or two individuals; it constitutes an attack on an entire nation," asserted senior Hezbollah official Hussein Khalil while extending condolences for Ammar’s son.

Air France announced the suspension of flights connecting Paris with Beirut and Tel Aviv through Thursday amid security concerns.

Earlier that day, Israel’s domestic security agency reported it had thwarted a Hezbollah plot to assassinate a former senior defense official in the upcoming days.

While Hezbollah has expressed a desire to prevent full-scale conflict with Israel, it also maintains that the cross-border clashes will persist until the Gaza war concludes. Efforts for a ceasefire in Gaza remain stalled despite months of negotiations facilitated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States.

Experts acknowledged the risk of escalation but remained skeptical about an immediate full-scale Israel-Hezbollah war, which they believe neither side currently seeks, particularly in light of U.S. intervention.

SCREAMING IN PAIN

In the aftermath of Tuesday’s explosions, ambulances surged through the southern suburbs of Beirut, accompanied by widespread panic. At a local hospital outside the city, a reporter noted the chaotic scene as patients with bloodied hands were admitted.

Hassan Wazni, head of a public hospital in Nabatieh in southern Lebanon, reported treating around 40 wounded individuals, suffering injuries primarily to the face, eyes, and limbs.

Following the Hamas attacks on October 7 that ignited the Gaza war, Hezbollah had fired missiles at Israel, leading to ongoing exchanges of fire between the two parties while avoiding significant escalation. Over the past year, Hezbollah has lost more than 400 fighters due to Israeli strikes, including top commander Fuad Shukr in July.

Tens of thousands of individuals have been displaced from communities on both sides of the border amid the hostilities. On Tuesday, Israel reiterated its war objectives, including the goal of returning citizens to their homes near the Lebanese border.