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=== Second wave ===
=== Second wave ===
About 24 hours after the initial explosions, a second wave of exploding devices occurred in Lebanon. Explosions were reported in Beirut, the Bekaa Valley, and southern Lebanon.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-09-18 |title=Round two? Additional Hezbollah beepers explode in southern Lebanon |url=https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-820703 |access-date=2024-09-18 |website=The Jerusalem Post |language=en}}</ref>
About 24 hours after the initial explosions, a second wave of exploding devices occurred in Lebanon. Explosions were reported in Beirut, the Bekaa Valley, and southern Lebanon.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-09-18 |title=Round two? Additional Hezbollah beepers explode in southern Lebanon |url=https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-820703 |access-date=2024-09-18 |website=The Jerusalem Post |language=en}}</ref> This time the reports are of [[Walkie-talkie|Walki Talkies]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=الصفحة غير موجودة |url=https://www.annahar.com/notfound.html |access-date=2024-09-18 |website=www.annahar.com}}</ref>


== Casualties ==
== Casualties ==

Revision as of 14:34, 18 September 2024

2024 Lebanon pager explosions
Part of the Israel–Hezbollah conflict and the spillover of the Israel–Hamas war
LocationLebanon and Syria
Date17 September 2024
c. 15:30 EEST (UTC+3)
TargetHezbollah members and civilians[1][2]
Weaponpagers booby-trapped with explosives
Deaths12[3][4]
Injured2,800+[5][6]
Perpetrator Israel

On 17 September 2024, around 15:30 local time, thousands of handheld pagers used by Hezbollah, a Lebanese political party and militant group, simultaneously exploded across Lebanon and Syria.[7][8][9][10] Unnamed New York Times sources claimed that Israeli intelligence services had intercepted the deliveries of the pagers and had rigged them with explosive material.[11] At least 12 people were killed and over 2,750 wounded,[5][12][6] including Hezbollah members and civilians.[10][13][14] A Hezbollah official told the National News Agency that the incident was the organization's "biggest security breach yet".[15]

The blasts affected several areas in Lebanon including Beirut's Dahieh suburb, southern Lebanon, and in the Beqaa Valley on the border with Syria, which are considered to have a Hezbollah presence.[16][17][18] Additionally, explosions were reported in Damascus, Syria. It is not clear if only Hezbollah members were carrying the pagers.[19] Around 150 hospitals across Lebanon received victims of the attack, which saw chaotic scenes.[20][21] Among those killed were two Hezbollah operatives, two children, and four medical staff.[15][22][23]

In February 2024, the secretary-general of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, told the group's members to use pagers instead of cell phones, claiming that Israel had infiltrated their cell phone network.[24][25] Hezbollah then bought a new brand of pagers, Gold Apollo AR924 models, which were recently imported into Lebanon.[13][26][27]

A second wave of explosions was reported on 18 September.

Background

Main article: Israel–Hezbollah conflict (2023–present)

A day after Hamas launched its 7 October attacks on Israel, the Iranian-backed militant organization Hezbollah[28] joined the conflict in support of Hamas[29] by firing on Israeli towns like Safed and Nahariya,[28] and other Israeli positions,[30] declaring that it would not stop attacks against Israel until Israel stops military operations and attacks in Gaza.[31] Since then, Hezbollah and Israel have been involved in cross-border military exchanges that have displaced entire communities in Israel and Lebanon, with significant damage to buildings and land along the border. As of 5 July 2024, Israel reports having killed approximately 366 Hezbollah operatives. According to the United Nations, over 90,000 people in Lebanon have been forced to flee their homes, while in Israel 60,000 civilians have been evacuated.[32] Israel and Hezbollah have maintained their attacks at a level that causes significant harm without escalating into a full-scale war.[33] From 7 October 2023 to 21 June 2024, Israel attacked Lebanon 6,124 times. Hezbollah and other Lebanese forces attacked Israel 1,258 times.[34]

Some Hezbollah members had used pagers for years prior to the 7 October attacks, but more members began using them after the attacks, as Hezbollah secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah told them that Israel had penetrated their cellphone network. In February 2024, he called on members to stop using smartphones, citing Israel's capability to infiltrate them.[24][25] After this statement, Hezbollah bought the pagers, which were a new brand and were recently imported to Lebanon in months prior to the explosion.[26][13] Additionally, it was reported that the devices were compromised in Iran before being sent to Lebanon.[35] The pagers were the AR924 model from the Taiwanese company Gold Apollo.[36][27] However, Gold Apollo founder Hsu Ching-Kuang said they were assembled by a company named BAC Consulting KFT in Hungary[37][38] that had the right to Gold Apollo's brand,[39] under a license that had been in place for three years.[40][41][42]

Sky News reported a Lebanese security source which said that Hezbollah had ordered 5,000 devices.[43] Israeli agencies have previously carried out operations involving explosive communication devices, notably the assassination of Hamas operative Yahya Ayyash in 1996.[44]

American University of Beirut Medical Center had upgraded its "paging system infrastructure" in April 2024, which went active on 29 August 2024. Iranian media cited this as proof of American prior knowledge of the attack. The hospital denied this upgrade to be related to the explosions.[45][46]

Earlier on 17 September 2024, just a few hours before the explosions, the Security Cabinet of Israel established a new war objective: the safe return of displaced residents to the north. This goal was added to the two existing objectives—dismantling Hamas and securing the release of hostages taken during the 7 October attacks.[47][48] Israel's domestic security agency, Shin Bet, announced it had thwarted a Hezbollah plot to assassinate a former senior defense official using an explosive device.[49][50]

Explosions

On 17 September 2024 at around 15:30 local time,[5] many communication pagers across Syria and Lebanon unexpectedly exploded in an apparent coordinated attack on Hezbollah members, many of whom were seriously wounded.[7][17][15] A government security source reported that the injured were "primarily" members of Hezbollah.[51]

An Associated Press report indicated that the devices were possibly rigged with explosives prior to arriving in Lebanon.[5] New York Times also reported that Israeli intelligence services intercepted the deliveries and rigged the pagers with small amounts of explosives.[11] Reuters reported an anonymous Lebanese source as claiming the devices had a board inserted into them which could detonate up to three grams of explosive upon receiving a code.[52][53] Facial and eye injuries were the most common effect of the explosions and, according to Tracy Chamoun, the pagers emitted a sound to encourage users to pick the devices up and lift them to their heads.[54] Other reports say that the device vibrated and showed an error message on the screen, and only detonated when the user pressed a button to clear the error, increasing the chance that the operator of the device would be holding it.[5]

The explosions occurred in several areas where Hezbollah has a strong presence,[5] including its stronghold of Dahieh in Beirut; southern Lebanon; and the Beqaa Valley near the Syrian border,[17][15][18] where explosions were reported in the towns of Aali en Nahri and Riyaq.[18] In Syria, explosions of pagers were also reported in the vicinity of Damascus.[55] The blasts reportedly persisted for up to 30 minutes following the initial detonations, intensifying the resulting chaos.[16]

Witnesses reported seeing multiple individuals bleeding from their wounds in the aftermath of the blasts.[17] In one instance, an explosion occurred inside the trouser pockets of a man standing outside a shop.[56] Photos and videos circulating on social media and local media from Beirut's southern suburbs showed individuals lying on the ground with injuries on their hands or near their pockets.[57] The son of Lebanese MP Ali Ammar, a member of Hezbollah, was killed; Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati visited southern Beirut to pay respects to him.[24]

Around 150 hospitals across Lebanon received victims of the attack, which saw chaotic scenes.[21][20] Hospitals in southern Lebanon, the Beqaa Valley, and Beirut's southern suburbs were overwhelmed with patients, many suffering from injuries to the face, hands and stomach.[58][59] In response, Lebanon's Ministry of Health advised individuals with pagers to dispose of them and instructed hospitals to remain on "high alert".[18] It also called on health workers to report to work and asked them not to use wireless devices.[5][13] The Lebanese state-run National News Agency appealed for blood donations.[60] Ambulance crews were deployed from the northern cities of Tripoli and Al-Qalamoun to help in Beirut.[13]

Second wave

About 24 hours after the initial explosions, a second wave of exploding devices occurred in Lebanon. Explosions were reported in Beirut, the Bekaa Valley, and southern Lebanon.[61] This time the reports are of Walki Talkies.[62]

Casualties

At least 12 people were killed after the attacks,[63][1][64] and more than 2,750 were wounded.[5][6] Civilians were also killed,[10][13][14] including four healthcare workers[65] and two children.[66] It is not clear if only Hezbollah members were carrying the pagers.[19] Lebanese Health Minister Firass Abiad said the vast majority of those being treated in emergency rooms were in civilian clothing and their Hezbollah affiliation was unclear.[67] He added the casualties included elderly people as well as young children. According to the Lebanese Health Ministry, healthcare workers were also injured and it advised all healthcare workers to discard their pagers.[67][68]

Mojtaba Amani, Iran's ambassador to Lebanon, was wounded; according to The New York Times, quoting unnamed members of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, he lost one eye and suffered severe injuries in the other.[69][70] Two staff of the Iranian embassy were also injured.[18]

Analysis

CNN suggested that the operation was likely intended to instill paranoia among Hezbollah members, undermine their recruitment efforts, and weaken confidence in Hezbollah's leadership and its ability to protect its operations and personnel.[71] John Miller, CNN's Chief Law Enforcement and Intelligence Analyst, stated the message for Hezbollah was: "We can reach you anywhere, anytime, at the day and moment of our choosing and we can do it at the press of a button."[71]

The Economist suggested several interpretations of the attack. One theory is that the pager-bombs were a precursor to a larger Israeli offensive aimed at disrupting Hezbollah’s command and communications in preparation for a potential invasion. Alternatively, the attack might be the full extent of Israel's operation, delivering a significant impact beyond previous retaliatory measures. Lina Khatib of Chatham House suggests the breach could paralyze Hezbollah’s military and instill fear, making the group more cautious with its communications. Another theory is that Israel acted preemptively to prevent Hezbollah from discovering the vulnerability.[44]

Lebanese journalist Kim Ghattas, who also contributes to The Atlantic, spoke to CNN, suggesting that the incident could be an effort "to cow Hezbollah into submission, and make clear that an increase of their attacks against Israel will be met with even further violence." She noted that it might act as a precursor to a large-scale Israeli campaign, especially as Hezbollah contends with the chaos from this "science-fiction-like attack" on its operatives.[71]

Responses

Lebanon

A senior Lebanese security source told Al-Hadath that Israel had infiltrated the communication systems of individual devices, leading to their detonation.[16] The office of Prime Minister Mikati said the incident was a criminal "violation of Lebanese sovereignty" by Israel.[24] The Lebanese government contacted the United Nations and certain countries, asking them to hold Israel responsible for the attack.[13] Schools will close in Lebanon on 18 September.[13]

Hezbollah blamed Israel for the explosions, which it described as "criminal aggression" and pledged a "just retribution".[58] Those close to the group describe a state of shock following the explosions.[44] A Hezbollah official told the National News Agency that the incident was the organization's "biggest security breach yet."[15]

Israel

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) declined to comment when approached by the Associated Press.[5] Israeli Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi held a meeting with Israeli generals to discuss "preparation for defensive and offensive operations on all fronts".[24] Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid cut short his trip to the United States, planning to return to Israel.[13]

According to Axios, Israeli officials said they are aware that a major escalation on the northern border is possible after the explosions and said that the IDF was on high alert for a possible retaliatory response by Hezbollah.[72] The Israeli news website Walla, citing unnamed Israeli officials, reported that "Israeli intelligence services assessed before the operation that Hezbollah might respond with a significant counterattack against Israel."[73]

United Nations

Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, the UN special coordinator for Lebanon, condemned the attack, saying "civilians are not a target and must be protected at all times".[74] Stéphane Dujarric, the Secretary-General's spokesperson, said the organization deplored the civilian casualties and warned of the risks of escalation in the region.[75][76]

Other governments

Iran referred to the attacks as "Israeli terrorism" and pledged to provide medical assistance to those affected.[13] Foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani called the attack as an "example of mass murder" by the "Zionist regime".[77] Iran dispatched a medical team of twelve doctors, twelve nurses and the president of the Iranian Red Crescent to Lebanon to provide medical assistance. Iraq also dispatched a military aircraft carrying medical aid which landed at Beirut.[3] Jordan, Turkey, Syria and Egypt also offered medical assistance.[13][78]

Syria expressed solidarity with the Lebanese people and says it "stands by their side in their right to defend themselves" while condemning that blasts. The Syrian foreign ministry issued a statement carried by state news agency SANA accusing Israel of "its desire to expand the scope of the war and its thirst to shed more blood". It called on nations to “unequivocally condemn this aggression".[79]

The Deputy Prime minister of Belgium, Petra De Sutter, condemned the "massive terror attack in Lebanon and Syria".[80]

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said that the attack requires investigation and international attention.[81]

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan criticized Israel during a phone call with Lebanese Prime Minister Mikati, saying that its attempts to spread conflicts in the region are "extremely dangerous" and that Turkey’s efforts to stop Israeli aggression will continue.[82]

Australian senator Mehreen Faruqi stated that the perpetrators of the attack "must be held accountable".[83]

European Union foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell condemned the attack.[84]

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, during a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reaffirmed Lebanon's security, stability, and sovereignty and said that his government rejects any “attempts to escalate the conflict and expand its scope regionally,” calling on all parties to act responsibly.[85]

The United States denied involvement in the mass explosions and said that it was not aware of the attacks in advance. The United States also urged Iran to refrain from retaliating for the mass explosions.[86] White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre stressed the need for a diplomatic solution between Israel and Hezbollah.[79] The attack came just a day after the Biden administration's special envoy Amos Hochstein visited Israel and warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against provoking a major escalation in Lebanon.[72]

Islamist militant groups

Hamas blamed Israel for the pager explosions, which it called a "crime that defies all laws". In a statement, Hamas praised Hezbollah's "efforts and sacrifices" and said "this terrorist act is part of the Zionist enemy's larger aggression on the region".[79]

Houthi spokesperson Mohammed Abdelsalam called the attacks “a heinous crime and a violation of Lebanese sovereignty” and assured that "Lebanon is capable of facing all challenges, and has a resistance movement capable of deterring the Zionist enemy entity and making it pay a heavy price for any escalation it may undertake against Lebanon."[79] Hours after the explosions and two days after firing a supersonic ballistic missile at Tel Aviv, the deputy head of the Houthis’ media authority, Nasr Al-Din Amer, said that the group is ready to support Hezbollah and send thousands of fighters to Lebanon should a war break out with Israel.[87]

Kata'ib Hezbollah offered medical and military assistance to Hezbollah.[88]

Private sector

Gold Apollo founder Hsu Ching-Kuang told reporters that the company did not manufacture the pagers involved in the explosions, but that they were made by its long-term partner the Hungarian company BAC Consulting KFT under a license that had been in place for three years.[40][42][89] BAC Consulting KFT cooperated with Gold Apollo and represented many of its products.[90]

Air France and Lufthansa suspended flights to Tel Aviv, Beirut and Tehran, citing the security situation caused by the attacks.[13][91]

See also

References

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  89. ^ "Taiwanese firm says pagers that exploded were made by BAC Consulting". Al Jazeera. 18 September 2024.
  90. ^ "Taiwan’s Gold Apollo says Hezbollah pagers made by Hungary partner BAC," Al Arabiya.
  91. ^ Noëth, B. (18 September 2024). "Air France, British Airways and Lufthansa Group airlines suspend flights to Middle East following attack in Lebanon". Aviation24.be. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
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