Iranian Ambassador to Lebanon Mojtaba Amani lost one eye and suffered severe injuries to the other when a pager he was carrying exploded during a series of blasts that struck Lebanon and Syria on Tuesday, The New York Times reported on Wednesday.
Citing two sources within Iran's Revolutionary Guards, the report noted that Amani’s condition is more serious than publicly disclosed, leading to his transfer to Iran for further medical treatment.
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Medical personnel in Lebanon getting ready to treat the wounded
(Photo: REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir)
Footage broadcast by Iranian media showed chaotic scenes in Lebanon, with the ambassador being rushed to a Beirut hospital, his eye bandaged and shirt stained with blood.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the attack and, in discussions with his Lebanese counterpart, expressed Tehran’s readiness to transfer the ambassador and other injured for further care if necessary.
Iranian reports indicated that two of Amani’s bodyguards were also wounded, as they too were carrying pagers. One of the guards said that the devices emitted a sound 10 seconds before exploding, prompting some to examine them, leading to severe injuries.
Pagers explode across Lebanon, injuring thousands of Hezbollah operatives
The New York Times also consulted cybersecurity experts, who analyzed footage of the explosions and determined that the pagers had been specifically modified to create “surgical explosions.”
The attack targeted a key vulnerability in Hezbollah's operations—communication among its members. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah had recently limited the use of mobile phones due to fears of Israeli espionage, making pagers the group's primary communication method.
Israel has not claimed responsibility for the blasts, which killed at least nine people. Lebanon's health ministry initially reported around 4,000 injuries, including 400 in serious condition, but later revised the figures to 2,800 injured, with 200 in serious condition.
Israeli officials believe Hezbollah will retaliate for the significant blow dealt to the group and are preparing for potential escalation.