Hezbollah vows retaliation after deadly explosions rock Lebanon
Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has vowed to retaliate against Israel following a series of explosions that ripped through various parts of Lebanon on Tuesday, killing at least eight people and injuring nearly 3,000, including fighters and Iran’s envoy to Beirut.
The blasts, which Hezbollah blamed on Israel, were triggered by handheld pagers commonly used by the group and other factions in Lebanon for communication.
The explosions occurred in Hezbollah strongholds, including southern Lebanon, the southern suburbs of Beirut (Dahiyeh), and the eastern Bekaa Valley. Surveillance footage from one location showed a small handheld device detonating next to a cashier at a grocery store.
Lebanese Information Minister Ziad Makary condemned the detonations, describing them as an act of “Israeli aggression.” Hezbollah responded with a warning, stating that Israel would face “fair punishment” for the attacks.
Lebanon’s Health Minister Firass Abiad confirmed that eight people had died, and over 2,750 were wounded, with at least 200 in critical condition. Hezbollah revealed that two of its fighters were among the dead, along with a young girl. Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, was also injured in the explosions and is currently under medical observation.
While Israel has not officially commented on the detonations, its military has been engaged in cross-border skirmishes with Hezbollah since the Gaza war began in October. An Israeli military spokesperson did not directly address the pager blasts but emphasized the need for continued vigilance.
Hezbollah has used pagers as a low-tech communication tool to avoid Israeli surveillance. This breach is seen as one of the most significant security failures for the group in nearly a year. Hamas, which is also engaged in conflict with Israel, condemned the explosions as an “escalation” and warned that Israel would ultimately fail.
The U.S. State Department refrained from making immediate comments on the impact of the attacks on efforts to secure a Gaza ceasefire but urged Iran and its allies, including Hezbollah, not to exploit the situation to destabilize the region further.
In the aftermath of the explosions, ambulances rushed through Beirut’s southern suburbs as panicked residents scrambled for safety. Hospitals were overwhelmed with the injured, many suffering from severe injuries to the face, eyes, and limbs.
The blasts have added to Hezbollah’s heavy losses in its ongoing confrontation with Israel, with more than 400 of its fighters killed in the past year, including a top commander in July.
Despite the rising tensions, Hezbollah has expressed a desire to avoid a full-scale conflict with Israel, while asserting that only an end to the Gaza war will halt the current hostilities. Meanwhile, ceasefire efforts remain stalled despite mediation attempts by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States.
Credit: Reuters
