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This Tuesday (17), a hacker attack caused pagers to explode — messaging devices popular in the 80s and 90s — in a series of near-simultaneous incidents across Lebanon. The attack left thousands injured and at least nine dead in an incident described by authorities as coordinated. Hezbollah blamed Israel for the attacks, which affected several areas of the country.
Victims and impacts
The incident was described as unprecedented, with devices exploding in different areas at almost the same time. Local authorities and witnesses reported chaos in several parts of the country, with ambulances overwhelmed, hospitals on alert and citizens fearing that more explosions could occur. The situation was made worse by the fact that pagers are widely used by members of Hezbollah and other organizations in Lebanon.
So far, there is no clear information about how the pagers were hacked or whether other parties were involved. According to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, The explosions resulted in approximately 2.750 people being injured in various parts of the country, with 170 of them in critical condition.. Among the fatal victims are at least nine people, including a child.
Among the victims of the blasts was Mojtaba Amani, Iran's ambassador to Lebanon, who was superficially wounded in Beirut. Amani is a central figure in Iran-Hezbollah relations, which makes his presence among the injured even more significant. The ambassador's wife told Iranian media that he was under observation in a hospital but that his injuries were not serious. In addition to Amani, two other Iranian embassy employees were also wounded in the attack.
The severity of injuries varied, with many victims suffering serious injuries, while others suffered more minor injuries such as cuts and burns. The nature of the explosions and the high demand for emergency services have overwhelmed rescue teams and health workers, prompting the government to urgently call all health workers back to work.
Hezbollah’s Responsibility and Response
Hezbollah quickly responded, blaming Israel for the explosions and calling the attack a criminal act of aggression in an official statement. The group said the blasts were a deliberate act of sabotage by Israel, which was trying to destabilize Lebanon and weaken Hezbollah's resistance. The group, which maintains a strong presence in the affected areas, has vowed retaliation and said Israel will be punished. This aggressive rhetoric raises fears of a wider military conflict between the two sides, something that has already been seen in recent weeks.
In addition to the direct accusation against Israel, the Lebanese government, through the Prime Minister Najib Mikati also condemned what he called a serious violation of Lebanese sovereigntyMikati called the attack a crime by all standards and said Lebanon would take all necessary measures to defend its people. The Israeli military, for its part, remained silent and did not issue any statements about the accusations, but the history of conflicts between the two sides suggests that new developments could soon occur.
Investigations and international reaction
Hezbollah said it had launched an internal investigation into the cause of the explosions. While it has publicly blamed Israel, the group is also exploring other possibilities.
The use of electronic devices as weapons raises new concerns about technological vulnerability in the context of conflict. So far, Hezbollah has not provided details on the progress of the investigation, but has said its forces are ready to defend Lebanon from any future aggression.
The international community — especially countries in the region, such as Iran and Syria — is closely monitoring developments. In addition, the UN Security Council may also be pressured to intervene diplomatically to prevent a larger conflict. The nature of the explosions — involving personal electronic devices — marks a new type of threat in the region.
Images from videos and social networks
Several videos and images are circulating on social media showing pagers suddenly exploding, injuring civilians across the country.
Furthermore, images of a pager after the explosion are circulating on social media, showing the state it was in and the strong impact it had on its users.
Security alerts in Lebanon
In response to the incident, the Lebanon's Health Ministry has issued a statement urging people to immediately discard their pagers., fearing further explosions. The recommendation reflects the urgency of the situation, as authorities are still uncertain about the extent of the vulnerability of these devices.
Additionally, all hospitals and health centers in the country have been placed on high alert as the number of injured continues to rise. The Lebanese government has also called on health workers to return to work immediately and has called for blood donations to meet the growing demand in hospitals.
The response from health authorities, however, has been swift, with emergency teams working to treat the injured. The situation has also caught the attention of international health organizations, which are closely monitoring the country's needs and offering support amid the crisis.
How does a pager explode?
Pager explosions may occur due to failures in internal components, particularly lithium batteries. These batteries are widely used in electronic devices for their high energy density, but they have a history of overheating under certain conditions.
If a lithium battery is damaged, exposed to high temperatures, or suffers an internal short circuit, it can enter a state known as thermal runaway. This occurs when the battery begins to heat up rapidly and uncontrollably, leading to smoke, melting, and in more extreme cases, explosion.
But you may be wondering: what is a pager? A pager is a portable electronic device used to receive short messages, usually numeric or text. Very popular in the 1980s and 1990s, it works via a radio network, allowing the user to be notified of an incoming message, such as an alert or a telephone number to call back.
Although they have been largely replaced by smartphones, pagers are still used in areas such as hospitals and security, where fast and reliable communication is essential. This efficiency in fast communication is a key reason why Hezbollah uses the device, which may have made pagers a target for attacks.
Situation in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah
The pager incident comes amid escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah. Since start of the conflict in Gaza last year, the two sides have been exchanging attacks along the Israel-Lebanon border. These clashes have already displaced tens of thousands of people from their homes on both sides of the border.
On Monday (16), the Israeli government announced that it had carried out airstrikes against Hezbollah military installations in southern Lebanon. The pager explosions, which occurred a day later, only exacerbated the tension.
International analysts say Lebanon is in a state of undeclared near-war, with Hezbollah continuing to carry out retaliatory strikes and Israel responding with military force. The situation is reminiscent of the 2006 war between the two sides, when similar clashes quickly escalated into a full-scale conflict.
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Sources: Al Jazeera, Reuters.
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