Thousands injured in Lebanon following explosions of pagers used by Hezbollah

According to Lebanese officials and the group, pager devices belonging to several workers in different Hezbollah units and institutions burst on Tuesday, resulting in at least nine fatalities and over 2,800 injuries.

The Iranian ambassador to Lebanon was one of the injured parties. The unexplained explosions coincided with escalating hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, which is supported by Iran. Since Hamas' strike on October 7 that ignited the Gaza War, the two groups have engaged in gunfire across the Israel-Lebanon border.

Hezbollah declared it will retaliate after blaming Israel for the strike. The alleged attack coincides with escalating hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.

"We hold the Israeli enemy fully responsible for this criminal aggression, which also targeted civilians and led to the deaths of a number of martyrs and the injury of a large number with various wounds," Hezbollah said in a statement. "This treacherous and criminal enemy will certainly receive his just punishment for this sinful aggression, whether he expects it or not."

According to the Ministry of Public Health in Lebanon, about 200 of the injuries are critical, requiring surgery. According to officials, the most of the wounds were to the hands, faces, or abdomen.

Lebanese security sources and a Hezbollah official said that the bombings occurred mostly in places where the group has a strong presence, specifically in a southern Beirut suburb, in the Beqaa district of eastern Lebanon, and in Damascus. The Hezbollah officer was not authorized to speak to the media, so he spoke using pseudonyms.

Hassan Nasrallah, the head of Hezbollah, made the demand to give up cellphones back in February, stating, "I call for dispensing with cellphone devices at this stage, which are considered a deadly agent."