Deadly blow

Hundreds of Hezbollah members injured in Lebanon

Numerous ambulances have been deployed in Lebanon.

(Bild: Associated Press)

In Lebanon, more than 2750 members of the pro-Iranian Hezbollah were injured on Tuesday by the simultaneous explosion of their pagers, which they used for internal communication, resulting in several fatalities. It is assumed that Israel's secret service penetrated the terrorist militia's communication system. 

Most of those affected suffered injuries "to the face, hand, stomach or even the eyes", Lebanon's Health Minister Firas Abiad announced at a press conference in Beirut. 

Panic in the streets of Beirut
The injured were reported from the southern suburbs of the capital Beirut and the south of the country, a source close to Hezbollah told the AFP news agency. Eyewitnesses reported panic in the streets of Beirut (see tweet below).

Hospitals asked for blood donations
Numerous ambulances were deployed. The country's Ministry of Health called on all hospitals to be on high alert. The hospitals asked for blood donations.

Iran's ambassador to Lebanon injured
The Iranian ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, was also injured, the Iranian news agency Mehr reported. However, Amani himself told state TV that he was fine despite being wounded and that he was in "no danger".

Numerous ambulances were deployed in Lebanon.

(Bild: Associated Press)

A representative of Hezbollah, who wished to remain anonymous, spoke of the "biggest security debacle" in the war with Israel, which has been going on for almost a year.

Has Israel cracked Hezbollah's radio system?
A high-ranking Lebanese security official, who spoke to the TV station Al-Hadath, suspects that the Israeli secret service infiltrated Hezbollah's communication system and deliberately triggered the explosions. However, there is no official confirmation from Israel.

Another security representative confirmed to the television channel Al-Jazeera that explosions had been reported not only from Beirut, but also from the Beqaa plain and southern Lebanon. According to this source, Israel is also said to have hacked Hezbollah's radio system.

According to a Reuters correspondent, the security forces have called on citizens throughout the country to clear the roads to allow the rescue vehicles carrying the many injured to pass through quickly.

What is a pager?

A pager (colloquially known as a beeper) is a small portable radio receiver that is usually used in a radio service to raise the alarm and transmit messages.

The devices have since been replaced by cell phones and smartphones. However, pagers are still used in certain situations due to their greater reliability.

The Reuters news agency has observed and reported in recent months that Hezbollah has reverted to outdated methods of communication - such as the pager - to avoid surveillance of its activities. According to Reuters, the pagers were the latest models introduced by Hezbollah in recent months.

Hezbollah supports the radical Islamic Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Since the outbreak of the Gaza war, the Israeli military and Hezbollah fighters have been firing at each other along the Israeli-Lebanese border almost every day, which is why thousands of people have already left the border area.