Relatives mourn the loss of Fatima Abdallah, a girl who was killed by an exploding pager linked to Hezbollah, during her funeral in the village of Saraain, Lebanon (September 18, 2024).

On Tuesday, Lebanon’s health minister reported that the death toll from the pager explosions attributed to Hezbollah has risen to 12, which includes two children and four healthcare workers. Minister Firas Abiad stated that nearly two-thirds of the 2,800 injured individuals require some form of facial, ocular, or hand surgery, with many facing amputations.

Hezbollah, an Iran-backed armed group, accused Israel of orchestrating the attack and issued a warning of a “severe reckoning” in response. While Israel has not commented on the incident, U.S. and Lebanese sources have indicated that Israeli operatives concealed small explosives within pagers recently imported by Hezbollah.

In light of the escalating tensions, the UN, U.S., and UK have urged for calm and restraint, fearing a potential all-out war. Israeli officials have expressed readiness to intensify military action to ensure the safe return of tens of thousands of displaced individuals from northern Israel, amid 11 months of cross-border conflict with Hezbollah that has roots in the war in Gaza.

Hezbollah claims to be acting in support of Hamas—also backed by Iran and designated a terrorist organization by Israel and several Western nations—and stated it would cease its attacks only when hostilities in Gaza end.

Casualties and Destruction in Lebanon

On Tuesday afternoon, hospitals across Lebanon were overwhelmed with casualties after the simultaneous detonation of thousands of Hezbollah’s pagers in various locations, including shops, homes, cars, and streets. Tracy Chamoun, a Lebanese writer and former ambassador, described the aftermath as “horrifying.” She witnessed the chaos as people scrambled to assist the wounded, some of whom suffered devastating injuries, including severe facial trauma.

Hezbollah has not released specific information about the explosions but has relied on pagers for secure communication due to concerns over mobile phone surveillance by Israeli forces. Reports suggest that the pagers emitted a sound before detonating, encouraging people to check them.

U.S. and Lebanese sources disclosed that Israel had concealed small amounts of explosives in at least 3,000 pagers ordered by Hezbollah from a Taiwanese electronics manufacturer, Gold Apollo. The founder of Gold Apollo denied any connection to the blasts, stating that an agreement had been made with another company in Budapest for the manufacturing of these devices.

Israeli officials are reportedly concerned that their covert operations may have been exposed, prompting the detonation of the pagers as a “use it or lose it” scenario.

Injuries and Medical Response

Among the deceased are an eight-year-old girl and an eleven-year-old boy, as well as several healthcare workers from Dahiyeh in southern Beirut. The injuries sustained by around 2,800 individuals were severe, with about 750 casualties in southern Lebanon, 150 in the Bekaa Valley, and approximately 1,850 in Beirut and its suburbs.

Dr. Elias Warrak, an ophthalmologist at Mount Lebanon University Hospital, described the past day as a “nightmare,” reporting that many patients required eye removals due to the blasts. He lamented that he had never encountered such a high number of eye injuries in his 25 years of practice.

Hezbollah has confirmed the deaths of 12 fighters since the explosions, including the son of Hezbollah MP Ali Ammar, but has provided limited details about the circumstances surrounding their deaths.

In a statement, Hezbollah vowed to continue its operations “in support of Gaza” and to defend Lebanon, indicating that they would seek accountability for the “massacre” committed against their people.

International Reactions and Future Concerns

The UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, expressed grave concern over the escalation in an already volatile context and urged all parties to refrain from further provocative actions. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken denied any prior knowledge or involvement by the U.S. in the explosions, emphasizing that negotiating a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza would be crucial to alleviating regional tensions.

While Israel has not responded to the allegations regarding the pager incidents, the Israeli military, through its Northern Command, indicated that it is determined to enhance security along the Lebanese border as the situation continues to develop.