According to accounts from foreign media, several places in Lebanon, including southern Beirut, saw the explosion of portable pagers used for communication, injuring hundreds of Hezbollah fighters. Reports of injuries and social media footage of injured people receiving medical attention in hospitals were verified by Lebanese official media.
The explosions were also verified by Hezbollah’s own al-Manar TV, albeit it did not say who was affected. The occurrences happened in the midst of high tensions that followed the intensification of hostilities with Israel. Since the battle with Hamas started in October, there have been border clashes virtually every day.
The blasts occur soon after Israel’s security cabinet revised its war goals, emphasizing the return of displaced people from the north to their homes. With Israel contemplating taking further military action against Hezbollah, this incident highlights the persistent political and military tensions in the region.