UPDATE - At least 8 killed, thousands injured after mass pager explosion in Lebanon

UPDATES HEADLINE, DEATH TOLL, ADDS DETAILS, CHANGES HEADLINE, DECK
By Wassim Saifuldine

ISTANBUL (AA) – At least eight people, including a child, were killed in a mass explosion of wireless communication devices known as pagers in different areas in Lebanon, Health Minister Firas Al-Abiad said on Tuesday.

Some 2,800 other people were also injured, including 200 in critical condition, in an initial toll, he added at a press conference in Beirut.

Lebanese media suggested that the devices exploded after an Israeli breach of the communication system.

Lebanese group Hezbollah confirmed that two members were killed and many injured in the mass explosion.

“At approximately 3:30 PM (1:30 PM GMT) on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, several pager devices used by various members of Hezbollah units and institutions exploded,” the group said in a statement.

Hezbollah did not provide further details on the nature of the explosions or potential suspects behind the incident.

The Lebanese Health Ministry earlier urged all citizens who own the pager communication devices to immediately dispose of them.

The mass explosion came amid an exchange of cross-border attacks between Hezbollah and Israel against the backdrop of a brutal Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip, which has killed more than 41,200 people, mostly women and children, following a Hamas attack Oct. 7 last year.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio