UPDATE - Iran’s envoy injured in pager device explosion in Lebanese capital

UPDATES WITH MORE DETAILS
By Rania Abu Shamala

ISTANBUL (AA) - Iranian Ambassador in Beirut Mojtabi Amani was injured in the mass explosion of handheld pager communication devices in Lebanon on Tuesday, the Iranian Embassy said.

The embassy added that the diplomat was in stable condition after he sustained a minor injury from a communication device explosion.

Mojtabi said in a post on his X account that his wife, too, was slightly injured in the explosion.

Two embassy employees were also wounded in the mass explosion, Lebanese media reports said.

At least nine people, including a child, were killed and 2,750 others injured, including 200 in critical condition in the mass device explosion, Lebanese Health Minister Firas Al-Abiad said on Tuesday.

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

Lebanese group Hezbollah confirmed that at least two members were killed and many injured in the explosions and held Israel fully responsible for the incident, vowing ‘just retaliation from unexpected quarters’ to Israel.

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.