UPDATE - US gathering information on Lebanon pagers explosion: State Department

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By Servet Gunerigok

WASHINGTON (AA) - The State Department said Tuesday that the US is gathering information about a mass explosion of pagers in Lebanon.

The explosions killed at least nine people, including a child, in different areas in Lebanon. Lebanese Health Minister Firas Al-Abiad said 2,750 others were injured, including 200 who are in critical condition.

"I can tell you that the US was not involved in it. The US was not aware of this incident in advance. And at this point, we're gathering information," spokesman Matt Miller told reporters.

Miller reiterated that the US wants to see a diplomatic resolution to the conflict between Israel and the Lebanese resistance group Hezbollah.

Hezbollah held Israel fully responsible for the wireless explosions and vowed “just retaliation from unexpected quarters.”

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

There was no immediate comment from Israel.

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 victims, mostly women and children, following a Hamas attack on Oct. 7 last year.