Hezbollah Vows Retaliation After Pager Explosions in Lebanon

BEIRUT, Sept 17 — Hezbollah has vowed to retaliate against Israel following accusations that the Israeli military was behind a series of pager explosions across Lebanon on Tuesday. These explosions resulted in the deaths of nine people and injured nearly 3,000 others, including Hezbollah fighters and Iran’s envoy to Beirut.

Lebanese Information Minister Ziad Makary condemned the detonation of the pagers—communication devices widely used by Hezbollah and other groups in Lebanon—as an act of “Israeli aggression.” In response, Hezbollah promised that Israel would face “its fair punishment” for the attacks.

The Israeli military, currently engaged in ongoing cross-border skirmishes with Hezbollah since the start of the Gaza war in October, refrained from commenting on the accusations.

According to Lebanon’s health ministry, the death toll rose from eight to nine by Tuesday night, with the number of injured reported at 2,750. Hezbollah confirmed that among the deceased were at least two of its fighters and a young girl.

The explosions targeted several Hezbollah strongholds: southern Lebanon, the southern suburbs of Beirut (Dahiyeh), and the eastern Bekaa Valley. In one instance, surveillance footage from a regional broadcaster showed a handheld device exploding next to a cashier at a grocery store.

A Hezbollah official described the incident as the “biggest security breach” the group has faced in nearly a year of conflict with Israel. Reports from The New York Times suggested that Israel had concealed explosive material within Taiwan-made Gold Apollo pagers before they were shipped to Lebanon. The material, placed next to the battery with a remote-trigger switch, was designed to cause the explosions.

The Palestinian militant group Hamas, engaged in its own conflict with Israel in Gaza, labeled the pager blasts an “escalation” that would lead Israel to “failure and defeat.”

UN special coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert called the attack an “extremely concerning escalation” in the ongoing conflict. The United States, which has urged for a diplomatic resolution to the tensions between Israel and Lebanon, denied any involvement and called for restraint from Iran and its allies, including Hezbollah.

While an Israeli military spokesperson indicated that Major General Herzi Halevi and senior officers reviewed the situation, no changes in policy were announced. The spokesperson emphasized the need for continued vigilance.

In addition to the casualties, Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, sustained a “superficial injury” and was hospitalized, according to Iran’s Fars news agency. Hezbollah also reported that among the deceased were fighters related to top officials within the group, including the son of a Hezbollah parliament member.

Due to security concerns, Air France announced the suspension of flights connecting Paris with Beirut and Tel Aviv until Thursday. Earlier, Israel’s domestic security agency had reported thwarting a Hezbollah plot to assassinate a former senior defense official.

Hezbollah, which has suffered significant losses including the death of top commander Fuad Shukr, has stated its intent to avoid full-scale conflict with Israel. The group insists that only an end to the Gaza war will halt the cross-border clashes. Efforts to broker a ceasefire in Gaza, mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, have so far been unsuccessful.

Following Tuesday’s events, ambulances rushed to treat the wounded amid widespread panic. At Mount Lebanon Hospital, reporters witnessed a scene of chaos with people arriving with severe injuries. The head of Nabatieh public hospital reported treating around 40 injured individuals, some with severe facial and limb injuries.

Hezbollah’s missile attacks on Israel following the Hamas assaults on October 7 have led to ongoing exchanges of fire, but both sides have so far avoided a broader escalation. Hezbollah has reported significant casualties among its fighters, and tens of thousands have been displaced from border areas due to the conflict. Israel has recently added the return of displaced citizens to its formal war goals.