More electronic devices are reported to have exploded in Lebanon a day after the pager attack

The attack in Lebanon is reported to have killed eight people and injured more than 2,700. Hundreds of Hezbollah pagers went off simultaneously on Tuesday, prompting the Iran-backed terror group to blame Israel. The New York Times reported that Israel was behind the attack and did it by hiding explosives between pagers. A second wave of attacks was reported on Wednesday, this one targeting handheld radios by members of Hezbollah. The Washington Post.

A day after Israeli leaders warned of an escalation of their military campaign against Hezbollah, the group’s pagers in Lebanon exploded. Witnesses reported seeing smoke coming out of the victims’ pockets, followed by sounds reminiscent of fireworks or gunshots.

Lebanon’s health minister said 200 of the injured were in critical condition. He went on to say that most of the victims had injuries on their faces, especially their eyes. Hand and stomach injuries were also common, according to the health minister. Among the injured was Mojtaba Amini, Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon, according to Iranian state media.

The second wave of attacks in different places in Lebanon on Wednesday was reported to have killed one person and injured more than 100. The latest attack is reportedly targeting “wireless devices.” Another blast, caused by a handheld radio, was reported at the funeral of four victims of Tuesday’s blast. “Anyone with a machine, take the battery out now!” The Washington Post reported that Hezbollah security forces shouted at those who were crying. “Turn off your phones, put them on airplane mode!”

Israel has not commented on the attack. But The NYT reports that the officials (including the Americans) who informed about this plan said that Israel is behind them. They say one to two ounces of explosives were planted near each pager’s battery, along with a switch that enabled remote detonation. At 3PM in Lebanon on Tuesday, pagers received a message (apparently from Hezbollah leadership) that triggered the planned explosion, according to officials. The devices are said to have been beeping for a few seconds before exploding.

The Washington Post reports that the logo of Taiwanese pager maker Gold Apollo has been seen on vandalized pagers. However, Gold Apollo said the equipment is “fully owned” by a Hungarian company, BAC Consulting Kft, which is authorized to use the Gold Apollo brand in other regions. “That product is not ours,” said Gold Apollo founder and president, Hsu Ching-Kuang. The New York Times. “They just stick to our company’s product.”

Officials are talking to The NYT He said the equipment was exhausted before arriving in Lebanon. Most were the Gold Apollo AR924 model, which the company posted a photo of on its website before removing it on Wednesday.

The attack sparked a wave of fear in using mobile phones. The NYT reported that some in Lebanon were afraid to use their phones after Tuesday’s attack, with one resident yelling, “Please hang up!” to the caller.

The Times reports that Hezbollah, which has long suspected the use of cell phones near the Israeli border because of the devices’ geolocation capabilities, has recently switched from cell phones to pagers. In February, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah reportedly warned the group that their phones were dangerous and could be used by Israel as spy tools. He advised the group that they should “break them or bury them.”

It is reported that experts do not know exactly how pagers are distributed to Hezbollah members. They say that Iran, given its history of supplying Hezbollah with weapons, technology and other military assistance, would have been instrumental in its reception and delivery.

Update, September 18, 2024, 11:48AM ET: This story has been updated to add new information about Tuesday’s attack and the second wave of explosions reported Wednesday.