Media: Pager explosions in Syria claim lives of dozens of IRGC members

Pager explosions in Deir ez-Zor, eastern Syria, have resulted in the deaths of 19 members of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and injuries to an additional 150 IRGC personnel.

The wounded have been transported to Al-Saloum and Al-Askari hospitals in the region, Caliber.Az reports citing Saudi media.

Official Syrian or Iranian sources have yet to comment on the incident.

In Lebanon, the death toll from similar pager explosions has risen to 12, as confirmed by acting Health Minister Firas Abyad during a press conference in Beirut, with two of the deceased being children. The explosions, which occurred on the evening of September 17, have also resulted in 2,800 injuries. Lebanese medical facilities have performed over 460 surgeries in less than 24 hours, with more than 300 victims currently in intensive care.

The Lebanese Health Ministry has mobilized all available medical resources and declared an emergency mode for hospitals. Preliminary reports suggest that the explosions might have been triggered by a cyberattack from Israeli intelligence, with pagers potentially rigged with explosives before their entry into Lebanon. Some media speculate that the devices may have detonated following a message sent via a closed channel.

Lebanon's information ministry has labeled the incident as "Israeli aggression," while Hezbollah has launched a detailed investigation into the events.

by Tamilla Hasanova