Thousands injured after Israeli attack on Hezbollah Pagers vs rockets

Approximately 3,000 members of the Lebanese pro-Iranian group Hezbollah, along with possibly many others, were seriously injured on September 17 in southern Lebanon, the southern suburbs of Beirut, the Beqaa Valley, and Damascus. This occurred due to the explosion of pagers they used for communication.

Lebanon’s Health Minister Firass Abiad reported that eight people were killed and around 2,750 were injured, with 200 of them in critical condition.

A senior Lebanese security source told Al-Hadath that "Israel infiltrated the communication system of individual devices and activated them."

A Hezbollah representative, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the pager explosions constituted "the most significant security breach" the group has faced in almost a year of conflict with Israel.

According to reports from Lebanon, the devices rang for several seconds before exploding to increase the likelihood that the person who answered would be seriously injured.

A Reuters journalist observed ambulances rushing through the southern suburbs of Beirut amidst widespread panic.

An Al Jazeera source within the Lebanese security services confirmed that communication devices used by Hezbollah militants exploded in several areas of Lebanon. Another source in Lebanese security claimed that "Israel hacked into Hezbollah’s radio communication system and triggered the explosions."

According to Al-Hadath, the IDF remotely detonated the communication devices using advanced technology. However, Israel has not claimed responsibility for the explosions.

Meanwhile, the number of Hezbollah members and other individuals affected continues to rise, indicating the scale of the attack on Hezbollah. Explosions also occurred in Damascus during an official meeting involving a Hezbollah delegation, where three group leaders were injured. Reports indicate that hospitals in Lebanon are overwhelmed with casualties suffering from severe injuries, including amputations.

The Hezbollah explosions took place in crowded locations such as shopping stalls, markets, and other areas, causing chaos in some parts of the country.

It is clear that this is one of the most sophisticated sabotage operations by Israeli intelligence in history, with massive scale. Hezbollah has around 20,000 to 30,000 fighters, with reserves of a similar size, so the losses inflicted on the organization are substantial. Additionally, pagers were used as a communication tool, and Israel's goal may have been to paralyze Hezbollah's communications.

However, it is highly likely that this group, which largely controls Lebanon and possesses significant rocket potential and advanced Iranian drones, will retaliate against Israel.

A new escalation has occurred between Israel on one side and Hezbollah and its patron Iran on the other. A full-scale war between these forces has become even more likely than before.