9 Dead, 300 Injured as Walkie-Talkies Detonate in Hezbollah Units Across Lebanon

Beirut: Nine people have lost their lives, and over 300 have been injured as walkie-talkies exploded in Hezbollah-controlled areas across Lebanon. This incident occurred just a day after pagers exploded in the country, leaving 12 dead and nearly 3,000 others wounded.

The exact number of walkie-talkies that detonated is still unknown. Reports suggest that landline telephones also exploded in parts of East Lebanon.

The hand-held radio devices and pagers were reportedly purchased around five months ago, coinciding with the timing of the pager explosions. One of today’s blasts took place near a funeral held by Hezbollah for a member killed in the pager explosions, with video footage of the event circulating widely on social media.

Hezbollah, backed by Iran, responded by launching rockets at Israeli artillery positions, marking its first strike since the pager explosions wounded thousands of its members. This escalation has raised fears of a broader Middle Eastern conflict.

According to a senior Lebanese security source, Mossad, Israel’s spy agency, planted explosives in pagers imported by Hezbollah several months before the explosions. Initial reports also indicated that the pagers were produced by a Taiwanese company, but the manufacturer, Gold Apollo, denied involvement, stating that the devices were made under license by BAC, a company based in Budapest, Hungary.

Lebanese Health Minister Firass Abiad confirmed this morning that 12 people were killed and around 2,800 were injured in the pager blasts, with more than 200 critically wounded. Iran’s state media reported that its Ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, was also among those injured.

Hezbollah described the blasts as the “biggest security breach” it has ever faced, accusing Israel of orchestrating the attack and calling it an “Israeli breach” of its communications network. The group vowed to seek revenge, pledging continued support for Hamas in Gaza.

Israel, which has not officially commented on the explosions, had earlier stated that it was expanding its war with Hamas to include Hezbollah. This statement was made just hours before the pager blasts on Tuesday.

Hezbollah, which is banned by both the U.S. and the European Union, reiterated its intention to retaliate, labeling the blasts as a “massacre” and “criminal aggression,” and holding Israel “fully responsible” for the attacks. Cross-border skirmishes between Hezbollah and Israeli forces have continued, but Hezbollah warned that the “criminal enemy” should expect more severe consequences.