Hezbollah Vows Revenge Against Israel After Deadly Pager Explosions
The Lebanese-based militant group Hezbollah has pledged to take revenge against Israel following the detonation of pagers that killed at least eight people and injured 2,750 others in Lebanon. The explosions, which occurred on Tuesday, targeted Hezbollah fighters and Iran’s envoy to Beirut, sparking widespread condemnation.
Hezbollah has blamed Israel for the blasts, describing the incident as the “biggest security breach” in nearly a year of conflict. Information Minister Ziad Makary has denounced the destruction of the pagers as “Israeli aggression.” The group’s leadership has vowed that Israel will receive “its fair punishment” for the attacks.
“We will deal with the enemy in the language it understands,” said Hezbollah member of the Lebanese parliament, Ali Ammar. Senior Hezbollah official Hussein Khalil echoed this sentiment, stating, “This is not a security targeting of one, two or three people. This is a targeting of an entire nation.”
The United Nations has expressed concern over the developments in Lebanon, citing the “extremely volatile” context. The international community has deplored the civilian casualties, with UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric urging caution.
“The situation in Lebanon is extremely concerning, especially given the extremely volatile context,” Dujarric said. “We deplore any civilian casualties and urge all parties to exercise restraint and work towards a peaceful resolution.”
The Israeli government has not publicly commented on the explosions, but an Israeli military spokesman said the chief of staff, Major General Herzi Halevi, had met with senior officers to assess the situation.
Hezbollah fighters have been using pagers as a low-tech means to try and avoid Israeli tracking of their locations. The group confirmed in a statement the deaths of at least two of its fighters in the explosions and said it was investigating their causes.
Lebanese Health Minister Firass Abiad reported that about 2,750 people were wounded in the explosions, 200 of them critically. Many of those hurt included Hezbollah fighters, some of whom are sons of top officials from the armed group.
The incident has raised tensions between Hezbollah and Israel, which have been locked in a long-standing conflict. The international community is closely monitoring the situation, urging restraint and diplomacy to prevent further escalation.
As tensions continue to rise, concerns grow over the potential for further violence and destabilization in the region. Diplomatic efforts are underway to calm the situation, but the path forward remains uncertain.
