Israel-Lebanon Conflict: In a scene reminiscent of a sci-fi movie, thousands of pagers, reportedly used by members of the US-designated terror group Hezbollah for communication, suddenly exploded in what is believed to be a cyberattack carried out by Israel. Some of the explosions were captured on CCTV, while videos circulated online showing people injured by the blasts. As per reports, two people were killed in the attack including son of a MP.
Hezbollah has accused Israel of being behind the attack, calling it the “biggest security breach” it has ever experienced. Hezbollah, which is banned by both the United States and the European Union, serves as a significant political and military force in Lebanon and is backed by Iran.
In a scene from science fiction movies, an #Israel cyberattack targeted pager devices used for communication by #Hezbollah militants in south #Beirut. So far, dozens have been reported injured. #Gazawar. pic.twitter.com/UM2JVIf5IP
— War_Room_ME (@WarRoomME) September 17, 2024
Hezbollah claimed that all the pagers exploded nearly the same time. Those injured include Iran’s ambassador, as explosions occurred in Beirut’s suburbs and other parts of Lebanon.
Photos and videos from Beirut’s southern suburbs circulating on social media and local outlets showed injured people lying on the pavement, with wounds on their hands or near their pants pockets.
BREAKING: Israel conducted a cyberattack using advanced technology to target handheld pager systems used by resistance members in Beirut’s southern suburbs, leading to numerous injuries in Lebanon. pic.twitter.com/HcgBGUmkLZ
— Suppressed News. (@SuppressedNws) September 17, 2024
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah had previously warned the group’s members against carrying cellphones, cautioning that Israel could use them to track their movements and execute targeted strikes.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry has urged all hospitals to be on high alert to receive emergency patients and advised individuals with pagers to distance themselves from the devices. It also requested health workers to avoid using wireless devices.