In a significant security breach, thousands of pagers used by Hezbollah members exploded simultaneously across Lebanon, leading to widespread chaos and injuries. This unprecedented event occurred amidst the ongoing conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, which has intensified since the October 7 attacks by Hamas. The explosions primarily impacted Hezbollah strongholds, including southern Beirut and various regions in southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah, a militant group with deep ties to Iran, has been involved in near-daily clashes with Israeli forces. The group had shifted from using mobile phones to relying on pagers to avoid potential Israeli interceptions. However, this strategy appears to have backfired dramatically. According to reports, these explosions wounded hundreds, including Hezbollah fighters and medical personnel. Panic gripped the affected areas, with ambulances rushing through Beirut’s southern suburbs and explosions continuing even half an hour after the initial blasts.
This is being labeled by Hezbollah insiders as the “biggest security breach” in the group’s recent history. While Hezbollah has blamed Israeli forces for hacking into its telecommunications system, the Israeli military has not commented on the incident. Hezbollah has instructed its members to cease using pagers, signaling concerns over further potential security breaches.
The broader context of this incident is the escalating conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, which has forced tens of thousands of people to flee their homes on both sides of the Lebanon-Israel border. Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon have also killed Hezbollah members in recent days, adding fuel to the ongoing violence. Despite both sides expressing reluctance for full-scale war, the conflict appears set to continue, with Hezbollah warning of significant casualties in case of further escalation.
As of now, the incident has highlighted the ongoing vulnerabilities in Hezbollah’s communication systems and raised the specter of further clashes in the already war-torn region. The Lebanese health ministry has urged medical workers to remain on high alert, as the number of injured continues to rise.
This event underscores the fragility of the ceasefire efforts and the risks posed by continued military operations between Hezbollah and Israel
(Asharq Al-Awsat)(mint).
Hezbollah communicates through its own telecommunications system and has asked its members to avoid using mobile phones since the Gaza war began almost a year ago. The diktat was issued to avoid Israeli breaches of the technology.
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