Hundreds Wounded, Dead In Beirut After Israel Remotely Detonates Hezbollah Pagers

An apparent covert Mossad operation has unleashed chaos in a southern Beirut neighborhood on Tuesday, resulting in large-scale casualties among Hezbollah operatives and reportedly Lebanese civilians.

Telecommunications devices used by Hezbollah members began exploding, resulting in up to hundreds wounded in the suburb of Dahiyeh. There appears to be fatalities, according to graphic social media images.

Reuters reports, “Hundreds of members of the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, including fighters and medics, were seriously wounded on Tuesday when the pagers they use to communicate exploded,” according to security sources.

Stillframe of one of the pagers exploding in a crowded market full of civilians.

“A Reuters journalist saw 10 Hezbollah members bleeding from wounds in the southern suburb of Beirut known as Dahiyeh,” the report continues.

It is as yet unclear how precisely Israeli intelligence was able to infiltrate Hezbollah’s telecoms – whether small bombs were placed in the pagers or possibly the result of some kind of large-scale cyberhack. But what is becoming clear is that they were remotely detonated.

A Hezbollah official was cited anonymously in Reuters, calling the incident the “biggest security breach” the group has ever faced since the start of the nearly-year long conflict with Israel. Groups like Hezbollah often use low-tech devices to communicate with each other, given cell phones are easier for intelligence services to intercept.

“Residents said explosions were taking place even 30 minutes after the initial blasts,” the report notes further, citing eyewitnesses. People are also urgently calling for blood donations, given this appears a mass casualty event.

Good morning cyber folks. A borderline literally incredible story from Lebanon, where Reuters is reporting that a simultaneous mass attack on Hezbollah members was…Israel hacking their pagers. Possibly Teletrim, per @michaelh992 https://t.co/FVBNqrNTdChttps://t.co/IhLlbMBFID

— Kevin Collier (@kevincollier) September 17, 2024

Local hospitals are said to be inundated with victims as well as groups of family members rushing to entrances trying to find out what’s going on.

Israel has yet to comment on the apparent covert operation.

🚨 Security camera footage shows a pager being detonated in a market.

A Hezbollah official, speaking anonymously to Reuters, stated, “This is the most significant intelligence breach.” https://t.co/6KVC80wvBi pic.twitter.com/pegD3LLbvT

— BigBreakingWire (@BigBreakingWire) September 17, 2024

A prominent Lebanese and regional war monitor account had this to say…

I severely doubt it’s some technological strike, most likely explosive planted inside the pager.

Whatever it is, the consequences will be dire.

(Stop taking pictures of the wounded, you fucking imbeciles) pic.twitter.com/RIScKZrGTK

— War Monitor (@WarMonitors) September 17, 2024

Most videos are too graphic, but the below shows some of the chaos in the aftermath of the initial explosions.

Footage from Dahiyeh, #Lebanon 🇱🇧, where a @Reuters journalist reports seeing 10 Hezbollah members bleeding from wounds due to their pagers exploding pic.twitter.com/XmyJBLZYvZ

— Aleph א (@no_itsmyturn) September 17, 2024

developing…