Dozens of Hezbollah Members Injured in Mysterious Pager Explosions

Dozens of members of the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah were injured on Tuesday after their pagers exploded in a series of incidents across Lebanon, including in southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanese state media report.

The explosions, which reportedly occurred in the southern suburb of Beirut known as Dahiyeh as well as in the towns of Ali Al-Nahri and Riyaq in the Beqaa Valley, have left authorities scrambling for answers. The Lebanese Ministry of Health has urged citizens to discard any pagers they may possess and has placed hospitals on “high alert” in anticipation of potential casualties.

While the cause of the explosions remains unclear, Lebanese media outlets have suggested that the devices were hacked. The Israeli military, which has engaged in a series of tit-for-tat strikes with Hezbollah since the start of the war in Gaza last October, declined to comment on the incident.

The explosions have raised concerns over potential escalation in the region, particularly given the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Hezbollah, which is closely aligned with Iran, has been a key player in the region’s complex political landscape, and any instability in Lebanon could have far-reaching consequences.

Authorities are currently investigating the source of the explosions and the extent of the damage.

With input from Al Jazeera, CNN.