Exploding pagers kill 9, injure thousands in Lebanon
Al Jazeera
Hundreds of pagers used by Hezbollah members exploded across Lebanon, killing at least nine people.
Pagers used by hundreds of Hezbollah members have exploded almost simultaneously in Lebanon and Syria, killing at least nine people and wounding several thousand.
Hezbollah and the Lebanese government blamed Israel for what appeared to be a sophisticated remote attack on Tuesday. The Israeli military declined to comment.
The pagers exploded at about 3:30pm local time (12:30 GMT), as people shopped for groceries, sat in cafes or drove in the afternoon traffic, leaving blood-splattered scenes and panicked bystanders.
The blasts mainly occurred in areas where Hezbollah has a strong presence, particularly a southern Beirut suburb and the Bekaa region of eastern Lebanon, as well as in Damascus, according to Lebanese security officials.
Among those killed was an eight-year-old girl. The wounded included Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon.
