The situation in the Middle East appears to be spiraling out of control following a coordinated attack on Hezbollah members' communication devices across Lebanon.
Hezbollah has accused Israel— in a new statement— of being "entirely responsible" for the simultaneous explosions of its members' bomb devices in Lebanon, which resulted in at least 9 deaths and nearly 2,800 injuries.
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Μαζική επίθεση εναντίον μελών της Χεζμπολάχ στον Λίβανο από το Ισραήλ! Εξερράγησαν σχεδόν ταυτόχρονα οι βομβητές επικοινωνίας τους
Lebanese movement assures Israel will face 'Just retribution' after 'criminal attack'
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati has accused Israel of orchestrating the series of explosions in the country, labeling them as "criminal." He described the attacks as a "blatant violation of Lebanese sovereignty" and called on the international community to "take responsibility, exert pressure to force Israel to cease its aggression and threats, and implement international resolutions."
Senior Hezbollah source confirms leader Hassan Nasrallah unharmed in explosions
Houthis condemn "Israeli attack" on Lebanon
Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdel Salam condemned the situation unfolding in Lebanon earlier this afternoon as a "heinous crime and violation of Lebanese sovereignty."
"Our condolences and sympathy go to the families of the martyrs of the brave Islamic resistance. We ask the Almighty to have mercy on them, forgive them, and grant a speedy recovery to the wounded," said Abdel Salam.
"We are confident that Lebanon is capable of facing all challenges and has a resistance movement capable of deterring the Zionist hostile entity and making it pay a heavy price for any escalation it might undertake against Lebanon."
Eight dead, at least 2,800 injured
At least nine people have lost their lives and thousands more have been injured today in Beirut and other parts of Lebanon from the simultaneous explosions of hundreds of Hezbollah’s bombs, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health.
Among the victims are two fighters from the Iran-backed movement and an 8-year-old girl. Two security sources reported that one of the deceased fighters was the son of a Hezbollah legislator.
In an updated statement, the Lebanese Ministry of Health reported 2,800 injured, with 200 in critical condition.
Lebanese media and Sky News Arabia state that Israel managed to hack the devices and cause the explosions.
As of now, there has been no comment from Israel regarding the incident and the alleged cyberattack attributed to it.
Dozens of Hezbollah members, including medical personnel, were seriously injured in the incident, according to initial security sources reported by Reuters. A journalist from the agency in Beirut witnessed at least 10 members of the organization bleeding. Additionally, sources from Iran have confirmed that the Iranian ambassador to Lebanon is among the injured.
Following the initial incident in Beirut, similar explosions with multiple injuries were reported in other areas of southern Lebanon. According to security sources cited by Reuters and Arabic media outlets, such as Al-Arabiya and Al-Jazeera, explosions were also reported in Mount Lebanon and southern regions, with residents noting that the blasts lasted for approximately half an hour.
A Hezbollah official, speaking anonymously, described the detonation of their devices as the "biggest security breach" the organization has suffered during its nearly year-long conflict with Israel.
According to AFP, citing sources close to Hezbollah, dozens of members of the pro-Iranian organization were injured from the simultaneous explosions of their devices in various strongholds.
A source close to Hezbollah told AFP that it was a case of "Israeli hacking."
The official stated that "dozens of Hezbollah members were injured in the southern suburbs of Beirut," a stronghold of the Islamic organization, and "in southern Lebanon due to the explosion of their devices."
Hezbollah had previously instructed its members not to use mobile phones to avoid Israeli hacking, implementing a new system of bomb devices to ensure members report to their units.
Hezbollah members injured in Damascus following bomb explosions
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which is connected to opposition organizations in the country, reported that some Hezbollah members arrived at hospitals in Damascus following the explosion of the devices they were carrying. According to the Observatory, one of the devices exploded inside a vehicle traveling on a road in the Syrian capital.
