Nine people have been killed and 2,800 others injured by exploding handheld pagers across Lebanon, Beirut-based officials say, blaming the Israeli spy network for the plot.
Acting Health Minister Firas Abiad was quoted as saying on Tuesday: “More than 2,800 people were injured and nine others killed in pager detonations in several Lebanese regions.”
According to the state news agency Al Wataniya, the minister said most of the victims suffered hand injuries in the explosions.
With more than 170 reported to be in serious condition, some 100 medical institutions are providing assistance to the wounded.
The pagers exploded almost simultaneously across the country. Hezbollah accused Israel of masterminding the blasts and warned of retaliation.
Russia’s TASS news agency reported Iranian Ambassador to Lebanon Mojtaba Amani was slightly wounded as his pager exploded.
In Tehran, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs vehemently condemned the attacks and blamed Israel for carrying out the explosions.
Nasser Kanaani, spokesman for the ministry, said: “Today’s terrorist operations in Lebanon were carried out by the Zionist regime and their henchmen, which are against all moral and human principles, international rights, especially international humanitarian rights.”
Israel’s Mossad spy agency planted explosives in 5,000 pagers imported by Hezbollah some months back, a senior Lebanese security source and another source told Reuters.
The security source revealed the pagers were from Taiwan-based Gold Apollo, but the firm denied manufacturing the devices.
In a statement, the firm said the pagers were made by a company known as BAC, which has a licence to use its brand.
PAN Monitor/mud
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