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A security source said the explosions occurred in the south of the country and in the southern suburbs of the capital, Beirut.
The explosions came a day after twelve people were killed following a large-scale attack on Hezbollah operatives carried out in Lebanon and Syria.
Two children were among the dead and more than 3,000 people were injured after thousands of pagers exploded simultaneously across the country in the carefully planned attack.
Pagers are small electronic devices that receive and display messages or alerts, commonly used before the widespread adoption of mobile phones for communication, particularly in emergency and professional settings.
Senior sources told Reuters that Israel’s Mossad (Israel’s national intelligence agency) was behind the brutal attack that planted the explosives in the devices months before this week’s detonation.
Israel has not yet officially commented on the incidents.
The head of UN rights, Volker Türk, has he demanded accountabilitycalling it a violation of international human rights law.
“The simultaneous attention of thousands of individuals, both civilians and members of armed groups, without knowing who was in possession of the targeted devices, their location and surroundings at the time of the attack, violates the international law of human rights and, to the extent applicable, international humanitarian law,” said Türk.
He said: “The nature of the attack illustrates a reckless disregard for people’s lives because these pagers with explosives placed in them shot themselves in public spaces and supermarkets and around people going about their daily lives .
“It meant that many innocent civilians – men, women and children – were caught up in it.”
Some people call the incidents terrorist attacks in Lebanon.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah has been designated as a terrorist group by other parts of the world.
Here’s what you need to know about the group.
Men carry the coffin of Mohammad Mahdi Ammar – the son of Hezbollah member of the Lebanese Parliament, Ali Ammar, who was killed in a pager detonation in Lebanon – during his funeral in Beirut on 18 September 2024.
Reuters
Hezbollah is a Shiite Muslim political party and militant group that operates primarily out of Lebanon. Formed in the early 1980s during the Lebanese Civil War, it opposes Israel’s presence in the region and has a long history of conflict with its neighbor.
Hezbollah has become a significant political force in Lebanon, with military and social service wings.
The group’s leader claimed that Hezbollah has more than 100,000 trained fighters, although these numbers are difficult to verify. It is supported by Iran, which provides it with financial aid, weapons and military training, driven largely by the common opposition to Western influence in the region.
Hezbollah also supports Palestinian resistance groups, particularly in Gaza. While the conflicts in Gaza have resulted in significant casualties over the years, the numbers do not reach tens of thousands in short periods.
Hezbollah is identified as a terrorist organization by many countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and many others, although it is not universally labeled as such.
Who is the leader of Hezbollah?
The leader of Hezbollah is Hassan Nasrallah, an Islamic cleric who has been at the helm since 1992. This followed the death of the previous leader, Abbas al-Musawi.
U Eye of the Middle East called Mr. Nasrallah “one of the most powerful Shiite Arab figures in the Middle East.”
Under his command, Hezbollah has significantly expanded its military capabilities and political influence, not only in Lebanon, but also in regional conflicts, especially in Syria and against Israel.
Where does Hezbollah operate?
Hezbollah operates primarily out of Lebanon, where it has its political base and military infrastructure. Its main area of influence in Lebanon is the Beqaa Valley, the southern suburbs of Beirut (Dahieh), and the southern regions of Lebanon, near the border with Israel.
In Lebanon, Hezbollah serves as both a political party and a military force, maintaining a network of social services, hospitals and schools that gain significant support among the Shiite Muslim population.
Outside of Lebanon, Hezbollah has a presence and operational capabilities in various regions:
- Syria: Hezbollah has been heavily involved in the Syrian Civil War, providing military support to the government of President Bashar al-Assad. It has deployed fighters to fight rebel and extremist groups, significantly strengthening the Syrian government’s position in the conflict.
- Israel-Palestine: While Hezbollah does not operate directly in Gaza or the West Bank, it supports Palestinian groups, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, by providing funding, weapons and training.
- Global Operations: Hezbollah is believed to have cells and networks in other parts of the world, including Latin America, Africa and Europe. These networks are primarily used for fundraising, logistics, and intelligence gathering. Its global operations have been a point of concern for many countries, leading to its designation as a terrorist organization by the United States, the United Kingdom and other nations.
- Iran: While Hezbollah does not operate militarily in Iran, it maintains strong connections with the Iranian government, particularly the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which provides the group with financial support, training and weapons.
In 2017, the group was forced turn down that he had sent weapons to Yemen and the Houthi movement operating there.