(GoRealNewsNow.com) – In the aftermath of a devastating attack that left around 3,000 people injured in Lebanon, terrorist and militant group Hezbollah warned Israel to expect harsh revenge.
According to Lebanese officials, the death toll from the exploding pagers in the country has now reached 12, including two young children.
The pagers began exploding nearly simultaneously, causing widespread damage. Among the injured was Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, who suffered severe head injuries and lost an eye.
Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, vowed to retaliate against Israel for the attack, stating:
“The resistance will continue today, like any other day, its operations to support Gaza, its people and its resistance which is a separate path from the harsh punishment that the criminal enemy (Israel) should await in response to Tuesday’s massacre. This is another reckoning that will come, God willing.”
Likewise, the explosions occurred when the pagers began heating up and detonating in the southern suburbs of Beirut and the eastern Bekaa Valley, areas controlled by Hezbollah. Most of those affected were either Hezbollah members or linked to them.
In the village of Nadi Sheet, people gathered to mourn Fatima Abdullah, a 9-year-old girl who was one of the two children killed.
It is unclear whether Ambassador Amani was injured by his own pager or by someone else’s device that exploded nearby. In turn, Lebanon’s Health Minister Firas Abiad reported that many of the wounded sustained severe eye injuries, and some had limbs amputated.
The pagers that detonated were the latest models acquired by Hezbollah, distributed to members after their leader advised against carrying cell phones due to tracking concerns.
According to the New York Times, explosive material was allegedly hidden in the Taiwan-made Gold Apollo pagers before they were imported to Lebanon. The material was placed next to the battery with a switch that could be triggered remotely.
In addition, authorities stated that the pagers were detonated by a message impersonating Hezbollah leaders. A Hezbollah official described the incident as the “biggest security breach” the group has faced in nearly a year of conflict with Israel.
While the pagers were manufactured by BAC Consulting KFT, based in Budapest, Hungary, Gold Apollo, a Taiwanese firm, authorized the use of its brand on the devices but stated that BAC was solely responsible for the design and manufacturing.
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