Beirut: Nine people, including a child, were killed when pagers used by Hezbollah members exploded across Lebanon, according to the country's health minister. BBC reported that among the 2,800 injured was Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon. The explosions occurred in several areas, including Beirut, with Hezbollah confirming the deaths of eight of its fighters.

Hezbollah, backed by Iran, blamed Israel for the incident, calling it "criminal aggression" and vowing retribution. According to Reuters, the detonations began around 3:30 p.m. in Hezbollah strongholds, lasting an hour. Security sources said the blasts were triggered by pagers, possibly rigged with explosives by Israel’s Mossad.

The explosions didn’t cause major structural damage, though video footage showed injuries. Hezbollah had been using the pagers, believing they would avoid Israeli tracking. Several sources, including Reuters, speculated that Israel infiltrated the supply chain, planting explosives in the devices. Israel’s military declined to comment.

Lebanon's government condemned the blasts as an assault on its sovereignty, while the U.S. is reportedly gathering more information. Analysts believe the incident could escalate tensions between Israel and Hezbollah but may not lead to immediate war.