Handheld D-Day: What we know so far about device explosions in Lebanon

At least nine people died and more than 300 were injured Wednesday when more electronic devices exploded across Lebanon, according to the country’s health ministry. Witnesses in Beirut on Wednesday reported multiple explosions at the funeral of three Hezbollah members and a child who were killed Tuesday when pagers exploded. Hezbollah’s Al Manar TV reported that the most recent explosions were caused by walkie-talkies detonating.

What happened first? At least a dozen people died Tuesday afternoon when thousands of pagers detonated simultaneously across Lebanon. Two children died in the attack, said Lebanese Health Minister Firass Abiad, and nearly 3,000 people were wounded in Lebanon and Syria. The explosions lasted about an hour and were concentrated around the southern suburbs of Beirut and the eastern Bekaa valley, which are strongholds of the Hezbollah terrorist group, according to Reuters.

Who was targeted? The operation focused on pagers carried by members of the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah. Hezbollah leaders have long warned members not to communicate with cell phones because they pose a security risk and can be tracked more easily than pagers. Iranian state media said Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, was injured in the attack. It is unclear whether everyone carrying the devices were fighters for the group, as Hezbollah also supports hospitals, schools, and other organizations inside Lebanon. It’s possible people who are not directly affiliated with the terrorist group were using the pagers at the time of the attacks.

Who is behind the attacks? Hezbollah and Lebanese officials have accused Israel of orchestrating the explosions, but Israeli officials have declined to comment on the incident. An anonymous United States official told Axios that Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant called U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Tuesday to say that Israel would be conducting an operation in Lebanon. The official said Gallant did not give any details about the operation before it occurred. Meanwhile, CNN reported that the explosions were part of a joint operation between Israel’s Mossad intelligence services and its military.

How did Hezbollah respond? The terrorist group on Wednesday vowed to retaliate against Israel for the attack. Hezbollah leaders also said they would continue launching strikes across Lebanon’s border with Israel.

How did the devices explode? It is unclear exactly how the pagers detonated, but Hezbollah said it is conducting an investigation into what triggered the blasts. Some analysts have speculated that a hack could have caused the devices’ batteries to explode. However, expert in lithium ion battery safety Paul Christensen told Reuters that the damage caused by the explosions was inconsistent with past incidents of batteries overheating. Other experts say Israel may have infiltrated the supply chain for the pagers and tampered with the devices. The New York Times cited anonymous officials who say Israel hid explosive material in the pagers before they were imported into Lebanon.

Where did the pagers come from? Taiwanese company Gold Apollo on Wednesday said the pagers were made under license by a company called BAC Consulting, which is located in Budapest, Hungary. Gold Apollo President Hsu Ching-kuang told NPR that his company did not manufacture any part of the pagers involved in Tuesday’s attack, but allowed BAC to use its branding on the devices.

Why did this happen now? The Israeli Security Cabinet on Monday made returning Israeli citizens to the northern part of the country an official war goal. Thousands of people have evacuated the region after Hezbollah increased cross-border strikes last year.

How has the international community reacted? U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday said the United States did not know about the attack before it happened and was not involved in the operation. He and Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty spoke during a news conference in Egypt amid meetings to secure a ceasefire in Gaza. Abdelatty condemned the attacks in Lebanon and called them a threat to Lebanon’s sovereignty. Meanwhile, Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on Wednesday demanded sanctions on Israel and accused the country of heightening tensions in the Middle East. Members of the Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee met Wednesday to discuss stopping Israel’s military activities in the Gaza region.