Pager explosions in Lebanon: What we know and what we don't

dpa Pager explosions in Lebanon: What we know and what we don't Article by dpa • 1 hour • 3 minutes reading time Hundreds of injured people were taken to hospitals after the explosions. As a result of the simultaneous explosion of hundreds of so-called pagers, around 2,750 people were injured in Lebanon on Tuesday and at least nine people died. Many of the injured are said to be Hezbollah fighters, including members of the elite Radwan force. The pro-Iranian Shiite militia blamed Israel and announced retaliation. Many questions remain unanswered. The devices: Pagers bearing the logo of the Gold Apollo company exploded in the incident. The Taiwan-based brand of these radio receivers has denied any connection to the incident. According to Gold Apollo CEO Hsu Ching-Kuang, the devices simply bore the company's logo and were not manufactured by the company in Taiwan. When asked by telephone, Gold Apollo explained that a company based in Hungary had designed and manufactured the radios. "Under an agreement, we authorize BAC to use our trademark to sell products in certain regions, but design and manufacturing are fully handled by BAC," Gold Apollo said. The AR-924 model mentioned in media reports is also produced and sold by BAC. The use of pagers: Experts assume that pagers are a very important communication system for Hezbollah. The militia switched from cell phones to pagers for security reasons - among other things because they cannot be used to determine whereabouts. This - according to the logic - would also make them less vulnerable to surveillance measures or electronic warfare attacks. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah had warned his followers several times against using smartphones. In February, he called on his fighters to throw away their smartphones. The aim of the attack: There is speculation that Israel may have deliberately detonated the devices as an attack on Hezbollah fighters. According to Hezbollah, pagers used by various Hezbollah units and institutions exploded. Many Hezbollah fighters are said to be among the injured, including members of the elite Radwan force. High-ranking Hezbollah officials were also injured, a source close to the militia confirmed. Explosions were reported across the country, especially in the areas controlled by Hezbollah. At the same time, civilians were also affected by the consequences - a girl was among the dead. The time of the attack: According to local media reports, hundreds of radio receivers detonated simultaneously at 3:30 p.m. local time. Videos from surveillance cameras with these time stamps are also circulating on social media. The number of dead and injured: According to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, at least nine people were killed and around 2,750 others were injured, around 200 of them seriously. Hospitals reported that the people mainly suffered injuries to their eyes, hands and stomach area. What we don't know: The background and masterminds: So far, no one has claimed responsibility for the attack. Hezbollah and its close ally Iran are blaming Israel for the explosions. As in other cases before, Israel has not yet made a public statement. The procedure: How and where the pagers were manipulated is still largely a matter of speculation. Some media reports assume that the radio receivers were probably intercepted by Israeli agents before they were delivered to Lebanon and prepared with explosives. The victims in the Hezbollah leadership: There is no precise information yet as to whether the victims include members of the Hezbollah leadership. Hezbollah leader Nasrallah has announced a speech for Thursday, so observers assume that he is most likely fine. He lives in hiding and is not believed to be carrying any technical devices. However, according to Lebanese security sources, two of his bodyguards are said to have been injured.