Death toll rises to 12 in exploding pager blasts that injured thousands —as Hezbollah vows ‘harsh’ revenge
SUMMARY
The death toll from the exploding pagers that injured thousands of Hezbollah terroris in Lebanon has risen to 12, Lebanese authorities confirmed on Wednesday. Hezbollah, blaming Israel for the deadly attack, has vowed "harsh punishment" in retaliation. Nearly 3,000 people were injured when the hand-held devices exploded almost simultaneously across Hezbollah strongholds in southern Beirut and the Bekaa Valley on Tuesday. Iran's ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, suffered serious injuries, including the loss of an eye, according to Iranian state media. Hezbollah’s statement declared, "The resistance will continue its operations to support Gaza and its people, but the criminal enemy (Israel) should brace for harsh punishment for Tuesday’s massacre." The pagers, which had been distributed to Hezbollah members after leadership urged them to avoid cell phones, reportedly contained explosives planted by Israel, which were remotely triggered.
