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Hezbollah blames Israel after pager explosions kill nine and injure thousands in Lebanon

Published

1 year ago

2024/09/18

Priyan

Relatives of those injured by the pager blasts gathered at hospitals in Beirut and elsewhere [BBC]

Nine people, including a child, have been killed after handheld pagers used by members of the armed group Hezbollah to communicate exploded across Lebanon, the country’s health minister says.

Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon was among 2,800 other people who were wounded by the simultaneous blasts in Beirut and several other regions.

Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, said the pagers belonged “to employees of various Hezbollah units and institutions” and confirmed the deaths of eight fighters.

The group blamed Israel for what it called “this criminal aggression” and vowed that it would get “just retribution”. The Israeli military declined to comment.

Hours before the explosions, Israel’s security cabinet said stopping Hezbollah attacks on the north of the country to allow the safe return of displaced residents was an official war goal.

There have been almost daily exchanges of fire across the Israel-Lebanon border since the day after the start of the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza on 7 October.

Hezbollah has said it is acting in support of the Iran-backed Palestinian group.

In its latest statement on Wednesday, Hezbollah said it would carry on its “operations in support of Gaza”, adding that this was a “continuous path separate from the hard price that awaits the enemy in response to its massacre on Tuesday”.

Both Hezbollah and Hamas are proscribed as terrorist organisations by Israel, the UK and other countries.

The UN’s spokesman said the latest developments in Lebanon were “extremely concerning, especially given that this is taking place within a context that is extremely volatile”.

Many Lebanese were in a state of shock and disbelief on Tuesday evening, unable to get their heads around an event that was unprecedented in scale and nature.

Hezbollah said an unspecified number pagers – which the group relies on heavily for communications due to the risk of mobile phones being hacked or tracked – exploded at around 15:30 local time (12:30 GMT) in the capital Beirut and many other areas.

One CCTV video showed an explosion in a man’s bag or pocket at a supermarket. He is then seen falling backwards to the ground and crying out in pain as other shoppers run for cover.

Hours later, ambulances were still rushing to hospitals overwhelmed with the number of casualties, 200 of whom the health minister said were in a critical condition. Outside, relatives were waiting in the hope of receiving updates.

The LAU Medical Centre in Beirut’s Ashrafieh district closed its main gate and was limiting the number of people getting in. “It’s very sensitive and some scenes are horrific,” one staff member told the BBC.

Most of the wounds were at the level of the waist, face, eyes and hands, he said, adding: “A lot of casualties have lost fingers, in some cases all of them.”

The wife of Iranian ambassador Mojtaba Amani said he was “slightly injured” by one of the explosions and that he was “doing well” in hospital.

Hezbollah’s media office announced the deaths of eight fighters. It did not give details on the locations and circumstances, saying only that they were “martyred on the road to Jerusalem”.

A source close to the group told AFP news agency that the son of Hezbollah MP Ali Ammar and the 10-year-old daughter of a Hezbollah member in the Bekaa Valley were among those killed. Later, the source said the son of another lawmaker, Hassan Fadlallah, was wounded, having initially reported that he was dead.

Fourteen people were also wounded by exploding pagers in neighbouring Syria, where Hezbollah is fighting alongside government forces in the country’s civil war, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

“We hold the Israeli enemy fully responsible for this criminal aggression,” Hezbollah said in a statement on Tuesday evening.

“This treacherous and criminal enemy will certainly get his just retribution on this sinful aggression from where it counts and from where it does not count,” it added.

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati also blamed Israel for the explosions, saying that they represented a “serious violation of Lebanese sovereignty and a crime by all standards”.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he told his Lebanese counterpart that he “strongly condemned Israeli terrorism”.

The US, Israel’s closest ally, denied any involvement and urged Iran not to heighten tensions.

Hezbollah did not say what it believed had caused the pagers to explode.

The Wall Street Journal cited a source as saying the affected devices were from a new shipment that Hezbollah had received in recent days. A Hezbollah official also told the newspaper some people had felt the pagers heat up before the blasts.

Overheated lithium-ion batteries can catch fire, but experts said hacking into the pagers and making them overheat would not usually cause such explosions.

A former British Army munitions expert, who asked not to be named, told the BBC the pagers would have likely been packed with between 10g and 20g of military-grade high explosive, hidden inside a fake electronic component.

Once armed by a signal, called an alphanumeric text message, the next person to use the device would have triggered the explosive, the expert said.

Lina Khatib, a Middle East analyst at the UK-based Chatham House think tank, told the BBC: “Israel has been engaging in cyber operations against Hezbollah for several months, but this security breach is the largest in scale.”

Nicholas Blanford, a Beirut-based senior fellow of the American think tank the Atlantic Council, said: “Israel in one fell swoop has rendered combat ineffective hundreds if not thousands of Hezbollah fighters, in some cases permanently.”

He warned that Hezbollah’s leaders would now “face extreme pressure from the ranks and supporters to retaliate heavily”, describing it as “the most dangerous moment” in the Hezbollah-Israel conflict since October.

AFP Lebanese army soldiers block an entrance of a southern suburb of Beirut (17 September 2024) — *Lebanese army soldiers block an entrance of a southern suburb of Beirut following the blasts [BBC]*

A statement put out by the Israeli military on Tuesday evening did not comment on the pager explosions, but said the chief of staff Lt Gen Herzi Halevi had held a situational assessment with commanders “focusing on readiness in both offence and defence in all arenas”.

It also said there was no change in defensive guidelines to the Israeli public but asked them to remain alert and vigilant.

Earlier in the day, the military said an air strike had killed three “Hezbollah terrorists operating within a terrorist infrastructure site” in the Blida area, near Lebanon’s border with Israel.

Lebanon’s health ministry confirmed that three people had been killed in an Israeli strike, while Hezbollah’s media office said it had carried out missile and drone attacks targeting Israeli troops and military sites.

Israel’s Shin Bet internal security service also said it had foiled a Hezbollah bomb attack targeting an unnamed former senior Israeli security official. Hezbollah did not comment on the accusation.

This comes at a time when Israel’s government is threatening to step up its military effort against Hezbollah.

On Tuesday morning, Israel’s security cabinet made the safe return of 60,000 residents displaced in the north by Hezbollah attacks an official goal of the Gaza war.

Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said during a meeting with US envoy Amos Hochstein on Monday that the only way to return northern residents was through “military action”.

“The possibility for an agreement is running out as Hezbollah continues to ‘tie itself’ to Hamas, and refuses to end the conflict,” a statement from his office said.

Since the hostilities escalated in October, at least 589 people have been killed in Lebanon, the vast majority of them Hezbollah fighters, according to the Lebanese health ministry.

On the Israeli side, 25 civilians and 21 members of security forces have been killed, the Israeli government says.

***[BBC]***

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Vulnerable Sri Lanka present Ireland opportunity for an upset

Published

3 mins ago

2026/02/8

Priyan

Dunith Wellalage and Maheesh Theekshana will support Wanindu Hasaranga [Cricinfo]

There was a time when Sri Lanka were among the most consistent T20I sides. Between 2009 and 2014, they made the semi-finals of four successive T20 World Cups. But since then, they haven’t qualified for the knockouts even once.

This time, they are the co-hosts. But that may not be a huge advantage. Their captain Dasun Shanaka isn’t happy with the Sri Lankan pitches, which he feels are too slow for T20 cricket. At the R Premadasa Stadium, where they start their campaign and later play against Zimbabwe, their win-loss record in T20Is is 8-24 – the worst among the four home venues. Having recently been swept 3-0 at home by England, their confidence may not be high either.

So, can Ireland, their opponents today [Sunday], take advantage of that? At the 2024 T20 World Cup, Ireland had failed to win even one match. But they come into this edition on the back of two series wins, albeit against Italy and UAE but in Dubai, where the conditions might not have been too different from what they will get in Sri Lanka. If they are to qualify for the Super Eights, they will have to beat at least one of Sri Lanka and Australia.

Pathum Nissanka, Sri Lanka’s leading run-getter in T20Is, has a career strike rate of only 127.25. But don’t get fooled by that. In the last couple of years, he has really upped his game. Since the start of 2025, he has scored 717 runs at a strike rate of 147.22 . He also scored his maiden T20I hundred during this period: 107 off 58 balls against India in the Asia Cup. Sri Lanka will need more blazing starts from him at the World Cup.

Just like Nissanka, Ireland captain Paul Stirling is the leading run-scorer for his team. But unlike Nissanka, he hasn’t been in great form. Since 2025, he has scored only 233 runs in 14 T20Is, at an average of 19.41, a strike rate of 133.14 and a best of 45. Can he find his mojo and lead by example?

Sri Lanka may decide to go in with an extra batter, possibly in the form of Janith Liyanage. But the nature of the pitch will decide that. Kusal Perera, Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka, and Pavan Rathnayake are also competing for two spots.

Sri Lanka (probable): Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis, Pavan Rathnayake/Kusal Perera, Kamindu Mendis/Charith Asalanka, Dasun Shanaka, Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dushmantha Chameera, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana

Josh Little is the only Ireland player to have played in the IPL, but given his recent struggles with form and fitness, he is not assured of a spot in the first XI.

Ireland (probable): Paul Stirling (capt), Ross Adair, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker (wk), Curtis Campher, Ben Calitz, George Dockrell, Gareth Delany, Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy/Josh Little, Matthew Humphreys

[Cricinfo]

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Suryakumar’s unbeaten 84 helps India overcome USA scare

Published

15 mins ago

2026/02/8

Priyan

Suryakumar Yadav gave India a big finish [Cricinfo]

The shortest official format of the game, T20, it turns out, is long enough to build someone up and then break their hearts. USA were the third team on the opening day of the T20 World Cup 2026 to threaten an upset, reducing India’s much-feared batting to 46 for 4 and 77 for 6, but met the same fate as Netherlands and Scotland. Suryakumar Yadav – dropped on 17 off 15 – scored a masterful 84 not out off 49 to give India plenty to defend on a surface where the ball gripped enough to make shot-making fraught.

Suryakumar scored 48 off the last 18 balls he faced, including 21 off the last over, dragging seven deliveries from wide outside off to the leg-side boundary, often ending up on his back after completing the shot. The bowlers, led by the early strikes from Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh, never let the chase get going to ensure the lowest successful defence in a T20I at Wankhede Stadium.

The moment USA asked the clearest of favourites in any T20 World Cup to bat first, talk revolved around 300. Not without reason: India have crossed 250 three times since the last World Cup, and here they were on a generally true batting surface, a small playing field and an Associate team to take on.

USA began with square leg and sweeper cover as the two men outside the ring. Abhishek Sharma, the best T20I batter in the world, fell for a golden duck to deep cover. Shadley van Schalkwyk then took three wickets in the last over of the powerplay: Ishan Kishan to a slower full ball, Tilak Varma to a quick short ball and Shivam Dube for another golden duck to a slower short ball. Perhaps because of extra grass and moisture in order to have the square last the tournament, the pitch just had a bit of grip to make these wickets possible.

Grandson of Vasant Ranjane who played seven Tests for India, Shubnam Ranjane played his last match for Mumbai under the captaincy of Suryakumar. Now an international for USA, he started off the night at former home ground with a dive to save four runs. Then he dropped Kishan for not much damage. When he started bowling, he created a return chance from his former captain, but put it down by his shoe laces.

A tall and quick legspinner, Mohammad Mohsin kept the choke hold in the middle overs. Not having conceded a single boundary in the first 15 balls, he created a long-on catch from Rinku Singh. Harmeet Singh, another former Mumbai player, then got the current Mumbai Indians captain, Hardik Pandya, caught at deep cover, again the ball stopping on him.

Once Harmeet got Axar Patel caught at deep midwicket to make it 118 for 7 in the 17th over, two things were clear. That even a tall left-hand batter was struggling to time left-arm spinners, which meant India had a chance. And that Suryakumar still had work to do.

Just as India started to open up, Ali Khan – two overs for 13 runs – injured himself while diving. Ranjane took up the bowling job, bowled well and then injured himself diving in his followthrough. Suryakumar then took full toll of the 20th over, bowled by Netravalkar, who now holds the record for most runs conceded in a T20 World Cup match: 65.

Siraj was not supposed to be a part of this World Cup. Then Harshit Rana injured himself in the warm-up fixture against South Africa. He still wasn’t supposed to be in the XI, but Jasprit Bumrah fell sick. On he came, playing a T20I for the first time in two years, and took a wicket fourth ball, sending back the big-hitting Andries Gous. Arshdeep Singh, who set the tone with no runs off the bat in the first over, got stuck in with the wicket of Monank Patel. Siraj made it three similar wickets when he had Saiteja Mukkamalla caught at short midwicket. All three were mistimed slightly because of the slowness of the pitch.

With no dew around, Varun Charavarthy and Axar proved to be too good for USA on this surface. A period of 22 balls without a boundary was broken by a six by Milind Kumar, but Varun soon had him stumped. Sanjay Krishnamurthi hung in, brought the equation down to 62 off the last five overs, but Axar ended the fight with two wickets in two balls.

Brief scores:
India 161 for 9 in 20 overs (Isshan Kishan 20, Tilak Varma 25, Suryakumar Yadav 84*, Axar Patel 14; Ali Khan 1-13, Shadley van Schalkwyk 4-25, Mohammed Mohsin 1-16, Harmeet Singh 2-26) beat USA 132 for 8 in 20 overs (Milind Kumar 34, Shubham Ranjane 37, Sanjay Krishnamurthi 37; Mohammed Siraj 3-29, Arshdeep Singh 2-18, Varun Chakravrthy 1-24, Axar Patel 2-24) by 29 runs

Ali Khan celebrates USA’s first wicket [Cricinfo]

[Cricinfo]

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US wants Russia and Ukraine to end war by June, says Zelensky

Published

7 hours ago

2026/02/7

Priyan

A fire broke out at a warehouse in the city of Yahotyn as a result of a Russian drone strike [BBC]

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says the US wants the war with Russia to end by June, adding that both sides had been invited to the US for talks next week.

“America proposed for the first time that the two negotiating teams – Ukraine and Russia – meet in the United States of America, probably in Miami, in a week. We confirmed our participation,” he said.

There was no immediate comment from Washington or Moscow, but US President Donald Trump has been pushing for an end for the conflict since he took office again more than a year ago.

Meanwhile, Russia has continued its attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure – causing further widespread blackouts during freezing conditions.

In comments released on Saturday, Zelensky told reporters about what had taken place during the second round of US-brokered peace talks in Abu Dhabi, which ended on Friday with no reports of a breakthrough.

Zelensky said “difficult issues remained difficult”, including territorial concessions that Ukraine is under pressure to make.

He said the parties discussed, for the first time, the possibility of a trilateral meeting between leaders, not simply representatives, but cautioned that “preparatory elements are needed for this”.

Asked whether a time frame had been given for an agreement, the Ukrainian leader replied: “The Americans say that they want to do everything by June.

“Why before this summer?” he added. “We understand that their domestic issues in the US will have an impact.” These issues include the November midterm elections, which could affect the balance of power in the US government.

As the diplomacy continues, so too are Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy facilities.

“Russian criminals carried out another massive attack on Ukraine’s energy facilities,” Ukraine’s energy minister, Denys Shmyhal, wrote on Telegram.

Substations, which control the flow of electricity, and overhead power lines that “form the backbone of Ukraine’s power grid” were targeted, Shmyhal said. Power plants were also struck.

Ukraine’s state-owned energy operator, Ukrenergo, said “the power deficit in the power system of Ukraine significantly increased” as a result of the latest attacks.

Shmyhal said neighbouring Poland had been asked for emergency power supplies.

Zelensky wrote on social media that Friday night’s attack involved more than 400 drones and 40 missiles. Air-defence systems intercepted most, but not all, of them, the Ukrainian military said.

“The main targets were the energy grid, generation facilities, and distribution substations,” he said, adding that damage had been reported in at least four regions.

In the western region of Lviv, the Dobrotvir power plant came under attack, leaving thousands of people without electricity, according to the regional head, Maksym Kozytskyi.

At least 6,000 people were without power as a result of hourly power outage schedules, he added.