Conflict between Hezbollah and Israel escalates after attacks
Hezbollah and Israel exchanged heavy air strikes on Sunday. Three deaths were confirmed in Lebanon, while damage in Israel appeared to be limited.
At least eight people have died and more than 2,750 injured after their portable pagers exploded simultaneously in Lebanon, news reports say. The pagers were linked to Hezbollah members and associates.
In addition to Hezbollah members, Iranian Ambassador Mojtaba Amani and dozens of others were reportedly affected, with officials accusing Israel of the most sophisticated form of long-range attack.
It is not clear whether Amani’s injuries were serious. Hezbollah is a terrorist group that receives material and financial support from the Iranian government.
According to a news source, Hezbollah said it was conducting a “security and scientific investigation to determine the causes that led to these simultaneous explosions.” Back in February, the Hezbollah leader called on his members to stop using cell phones, calling them “lethal agents.”
What is a pager?
A pager, also known as a beeper, is a small wireless telecommunications device that can be worn or placed in your pocket that beeps or vibrates when someone tries to contact you. It displays alphanumeric messages such as phone numbers or voicemail messages. (The recipient of the message can then call the specified number.) Pagers can usually only receive information, not send it, making their location difficult to track.
According to Hezbollah officials, the new pagers carried by Hezbollah members contained lithium batteries that apparently exploded.
If lithium batteries overheat, a chain reaction of burns or explosions can occur.
What is a remote attack?
A remote attack is a malicious action targeting a person or network.
Often associated with computer hackers, this attack is a sophisticated, remote attack that exploits a vulnerability in a computer or network’s security software to access the device or system and cause damage.
