Hezbollah's Crisis: Explosive Detonations Ignite Tensions Amid Cross-Border Strife

Explosions involving hand-held radios used by Hezbollah occurred throughout Lebanon, causing casualties and heightening tensions with Israel. The blasts, orchestrated by Israel's Mossad, led to a series of retaliatory rocket attacks by Hezbollah. The incident raises concerns of escalating conflict in the Middle East, potentially involving the U.S. and Iran.

Explosions involving hand-held radios used by Lebanon's armed group Hezbollah detonated late Wednesday afternoon across the country's south and the southern suburbs of Beirut, according to security sources and witnesses. One of the blasts took place near a funeral organized by Hezbollah for those killed in previous explosions.

On the same day, Hezbollah attacked Israeli artillery positions with rockets, marking the first strike on its arch-foe since the pager blasts that wounded thousands of its members and raised the specter of a wider Middle Eastern conflict. Israel's spy agency Mossad reportedly planted the explosives inside pagers imported by Hezbollah months prior.

The death toll has risen to 12, including two children, while nearly 3,000 people were wounded. The attacks, for which a Taiwanese pager maker denied responsibility, threaten to plunge the region into full-scale war. Hezbollah has vowed to retaliate against Israel, raising the likelihood of broader geopolitical ramifications involving the U.S. and Iran.

Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi accused Israel of escalating tensions, while a Hezbollah official described the incident as the group's 'biggest security breach.' Footage from hospitals showed severe injuries among victims, reflecting the devastating impact of the plot widely believed to have been in the works for months.

(With inputs from agencies.)