LEBANON: Hezbollah has vowed to retaliate against Israel following a series of deadly explosions involving paging devices across Lebanon. The attack, which resulted in the deaths of nine people, including a 10-year-old girl, and injured approximately 2,800 others, has intensified tensions in the region.

The blasts occurred shortly after Israel announced an expansion of its military objectives in the ongoing conflict with Hamas to include actions against Hezbollah along the Lebanon border. Hezbollah condemned Israel for the attacks and promised retribution in a statement released on Telegram.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah is scheduled to address the public on Thursday at 5:00 pm local time (1400 GMT) to discuss the group's response and ongoing support for Gaza.

The explosions overwhelmed hospitals in Hezbollah-dominated areas. In Beirut’s southern suburbs, makeshift treatment areas were set up in hospital parking lots due to the surge in casualties. Witnesses reported seeing people affected by the blasts in public spaces.

The Lebanese Health Minister Firass Abiad confirmed that 200 of the injured are in critical condition. An analyst from the Middle East Institute suggested that the devices were likely rigged with small explosives, which were triggered remotely.

Reports indicate that Hezbollah's recent shipment of 1,000 pagers was tampered with before delivery. The pagers, ordered from a Taiwanese manufacturer, were reportedly produced by a Hungarian partner.

Following the attacks, major airlines like Lufthansa and Air France suspended flights to and from Tel Aviv, Tehran, and Beirut until Thursday.

The situation remains dire, with ongoing exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and Israeli forces resulting in numerous casualties on both sides. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is back in the region to attempt to revive stalled ceasefire negotiations. The conflict, which began with a major Hamas attack on October 7, has already caused significant loss of life and displacement.

UN member states are currently debating a draft resolution calling for the end of Israeli occupation in Palestinian territories, though such resolutions are non-binding.

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