The death toll from a series of explosions involving handheld pagers in Lebanon has risen to 12, including two children, Lebanese Health Minister Firass Abiad announced on Wednesday.
Speaking at a press conference in Beirut, Abiad said that several healthcare workers were among those killed in the blasts, which also wounded nearly 3,000 people. Among the injured were many fighters from the militant group Hezbollah and Iran’s envoy to Beirut.
“The number of patients requiring hospital admission has reached 1,800,” Abiad said, adding that 460 surgeries had already been performed, mostly on injuries to the eyes and face.
Hezbollah has accused Israel of orchestrating the explosions, which occurred on Tuesday, and vowed retaliation. The group claims that Israel detonated the pagers—a widely used messaging device in Lebanon—as part of its ongoing conflict with Hezbollah, which has intensified since the Gaza war began in October.
The Israeli military, which has been engaged in cross-border clashes with Hezbollah since the start of the war, declined to comment on the allegations.
