Iranian Ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, was severely injured when a pager he was carrying exploded during a series of blasts across Lebanon and Syria on Tuesday, according to The New York Times. The explosion resulted in Amani losing one eye and sustaining serious injuries to the other. While initial reports from Qatari outlet Al Jazeera described Amani’s injuries as superficial, later reports suggest a greater severity. Sources within Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stated that Amani’s condition was more critical than publicly disclosed, prompting his transfer to Tehran for further treatment.
The exact circumstances surrounding the explosion remain unclear. While some reports suggest that Amani was carrying a tampered pager himself, other sources indicate that he may have been near someone else carrying one of the explosive devices. Video footage shared on social media reportedly showed Amani shortly after the explosion, with blood visible on his clothing.
Mojtaba Amani, ambassador of the #Iran‘s Islamic Regime was wounded in the explosion of a #Hezbollah‘s pager in his pocket after #Israel Defense Force jammed and hacked it. This video shows his transportation to hospital by an ambulance. pic.twitter.com/InlUFp5UFk
— Babak Taghvaee – The Crisis Watch (@BabakTaghvaee1) September 17, 2024
The explosion was part of a larger wave of coordinated blasts that targeted Hezbollah members in Lebanon. Hundreds of pagers, reportedly used by Hezbollah for communication, exploded nearly simultaneously, killing at least nine people and injuring thousands. The blasts mainly occurred in Hezbollah strongholds such as Beirut’s southern suburb of Dahiyeh. Reuters confirmed seeing hundreds of Hezbollah members suffering from wounds in the aftermath.
Hezbollah has accused Israel of orchestrating the attack, which targeted key Hezbollah personnel. The method of attack involved the pagers emitting a beeping sound for several seconds before detonating, causing serious facial and head injuries to those nearby.
A former Iranian vice president, Mohammad Ali Abtahi, commented that the blasts represent “a new phase in technological warfare,” noting that modern tactics have replaced more conventional forms of combat.
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