Hezbollah vows revenge on Israel after bombings in Lebanon and Syria killed at least nine people and injured thousands

Both Hezbollah and the Lebanese government have openly blamed Israel for the attack. Although Israel has yet to comment on the matter, its allies, including the United States, have sought to distance themselves from the attack.

Hezbollah said in a statement:

“We hold the Israeli enemy fully responsible for this criminal aggression,” adding that Israel “will certainly receive its just punishment for this sinful aggression.”

In a second statement, the terrorist group added:

After examining all the facts, current data and available information regarding the sinful attack that took place this afternoon, we hold the Israeli enemy fully responsible for this criminal aggression that also targeted civilians.

Prominent Hezbollah politician Ali Ammar spoke to the Associated Press after the killing of his son Mahdi.

This is a new Israeli aggression against Lebanon. The resistance will respond in the appropriate manner at the appropriate time.

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati condemned the “criminal Israeli aggression” and called the attack “a serious violation of Lebanese sovereignty.”

Here is a quick summary of the attacks carried out yesterday against Hezbollah terrorists:

• More than 300 people were taken to hospital in critical condition after pagers used by the outlawed terrorist group Hezbollah detonated over a one-hour period yesterday afternoon.
• The detonators were activated at around 3.30pm local time (1.45pm UK time) on Tuesday after receiving a message purportedly from senior Hezbollah commanders.
• Scenes of widespread panic and chaos were seen in Beirut’s southern suburbs, the Bekaa Valley and southern Lebanon, while in neighbouring Syria 14 people were injured in the blasts, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor.
• The victims were seen writhing in pain with horrific wounds on their faces, abdomen and even their groins in harrowing images and videos shared on social media and posted on Lebanese social networks.
• Among the dead were two girls aged eight and ten and the son of a Lebanese parliamentarian. Iran said its ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, also suffered injuries to his face and hand.
• Both Hezbollah and the Lebanese government have openly blamed Israel for the attack. Although Israel has yet to comment on the matter, its allies, including the United States, have sought to distance themselves from the attack.

First up, we bring you our current top story on the MailOnline website reporting that Israel was involved in the deadly pager bomb attack.

By Perkin Amalaraj and Sam Greenhill

Israeli spies were behind a pager bomb attack that killed nine people, including two girls, and injured more than 2,750 people across Lebanon.

The New York Times reported that Hezbollah pagers were compromised in a joint operation between the Mossad, Israel’s shadowy intelligence agency, and the Israel Defense Forces.

The security service and the military are said to have packed the pagers ordered by Hezbollah with one to two ounces of explosive material along with a detonator switch before delivery.

Hello and welcome to MailOnline’s live coverage of the pager bomb attack targeting Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon and Syria.

At least nine people were killed and 2,750 injured, 300 seriously, after a series of explosions involving portable devices on Tuesday afternoon.

Hezbollah immediately blamed Israel and vowed revenge, while the New York Times reported that the pagers (pictured above) were compromised in a joint operation between the Mossad, Israel’s intelligence agency, and the Israel Defense Forces.

We will keep you updated on all developments and reactions throughout the day as tensions between Israel and Hezbollah threaten to escalate further as the two sides edge closer to war.