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Personal devices blasts in Lebanon

Lebanese government puts blame for mass pager explosion on Israel

The press service also said that the Lebanese government contacted the United Nations and a number of countries to call on them to bring Israel to responsibility for its actions

© REUTERS/ Mohamed Azakir

BEIRUT, September 17. /TASS/. Lebanon’s government has placed responsibility for the mass pager detonation on Israel, describing the incident as a "criminal aggression," the press service of the Lebanese cabinet said.

"The cabinet unanimously condemned this Israeli criminal aggression, which blatantly violates Lebanon’s sovereignty," it said after a cabinet meeting called after the incident.

It also said that the Lebanese government has contacted the United Nations and a number of countries to call on them to bring Israel to responsibility for its actions.

Prime Minister Najib Mikati informed the cabinet members about the investigation of the incident.

According to earlier reports, pager explosions occurred almost simultaneously across Lebanon. The Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah placed responsibility for the blasts on Israel and warned about a "fair retaliation." It was initially suggested that the detonations had been a result of a cyberattack. Reuters, however, said that the pagers were brought to Lebanon for Hezbollah members during several recent months. Lebanese acting Health Minister Firass Abiad said that the blasts claimed at least eight loves and left around 2,800 injured. Israel has provided no comments on the incident.

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