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Personal devices blasts in Lebanon

Lebanese Health Ministry reveals number of dead, injured in pager blasts

Acting Health Minister Firass Abiad denied earlier media reports that 4,000 people had been injured

BEIRUT, September 18. /TASS/. The number of people who died as a result of pager blasts in Lebanon has risen to 12, including two children, the country’s Acting Health Minister Firass Abiad said at a press conference.

The top health official pointed out that Lebanese surgeons had performed more than 460 operations in less than a day. "We have mobilized all the resources of the country's medical institutions. However, more than 300 remain in intensive care, many of them in critical condition," he said.

Abiad denied earlier media reports that 4,000 people had been injured. "A total of 2,800 people have been taken to hospitals," he emphasized.

On September 17, many pagers exploded practically simultaneously in several districts of Lebanon. Hezbollah, Lebanon's Shiite military group, blamed Israel for the explosions and promised "a just response." According to one version, the incident was the result of a cyberattack, while another said that the pagers were brought into Lebanon this spring for Hezbollah supporters with explosives built in.

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