Hezbollah blames Israel as nine killed and thousands injured by exploding pagers across Lebanon [Video]

NINE PEOPLE HAVE died and around 2,800 have been reported wounded, said Lebanese Health Minister Firass Abiad, when Hezbollah members’ paging devices exploded simultaneously across Lebanon today.

Hezbollah have said that Israel is “fully responsible” for the detonations, and warned that the country will be punished.

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

The blasts “killed nine people, including a girl”, minister Firass Abiad said in a casualty update.

“About 2,800 people were injured, about 200 of them critically” with injuries mostly reported to the face, hands and stomach, he added.

The 10-year-old daughter of a Hezbollah member was killed in east Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley when his pager exploded, her family and a source close to the group said.

Iran’s ambassador to Beirut was also wounded in …