<b>Live updates: Follow the latest on </b><a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2024/09/16/live-israel-gaza-war/" target="_blank"><b>Israel-Gaza</b></a> Exploding pagers left at least eight people dead and thousands wounded in <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2024/09/17/gaza-israel-lebanon-war-objective/" target="_blank">Lebanon </a>on Tuesday in an apparent cyber attack on Hezbollah's communications system. Hand-held <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2024/09/17/dozens-of-hezbollah-fighters-injured-by-pager-detonations-in-lebanon/" target="_blank">devices detonated</a> simultaneously in several locations around the country, according to the group. Here's what we know so far about the attacks: Explosions were reported in southern <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2024/09/12/eu-foreign-affairs-chief-arrives-in-beirut-in-push-for-peace/" target="_blank">Beirut</a>, in south Lebanon as well as the Bekaa Valley in the east. Images on social media showed victims in the southern Beirut suburb of Dahieh lying on the ground next to the remains of their devices. At Maqassed Hospital in the Tariq Jdeedeh neighbourhood of Beirut, staff reported “at least 50" wounded, while at the nearby Geitawi Hospital at least seven were reported critically injured. The Lebanese Red Cross said more than 30 of its ambulances were being used throughout the country and that 50 additional ambulances had been put on high alert. War monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported that a communication device exploded inside a car in the Syrian capital of Damascus. Lebanon's Health Minister Firass Abiad<i><b> </b></i>said at a press conference that eight people had been killed including a child. About 2,800 more had been injured including 200 in critical condition, he added. Injuries were mostly to hands. Iran's ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, was among those lightly wounded, Iranian state broadcaster IRIB reported. Hospitals in the capital were overwhelmed with the influx of patients, with the sound of sirens echoing through the city. The Health Ministry asked hospitals across the country to prepare themselves “to meet an urgent need for emergency health services”. It put out a call for health workers to return to hospitals as soon as possible. Citizens were urged by the Internal Security Services to clear roads to make way for rescue services. <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2024/09/14/hezbollah-launches-dozens-of-rockets-on-north-israel-in-response-to-south-lebanon-strikes/" target="_blank">Hezbollah </a>leader Hassan Nasrallah in February asked residents of south Lebanon to stop using mobile devices and CCTV, saying <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2024/09/16/us-envoy-amos-hochstein-due-in-israel-as-lebanon-war-fears-grow/" target="_blank">Israeli </a>intelligence services could hack the technology and track the location of users. It is thought the Lebanese group's use of <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2024/09/17/hezbollah-pager-attack-effort-to-blind-israeli-spies-had-fatal-consequences/" target="_blank">pagers</a> was an attempt to limit communication that could be exploited by Israel. The detonations occurred shortly after <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/israel/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw0aS3BhA3EiwAKaD2ZW0a0sZ0maL1FrFZva1pWrf-9NTs1Fh23CGkH9HaVAnZtPlVdw4aLBoC74QQAvD_BwE" target="_blank">Israel’s</a> Shin Bet security service announced it had foiled a Hezbollah plot to assassinate an Israeli former security official using a remote-detonated bomb. Lebanon's state-run National News Agency said “the hand-held pagers had been detonated using advanced technology”. Iran's IRIB called the incident a “cyber attack”, while Hezbollah said they were “simultaneous explosions” and the group was carrying out an investigation. “A number of message-receiving devices known as 'pagers' and carried by a number of people in various Hezbollah units and institutions exploded,” Hezbollah said. “The competent agencies within Hezbollah are currently conducting a wide-ranging security and scientific investigation to find out the reasons.” Lebanon's Health Ministry called on people to refrain from using mobile devices for their safety on Tuesday in the wake of the attacks.