Lebanese health minister reports hospitals strained after blasts

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Acting Lebanese Health Minister Firas Abyad announced on his social channels that the country’s hospitals were grappling with a surge of victims after a series of pager detonations. He described crowded emergency rooms, overburdened trauma units, and medical staff rushing to triage civilians who sustained shrapnel wounds, burns, and other life‑threatening injuries from devices linked to covert communications. The minister outlined that hospitals had moved to high alert and activated their emergency protocols, while clinicians worked to expand capacity with extra beds, rapid‑surgery suites, and field equipment. Eyewitnesses and frontline workers recalled chaotic scenes as ambulances arrived in waves, and families crowded outside hospitals seeking news about missing relatives. Health authorities signaled readiness for possible follow‑up incidents and urged the public to remain calm and heed official safety guidance as investigations continued.

On the same update, Abyad said that high alert had been declared across all health institutions and that hundreds of doctors had been mobilized to manage the influx. He described a rapid surge plan that included setting up triage tents, dispatching mobile surgical teams, and coordinating with ambulance services and hospitals across the country. The ministry noted rising bed occupancy in several major facilities and the deferral of nonurgent care to keep space for the injured. Medical staff, supported by hospital security, worked around the clock, relying on reserves of blood supplies, anesthesia, and essential supplies. Extra clinical spaces were opened, and regional clinics served as auxiliary care points to relieve pressure on city centers. The minister urged the public to follow official instructions and to report missing loved ones through established hotlines and channels.

Abyad added that fifty ambulances had been deployed to move the injured to appropriate facilities, with field teams coordinating rapid transfers and diagnosis. He stressed that timely transport and access to definitive care can improve outcomes for those with head injuries, burns, or multi‑trauma conditions. The ministry worked with the Red Crescent and other humanitarian partners to share loads, safeguard blood inventories, and route ambulances around damaged roads. Within hospitals, doctors described crowded corridors, limited space for pediatric patients, and the hum of generators powering makeshift triage bays. Volunteers helped with crowd management and information sharing, helping families locate relatives and navigate the medical system during the crisis.

Abyad attributed the blasts to what he described as Israeli sabotage, a claim echoed by others amid broader regional tensions. He urged investigators to pursue every lead and to proceed with caution as authorities evaluated the origins of the devices. Other officials urged restraint while condemning violence that endangered civilians. Analysts cautioned about the risk of escalation, calling for careful, evidence‑based conclusions as the investigation unfolds. The minister framed the events within a narrative of external saboteurs exploiting urban vulnerabilities, arguing that such attacks underline the need for robust security and international clarity on actions that harm civilian life.

News agencies reported that more than 50 members of the Shiite armed group Hezbollah and hundreds of bystanders were injured in Lebanon after the blasts. The incident is said to have occurred in the Dahie suburb of Beirut. Local footage appeared to show the devices used for wiretap‑protected communications detonating in the middle of the day as people went about their daily activities. Security forces and emergency crews quickly cordoned off streets and directed crowds away from the sites of impact while investigators began gathering evidence. Witnesses described shattered storefronts, scattered debris, and a temporary triage area where medical teams treated the most seriously injured. The episode has raised questions about security at communications installations and the ongoing risk to civilians in dense urban neighborhoods where tensions run high.

Earlier reports noted heightened cross‑border activity and notices aimed at residents near border zones. Some local communities said flyers posted above a border village urged residents to leave in anticipation of potential confrontations. Analysts observed that such measures often precede larger military moves, while officials stressed normal life continued in many areas. The latest events highlight the fragile security situation and the challenge authorities face in protecting civilians while addressing ongoing geopolitical instability. Observers urged careful information sharing and timely communication from government channels to minimize panic.

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