If true this would be one of the largest mass blindings in history. More after the jump.
From The American Center for Levant Studies, September 17/18:
THE EARLY PHOENIX Special Report
Sept 17, 2024
★ ISRAEL-HEZBOLLAH WAR
Pager Explosion Cripple Hezbollah: 4,000 Injured, 25% Leadership Affected
Around 4,000 Hezbollah operatives in Lebanon were injured after their communication pagers exploded. Eleven members of Hezbollah, including leaders, were confirmed dead in today’s attack with 400 in critical condition and 500 losing their sight. This significant blow left 10% to 25% of the party’s leadership out of service, marking a major disruption in Hezbollah’s command structure. Experts in the region are calling the incident “checkmate” for Hezbollah. Explosions spread into Syria as devices detonated in a car in Damascus, injuring 18 fighters.
PETN Explosives in Pagers Cause Vibrations and Detonations
The pagers, acquired as part of a technological upgrade, were brought to Lebanon five months ago from the Taiwanese company Gold Apollo. The explosive material was inserted before the devices arrived in Lebanon. Initial reports indicate they contained PETN, a powerful explosive material. Each device had no more than 20 grams of PETN, known for its strength and sensitivity. While PETN doesn’t explode on impact or ignition, it can be triggered by continuous vibrations. For reference, 1 kilogram of PETN equals 1.25 kilograms of TNT. Repeated, continuous messages sent to the pagers caused prolonged vibrations, leading to the explosion....
....MORE
Apparently what happened is either multiple vibrations or sustained (ten seconds or more) vibrations allowed the Hezbollah members time to take the pagers off their belts or out of their pockets to lift the pagers to their faces and look at the incoming message.
And now the AP is reporting the toll of today's wave of explosions:
Live updates: Second wave of deadly device explosions injures at least 300 in Lebanon
The only two similar instances of mass blinding I can think of also occurred in wartime, one accidental one deliberate:
The explosion of a munitions ship in Halifax Nova Scotia:
British Journal of Opthmology - The Halifax disaster (1917): eye injuries and their care
Abstract
Explosions, man‐made and accidental, continue to require improved emergency medical responses. In the 1917 Halifax Explosion, an inordinate number of penetrating eye injuries occurred. A review of their treatment provides insight into a traumatic event with unique ophthalmological importance. Archived personal and government documents relating to the Halifax Explosion were reviewed at the Public Archives of Nova Scotia, Canada, along with a review of current literature. Twelve ophthalmologists treated 592 people with eye injuries and performed 249 enucleations. Sixteen people had both eyes enucleated. Most of the eye injuries were caused by shards of shattered glass. A Blind Relief Fund was established to help treat and rehabilitate the visually impaired. The injured were given pensions through the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, which continue to this day. Sympathetic ophthalmia was the feared complication for penetrating eye injuries and a common indication for enucleation in 1917. Even so, the severity and the overwhelming number of eye injuries sustained during the Halifax Explosion made it impossible for lengthy eye‐saving procedures to be performed. Enucleation was often the only option....
....MUCH MORE
So 265 people had at least one eye removed. Two thousand killed and nine thousand were injured.
And via Medievalists.net:
Did Basil II the ‘Bulgar-slayer’ blind 15,000 prisoners?
The ancient story as re-told by Barbara Tuchman was that 1-in-100 were blinded in one eye to leave someone to guide, while the other 99 were blinded in both. Upon seeing his blind army the Bulgarian Emperor Samuel collapsed and later died.
