US says it is gathering information on Lebanon pager blasts
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Ambulances arriving at a hospital in Beirut on Sept 17, amid a wave of pager explosions across Lebanon.
PHOTO: AFP
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WASHINGTON – The US said on Sept 17 that it is gathering information after at least eight people were killed and about 2,750 wounded when pagers used by Hezbollah members – including fighters and medics – detonated simultaneously across Lebanon.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told a regular news briefing that the US was not involved in the incidents and did not know who was responsible.
Lebanon’s Hezbollah threatened to punish Israel in response to the incidents.
Mr Miller said: “We are gathering information on this incident.”
He added: “I can tell you that the US was not involved in it. The US was not aware of this incident in advance.
“We’re collecting information in the same way that journalists are across the world, to gather the facts about what might have happened.”
In response to a question, Mr Miller said the US was always concerned about any incident that can raise tensions in the Middle East and urged Iran not to take advantage of any incident to raise instability.
Mr Miller also said civilians were not legitimate targets for any type of operation. REUTERS
