IRGC Denies Claims of Casualties in Syrian Pager Explosion Incident
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has rejected claims that 19 of its members were killed in a series of pager explosions in Syria. These allegations, initially reported by the Saudi news outlet Al-Hadath, stated that the explosions occurred in Deir Ezzor, a strategic region in eastern Syria, and caused the deaths of 19 IRGC members, along with 150 others injured.
These explosions were reportedly part of a larger attack that also targeted Hezbollah members in Lebanon the day before. According to various sources, including the Lebanese Health Ministry, the attacks in Lebanon resulted in the deaths of 12 individuals, with an additional 2,750 to 2,800 wounded. Although Israel has not made an official statement, several foreign media outlets, such as Army Radio, have speculated that Israel’s intelligence agency Mossad and the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) were responsible for the attack.
In response, the IRGC stated Iran’s Mizan News Agency, which is affiliated with the judiciary, categorically denied that any IRGC members were killed in the explosions. The statement declared that “no IRGC members were martyred in the pagers incident” and labeled the casualty reports as “false.” This statement directly challenges the narrative put forth by Al-Hadath, which linked the IRGC deaths to the broader attacks that impacted Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The alleged incident in Syria is said to have targeted IRGC forces stationed in the area, where Iran maintains a strong military presence to support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Iran has been deeply involved in both Syria and Lebanon, providing military assistance to Hezbollah and other allied groups in the region.
The earlier explosion in Lebanon impacted Hezbollah strongholds, where hundreds of wireless pagers—believed to be used for communication by the group—detonated almost simultaneously. These blasts occurred in locations such as southern Beirut and eastern Lebanon, causing widespread devastation. Lebanon’s Health Minister Firass Abiad confirmed that 12 people, including two children, were killed in the explosion, with nearly 2,800 others wounded, many of them critically. Several victims suffered severe trauma, including brain hemorrhages.
After the pager explosions, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) launched artillery strikes on Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon. In addition, Israeli airstrikes targeted Hezbollah strongholds in multiple locations, including Odaisseh and Maroun El Ras, intensifying regional tensions.
The IRGC’s denial aims to clarify that none of its personnel were involved in the alleged pager explosions, pushing back against the reported casualty figures in Syria.