UN says pager explosions in Lebanon 'extremely concerning'

After allegedly coordinated explosions of hundreds of telecommunications devices in Lebanon, the United Nations has warned of the risk of an escalation between Israel and Hezbollah.

"These developments are extremely concerning, especially given that this is taking place within a context that is extremely volatile," spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said in New York.

The UN is monitoring the situation, he said. "I think we cannot underscore enough the risks of escalation in Lebanon and in the region," Dujarric added.

In the explosions of pagers across several regions but mostly in Hezbollah-controlled areas, some 2,800 people were injured and nine people were killed. Among the injured were numerous members of the pro-Iranian Shiite organization Hezbollah.

Hezbollah blamed Israel for the incident and announced retaliation.