Death toll in Lebanon from exploding pager attack rises to 12

The death toll in Lebanon from the near-simultaneous blast of pagers frequently used by the militant group Hezbollah has risen to 12, Health Minister Firas Abiad said on Wednesday.

Among the dead are an 8-year-old girl and an 11-year-old boy, he said at a news briefing at the Health Ministry in Beirut. Between 2,750 and 2,800 people were wounded in the attack, with 300 of those in critical condition, the minister said.

Abiad said that some 460 operations on eyes and faces have been conducted. Amputations of arms and fingers have also been performed.

Some of the victims include health sector workers.

The death toll had earlier stood at nine people.