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No, this isn’t a photo of a toilet destroyed by an exploding pager
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This photo was taken in 2020 in Hong Kong after an improvised explosive device exploded in a public toilet there. It had nothing to do with the pager-linked explosions in Lebanon and Syria in 2024.
After pagers used by members of the militant group Hezbollah exploded Sept. 17 in Lebanon and Syria, killing more than 30 people and injuring thousands more, an image of a damaged and charred toilet started to spread on social media.
"Some Hezbollah operative blew up while taking a dump," a Sept. 18 X post said.
"It seems Mossad is pulling the strings, leaving Hezbollah militants too terrified to even answer nature’s call," a Sept. 19 post said, using the hashtag #PagerExplosions and referring to Israel’s national intelligence agency. Israel hasn’t claimed responsibility for the attacks, but The New York Times reported that the explosions have been "widely attributed to Israel."
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But the toilet image is old, and from Hong Kong.
"A suspected improvised explosive device destroyed a public toilet at the King George V Memorial Park on Jordan Road in West Kowloon on January 27," the caption said in a Jan. 28, 2020, South China Morning Post story. The Financial Times, citing Hong Kong’s security bureau, said that IED and others that detonated around the same time were related to protests related to COVID-19.
We rate claims this photo shows a toilet destroyed after a member of Hezbollah "blew up" False.
Our Sources
X post, Sept. 18, 2024
X post, Sept. 19, 2024
The Associated Press, Hezbollah is hit by a wave of exploding pagers that killed at least 9 people and injured thousands, Sept. 17, 2024
South China Morning Post, Unexploded IED found at Shenzhen border control point, after suspected bomb destroys second Hong Kong toilet in 24 hours, Jan. 28, 2020
Financial Times, Hong Kong says radical protesters are plotting bombing campaign, Jan. 30, 2020
The New York Times, Hezbollah Targets Israel in Overnight Retaliation for Week of Israeli Attacks, updated Sept. 22, 2024
BBC News, What we know about the Hezbollah device explosions, updated Sept. 20, 2024
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No, this isn’t a photo of a toilet destroyed by an exploding pager
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