ZRARIEH, Lebanon: Three devices exploded in Zrarieh south Lebanon Monday that the Army said were spying apparatuses detonated wirelessly by Israel. One of the devices appeared to be a solar powered battery, and the other two communications devices, security sources said.

The explosions occurred in the village of Zrarieh, three kilometers north of the Litani River, and outside the operations area of the United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon.

UNIFIL officials did not make any comment on the matter, since it was outside their jurisdiction.

Hezbollah issued a statement claiming the devices were wiretapping instruments that had tapped into the party’s communications network.

“As part of its continuing counter-espionage efforts against Israel, the Islamic Resistance managed to locate an Israeli eavesdropping device on the resistance’s wired communication network in Zrarieh. As a result, the enemy detonated the device from a distance,” the statement said.

The Lebanese Army is conducting an investigation into the explosions, according to a statement issued by the Army command.

Military intelligence personnel were at the scene of the blasts, which it said took place at 5:15 p.m.

Hezbollah members were present at the site, and the party later issued a statement, saying it welcomed members of the media to visit the area.

The explosions caused a fire which created extensive damage, covering around 5 acres of dry land.

An earlier statement issued by the Army said that overflights by eight Israeli aircraft were reported during the day prior to the incident, while the National News Agency reported a number of overflights by Israeli reconnaissance aircraft took place in the afternoon, over Zrarieh and nearby areas.

A similar incident involving Hezbollah’s discovery and detonation of Israeli surveillance devices took place in December, near the village of Srifa. At the time, Hezbollah’s Al-Manar television aired footage of several devices connected by wires.