Hezbollah Accuses Israel of Attack Using Pager Bombs, Nine Killed

17 Sep at 5:44 pm

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Hezbollah Accuses Israel of Attack Using Pager Bombs, Nine Killed \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Hezbollah and the Lebanese government accused Israel of a deadly attack involving the detonation of pagers used by the militant group, which killed at least nine people and injured nearly 3,000. The attack, which occurred amid heightened tensions between Hezbollah and Israel, follows ongoing cross-border exchanges of fire. Israel did not comment on the incident, but its history of sophisticated remote operations raises suspicion.

Deadly Attack: Hezbollah blames Israel for the detonation of pagers that killed at least nine and injured nearly 3,000.
Victims: Among those killed were a Hezbollah politician’s son and an 8-year-old girl.
Rising Tensions: The attack occurs amid ongoing conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, following the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel.
Israel’s Silence: Israel has not taken responsibility, though it is known for remote and cyber operations.
Previous Operations: Israel has a long history of conducting precision strikes on militants and nuclear facilities.

Deep Look

Hezbollah and Lebanese authorities have accused Israel of orchestrating a coordinated attack involving the detonation of hundreds of pagers used by members of the militant group. The explosions killed at least nine people and injured nearly 3,000, according to Lebanese officials. This attack comes amidst escalating tensions between Hezbollah, an Iran-backed group, and Israel, as both sides have exchanged fire across the Israel-Lebanon border following the October 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel that triggered the war in Gaza.

The victims of the pager detonations include several Hezbollah members, but it’s unclear whether other civilians were affected. Among those killed was the son of a prominent Hezbollah politician, as well as an 8-year-old girl. The blast also injured Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon, underscoring the breadth of the attack’s impact.

Hezbollah was swift in attributing the incident to Israel, a country with a long history of conducting covert, remote-controlled operations against its adversaries. These range from cyberattacks and drone strikes to the use of remote-controlled weapons. Israel, however, typically refrains from acknowledging responsibility for such incidents, and the Israeli military has declined to comment on this latest attack.

While Israel has not officially claimed the attack, its pattern of using advanced military technology to target individuals and groups across the Middle East makes it a prime suspect. Israel’s previous operations have included cyberattacks on Iranian nuclear facilities, precision airstrikes on militant leaders, and the use of remotely controlled explosives.

The timing of this latest incident is crucial. Relations between Israel and Hezbollah have been at a boiling point since early October, with frequent skirmishes occurring along the volatile border between Israel and Lebanon. Hezbollah, backed by Iran, has long been a key player in the broader regional conflict involving Israel and pro-Iranian factions in Syria and Lebanon. This attack has only added to the tension, as both sides continue to trade accusations and military strikes.

Hezbollah has blamed Israel for previous high-profile assassinations of its leaders, including the 2008 killing of Imad Mughniyeh, a top Hezbollah military commander, and his son Jihad Mughniyeh in 2015. Both were targeted in Israeli strikes that took place amid similar spikes in cross-border hostilities. Tuesday’s attack involving pagers may mark a new, more unconventional tactic in the conflict.

Israel’s History of Covert Operations

Israel has conducted numerous targeted strikes and clandestine operations over the years, many of which have been attributed to its intelligence agency, Mossad, and its military’s special operations units. Below is a timeline of notable operations linked to Israel:

July 2024: In separate strikes, Israel allegedly killed two top militant leaders: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Hezbollah commander Fouad Shukur in Beirut.
July 2024: Mohammed Deif, Hamas’ elusive military commander, was reportedly killed in a massive Israeli airstrike in Gaza. At least 90 people were killed in the operation.
April 2024: Two Iranian generals died in an Israeli airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Syria, triggering Iran to retaliate with missile and drone attacks on Israel.
January 2024: An Israeli drone strike in Beirut killed Saleh Arouri, a senior Hamas official, as Israel intensified its military operations against Hamas in Gaza.
2020: Iran’s top nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, was assassinated by a remote-controlled machine gun near Tehran, an attack widely attributed to Israel.
2010: The Stuxnet virus, believed to be a joint U.S.-Israeli creation, severely damaged Iranian nuclear centrifuges, marking a significant cyberattack on Iran’s nuclear program.
2008: Imad Mughniyeh, Hezbollah’s military chief, was assassinated in Damascus by a car bomb, which Hezbollah attributed to Israel.

Israel’s use of remote technology and cyber warfare has given it a reputation for executing some of the most complex and precise military operations in the world. Its refusal to confirm involvement in many of these incidents only adds to the air of mystery surrounding its capabilities.

Ongoing Hostilities and Future Implications

This attack on Hezbollah, whether directly linked to Israel or not, escalates an already volatile situation in Lebanon and along the Israeli border. Both Hezbollah and Israel have a long history of exchanging military blows, and this latest incident involving the pager explosions only heightens the risks of further escalation. The involvement of high-profile figures, such as the son of a Hezbollah politician and Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon, adds another layer of geopolitical complexity to the conflict.

Hezbollah’s accusation of Israeli involvement is consistent with their narrative of resisting Israeli aggression, and it remains to be seen how Lebanon, Iran, and other regional actors will respond. If confirmed, this attack could provoke retaliatory strikes from Hezbollah or Iran, further intensifying the conflict.

As tensions rise, the international community is likely to keep a close eye on Lebanon and Israel, with fears that continued clashes could spark a broader regional war. Israel’s history of precise military strikes, combined with Hezbollah’s significant arsenal of rockets and Iranian backing, creates a dangerous and unpredictable situation along the Israel-Lebanon border.