Hezbollah has promised to strike decisively in response to a slew of lethal pager explosions that have occurred around Lebanon and are believed to be the result of Israeli meddling, according to Reuters. At least eight people were killed and roughly 2,750 injured in Tuesday’s bombings, which also injured Iran’s envoy to Beirut and many of Hezbollah’s own members.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
Lebanon’s Information Minister Ziad Makary condemned the incident as “Israeli aggression”, while Hezbollah has promised that Israel will face “its fair punishment” for the attack. A Hezbollah spokesperson, who requested anonymity, described the detonation of the pagers—used by the group and others in Lebanon for secure communication—as the “biggest security breach” in nearly a year of conflict with Israel.
The United Nations has expressed deep concern over the escalating violence, with spokesperson Stephane Dujarric highlighting the “extremely volatile” situation and condemning any civilian casualties. Meanwhile, the Israeli military has not directly commented on the explosions but has called for continued vigilance. Major General Herzi Halevi, Israel’s chief of staff, convened a meeting with senior officers to assess the situation.
Hezbollah confirmed the deaths of at least two of its fighters and is investigating the circumstances surrounding the explosions. The pagers, detonated in Hezbollah strongholds including southern Lebanon, the suburbs of Beirut, and the Bekaa valley, are crucial for the group’s operations, as they use them to evade Israeli surveillance.
The scale of the attack has led to widespread chaos, with Lebanese Health Minister Firass Abiad reporting that 2,750 people were injured, 200 critically. Many of the casualties included Hezbollah fighters who were close relatives of high-ranking officials within the group. One of the victims was the son of Hezbollah parliament member Ali Ammar, who denounced the incident as Israeli aggression and asserted, “We will deal with the enemy in the language it understands.”
This attack exacerbates an already tense situation, with Hezbollah suffering substantial losses over the past year due to Israeli strikes, including the death of its top commander Fuad Shukr in July. Recent reports also indicate that Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, sustained a superficial injury and is under medical observation.
Earlier on Tuesday, Israel’s domestic security agency, Shin Bet, reported that it had thwarted a Hezbollah plot to assassinate a former senior Israeli defence official. This thwarted plot involved an explosive device with a remote detonation system, similar to a previous attempt in Tel Aviv.
Despite Hezbollah’s assertion that it aims to avoid a full-scale conflict, the ongoing Gaza war continues to fuel cross-border hostilities. The situation remains highly dynamic, with peace efforts stalling and thousands displaced on both sides of the Lebanon-Israel border.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
