Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu says he okayed Lebanon pager attacks on Hezbollah that killed nearly 40
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin “Netanyahu confirmed Sunday that he greenlighted the pager operation in Lebanon,” his spokesman Omer Dostri was quoted as saying.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday he okayed the pager attack on Hezbollah communications devices which exploded in Lebanon in September. It was the first time Israel admitted its involvement in the attack.
"Netanyahu confirmed Sunday that he greenlighted the pager operation in Lebanon," his spokesman Omer Dostri told AFP of the attacks. Hezbollah had previously blamed its arch-foe for the blasts that dealt a major blow to the Iran-backed militant group, and vowed revenge.
Hand-held devices used by Hezbollah operatives detonated two days in a row in supermarkets, on streets and at funerals in mid-September. They killed nearly 40 people and wounded nearly 3,000, and preceded Israel's ongoing military operation in Lebanon, AFP reported.
Hundreds of pager devices belonging to Hezbollah members exploded across Lebanon September 17. The blasts, which occurred simultaneously in several Hezbollah strongholds, were described as an "Israeli breach" of the militant group's communications.
A day later, more electronic devices such as walkie-talkies detonated during a funeral in Lebanon in what appeared to be a second wave of sophisticated, deadly attacks that targeted Hezbollah fighters.
This triggered theories of how and when Israel may have “tampered” with the devices. The Lebanese government and Iran-backed Hezbollah have also attributed the deadly explosions to Israel. However, no official confirmation was recieved on the same.
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Some reports indicated Israeli interference during the supply chain before they were imported into Lebanon, while others suggest that Mossad compromised the devices by planting 3 grams of RDX in each one.
Hezbollah began low intensity strikes on Israel in support of Hamas following its ally's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel which triggered the Gaza war.
Strikes have intensified since war broke out in Lebanon in late September, when Israel escalated its air campaign against Hezbollah and later sent ground troops into south Lebanon.
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Business NewsNewsWorldIsrael PM Benjamin Netanyahu says he okayed Lebanon pager attacks on Hezbollah that killed nearly 40
First Published:10 Nov 2024, 10:57 PM IST
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