Opinion
Mint Quick Edit | Exploding handsets: A new phase of West Asia’s war?
Summary
- A second wave of explosions took place when walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah blew up in Lebanon. With Israel at war with both Hamas and Hezbollah, Iran risks being drawn in. Is the global oil market, unperturbed, misreading the creeping geopolitical risk of a flare-up?
A second wave of explosions in hand-held devices took place when walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah detonated in Lebanon, killing at least 20 people and injuring hundreds. Earlier, pagers used by this Iran-backed militant group had exploded. Hezbollah has attributed the attacks to Israel, although Tel Aviv has only said that it had entered a “new phase" of war.
These unconventional attacks, believed to have been carried out by planting remote-trigger explosives in equipment meant for sale to the militia several months earlier, have raised the fear of its response, and thus of a possible escalation of a conflict that has signs of drawing Iran into direct hostilities.
Also read: Israel’s Netanyahu hastily greenlit pager, walkie-talkie attacks; feared Hezbollah got wind of plot: Report
As of now, the global market for crude oil has not been shaken by the events, which reflects confidence in a no-flare-up scenario. But the longer this war goes on, risks of a wider conflagration could creep up.
Israel being at war with both Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon is one thing, Iran getting drawn in is another. With US election season in full swing, neither candidate has conveyed a credible plan to end hostilities in West Asia. And the uncertainty this results in is not good for the region’s peace prospects.
