Netanyahu Takes Credit for Attack Involving Explosive Pagers
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has confirmed that Israel was responsible for the detonation of thousands of pagers throughout Lebanon. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
The operation was conducted in defiance of objections from senior military officials, as stated by the Israeli Prime Minister.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly recognized for the first time that Israeli special services were involved in a sabotage operation that resulted in the explosion of thousands of handheld pagers and radios across Lebanon, leading to numerous casualties.
On September 17, thousands of pagers, mainly utilized by Hezbollah militants, detonated simultaneously in Lebanon and parts of Syria. The day after, a similar wave of explosions occurred with hundreds of walkie-talkies. The attacks resulted in at least 42 fatalities, including at least 12 civilians, and more than 3,500 injuries, which included women and children.
The assaults were widely attributed to the Israeli spy agency Mossad and were seen as a preemptive strike. Following these events, Israel escalated its military actions against Lebanon, ultimately leading to the death of Hezbollah's long-time secretary-general, Hassan Nasrallah, in a strike on Beirut on September 27.
During a cabinet meeting on Sunday, Netanyahu remarked, “The pager operation and the elimination of Nasrallah were carried out despite the opposition of senior officials in the defense establishment and those responsible for them in the political echelon.” His spokesman, Omer Dostri, confirmed to AFP and CNN that the Prime Minister “confirmed Sunday that he greenlighted the pager operation in Lebanon.”
The identities of those who opposed the operations remain unclear, but earlier this week, Netanyahu dismissed Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing him of “breach of trust” and highlighting “significant gaps” in their views on the conflict with Hamas and Hezbollah.
Israel engaged in military action against Hamas and subsequently Hezbollah after the Palestinian militant group launched an attack on southern Israel on October 7 last year, resulting in approximately 1,100 deaths and the abduction of over 200 individuals into Gaza.
The extensive military response by Israel has reportedly resulted in around 43,500 fatalities in the Gaza Strip, as stated by Palestinian health officials. Moreover, Israeli strikes in Lebanon have claimed the lives of more than 3,100 individuals and injured an additional 13,000, according to local health ministry reports. Both military campaigns continue despite increasing international calls for Israel to cease hostilities and pursue a resolution to the ongoing crisis.
Israel had previously avoided taking responsibility for the pager attacks, and its allies have denied any involvement. The incident drew widespread international condemnation, with UN Human Rights Commissioner Volker Turk describing it as a “shocking” and “unacceptable” violation of human rights laws.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov addressed the UN General Assembly in September, stating that while there can be “no justification for acts of terrorism” against Israelis on October 7, it is alarming that the events of that day have been used to justify broader collective punishment. He described the attacks on Lebanon as a clear example of using “terrorist methods as a means of achieving political aims,” urging for an immediate international investigation.
Olivia Brown for TROIB News
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly recognized for the first time that Israeli special services were involved in a sabotage operation that resulted in the explosion of thousands of handheld pagers and radios across Lebanon, leading to numerous casualties.
On September 17, thousands of pagers, mainly utilized by Hezbollah militants, detonated simultaneously in Lebanon and parts of Syria. The day after, a similar wave of explosions occurred with hundreds of walkie-talkies. The attacks resulted in at least 42 fatalities, including at least 12 civilians, and more than 3,500 injuries, which included women and children.
The assaults were widely attributed to the Israeli spy agency Mossad and were seen as a preemptive strike. Following these events, Israel escalated its military actions against Lebanon, ultimately leading to the death of Hezbollah's long-time secretary-general, Hassan Nasrallah, in a strike on Beirut on September 27.
During a cabinet meeting on Sunday, Netanyahu remarked, “The pager operation and the elimination of Nasrallah were carried out despite the opposition of senior officials in the defense establishment and those responsible for them in the political echelon.” His spokesman, Omer Dostri, confirmed to AFP and CNN that the Prime Minister “confirmed Sunday that he greenlighted the pager operation in Lebanon.”
The identities of those who opposed the operations remain unclear, but earlier this week, Netanyahu dismissed Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing him of “breach of trust” and highlighting “significant gaps” in their views on the conflict with Hamas and Hezbollah.
Israel engaged in military action against Hamas and subsequently Hezbollah after the Palestinian militant group launched an attack on southern Israel on October 7 last year, resulting in approximately 1,100 deaths and the abduction of over 200 individuals into Gaza.
The extensive military response by Israel has reportedly resulted in around 43,500 fatalities in the Gaza Strip, as stated by Palestinian health officials. Moreover, Israeli strikes in Lebanon have claimed the lives of more than 3,100 individuals and injured an additional 13,000, according to local health ministry reports. Both military campaigns continue despite increasing international calls for Israel to cease hostilities and pursue a resolution to the ongoing crisis.
Israel had previously avoided taking responsibility for the pager attacks, and its allies have denied any involvement. The incident drew widespread international condemnation, with UN Human Rights Commissioner Volker Turk describing it as a “shocking” and “unacceptable” violation of human rights laws.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov addressed the UN General Assembly in September, stating that while there can be “no justification for acts of terrorism” against Israelis on October 7, it is alarming that the events of that day have been used to justify broader collective punishment. He described the attacks on Lebanon as a clear example of using “terrorist methods as a means of achieving political aims,” urging for an immediate international investigation.
Olivia Brown for TROIB News
