US was aware of Israel's pager attacks, says Lavrov
Sergey Lavrov has alleged that the US is hiding information regarding Israel’s pager attacks and has urged for a prompt investigation. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
The Russian foreign minister has accused West Jerusalem of converting civilian technology into a lethal weapon.
Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, suggested that the US was likely aware of Israel’s intentions to execute a “terrorist attack” against Lebanon using communication devices. He pointed out that the sophistication of the operation and the subsequent leaks to Western media could signify Washington's potential complicity.
Recently, thousands of hand-held pagers and walkie-talkies utilized by Hezbollah exploded simultaneously across Lebanon, resulting in numerous fatalities and injuries, many among civilians. The incident, largely attributed to the Israeli spy agency Mossad, has provoked worldwide condemnation. UN Human Rights Commissioner Volker Turk described the attack as “shocking” and “unacceptable,” underlining its violation of human rights laws.
During his address to the UN General Assembly on Saturday, Lavrov condemned Israel’s “inhumane attack on Lebanon.” He made it clear that there “can be no justification for acts of terrorism, which Israelis fell victim to on October 7 last year,” but emphasized that “anyone who still has a sense of compassion is outraged by the fact that the October tragedy is being used for mass collective punishment.”
He highlighted that “another glaring example of terrorist methods as a means of achieving political aims is the inhumane attack on Lebanon that transformed civilian technology into a lethal weapon,” urging for an immediate international investigation.
While Israel has not acknowledged responsibility for the pager attacks and its allies have asserted no prior knowledge, Lavrov claimed that Western media reports concerning the operation’s details and preparations “indicate to varying degrees the involvement and, at the very least, awareness of Washington concerning the preparation of that terrorist attack.”
He added, “We understand that the Americans always deny everything and do everything they can to hush up any facts that come to light, as they did in response to the irrefutable evidence of their implication in the terrorist attack on the Nord Stream gas pipeline,” referring to the September 2022 incidents that damaged three of the four pipelines in the Baltic Sea and disrupted Russian gas supplies to Western Europe.
Since West Jerusalem began an offensive against the Palestinian militant group Hamas after the deadly October 7 attack, Israel and Hezbollah have engaged in intermittent cross-border conflict. This month has seen a significant escalation, with Israeli airstrikes targeting southern Lebanon and Beirut, resulting in the deaths of prominent Hezbollah leaders, including Hassan Nasrallah.
At a UN Security Council meeting on Friday, Lavrov warned that “the Middle East is once again on the brink of a big war,” urging for proactive diplomatic measures to avert the “most catastrophic scenario.”
Debra A Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, suggested that the US was likely aware of Israel’s intentions to execute a “terrorist attack” against Lebanon using communication devices. He pointed out that the sophistication of the operation and the subsequent leaks to Western media could signify Washington's potential complicity.
Recently, thousands of hand-held pagers and walkie-talkies utilized by Hezbollah exploded simultaneously across Lebanon, resulting in numerous fatalities and injuries, many among civilians. The incident, largely attributed to the Israeli spy agency Mossad, has provoked worldwide condemnation. UN Human Rights Commissioner Volker Turk described the attack as “shocking” and “unacceptable,” underlining its violation of human rights laws.
During his address to the UN General Assembly on Saturday, Lavrov condemned Israel’s “inhumane attack on Lebanon.” He made it clear that there “can be no justification for acts of terrorism, which Israelis fell victim to on October 7 last year,” but emphasized that “anyone who still has a sense of compassion is outraged by the fact that the October tragedy is being used for mass collective punishment.”
He highlighted that “another glaring example of terrorist methods as a means of achieving political aims is the inhumane attack on Lebanon that transformed civilian technology into a lethal weapon,” urging for an immediate international investigation.
While Israel has not acknowledged responsibility for the pager attacks and its allies have asserted no prior knowledge, Lavrov claimed that Western media reports concerning the operation’s details and preparations “indicate to varying degrees the involvement and, at the very least, awareness of Washington concerning the preparation of that terrorist attack.”
He added, “We understand that the Americans always deny everything and do everything they can to hush up any facts that come to light, as they did in response to the irrefutable evidence of their implication in the terrorist attack on the Nord Stream gas pipeline,” referring to the September 2022 incidents that damaged three of the four pipelines in the Baltic Sea and disrupted Russian gas supplies to Western Europe.
Since West Jerusalem began an offensive against the Palestinian militant group Hamas after the deadly October 7 attack, Israel and Hezbollah have engaged in intermittent cross-border conflict. This month has seen a significant escalation, with Israeli airstrikes targeting southern Lebanon and Beirut, resulting in the deaths of prominent Hezbollah leaders, including Hassan Nasrallah.
At a UN Security Council meeting on Friday, Lavrov warned that “the Middle East is once again on the brink of a big war,” urging for proactive diplomatic measures to avert the “most catastrophic scenario.”
Debra A Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
