Jump to content

2024 Lebanon electronic device attacks

Page extended-protected
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Pager attacks)

2024 Lebanon electronic device attacks
Part of the Israel–Hezbollah conflict (2023–present)
Remnants of a Hezbollah pager exploded Sept 17, 2024
LocationLebanon and Syria
Date17–18 September 2024
TargetHezbollah members[1][2]
WeaponsPagers (Day 1)
Walkie-talkies (Day 2)
Deaths42[a]
Injured4,000
Perpetrator Israel[b][8]

On 17 and 18 September 2024, thousands of handheld pagers and hundreds of walkie-talkies intended for use by Hezbollah exploded simultaneously in two separate events across Lebanon and Syria, in an Israeli attack nicknamed Operation Grim Beeper.[9] The attack killed at least 42 people,[10] including at least 12 civilians,[11] and injured 1,500 Hezbollah fighters[12] and 4,000 civilians.[13][14] Victims had injuries including losing fingers, hands, and eyes, as well as brain shrapnel. The incident was described as Hezbollah's biggest security breach since the start of the Israel–Hezbollah conflict in October 2023.[15]

The first wave of explosions on 17 September targeted pagers,[16] killing at least 12 people, including two Hezbollah members and two children,[15][17][18] and wounding more than 2,750,[19] including Iran's ambassador to Lebanon.[20] The second wave on 18 September targeted Icom walkie-talkies, killing at least 30 people and injuring over 750.[5][21][16] The 150 hospitals across Lebanon that received victims of the explosions experienced chaotic scenes.[22][23]

Seven months before the explosions, Hezbollah's secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah instructed the group's members to use pagers instead of cell phones, claiming Israel had infiltrated their cell phone network.[24][25] Hezbollah then purchased Gold Apollo AR-924 pagers[26][27][28] about five months before the explosions.[29] The Israeli intelligence agency (Mossad) had secretly manufactured the devices, integrated the explosive PETN into the devices, and sold them to Hezbollah through a shell company.[30][31] International officials and scholars of the law of war have debated the legality of the attacks, with critics suggesting they might constitute war crimes or acts of terrorism.[32][33][34]

Responding to the attacks, Nasrallah described the explosions as a "major blow"[35] and labeled them an act of war,[36] possibly a declaration of war by Israel.[37][c] Initially Israel denied involvement,[38] but in November 2024 Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu admitted Israeli responsibility, and authorized two of its intelligence agents to be interviewed by the press about the operation.[39] Following the explosions, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant announced a "new phase" of the war in northern Israel and Lebanon had begun.[40] Hezbollah vowed retaliation,[41] launching a rocket attack on northern Israel a few days later that struck cities such as Nazareth and Kiryat Bialik, injuring several civilians.[42] Ten days after the device explosions, Israel assassinated Nasrallah in an airstrike in Beirut.[43]

Background

Main article: Israel–Hezbollah conflict (2023–present)

Hezbollah is opposed to Israel and was founded in 1982 by Lebanese clerics in response to the Israeli invasion of Lebanon.[44][45][46] Shortly after the onset of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023, Hezbollah joined the conflict, citing solidarity with Palestinians.[47] This quickly escalated into regular cross-border military exchanges between Hezbollah and Israel, impacting northern Israel, southern Lebanon and the Golan Heights.[48] Hezbollah said it aimed to pressure Israel by forcing it to fight on two fronts.[49] Hezbollah has offered an immediate ceasefire should a ceasefire also happen in Gaza,[50][51] where 40,000 Palestinians have been killed, with at least half identified as women and children.[52] From 8 October 2023 to 20 September 2024, Hezbollah has launched 1,900 cross border attacks, and Israel has launched another 8,300.[53] The fighting killed 564 in Lebanon (including 133 civilians)[54] and 52 in Israel (including 27 civilians), displacing entire communities in both countries,[54] with significant damage to civilian infrastructure.[55]

On 10 September, the Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Israel was shifting its focus from Gaza to the northern border.[56] Israel's domestic security agency, Shin Bet, announced it had thwarted a Hezbollah plot to assassinate a former senior defense official using an explosive device, and The Jerusalem Post speculated that the pager explosions may have been in retaliation.[57][58]

Use of pagers

While popular in the late twentieth century, pagers have since largely been replaced by cell phones, except in hospitals.[59] Some Hezbollah members had used pagers for years before the 7 October attacks, but more members began using them after February 2024, when Hezbollah secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah called on members to stop using smartphones, citing Israel's capability to infiltrate them.[24][25] Hezbollah subsequently imported the pagers to Lebanon in the months before the explosion.[27][26] Reuters was told that the explosives were not detected despite checks and the pagers were still being distributed immediately before the attack.[60]

In 2015, Mossad began planting booby-trapped walkie-talkies in Lebanon, which secretly allowed Israel to monitor Hezbollah communications while holding the option to detonate them.[61] For nine years, Israel limited its use of these devices to surveillance. However, in 2023, a new tactic emerged with the introduction of explosive-laden pagers which Hezbollah unknowingly purchased.[61]

The exploding pagers were the AR924 model by the Taiwanese company Gold Apollo, which met Hezbollah's requirements for devices capable of operating for months without needing to be recharged, and could be recharged with a cable.[61][28][62] This model is not available for sale in Taiwan nor the United States,[63] and the ministry's figures recorded no direct exports of any Gold Apollo-manufactured pagers from Taiwan to Lebanon during the same period. Indirect exports via third parties could not be ruled out.[64]

Gold Apollo denied making the pagers, explaining that they were made and sold by Budapest-based BAC Consulting Kft.,[65][66] which had a licensing agreement with Gold Apollo for the previous three years.[67][68] Gold Apollo founder Hsu Ching-Kuang said BAC's payments were "very strange", arriving via the Middle East.[69] Taiwanese police opened an investigation into Gold Apollo's involvement,[70] searched four locations in Taipei and New Taipei City, and questioned two individuals. Both Economic Minister J.W. Kuo and Premier Cho Jung-tai denied the pagers were made in Taiwan.[71] German broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW) visited BAC's official address in Budapest but found only a sheet of paper on the door with the company name; the doorbell was not answered. DW cited the New York Times, which reported that BAC and at least two other shell companies were part of an Israeli front, intended to obscure links to Israeli intelligence officers.[72] The CEO of BAC Consultancy said they were intermediaries, not involved in manufacturing the devices.[73]

BAC Consulting CEO Cristiana Bársony-Arcidiacono acknowledged working with Gold Apollo, but stated "I don't make the pagers. I am just the intermediate [sic]."[74] Hungarian government spokesperson Zoltán Kovács said BAC Consulting "is a trading intermediary, with no manufacturing or operational site in Hungary. It has one manager registered at its declared address, and the referenced devices have never been in Hungary."[75]

The New York Times reported that the Israeli intelligence operated BAC Consulting and created two other unnamed shell corporations to hide their involvement.[30] The pagers produced for Hezbollah had batteries that integrated 3 grams (0.11 ounces) of the explosive PETN in such a way that it would have been extremely difficult to detect.[76] Israeli officials believe that Hezbollah did in fact disassemble the pagers for inspections, and may have even scanned them with x-rays, yet were unable to detect the explosive materials.[61] The explosive could not be detected by an airport security check.[77]

Sky News quoted Lebanese security officials saying that Hezbollah had ordered 5,000 devices.[78] Israeli agencies have previously carried out operations involving explosive communication devices—notably the assassination of Hamas operative Yahya Ayyash in 1996.[79]

Explosions

First wave

Security camera footage showing exploding pager in Beirut

On 17 September 2024 at around 15:30 EEST,[19] many pagers across Lebanon and Syria unexpectedly exploded in an apparently coordinated attack on Hezbollah members, many of whom were seriously wounded.[80][41][15] According to the Lebanese Health Ministry, the vast majority of those who came to emergency rooms were in civilian clothing and their Hezbollah affiliation was unclear.[81]

Facial and eye injuries were the most common effect of the explosions and, according to Tracy Chamoun, the pagers emitted a sound to encourage users to pick the devices up and lift them to their heads.[82] Other reports say that the device vibrated and showed an error message on the screen, and only detonated when the user pressed a button to clear the error, increasing the chance that the operator of the device would be holding it.[19]

The explosions occurred in several areas where Hezbollah has a strong presence,[19] including its stronghold of Dahieh in Beirut; southern Lebanon; and the Beqaa Valley near the Syrian border,[41][15][7] where explosions were reported in the towns of Aali en Nahri and Riyaq.[7] In Syria, explosions of pagers were also reported in Damascus and its vicinity.[83][84] Blasts reportedly continued for up to 30 minutes after the initial detonations, intensifying the resulting chaos.[85]

Witnesses reported seeing multiple individuals with bleeding wounds in the aftermath of the blasts.[41] In one instance, an explosion occurred inside the trouser pockets of a man standing outside a shop.[86] Photos and videos circulating on social media and local media from Beirut's southern suburbs showed individuals lying on the ground with injuries on their hands or near their pockets.[87]

Around 150 hospitals received victims of the attack, which saw chaotic scenes.[23][22] Hospitals in southern Lebanon, the Beqaa Valley, and Beirut's southern suburbs were overwhelmed with patients, many suffering from injuries to the face, hands and waist.[88][89] In response, the Ministry of Health advised individuals with pagers to dispose of them and instructed hospitals to remain on "high alert".[7] It also called on health workers to report to work and asked them not to use wireless devices.[19][26] The state-run National News Agency appealed for blood donations.[90] Ambulance crews were deployed from the northern cities of Tripoli and Al-Qalamoun to help in Beirut.[26]

The attack came just a day after the Biden administration's special envoy Amos Hochstein visited Israel and warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against provoking a major escalation in Lebanon.[91] Just before the blasts, Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant told the US defense secretary Lloyd Austin that an operation was planned in Lebanon.[92]

Second wave

At around 17:00 EEST on 18 September, about 24 hours after the initial attack, a second wave of explosions occurred, targeting handheld radios.[93][94]

Explosions were reported in Beirut, the Bekaa Valley, and southern Lebanon.[95] The explosions also caused fires in at least two homes.[96] Other explosions occurred at a funeral held in Beirut for three Hezbollah members and a child who had been killed by the initial explosions.[97] Lebanese Civil Defense said it responded to fires in at least 71 homes and shops,[98] including a lithium battery store in Majdel Selm, as well as 15 cars and numerous motorcycles. These fires were triggered by explosions in various locations across Nabatieh Governorate.[99]

One compromised device was discovered inside an ambulance outside the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) and neutralized in a controlled explosion by the Lebanese Army.[100] Hezbollah supporters reportedly prevented journalists from filming the incident at the AUBMC.[99][101] The Lebanese Red Cross dispatched 30 ambulances to transport victims in the affected areas.[93]

The targeted devices were reported as Icom IC-V82 VHF walkie-talkies, known to be used by Hezbollah.[98] Manufacture of the IC-V82 model ceased in 2014,[102] and Icom had previously issued an advisory warning about counterfeit radios, including the IC-V82.[103] The company said on 19 September that it was conducting an investigation[104] and, two days later, announced that it was "highly unlikely" that the radios were theirs.[105] A sales executive at Icom's US subsidiary said the transceivers involved appeared to be "knockoff" (counterfeit) products.[106]

Other electronic devices, such as fingerprint biometric devices, were also reported to have exploded, though it remains unclear whether those devices caught fire from other explosions or detonated on their own.[107][108][109]

In the aftermath of the second wave of explosions, a group of men attacked United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon vehicles in Tyre, before Lebanese armed forces intervened.[110][111]

Deaths and injuries

Deaths

As of 22 September 2024, the death toll from the attacks was 42,[10] including at least 12 civilian deaths.[112] At least 12 people were killed in the first wave of attacks,[1] including civilians such as two health workers,[113][26][114] a 9-year-old girl and an 11-year-old boy.[115][116][117] In the second wave on 18 September, at least 30 people were killed and 750 others were injured.[5][19] The adult son of Ali Ammar, a Hezbollah member of Parliament was killed;[112] Lebanon's Prime Minister Najib Mikati visited southern Beirut to pay his respects.[24]

Injuries

On 20 September 2024, it was reported that more than 3,500 people were injured.[10] An unnamed Hezbollah official told Reuters 1,500 Hezbollah fighters were taken out of action by injuries.[12]

On 17 September Health Minister Firass Abiad said the vast majority of those being treated in emergency rooms were in civilian clothing and their Hezbollah affiliation was unclear,[118] but casualties included elderly people as well as young children. As of 18 September, it was unclear if only Hezbollah members were carrying the pagers.[119] During his speech on 19 September, Secretary-General Nasrallah clarified the exploded pagers were those distributed to lower ranking members while Hezbollah's leaders did not use the model.[120] According to the Health Ministry, healthcare workers were also injured and it advised all healthcare workers to discard their pagers.[121][122] On 26 September, Abdallah Bou Habib, Lebanon's Foreign Minister, confirmed that most of those carrying pagers were not fighters, but civilians like administrators.[123] Qassim Qassir, a Lebanese expert on Hezbollah,[d] said the attacks mostly struck civilian workers, leaving its military wing largely unaffected.[124] On 11 November, Mustafa Bairam [ar], the Lebanese Labour Minister from Hezbollah, made a formal complaint to the United Nations’ International Labour Organization (ILO), in which he stated that the pagers wounded or killed 4,000 civilians – much higher than initial reports of casualties.[13]

One eye doctor at Mount Lebanon University Hospital reported that a number of those injured showed signs of something being blown up directly in their face, with some losing one or both eyes, while others had shrapnel in their brains.[125][126] The Lebanese health ministry reported that 300 people had lost both eyes and 500 people had lost one eye as a result of the pager attacks.[127] Other doctors saw severe hand, waist and facial injuries, reporting patients with fingers torn, hands amputated, eyes popped out of the socket and facial lacerations.[128] The Iranian Ministry of Health reported that it performed 1,500 eye and limb surgeries for Hezbollah operatives in Iran, and that Iran sent 12 doctors to Lebanon to assist in treatment.[129]

Mojtaba Amani, Iran's ambassador to Lebanon, lost one eye and suffered severe injuries in the other.[130][131] Two staff of the Iranian embassy were also injured.[7]

Impact

Further information: September 2024 Lebanon strikes

Lebanon

Lebanese health minister Firas Abiad said the scale of the attack was greater than the 2020 Beirut explosion, which was one of the largest artificial non-nuclear explosions ever recorded.[132][133] The head of Lebanon's disaster response committee also compared the pager attack with the Beirut explosion, in terms of the sudden influx of casualties and the strain imposed on Lebanon's emergency response system.[134] Many Lebanese doctors who were treating the injured concurred that the level of injuries was greater than that after the port explosion.[135]

Schools were closed in Lebanon on 18 September,[26] and the Lebanese army announced it was conducting controlled blasts in various areas to destroy any suspicious devices.[136]

On 19 September, the Lebanese Civil Aviation Authority imposed an indefinite ban on carrying pagers and walkie-talkies inside checked luggage and carry-on items on flights at Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport.[137] Air France and Lufthansa suspended flights to Beirut (along with Tel Aviv and Tehran), citing the security situation caused by the attacks.[26][138]

Hezbollah

CNN suggested that the operation was likely intended to instill paranoia among Hezbollah members, undermine their recruitment efforts, and weaken confidence in Hezbollah's leadership and its ability to protect its operations and personnel.[139] John Miller, CNN's Chief Law Enforcement and Intelligence Analyst, stated the message for Hezbollah was: "We can reach you anywhere, anytime, at the day and moment of our choosing and we can do it at the press of a button."[139]

The Economist suggested that the pager-bombs, aimed at disrupting Hezbollah's command and communications structure, could be a precursor to an Israeli invasion, or they could be the full extent of Israel's operation. Lina Khatib of Chatham House said the breach could paralyze Hezbollah's military and instill fear, making the group more cautious with its communications. Another theory is that Israel acted preemptively to prevent Hezbollah from discovering the vulnerability.[79]

Lebanese journalist Kim Ghattas, who also contributes to The Atlantic, spoke to CNN, suggesting the incident could be an effort "to cow Hezbollah into submission, and make clear that an increase of their attacks against Israel will be met with even further violence." She noted that it might act as a precursor to a large-scale Israeli campaign, especially as Hezbollah contends with the chaos from the attack.[139]

Jewish-American political scientist Eliot A. Cohen wrote in The Atlantic that the attacks were "a strategic win for Israel"—beyond the Hezbollah casualties—because Hezbollah would not be able to trust electronic communications, and an organization cannot function without them. He also said the explosions served as a "morale boost" for Israel after the killings of Hersh Goldberg-Polin and five other hostages three weeks prior.[140]

The Washington Post later reported that the attack severely weakened Hezbollah's leadership and encouraged Israel to target and kill its top leader, Hassan Nasrallah.[61]

Iran

Within days, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps suspended use of all types of communication devices and undertook an inspection of all their devices.[141] About a month later, the Iranian Civil Administration Organization issued a ban on all electronic communication devices, with the exception of mobile phones, on all commercial passenger flights.[142]

Responsibility

Shortly after the attack, Hezbollah issued a statement placing blame for the attack on Israel. While Israeli officials did not immediately comment on the attack, at least two US officials and a senior diplomat in the Middle East told NBC reporters that Israel was behind the attack on 18 September.[74] The New York Times later reported that while Israel had continued to deny any role in the attack, twelve current and former defense and intelligence officials, who were briefed on the attack, said Israel was behind it.[30]

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) initially declined to comment when approached by the Associated Press.[19] Israeli Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi held a meeting with Israeli generals to discuss "preparation for defensive and offensive operations on all fronts".[24] In a statement the next day, Halevi said: "We have many capabilities that we have not yet activated... we have seen some of these things, it seems to me that we are well prepared and we are preparing these plans going forward." He also said that Israel will move further in stages, with each stage more painful for Hezbollah, and stated that the IDF is determined to allow displaced citizens in northern Israel to safely return to their homes.[143]

On 22 September 2024, Israeli President Isaac Herzog denied any Israeli involvement in the explosions,[38] though Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu the same day said, "If Hezbollah has not understood the message, I promise you, it will understand the message."[144] Netanyahu reportedly acknowledged for the first time that Israel was behind the pager and walkie-talkie attacks during a cabinet meeting on 10 November. He stated that the operations "were carried out despite the opposition of senior officials in the defense establishment and those responsible for them in the political echelon."[145]

On 10 November 2024, Netanyahu admitted that Israel was responsible for the attacks. In an apparent dig against recently fired defense minister Yoav Gallant, Netanyahu is quoted as saying; "The pager operation and the elimination of [Hezbollah leader Hassan] Nasrallah were carried out despite the opposition of senior officials in the defense establishment and those responsible for them in the political echelon".[146][147] The following month, Israel authorized a couple of Mossad agents involved in the operation to be interviewed (in disguise) to the American news program 60 Minutes. In the interview, the Mossad agents revealed that they carefully calibrated the amount of explosives to injure only the person holding the pager and not harm people standing next to them. The agents also revealed the fake marketing videos they created for the pagers, and said that videos attracted interest from customers unaffiliated with Hezbollah. In order to discourage non-Hezbollah customers from buying the pagers, those customers were offered unattractive prices, whereas Hezbollah was offered the pagers at an attractive price.[148]

International law

Further information: International humanitarian law and Laws of war § Principles of the laws of war

Josep Borrell, the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, questioned the legality of the attacks due to their high collateral damage among civilians, including the deaths of children. Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon, also raised concerns over the attack's legality. Belgian deputy prime minister Petra De Sutter went further, calling it a "terror attack".[149] Former CIA director Leon Panetta also described the attack as "a form of terrorism".[150][151]

The legal questions that were examined attempted to determine whether the attacks violated the principle of distinction (including the prohibition against using booby traps) and the principle of proportionality.[33]

A large group of United Nations special rapporteurs in conjunction with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights also said the attacks could be a war crime on the basis that they were "intended to spread terror among civilians", as well failing to distinguish protected civilians and contravening the prohibitions on booby trap usage. They called for an investigation.[152][153]

Distinction

Indiscriminate attacks

Experts at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said the attack was indiscriminate in nature since, by detonating thousands of devices simultaneously, the attacker failed to verify each target to distinguish between civilians and combatants.[152] Alonso Gurmendi-Dunkelberg of the London School of Economics also said that, in order to meet the principle of distinction, Israel would have had to verify if each individual device was in the possession of a military target and not a civilian one. He said it was unlikely that Israel did so, given that thousands of devices were detonated simultaneously.[154]

Professor William Boothby wrote for the Lieber Institute for Law & Warfare that the targets appeared to be persons to whom the pagers were issued and it was "probably reasonable" to assume the pagers would be in their users' possession.[32]

Lama Fakih, Middle East and North Africa Director at Human Rights Watch, stated: "The use of an explosive device whose exact location could not be reliably known would be unlawfully indiscriminate, using a means of attack that could not be directed at a specific military target and as a result would strike military targets and civilians without distinction."[155]

David M. Crane, founding chief prosecutor for the United Nations Special Court for Sierra Leone, wrote that the attacks potentially violated the principle of distinction if "methods employed were not precise enough to target Hezbollah while avoiding civilians"; however, if civilian casualties were unforeseen the attack would be lawful.[156]

Civilian status of Hezbollah members

Many sources cautioned that under International Humanitarian Law (IHL) only combatants may be targeted; anyone not taking part in hostilities cannot be targeted. While Hezbollah has a military wing, it is also a political party. US-based human rights lawyer Huwaida Arraf pointed out that civil servants are considered civilians under international law unless there is evidence that they have taken part in hostilities.[157] Professor William Boothby wrote that attacks on pagers would be illegal if it was known that pagers were also issued to non-combatant members of Hezbollah: for example, its diplomatic, political, or administrative staff.[32]

Andreas Krieg, a professor of security studies at King's College London, said it was likely the pagers were distributed among civilian members of Hezbollah, such as those working in charities or the civil service, and these people were not taking part in hostilities.[158] Qassim Qassir, a Lebanese expert on Hezbollah,[d] said the attacks mostly struck civilian workers, leaving its military wing largely unaffected.[124] On 26 September, Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib said that some of those who carried pagers were fighters, but most were instead administrators.[123]

Hezbollah also provides social services through affiliated charities. For example, one of those killed was a hospital orderly carrying a pager at Al Rassoul Al Azam Hospital, which is linked to one such charity.[157]

Marko Milanovic writes it is almost impossible for Israel to have known whether Hezbollah issued the pagers to military members or civilian ones, given that some pagers had been issued mere hours before the explosions. He concludes the attacks were most likely indiscriminate.[161]

Booby traps

Booby traps are mostly outlawed under the Protocol on Mines, Booby-Traps and Other Devices ("Amended Protocol II") of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons,[149] to which Israel is a party.[32] Article 7.2 of Amended Protocol II prohibits the use of "booby-traps or other devices in the form of apparently harmless portable objects which are specifically designed and constructed to contain explosive material".[149][32][162]

The rules of engagement of some countries, such as the United Kingdom, also ban explosive devices disguised as harmless items.[149][163] The United States Department of Defense Law of War Manual gives watches, cameras, tobacco pipes, and headphones as examples of such items,[32] which are prohibited to "prevent the production of large quantities of dangerous objects that can be scattered around and are likely to be attractive to civilians, especially children".[149][164]

Brian Finucane, an adviser at the International Crisis Group and a Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the NYU School of Law, noted that the Law of War Manual gives "exploding WWII-era communications headsets" as a specific example of prohibited booby traps, but also noted that "the United States submitted an understanding to Amended Protocol II that 'the prohibition contained in Article 7(2) of the Amended Mines Protocol does not preclude the expedient adaptation or adaptation in advance of other objects for use as booby-traps or other devices.'[33]

Law of war professor William H. Boothby wrote in the Lieber Institute for Law & Warfare's Articles of War that the likelihood is that "once the arming signal has been sent, the devices used against Hezbollah in Lebanon fall within Article 7(2) and are therefore prohibited on that basis."[32]

Lama Fakih, Middle East and North Africa Director at Human Rights Watch, stated: "Customary international humanitarian law prohibits the use of booby traps – objects that civilians are likely to be attracted to or are associated with normal civilian daily use – precisely to avoid putting civilians at grave risk and produce the devastating scenes that continue to unfold across Lebanon today."[155]

Proportionality

Janina Dill of the Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict doubted the attacks were proportionate because people carry pagers to different places, including taking them home. She questioned whether, given hundreds of pagers exploding simultaneously, it was even possible for the attacker to make a meaningful calculation on the expected harm to civilians.[154] British human rights lawyer Geoffrey Nice said the attack was committed without regard to proportion, stating, "The pagers and walkie-talkies were of unknown position and destination when they were activated, therefore, it was impossible for Israel to contemplate whether the outcome would be proportionate".[165]

Marko Milanovic writes that a proportionality analysis requires considering two sets of civilians:[161]

  • civilians to whom the pagers were issued
  • bystanders near the pager at the time of the explosion

Israel could argue, he writes, that the likelihood of harm to the second set of civilians would be low given the small size of pager explosives. But the first set of civilians would be seriously harmed with a high likelihood.[161] Former Mossad agents said that Mossad tested the explosives to minimize injury to bystanders.[39]

Raphael Cohen, a senior political scientist with the RAND Corporation, pointed out that it was "a whole lot more targeted than dropping a 2,000-pound bomb".[166]

Reactions

Lebanon

A senior Lebanese security source told Al-Hadath that Israel had infiltrated the communication systems of individual devices, leading to their detonation.[85] The office of Prime Minister Mikati said the incident was a criminal "violation of Lebanese sovereignty" by Israel.[24] The government contacted the United Nations, asking them to hold Israel responsible for the attack.[26] Health Minister Firas Abiad praised the health system's response, noting the system was able to "get care to those who needed it, especially for those with serious injuries".[167]

Lebanese journalist Mohammad Barakat, known for his anti-Hezbollah views, called the pager attacks a "Lebanese 9/11".[168] The Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar reported that "the enemy succeeded in directing its harshest blows to the body of the Islamic Resistance since the beginning of the conflict with the enemy, in an exceptional security operation in terms of the ability to reach targets and means".[169]

On 6 November 2024, Lebanon filed a complaint against Israel in the International Labour Organization over the attacks, with labour minister Mustafa Bayram citing the threats posed by the explosions to workplace safety as his reason to submit the complaint to the ILO.[170]

Hezbollah

Hezbollah described Israel's attacks as "criminal aggression" and pledged a "just retribution".[88] Those close to the group described a state of shock following the explosions.[79] Lebanese analyst Qassim Qassir said the attacks mostly struck civilian workers within Hezbollah, and not fighters.[124]

Eight days before his assassination on 27 September 2024, Hezbollah's Secretary-General Nasrallah called the attack a "severe blow", describing it as "unprecedented" for Hezbollah, Lebanon and possibly the region.[35] He added that Israel had crossed all "red lines".[171] Nasrallah challenged the IDF to invade Lebanon, claiming Hezbollah was ready, and said that Israelis displaced in the north would only be allowed to return if Israel ceased the invasion of Gaza.[172]

On the morning of 22 September, Hezbollah retaliated by firing dozens of rockets at northern Israel.[173] Some of the rockets were intercepted over Haifa and Nazareth.[173] In Kiryat Bialik, two houses were struck. Four people were wounded by shrapnel: three older men, and a teenage girl.[42] A rocket struck Nazareth, causing a large fire in the city, and in Beit She'arim, a barn was hit, killing several cows.[42]

Israel

According to Axios, Israeli officials said they were aware of the risk of major escalation on the northern border and that the IDF was on high alert for Hezbollah's retaliation.[91] The Israeli news website Walla cited unnamed officials reportedly saying: "Israeli intelligence services assessed before the operation that Hezbollah might respond with a significant counterattack against Israel."[174] Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced the beginning of a "new phase" in the conflict with Hezbollah, and that the IDF was redirecting forces and resources to the North.[175]

On the day of the first wave of attacks, Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid was on a trip to the United States to discuss a "ceasefire-for-hostages deal between Israel and Hamas". He cut his trip short and returned to Israel in response to the attack.[26]

Shortly after the attack, many Israeli figures and pro-Israel accounts on social media celebrated the attacks and mocked the victims. Internet personality Noya Cohen posted a video wearing a headscarf and speaking in mock Arabic, before picking up a phone which explodes. Similar content was posted across pro-Israel accounts, while Israeli social media influencer Einav Avizemer called the attack "operation below the belt."[176] Memes were widely shared, including one naming a pager as the new Mossad agent "Motti Rola" and another showing a deceased Hezbollah fighter with missing genitals due to an exploding pager.[177]

Multi-national organizations

Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, the United Nations special coordinator for Lebanon, condemned the attack, saying "civilians are not a target and must be protected at all times".[178] Stéphane Dujarric, the Secretary-General's spokesperson, said the organization deplored the civilian casualties and warned of the risks of escalation in the region.[179][180] Speaking on 18 September, Secretary-General António Guterres stressed that "civilian objects" should not be weaponized.[181] The Security Council held an emergency session on 20 September to address the situation.[182] Volker Türk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, issued a statement saying that "Simultaneous targeting of thousands of individuals, whether civilians or members of armed groups, without knowledge as to who was in possession of the targeted devices, their location and their surroundings at the time of the attack, violates international human rights law and, to the extent applicable, international humanitarian law."[183] Amnesty international condemned the attacks, calling it a violation of international law.[184]

European Union foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell condemned the attack, saying they were aimed "to spread terror in Lebanon".[185][186]

Non-governmental organizations

The Iraq-based pro-Iranian militia groups Kata'ib Hezbollah and Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba offered medical and military assistance to Hezbollah.[187][188]

The Palestinian organization Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip, described the attacks as a "crime that defies all laws". In a statement, Hamas praised Hezbollah's "efforts and sacrifices" and said "this terrorist act is part of the Zionist enemy's larger aggression on the region".[189]

Mohammed Abdelsalam, the spokesperson of the Houthis who govern much of Yemen, called the attacks "a heinous crime and a violation of Lebanese sovereignty" and said that Lebanon was "capable of deterring the Zionist enemy entity and making it pay a heavy price for any escalation."[189] Hours after the explosions and two days after firing a supersonic ballistic missile at Tel Aviv, the deputy head of the Houthis' media authority, Nasr Al-Din Amer, said the group was ready to send thousands of fighters to Lebanon in the event of war with Israel.[190]

Governments

Middle East

  •  Egypt: President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, during a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, reaffirmed Lebanon's security, stability, and sovereignty and said that his government rejects any "attempts to escalate the conflict and expand its scope regionally", calling on all parties to act responsibly.[191] Egypt also offered medical assistance.[26][192]
  •  Palestine: The Palestinian Authority denounced the attack, fearing an escalation in Lebanon.[193]
  •  Iran: Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi referred to the attacks as "Israeli terrorism" and pledged to provide medical assistance to those affected.[26] Foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani called the attack as an "example of mass murder" by the "Zionist regime".[194] Iran dispatched a medical team of twelve doctors, twelve nurses and the president of the Iranian Red Crescent Society to Lebanon to provide medical assistance.[195]
  •  Iraq: The government provided medical supplies to Lebanese hospitals following the first wave of attacks. It also said that it will strengthen controls at its borders to avoid any "infiltration" or security risk with the imports of electronic equipment.[99] The Iraqi Red Crescent Society and the Popular Mobilization Forces sent planes with aid to Beirut to help the victims of the attack.[196]
  •  Syria: Syria[attribution needed] expressed solidarity with the Lebanese people and said it "stands by their side in their right to defend themselves" while condemning the blasts. The Syrian foreign ministry issued a statement carried by state news agency SANA accusing Israel of "its desire to expand the scope of the war and its thirst to shed more blood". It called on nations to "unequivocally condemn this aggression".[189] Syria also offered medical assistance.[197]
  •  Turkey: President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan criticized Israel during a phone call with Lebanese Prime Minister Mikati, saying that its attempts to spread conflicts in the region are "extremely dangerous" and that Turkey's efforts to stop "Israeli aggression" will continue.[198][better source needed] Turkey also offered medical assistance.[197]
  •  Qatar: Minister of State for International Cooperation Lolwah Al-Khater, called the international community's lack of a response to the attack "terrifying", and stated, "These mobile ticking bombs indiscriminately injure and kill people in public and civilian spaces, when did this become acceptable?"[199]

Other

  •  Belgium: Deputy prime minister Petra De Sutter condemned the "massive terror attack in Lebanon and Syria".[200]
  •  China: Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Lin Jian stated that China is closely following the attacks and opposed any act which "infringes on Lebanon's sovereignty and security". Lin also expressed concerns over possible escalations in the region.[201] At an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council convened following the attacks, permanent representative Fu Cong called for "the parties to exercise maximum restraint". Fu said the attacks were "so outrageously brutal and atrocious that they deserve nothing less than condemnation in the strongest terms". He called for a "prompt, full investigation".[202][203][204]
  •  France: President Emmanuel Macron addressed the Lebanese people in a video, expressing his support and emphasizing that "war is not inevitable" and a "diplomatic path exists".[205]
  •  Ireland: Foreign Minister Micheál Martin condemned the attack, saying it endangered the lives of civilians and violated the Geneva Convention on indiscriminate attacks. Prime Minister Simon Harris criticized the attack and called for de-escalation.[206]
  •  Malaysia: The Foreign Ministry condemned the attack, stating that it undermines Lebanon's security, stability, and sovereignty.[207]
  •  Norway: The country is investigating whether a Norwegian-owned company is linked to the attack.[208] Norwegian police also issued an international search request for a Norwegian-Indian man linked to the sale of pagers to Hezbollah.[209]
  •  Russia: Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova condemned the attack, adding that it requires investigation and international attention.[210][211] Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the attacks were "leading to an escalation of tensions" in the region.[212]
  •  South Korea: Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lee Jae-woong said the government was closely monitoring the situation in the Middle East with concern and urged the relevant parties to seek a peaceful solution through dialogue.[213]
  •  United Kingdom: Foreign Secretary David Lammy expressed concern about "rising tensions and civilian casualties" and urged British citizens to leave Lebanon as the situation "could deteriorate rapidly". He said the UK government wanted to see a negotiated political settlement "to restore stability and security", so that both Israelis and Lebanese people could return to their homes.[214]
  •  United States: State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller denied involvement in the attacks and said that the country was not aware of them in advance. The United States also urged Iran to refrain from retaliating.[215] White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stressed the need for a diplomatic solution between Israel and Hezbollah.[189] Asked whether the attack might have constituted terrorism, she replied, "obviously children being harmed, people being harmed is difficult to see and not something that we want to see".[166]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Pager explosions of day 1: 12[3]
    Walkie talkie explosions of day 2: 30[4][5][6]
  2. ^ Media sources reported that it was a joint operation between the Israeli military and intelligence services (Mossad)[7]
  3. ^ Modern customary laws of armed conflict do not require an explicit verbal or written declaration of war; according to the International Committee of the Red Cross, a party may initiate a state of armed conflict by simply attacking, so long as there is valid jus ad bellum.
  4. ^ a b Qassim Qassir has been described as expert on Hezbollah[159][160]

References

  1. ^ a b "What to know about the deadly pager explosions targeting Hezbollah". Associated Press. 18 September 2024. Archived from the original on 19 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  2. ^ "Exploding pagers injure thousands in Lebanon in attack targeting Hezbollah". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 18 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  3. ^ "14 killed, more than 450 wounded in latest device explosions". Al Jazeera. 18 September 2024. Archived from the original on 18 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024. On Tuesday, explosions in pagers used by Lebanon's Hezbollah group killed 12 people and wounded nearly 3,000, about 200 of them critically.
  4. ^ "At least 38 killed in Israeli strike on suburb in Lebanon's Beirut". Al Jazeera English. 21 September 2024. Archived from the original on 21 September 2024. Retrieved 21 September 2024. The death toll from an Israeli air attack in Beirut's southern suburbs has risen to 38 people, including three children and seven women, Lebanese authorities say.
  5. ^ a b c Marsi, Federica (19 September 2024). "Death toll in Lebanon blasts rises to 37". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 19 September 2024. Retrieved 19 September 2024. The following day, 25 people were killed and 708 injured, including 61 who remain in the intensive care unit.
  6. ^ "More deadly explosions hit Lebanon, a day after Hezbollah pager blasts". Al Jazeera. 18 September 2024. Archived from the original on 18 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  7. ^ a b c d e Kent, Lauren (17 September 2024). "Israel behind deadly pager explosions that targeted Hezbollah and injured thousands in Lebanon". CNN. Archived from the original on 19 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  8. ^ Berman, Lazar (10 November 2024). "Israel carried out pager attacks on Hezbollah, Netanyahu said to acknowledge for first time". Times of Israel.
  9. ^ Seddon, Max; Kynge, James; Rathbone, John Paul (28 December 2024). "How Israel's 'Operation Grim Beeper' rattled global spy chiefs". Financial Times. Retrieved 28 December 2024.
  10. ^ a b c Christou, William (20 September 2024). "'We are isolated, tired, scared': pager attack leaves Lebanon in shock". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 23 September 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  11. ^ Brennan, David; El-Bawab, Nadine (19 September 2024). "20 more dead, 450 injured as new round of explosions rocks Lebanon: Health officials". ABC News. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  12. ^ a b Bassam, Lailla; Mackenzie, James (25 September 2024). "Hezbollah's tunnels and flexible command weather Israel's deadly blows". Reuters.
  13. ^ a b "Netanyahu confirms he okayed Lebanon pager attacks that killed 40 and injured 3,000". The Independent. 11 November 2024. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  14. ^ "Lebanon files complaint against Israel at UN labour body over pager attacks". Al Jazeera. 6 November 2024. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
  15. ^ a b c d "Dozens of Hezbollah members reportedly hurt by exploding pagers". BBC. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  16. ^ a b "What are the ICOM IC-V82 radios exploding in Lebanon?". The Jerusalem Post. 18 September 2024. Archived from the original on 18 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  17. ^ Kelly, Kieran; Confino, Jotam; Makoii, Akhtar (17 September 2024). "Israel-Hamas war latest: IDF on alert for Hezbollah retaliation over pager attacks". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 19 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  18. ^ "Hezbollah pagers: How did they explode and who is responsible?". BBC. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  19. ^ a b c d e f g "Hezbollah hit by a wave of exploding pagers in Lebanon and Syria. At least 9 dead, hundreds injured". Associated Press. 17 September 2024. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  20. ^ "Iranian ambassador Mojtaba Amani wounded in Hezbollah explosion". The Jerusalem Post. 17 September 2024. Archived from the original on 23 September 2024. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  21. ^ Chao-Fong, Léonie; Sedghi, Amy; Belam, Martin; Yerushalmy, Jonathan (18 September 2024). "Nine killed and more than 300 injured, says Lebanon health ministry, after walkie-talkies explode – Middle East live". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  22. ^ a b "Lebanon's health minister says 8 killed, 2,750 wounded by exploding pagers". Al Jazeera. 17 September 2024. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  23. ^ a b "Chaotic scenes outside Lebanon hospitals, on streets after pager blasts". France24. 17 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  24. ^ a b c d e Reiss, Johnatan (17 September 2024). "Live Updates: Pagers Explode Across Lebanon in Apparent Attack on Hezbollah". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 17 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  25. ^ a b "Dozens of Hezbollah members wounded after pagers explode in Lebanon". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  26. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Edwards, Christian; Vogt, Adrienne; Sangal, Aditi (17 September 2024). "Pagers explode across Lebanon in attack targeting Hezbollah members, source says: Live updates". CNN. Archived from the original on 19 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  27. ^ a b "Hezbollah official: Exploded pagers were a new brand, replaced cellphones at Nasrallah's order". The Times of Israel. 17 September 2024. Archived from the original on 18 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  28. ^ a b Newman, Lily Hay. "The Mystery of Hezbollah's Deadly Exploding Pagers". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  29. ^ Bassam, L.; Gebeily, M. (18 September 2024). "Hezbollah hand-held radios detonate across Lebanon". Reuters. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  30. ^ a b c Frenkel, Sheera; Bergman, Ronen; Saad, Hwaida (18 September 2024). "How Israel Built a Modern-Day Trojan Horse: Exploding Pagers". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 19 September 2024. Even before Mr. Nasrallah decided to expand pager usage, Israel had put into motion a plan to establish a shell company that would pose as an international pager producer. By all appearances, B.A.C. Consulting was a Hungary-based company that was under contract to produce the devices on behalf of a Taiwanese company, Gold Apollo. In fact, it was part of an Israeli front, according to three intelligence officers briefed on the operation. They said at least two other shell companies were created as well to mask the real identities of the people creating the pagers: Israeli intelligence officers.
  31. ^ Yerushalmy, Jonathan; Milmo, Dan (19 September 2024). "Hezbollah device blasts: how did pagers and walkie-talkies explode and what do we know about the attacks?". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  32. ^ a b c d e f g Boothby, William H. (18 September 2024). "Exploding Pagers and the Law". Articles of War. Lieber Institute for Law & Warfare. Archived from the original on 24 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  33. ^ a b c Finucane, Brian (18 September 2024). "Law of War Questions Raised by Exploding Pagers in Lebanon". Just Security. Archived from the original on 24 September 2024. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  34. ^ "Was 'Operation Below the Belt' Legal? Absolutely". Middle East Forum. 19 September 2024. Archived from the original on 22 September 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  35. ^ a b Qiblawi, Tamara (19 September 2024). "Analysis: In Hezbollah leader's speech are signs of a group driven deeper underground". CNN. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  36. ^ Parker, Claire; Chamaa, Mohamad El; Rubin, Shira (19 September 2024). "Hezbollah chief calls pager, radio attacks an 'act of war' by Israel". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  37. ^ "Hezbollah Chief Nasrallah: Israel Crossed All Red Lines, This Is a Declaration of War". Haaretz. 19 September 2024. Archived from the original on 21 September 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  38. ^ a b William, Helen (22 September 2024). "Israel-Lebanon latest: Israel had 'no connection' with deadly exploding pager attack, president claims". The Independent. Archived from the original on 22 September 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  39. ^ a b "Ex-Israeli agents reveal how pager attacks were carried out". Yahoo News. 23 December 2024. Retrieved 28 December 2024.
  40. ^ Starcevic, Seb (18 September 2024). "Israeli defense minister: A 'new phase of war' has begun". POLITICO. Archived from the original on 19 September 2024. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  41. ^ a b c d "Dozens of Hezbollah members wounded in Lebanon when pagers exploded, sources and witnesses say". Reuters. 17 September 2024. Archived from the original on 18 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  42. ^ a b c "IDF retaliates after Hezbollah's deepest attack yet: Over 140 rockets, six wounded". The Jerusalem Post. 22 September 2024. Archived from the original on 23 September 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  43. ^ Sly, Liz (28 September 2024). "Hasan Nasrallah, Hezbollah leader and force in Middle East, is killed". The Washington Post.
  44. ^ "Who Are Hezbollah?". BBC News. 21 May 2008. Retrieved 15 August 2008.
  45. ^ Sheikh Hassan Izz al-Din, Hezbollah media relations director, said, "[T]he Jews need to leave." Avi Jovisch, Beacon of Hatred: Inside Hizballah's Al-Manar Television (Washington, D.C.: The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, 2004), pp. 62–90. qtd. by Wistrich, A Lethal Obsession, p. 774
  46. ^ "Civilians under Assault: Hezbollah's Rocket Attacks on Israel in the 2006 War: Hezbollah's Justifications for Attacks on Civilian Areas". Human Rights Watch. 2007. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  47. ^ "Hezbollah fires on Israel after several members killed in shelling". Al Jazeera. Al-Jazeera.
  48. ^ "Hezbollah bombards Israeli positions in disputed area along border with Syria's Golan Heights". AP News. 8 October 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
  49. ^ Stroul, Dana (23 September 2024). "Israel and Hezbollah Are Escalating Toward Catastrophe". Foreign Affairs. ISSN 0015-7120. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  50. ^ "Hezbollah warns of regional war if Gaza bombing goes on". 8 November 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  51. ^ "Violence escalates between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah amid Gaza assault". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  52. ^ Graham-Harrison, Emma (17 September 2024). "Gaza publishes identities of 34,344 Palestinians killed in war with Israel". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 9 October 2024. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
  53. ^ "Mapping 10,000 cross-border attacks between Israel and Lebanon". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  54. ^ a b "Lebanon: Flash Update #25 – Escalation of hostilities in South Lebanon, as of 23 August 2024 – Lebanon". United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. 27 August 2024. Archived from the original on 23 September 2024. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  55. ^ "Israel-Hezbollah: Mapping the scale of damage of cross-border attacks". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  56. ^ "Israel close to completing Gaza missions, focus on north, defence minister says". Reuters. 10 September 2024.
  57. ^ Lubell, Maayan (17 September 2024). "Israel says it thwarted Hezbollah plot to kill former defence official". Reuters.
  58. ^ "Did Israel retaliate against Hezbollah for attempted assassination of ex-defense chief? – analysis". The Jerusalem Post. 17 September 2024. Archived from the original on 19 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  59. ^ Bisset, Victoria (18 September 2024). "Hezbollah explosions put spotlight on old-school pagers". Washington Post. Archived from the original on 18 September 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  60. ^ Bassam, Laila; Gebeily, Maya (20 September 2024). "Exclusive: Hezbollah handed out pagers hours before blasts – even after checks". Reuters. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  61. ^ a b c d e Mekhennet, Souad; Warrick, Joby (6 October 2024). "Mossad's pager operation: Inside Israel's penetration of Hezbollah". The Washington Post.
  62. ^ "Exploding Hezbollah devices reportedly issued in recent days". i24NEWS. 17 September 2024. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  63. ^ "What we know about the Taiwanese firm caught up in Lebanon's exploding pagers attack". CNN. 18 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  64. ^ "Taiwanese company Gold Apollo says it didn't make pagers used in Lebanon". Washington Post. 17 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  65. ^ Lukash, Alexandra (18 September 2024). "Hungarian firm tied to pager blasts in Lebanon unmasked". Ynetnews. Archived from the original on 18 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  66. ^ Pandey, Ashutosh; Chaika, Anna (18 September 2024). Hessler, Uwe (ed.). "BAC: Hungarian firm in focus of Hezbollah pager explosions". Deutsche Welle. Archived from the original on 18 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  67. ^ "Taiwan's Gold Apollo Says Hezbollah Pagers Made By Hungary Partner". www.barrons.com. AFP. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024. Gold Apollo has established a "long-term partnership" with Budapest-based BAC Consulting Kft. to use its trademark and the model mentioned in media reports "is produced and sold by BAC," the company said in a statement after the New York Times reported that its pagers were involved in the blasts.
  68. ^ Lai, Johnson; Mistreanu, Simina (18 September 2024). "Taiwanese Company Disavows Links to Pager Explosions, Points to Budapest Manufacturer". TIME. Archived from the original on 19 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024. Gold Apollo chair Hsu Ching-kuang told journalists Wednesday that his company has had a licensing agreement with BAC for the past three years, but did not provide evidence of the contract.
  69. ^ Blanchard, Ben (18 September 2024). "Gold Apollo says it did not make pagers used in Lebanon explosions". Reuters. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  70. ^ Wingfield-Hayes, Rupert (18 September 2024). "Taiwan pager maker stunned by link to Lebanon attacks". BBC. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  71. ^ "Taiwan questions two in probe into Lebanon pager attack". France 24. 20 September 2024. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  72. ^ Pandey, Ashutosh; Chaika, Anna (18 September 2024). "Two European firms in focus of Hezbollah pager explosions". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  73. ^ "British-educated businesswoman denies making Hezbollah pagers which killed 12 people". The Independent. 18 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  74. ^ a b Aggarwal, Mithil; Guo, Peter; De Luce, Dan; Mitchell, Andrea (18 September 2024). "Who made the exploding pagers? A messy global trail emerges behind deadly Lebanon blasts". NBC News. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  75. ^ "What was Hungarian company's role in manufacturing pagers that exploded in Lebanon?". Euronews. 18 September 2024. Archived from the original on 19 September 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  76. ^ "Batteries of Lebanon walkie-talkies contained PETN explosive – Lebanese source". Reuters. 20 September 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  77. ^ Gebeily, Maya; Pearson, James; Gauthier-Villars, David (16 October 2024). "How Israel's bulky pager fooled Hezbollah". Reuters. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  78. ^ "Explosive pagers used by Hezbollah had been modified by Israel 'at production level', Reuters told by Lebanese security sources". Sky News. 18 September 2024. Archived from the original on 19 September 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  79. ^ a b c "Do pager-bombs presage escalation between Israel and Hizbullah?". The Economist. 17 September 2024. Archived from the original on 18 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  80. ^ "Video shows pagers exploding in Lebanon attack". The New York Times. 17 September 2024. Archived from the original on 17 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  81. ^ Chao-Fong, Léonie; Ambrose, Tom; Lowe, Yohannes; Belam, Martin (17 September 2024). "Lebanon explosions 'an extremely concerning escalation', says UN official, as Hezbollah threatens retaliation – as it happened". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 24 September 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  82. ^ "Israel's spy agency Mossad planted explosives in Hezbollah pagers, reports say". BBC News. 17 September 2024. Archived from the original on 17 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  83. ^ "Syrie : explosion d'une voiture piégée dans le centre de Damas". France 24 (in French). 13 April 2024. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  84. ^ "Car explosion reported in Damascus". Mehr News Agency. 17 September 2024. Archived from the original on 17 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  85. ^ a b "Hundreds of Hezbollah members wounded in Lebanon in mass pager hack". The Jerusalem Post. 17 September 2024. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  86. ^ "Hezbollah says exploding pagers kill three and injure many in Lebanon". BBC. 17 September 2024. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  87. ^ "9 killed, almost 3,000 injured as vast wave of pager explosions strikes Hezbollah". The Times of Israel. 18 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024. Other photos and videos from Beirut's southern suburbs circulating on social media and in local media showed people lying on the pavement with wounds on their hands or near their pants pockets.
  88. ^ a b Gritten, David (17 September 2024). "Hezbollah blames Israel after pager explosions kill eight in Lebanon". BBC. Additional reporting by Frances Mao. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  89. ^ "Hospitals across Lebanon overwhelmed with casualties from pager blasts". Al Jazeera. 18 September 2024. Archived from the original on 23 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  90. ^ Kent, Lauren; Picheta, Rob (17 September 2024). "Pager explosions injure thousands, including Hezbollah members, Lebanon says". CNN. Archived from the original on 17 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  91. ^ a b Ravid, Barak (17 September 2024). "Israel didn't tell U.S. in advance about Hezbollah pager attack, officials said". Axios. Archived from the original on 19 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  92. ^ Sabbagh, Dan; Bayer, Lili; Milmo, Dan (18 September 2024). "Pager and walkie-talkie attacks on Hezbollah were audacious and carefully planned". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 23 September 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  93. ^ a b "Second wave of Lebanon device explosions kills 20 and wounds 450". BBC News. 18 September 2024. Archived from the original on 21 September 2024. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
  94. ^ Saad, Hwaida (18 September 2024). "Hezbollah said that more explosions had occurred in different areas of Lebanon on Wednesday, this time affecting handheld radios". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  95. ^ "Round two? Additional Hezbollah beepers explode in southern Lebanon". The Jerusalem Post. 18 September 2024. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  96. ^ "حريق في منزل بميفدون ومنزل في النبطية الفوقا نتيجة الانفجارات" [Fire in a house in Meifdoun and a house in Nabatieh Al-Fawqa as a result of explosions]. MTV Lebanon (in Arabic). 18 September 2024. Archived from the original on 23 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  97. ^ "Explosions witnessed at Beirut funeral for Hezbollah members and a child killed in pager attack". Associated Press. 18 September 2024. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  98. ^ a b Triebert, Christiaan; Toler, Aric (18 September 2024). "Walkie-Talkies in Lebanon May Have Held More Explosives Than Pagers, a Times Analysis Finds". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 18 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  99. ^ a b c "At least 14 dead and over 450 injured in new explosions of communication devices across Lebanon: Day 348 of the Gaza war". L'Orient Today. 18 September 2024. Archived from the original on 19 September 2024.
  100. ^ "More devices exploding across Lebanon: What's happening?". Al Jazeera. 19 September 2024. Archived from the original on 22 September 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  101. ^ "'New era' of war beginning, Israel says, as more Hezbollah devices explode across Lebanon". CNN. 18 September 2024. Archived from the original on 22 September 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  102. ^ Bassam, Laila; Gebeily, Maya (18 September 2024). "Hezbollah hand-held radios detonate across Lebanon in second day of explosions". Reuters. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  103. ^ Madani, Doha (18 September 2024). "A wave of deadly walkie-talkie explosions sweeps Lebanon day after widespread pager attack". NBC News. Archived from the original on 24 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  104. ^ Komiya, Kantaro (18 September 2024). "Japan's Icom investigating radio devices carrying its logo after Lebanon blasts". Reuters. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  105. ^ "Hack of Hezbollah devices exposes dark corners of Asia supply chains". The Japan Times. 21 September 2024. Archived from the original on 21 September 2024. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
  106. ^ O'Brien, Matt (18 September 2024). "Walkie-talkie maker says exploded devices appear to have been knockoffs". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 18 September 2024. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  107. ^ "Lebanon: Panic as two solar panel systems explode amidst pager, walkie-talkie blasts in Beirut targeting Hezbollah". The Week. Archived from the original on 19 September 2024.
  108. ^ Jamal, Urooba; Marsi, Federica. "'Israel is ready for war': Troops drawn from Gaza to northern border". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024. That appears to be changing – especially after pagers, walkie-talkies, solar equipment and other devices exploded in Lebanon on Tuesday and Wednesday, killing at least 20 and wounding thousands in a sophisticated attack Hezbollah blamed on Israel.
  109. ^ Chao-Fong, Léonie; Sedghi, Amy; Belam, Martin; Yerushalmy, Jonathan (18 September 2024). "Dozens reported injured as new wave of explosions across Lebanon targets Hezbollah walkie-talkies – Middle East live". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  110. ^ "بالفيديو: هجوم على سيارات اليونيفيل في منطقة الحوش قرب صور" [Video: Attack on UNIFIL vehicles in Al-Hawsh area near Tyre]. MTV Lebanon (in Arabic). 18 September 2024. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  111. ^ Christou, W. (18 September 2024). "Solar power systems exploded in homes across Lebanon – report". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024. a group of men attacked a UN peacekeeping (Unifil) patrol transiting through the city of Tyre in south Lebanon
  112. ^ a b George, Susannah; Haidamous, Suzan (20 September 2024). "Toll of Lebanon device attacks reveals Hezbollah's 'society in arms'". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  113. ^ "Exploding pagers belonging to Hezbollah kill 8 and injure more than 2,700 in Lebanon". NBC News. 17 September 2024. Archived from the original on 17 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  114. ^ Chamseddine, Adam; Said, Summer; Kalin, Stephen (17 September 2024). "Hezbollah Pagers Explode in Apparent Attack Across Lebanon". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  115. ^ "Death toll from Hezbollah pager explosions in Lebanon rises to 12". BBC. 18 September 2024. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  116. ^ "Exploding Hezbollah pagers in apparent Israeli attack made by Hungarian company, Taiwanese firm says". Associated Press. 18 September 2024. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  117. ^ "Lebanon is rocked again by exploding devices as Israel declares a 'new phase' of war". Associated Press. 19 September 2024. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  118. ^ Chao-Fong, Léonie; Ambrose, Tom; Lowe, Yohannes; Belam, Martin (17 September 2024). "Lebanon explosions 'an extremely concerning escalation', says UN official, as Hezbollah threatens retaliation – as it happened". the Guardian. Archived from the original on 24 September 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  119. ^ "Hezbollah hit by a wave of exploding pagers and blames Israel. At least 9 dead, thousands injured". ABC News. Archived from the original on 18 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  120. ^ "Hezbollah leader accuses Israel of targeting '5,000 people in two minutes' as he admits Lebanon blasts are 'unprecedented blow'". Sky News. Archived from the original on 19 September 2024. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  121. ^ "Hezbollah pagers: How did they explode and who is responsible?". BBC. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  122. ^ "Lebanon says 8 killed and over two thousand wounded by exploding pagers". Africanews. 17 September 2024. Archived from the original on 18 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  123. ^ a b Aaron David Miller. ""We'd Like to Live Without War"". Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
  124. ^ a b c "The exploding device attacks dealt a major but not crippling blow to Hezbollah, analysts say". Associated Press. 19 September 2024. Archived from the original on 24 September 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  125. ^ Simmons, Keir; Silva, Daniella (20 September 2024). "Beirut eye doctor describes 'devastating' injuries after blasts". NBC News. Archived from the original on 23 September 2024. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
  126. ^ "Lebanese doctor recalls one of 'worst nightmares' after pager attacks". Al Arabiya English. 20 September 2024. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
  127. ^ James Andre (20 September 2024). "WATCH: Hezbollah commander Aqil was injured in pager attack before his assassination in Israeli strike". YouTube. France 24. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 21 September 2024. according to the health ministry figures, 300 people have lost both their eyes 500 lost one eye (3m30s)
  128. ^ Guerin, Orla (19 September 2024). "Surgeon 'became robotic' to treat sheer volume of wounded Lebanese". BBC. Archived from the original on 21 September 2024. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
  129. ^ "Iran conducts 1,500 surgeries for Hezbollah operatives". 21 November 2024.
  130. ^ "Pagers Explode Across Lebanon in Apparent Attack on Hezbollah". The New York Times. 18 September 2024. Archived from the original on 17 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  131. ^ "Iran embassy in Beirut comments on envoy's health condition". Mehr News Agency. 18 September 2024. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  132. ^ Christou, William (18 September 2024). "'Sophisticated evil': Beirut medics and civilians horrified by pager attacks". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  133. ^ "Beirut explosion 'one of the largest non-nuclear blasts in history'". Evening Standard. 5 August 2020. Archived from the original on 8 August 2020. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  134. ^ Chao-Fong, Léonie; Sedghi, Amy; Belam, Martin; Yerushalmy, Jonathan (18 September 2024). "Hundreds reported injured in Lebanon as Hezbollah walkie-talkies explode – Middle East live". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  135. ^ "Lebanon doctors tell of horror after pager blasts". Le Monde. 18 September 2024. Archived from the original on 19 September 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  136. ^ "Lebanon bans pagers, walkie-talkies from flights". CTVNews. 19 September 2024. Archived from the original on 24 September 2024. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  137. ^ Chehayeb, Kareem (19 September 2024). "Lebanon: No more pagers, walkie-talkies on flights from Beirut". Politico. Archived from the original on 19 September 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  138. ^ Noëth, B. (18 September 2024). "Air France, British Airways and Lufthansa Group airlines suspend flights to Middle East following attack in Lebanon". Aviation24.be. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  139. ^ a b c John, Tara; Qiblawi, Tamara; Liebermann, Oren; Schmitz, Avery; Xiong, Yong (18 September 2024). "Secrecy is the cornerstone of Hezbollah's military strategy. Deadly pager blasts expose a key weakness". CNN. Archived from the original on 19 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  140. ^ Cohen, Eliot A. (18 September 2024). "Israel's Strategic Win: A spectacular attack on Hezbollah is the latest development in the ongoing war between Iranian proxies and the Jewish state". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on 18 September 2024.
  141. ^ Nakhoul, Samia (22 September 2024). "Exclusive: Iran's Guards ban communications devices after strike on Hezbollah". Reuters.
  142. ^ "Iran bans pagers, walkie-talkies on flights after Lebanon attacks". The Nation. 13 October 2024.
  143. ^ Fabian, Emanuel (18 September 2024). "IDF chief says Israel has 'many more capabilities' to be used in war against Hezbollah". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 19 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  144. ^ Almond, Mark (22 September 2024). "Why has Israel's president denied the pager attack on Hezbollah?". The Independent. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
  145. ^ "Netanyahu admits responsibility for deadly pager explosions in Lebanon - Türkiye Today". Retrieved 10 November 2024.
  146. ^ Berman, Lazar (10 November 2024). "In first, Netanyahu said to acknowledge Israel carried out pager attacks on Hezbollah". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  147. ^ "Netanyahu says he 'greenlighted' Lebanon pager attacks". Le Monde. 10 November 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  148. ^ Stahl, Lesley (22 December 2024). "Former agents from Israel's Mossad detail how they built and sold explosive pagers to Hezbollah terrorists". CBS News.
  149. ^ a b c d e Oliphant, Roland; Confino, Jotam (18 September 2024). "Israel declares new phase of war after walkie-talkie bomb attacks". The Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 24 September 2024. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  150. ^ "Former CIA director: Israel pager attack 'a form of terrorism'". The Jerusalem Post. 23 September 2024. Archived from the original on 23 September 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  151. ^ Nieto, Phillip (23 September 2024). "Former CIA Director Leon Panetta Calls Israel's Pager Explosion Operation 'Terrorism'". Mediaite. Archived from the original on 23 September 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  152. ^ a b "Exploding pagers and radios: A terrifying violation of international law, say UN experts". Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. 19 September 2024. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  153. ^ "UN rights chief claims detonation of Hezbollah comms devices could be a war crime". Times of Israel. 21 September 2024. Archived from the original on 21 September 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  154. ^ a b Rayhan Uddin (19 September 2024). "Did Israel's attack on pagers and radios break international law?". Middle East Eye. Archived from the original on 19 September 2024. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  155. ^ a b "Lebanon: Exploding Pagers Harmed Hezbollah, Civilians". Human Rights Watch. 18 September 2024. Archived from the original on 24 September 2024. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
  156. ^ "Analyzing the Israeli Pager Attack on Hezbollah Using Law of Armed Conflict Principles". 21 September 2024.
  157. ^ a b Harb, Ali (18 September 2024). "Do Lebanon explosions violate the laws of war?". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 24 September 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  158. ^ Serhan, Yasmeen (18 September 2024). "6 Questions About the Deadly Pager Attacks in Lebanon, Answered". TIME. Archived from the original on 24 September 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  159. ^ "Despite Gaza battle, Hezbollah-Israel mutual deterrence holds". The Arab Weekly. Archived from the original on 21 May 2021. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  160. ^ "Thousands of Iran-backed fighters offer to join Hezbollah in its fight against Israel". Naharnet. Archived from the original on 23 June 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  161. ^ a b c Milanovic, Marko (20 September 2024). "Were the Israeli Pager and Walkie-Talkie Attacks on Hezbollah Indiscriminate?". EJIL: Talk!. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
  162. ^ "Article 7 – Prohibitions on the use of booby-traps and other devices". Protocol II to the 1980 CCW Convention as amended on 3 May 1996. International Humanitarian Law Databases. 3 May 1996. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024 – via International Committee of the Red Cross.
  163. ^ "The Joint Service Manual of the Law Of Armed Conflict" (PDF). Ministry of Defence. 2004. pp. 105–107. JSP383. Retrieved 19 September 2024. 6.7.3 Where combat between ground forces is neither taking place nor appears imminent, booby-traps may not be used at all in populated areas unless ... measures are taken to protect civilians from their effects, for example, the posting of warning [signs, the posting of] sentries, the issue of warnings or the provision of fences. 6.7.4 'It is prohibited to use booby-traps in the form of apparently harmless portable objects which are specifically designed and constructed to contain explosive material.'
  164. ^ "Law of War Manual" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. July 2023 [June 2015]. p. 398. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  165. ^ "'We're dealing with criminal wars'". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 21 September 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  166. ^ a b "Biden administration treads diplomatic tightrope after device attacks on Hezbollah". ABC News. Archived from the original on 22 September 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  167. ^ Madi, Emilie; Azhari, Timour (18 September 2024). "Hezbollah pager blasts test war readiness of Lebanon's hospitals". Reuters.
  168. ^ Jadah, Malek; Abdallah, Muntasser; Chaaban, Tasnim; Frakes, Nicholas; AlJoud, Sally Abou (17 September 2024). "More than 9 killed, including Hezbollah MP son, and 2,800 injured in Lebanon pager blasts: Day 347 of the Gaza war". L'Orient Today. Archived from the original on 18 September 2024.
  169. ^ Al-Amin, Ibrahim (17 September 2024). "إسرائيل تنفّذ أكبر عملية أمنية في تاريخ الصراع: هل فُتحت أبواب حرب بلا ضوابط ولا أسقف ولا حدود؟" [Israel carries out the largest security operation in the history of the conflict: Have the doors of war been opened without controls, ceilings or borders?]. al-akhbar.com (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 18 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  170. ^ "Lebanon files UN complaint against Israel over pager attacks". France 24. 6 November 2024. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
  171. ^ Chehayeb, Kareem (19 September 2024). "Hezbollah leader says pager attack crossed a 'red line' as fears of wider war with Israel mount". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 23 September 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  172. ^ "Nasrallah dares Israel to invade Lebanon in speech, calls it 'historic opportunity'". The Jerusalem Post. 19 September 2024. Archived from the original on 23 September 2024. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  173. ^ a b "Hezbollah fires over 100 rockets across a wider and deeper area of Israel as fears of war mount". Associated Press. 22 September 2024. Archived from the original on 22 September 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  174. ^ Sio, Mohammad (17 September 2024). "Netanyahu approved pager explosions in Lebanon: Israeli media". Anadolu Agency. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  175. ^ "Israeli defense minister: A 'new phase of war' has begun". POLITICO. 18 September 2024. Archived from the original on 19 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  176. ^ Aladam, Mera (20 September 2024). "'Inhumane': Social media users condemn posts mocking victims of deadly Lebanon blasts". Middle East Eye. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
  177. ^ Silow-Carroll, Andrew (20 September 2024). "No laughing matter? Hezbollah pager explosions become fodder for online jokes". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
  178. ^ Edwards, Christian; Vogt, Adrienne; Sangal, Aditi (17 September 2024). "Pagers explode across Lebanon in attack targeting Hezbollah members, source says: Live updates". CNN. Archived from the original on 23 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  179. ^ "Lebanon: 9 killed, thousands injured in pagers' explosion". Deutsche Welle. 17 September 2024. Archived from the original on 18 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  180. ^ "Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General". United Nations: Meetings Coverage and Press Releases. 17 September 2024. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  181. ^ "'Civilian objects' should not be weaponised: UN chief on Lebanon pager explosions". Khaleej Times. AFP. 18 September 2024. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  182. ^ "Urgently Calling for Ceasefire, Senior Officials, Speakers Warn Security Council that Events in Lebanon, Escalating Regional Violence Could Lead to All-Out War". United Nations Meetings Coverage: Security Council, 9730th meeting. 20 September 2024. Archived from the original on 23 September 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  183. ^ Fabian, Emanuel (18 September 2024). "UN rights chief demands accountability for Lebanon pager blasts". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 18 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  184. ^ "Lebanon: Establish international investigation into deadly attacks using exploding portable devices". Amnesty International. 20 September 2024.
  185. ^ "EU foreign affairs chief decries civilian casualties in Lebanon pager attacks". Al Jazeera. 18 September 2024. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  186. ^ "EU's Borrell says Lebanon attacks aimed to 'spread terror'". The Jerusalem Post. Reuters. 19 September 2024. Archived from the original on 23 September 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  187. ^ "Iraqi armed group offers to send fighters, equipment to Hezbollah". Al Jazeera. 18 September 2024. Archived from the original on 23 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  188. ^ "Iran Update, September 18, 2024". Institute for the Study of War. 18 September 2024. Archived from the original on 19 September 2024. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  189. ^ a b c d Najjar, Farah. "Nine killed, 2,750 wounded in Hezbollah pager blasts across Lebanon". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  190. ^ "Houthis: Thousands of fighters ready to go to Lebanon if war breaks out". Middle East Monitor. 18 September 2024. Archived from the original on 18 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  191. ^ "Egypt urges end to Israel violations in West Bank, escalating policies against Palestinians: El-Sisi to Blinken". Ahram Online. 18 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  192. ^ "Exploding pagers used in apparent Israeli attack on Hezbollah made in Hungary, accused firm says". Associated Press. 18 September 2024. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  193. ^ "Palestinian Authority warns of 'dangerous escalation'". Al Jazeera. 18 September 2024. Archived from the original on 23 September 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  194. ^ "Iran accuses Israel of 'mass murder' after pager explosions: Foreign ministry". Al Jazeera. 18 September 2024. Archived from the original on 21 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  195. ^ Jamal, Urooba; Marsi, Federica (18 September 2024). "Iranian Red Crescent arrives in Lebanon". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  196. ^ "Iran Update, September 21, 2024". Institute for the Study of War. 21 September 2024. Archived from the original on 24 September 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  197. ^ a b "Walkie-talkie explosions injure hundreds in Lebanon a day after pager attacks. Here's how the news unfolded". Associated Press. 18 September 2024. Archived from the original on 22 September 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  198. ^ "Israel's attempts to spread conflicts in region extremely dangerous: Turkish president". Anadolu Agency. 18 September 2024. Archived from the original on 18 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  199. ^ "Qatari minister says international community's silence on Lebanon blasts 'terrifying'". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 24 September 2024. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
  200. ^ "Belgium's deputy PM denounces 'terror attack' in Lebanon and Syria". Al Jazeera. 18 September 2024. Archived from the original on 21 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  201. ^ "Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian's Regular Press Conference on September 19, 2024". Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China. Archived from the original on 24 September 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  202. ^ Cai, Tiancheng (21 September 2024). "联合国: 黎巴嫩通讯设备爆炸事件或构成战争罪" [United Nations: Lebanon telecommunications device explosions may constitute war crimes]. Lianhe Zaobao (in Simplified Chinese). Archived from the original on 21 September 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  203. ^ "安理會會議以黎互指摘 聯合國人權專員: 以用通訊設備施襲或屬戰爭罪行" [Israel and Lebanon trade accusations at Security Council meeting. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: Israel's use of communications devices for attacks may constitute war crimes]. Ming Pao (in Traditional Chinese). 21 September 2024. Archived from the original on 24 September 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  204. ^ "Remarks by Ambassador Fu Cong at the UN Security Council Briefing on the Lebanese-Israeli Situation". Permanent Representative of the People's Republic of China to the UN. 20 September 2024. Archived from the original on 21 September 2024. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
  205. ^ "Emmanuel Macron assure les Libanais de son soutien dans une vidéo : "Nous devons refuser la fatalité de la guerre"". i24NEWS (in French). 20 September 2024. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  206. ^ "Pager attack showed 'wanton disregard' for civilian life, Martin says". The Argus. 18 September 2024. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  207. ^ "Malaysia condemns deadly cyber-related attacks in Lebanon". The Star. 19 September 2024. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  208. ^ "Norway investigates possible link into Lebanon pager explosions". Al Jazeera. 25 September 2024.
  209. ^ "Norway issues global search request for man linked to exploding Hezbollah pagers | The Times of Israel". The Times of Israel.
  210. ^ "Russia Condemns Lebanon Pager Blasts, Warns of Worsening Tensions". The Moscow Times. 18 September 2024. Archived from the original on 18 September 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  211. ^ "Pager explosion in Lebanon 'requires investigation': Russia". Al Jazeera. 18 September 2024. Archived from the original on 21 September 2024.
  212. ^ "Russia Condemns Lebanon Pager Blasts, Warns of Worsening Tensions". The Moscow Times. AFP. 18 September 2024. Archived from the original on 18 September 2024. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
  213. ^ "Gov't: No S. Korean Casualties Reported in Device Explosions in Lebanon". KBS World. 19 September 2024. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  214. ^ France, Anthony (19 September 2024). "David Lammy urges Britons to leave Lebanon as Israel-Hezbollah conflict escalates after walkie-talkie blasts". Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 24 September 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  215. ^ "US Says 'Not Involved' In Lebanon Pager Blasts; Urges Iran To Avoid Actions Furthering Tensions". News18. 17 September 2024. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.

Further reading

Retrieved from "https://wiki.riteme.site/w/index.php?title=2024_Lebanon_electronic_device_attacks&oldid=1265850464"