• Hand-held devices detonated in supermarkets, on streets and at funerals
• Lebanon authorities said 40 people were killed and nearly 3,000 injured

JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday he okayed a deadly September attack on Hezbollah communications devices which exploded in Lebanon, the first time Israel has admitted involvement.

Hezbollah had previously blamed its arch-foe for the blasts that dealt a major blow to the fighter group, and vowed revenge.

“Netanyahu confirmed on Sunday that he greenlighted the pager operation in Lebanon,” his spokesman Omer Dostri said of the attacks.

Hand-held devices used by Hezbollah operatives detonated two days in a row in supermarkets, on streets and at funerals in mid-September.

They killed nearly 40 people and wounded nearly 3,000, and preceded Israel’s ongoing military operation in Lebanon.

Hezbollah already had concerns about the security of its communications after losing several key commanders to Israeli strikes in recent months.

What happened?

Hundreds of paging com­munication devices carried by Hezbollah members began exploding across Lebanon. The explosions killed several people and wounded 3,000 others, according to Leba­non’s Health Ministry.

Those hurt include people wounded in the eyes, he said, adding that there had been “a lot of cases of amputations”. Hezbollah swiftly pointed the finger of blame at Israel.

The influx of casualties overwhelmed some hospitals in Lebanon.

The 10-year-old daughter of a Hezbollah member whose pager exploded in east Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley was among those killed, the family and a source close to the group said.

Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon Mojtaba Amani was among those wounded, albeit lightly, according to Iranian state media.

How was the attack carried out?

A source close to Hezbollah, asking not to be identified, said that “the pagers that exploded concern a shipment recently imported by Hezbollah” which appear to have been “sabotaged at source”.

After The New York Times reported the pagers had been ordered from Taiwanese manufacturer Gold Apollo, the company said they had been produced by its Hungarian partner BAC Consulting KFT.

“This was more than lithium batteries being forced into override,” said Charles Lister of the Middle East Institute.

“A small plastic explosive was almost certainly concealed alongside the battery, for remote detonation via a call or page.” Israel’s spy agency “Mossad infiltrated the supply chain”, he said.

Published in Dawn, November 11th, 2024