The detonation of booby-trapped walkie-talkies, following the pager explosion in Lebanon, allegedly carried out by Israel targeting Hezbollah, resulted in at least 20 deaths and over 450 injuries. This led many international observers to classify the attacks as potential war crimes and an attempt to thwart peace efforts whenever there is progress towards de-escalation, according to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
The attacks, which took place across multiple cities in Lebanon, have further escalated tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, the powerful Iran-backed militant group, increasing the likelihood of a full-blown war in the region. Israel’s belligerent stance appears to be aimed at maintaining regional instability for the political benefit of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, despite protests within Israel itself.
Successive explosions and rising fears
These attacks come just a day after a similar incident involving pagers that killed 12 people and injured over 2,800. The successive nature of the explosions has heightened fears of an all-out conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, despite ongoing efforts by the United States and the United Nations to prevent further escalation. The simultaneous detonations of thousands of booby-trapped communication devices have been condemned by human rights organisations, which have warned that the indiscriminate nature of these strikes could constitute a violation of international law.
Hezbollah’s communication network targeted
The targeted detonations of walkie-talkies occurred on Wednesday, following the devastating pager explosions the previous day. Hezbollah confirmed that the devices targeted in both attacks were part of their communication network. Lebanese security sources revealed that small amounts of explosives had been hidden inside the equipment. Though individually small, the explosions caused mass casualties and widespread chaos due to the large number of devices involved.
UN condemnation and calls for restraint
The United Nations condemned the attacks, with the Secretary-General calling for restraint from both Hezbollah and Israel. The UN Security Council is scheduled to meet on Friday to discuss these unprecedented attacks, which are described as a massive breach of Hezbollah’s supply chain.
International observers believe that Israeli intelligence services may have orchestrated the operation, which involved tampering with the communications equipment before it reached Lebanon. The precision and scale of the attacks have led some to speculate that they might be a prelude to a larger Israeli military operation.
Israeli military posture and strategic Shifts
While Israeli officials have not publicly claimed responsibility for the attacks, comments from the Israeli Defence Minister suggest otherwise. The minister acknowledged a shift in military focus towards the northern front with Hezbollah, indicating that Israel is preparing for further confrontations. This shift comes as Israel aims to return displaced northern residents to their homes, signalling preparations for more intense military activity.
Prime Minister Netanyahu also addressed the rising tensions, stating that Israel’s primary goal is to ensure the security of its northern citizens. Media reports have suggested that Israeli military advisers pushed for the detonation of the devices over concerns that Hezbollah was close to uncovering the operation to booby-trap their communications network. This covert operation, believed to have begun at least five months ago, targeted thousands of pagers and hundreds of walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah members.
Diplomatic efforts and timing of the attacks
The attacks unfolded amid heightened diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions between Israel and Hezbollah. Senior US officials had met with Israeli leaders to discuss potential solutions to the ongoing conflict just before the explosions. However, the timing of the attacks has raised questions about whether they were meant to derail these peace efforts. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is currently in Egypt discussing ceasefire proposals for Gaza, expressed concern that the explosions in Lebanon could undermine attempts to broker a ceasefire in the region.
Supply chain breach and sabotaged equipment
The devices involved in the explosions have been traced back to international manufacturers. The walkie-talkies were identified as ICOM devices, a brand manufactured in Japan, while the pagers were traced to Taiwan-based Gold Apollo. Investigations have revealed that the communications devices had been tampered with before they reached Lebanon, with explosive materials inserted in a way that Hezbollah’s security measures failed to detect.
Sources close to Hezbollah indicated that the devices were part of a new batch of communications equipment imported into Lebanon earlier this year. Lebanese officials believe that Israeli intelligence services were responsible for sabotaging the equipment at the production level, with the explosives being remotely activated via a coded signal. This sophisticated method of attack has drawn significant attention from international observers, who are now investigating the extent of the supply chain breach and the role of Israeli intelligence.
The attacks have triggered a strong diplomatic response, with human rights organisations condemning the indiscriminate nature of the strikes. Legal experts have warned that the deliberate targeting of communications equipment used by Hezbollah could violate international law, particularly given the high number of civilian casualties. The upcoming UN Security Council meeting is expected to address these concerns, with many calling for an investigation into whether the attacks constitute war crimes.