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Israel decided to blow up the pager devices carried by militia group Hezbollah earlier than planned over fears the operation would be discovered, US officials said.
Twelve people including two children were killed and nearly 3,000 were wounded after the handheld devices simultaneously detonated across Lebanon and Syria on Tuesday.
On Tuesday afternoon, several minutes before the beepers started exploding across Lebanon, Israel told the US it was about to conduct an operation, Axios reported.
Meanwhile, a Lebanese security source claimed Israel’s spy agency Mossad planted explosives in thousands of the devices months before they exploded.
The same source claimed the beepers – believed to have been made by a Hungarian company with a licence to use Taiwan-based Gold Apollo’s brand – were modified “at the production level”.
The Iran-backed militant group has vowed to retaliate against Israel, whose military declined to comment on the blasts.
Hezbollah, which controls southern Lebanon, forms part of Iran’s so-called “axis of resistance”, which opposes Western and Israeli influence in the region.
Israel conducted Lebanon pager attack fearing Hezbollah was onto the operation
Israel decided to blow up the pager devices carried by Hezbollah members in Lebanon and Syria on Tuesday out of concern its secret operation might have been discovered by the group, three US officials told Axios.
On Tuesday afternoon, several minutes before the pagers started exploding across Lebanon, Israel told the US it was about to conduct an operation in Lebanon, but did not give specific details, the website reported.
“We were not aware of this operation and were not involved,” U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters on Tuesday.
Alexander Butler18 September 2024 11:36
Hezbollah pager attack mapped: Where did the explosions take place?
Alexander Butler18 September 2024 11:20
Foreign Office urges ‘calm heads’ after deadly pager explosions in Lebanon
The Foreign Office has urged “calm heads and de-escalation” after hundreds of pagers exploded simultaneously across Lebanon and in parts of Syria.
At least nine people were killed and thousands wounded on Tuesday in what appeared to be a sophisticated, remote attack.
An FCDO spokesperson said: “We continue to monitor the situation in Lebanon closely and the UK is working with diplomatic and humanitarian partners in the region.
The civilian casualties following these explosions are deeply distressing. We urge calm heads and de-escalation at this critical time.”
Alexander Butler18 September 2024 11:02
Egypt supports Lebanon, president tells US
Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken that Cairo rejects any attempts at escalation in the region and supports Lebanon following the pager blasts.
“The President affirmed Egypt’s rejection of attempts to escalate the conflict and expand its scope regionally, pointing out the need for all parties to act responsibly, and reaffirming Egypt’s support for Lebanon”, a statement read.
At least nine people were killed and nearly 3,000 wounded when pagers used by Hezbollah members detonated simultaneously across Lebanon on Tuesday.
Alexander Butler18 September 2024 10:45
Taiwanese company Gold Apollo denies making pagers used in Lebanon attack: ‘This is very embarrassing’
Alexander Butler18 September 2024 10:21
Watch: Pager detonates in centre of Lebanese market
Alexander Butler18 September 2024 09:45
IDF says Hezbollah members targeted in airstrikes overnight
The Israeli military said it had attacked a building where a number of Hezbollah members were staying last night.
In a post on X, it said its forces “identified a number of terrorists from the Hezbollah terrorist organization” who were “operating in a military structure” near the southern Lebanon village of Majdal Salem.
“Closing a circle from the air, fighter jets attacked the building where the terrorists were operating,” it continued.
Alexander Butler18 September 2024 09:29
Mossad ‘planted explosives’ in pagers
Israel’s spy agency Mossad planted explosives in thousands of pagers used by militia group Hezbollah months before they exploded, Lebanese security sources claimed.
Nine people were killed and nearly 3,000 were wounded after the handheld devices simultaneously detonated across Lebanon and Syria on Tuesday.
The Lebanese security source said the pagers were from Taiwan-based Gold Apollo, but the company said in a statement it did not manufacture the devices.
It said they were made by a company called BAC which has a licence to use its brand, but gave no more details.
Iran-backed Hezbollah has vowed to retaliate against Israel, whose military declined to comment on the blasts.
Alexander Butler18 September 2024 09:17
Gold Apollo says Budapest-based firm behind explosive pagers
Taiwanese company Gold Apollo says it authorised its brand on the pagers that exploded in Lebanon and Syria, but they were manufactured by a company based in Budapest.
The pagers were manufactured by BAC Consulting KFT, based in Hungary’s capital, according to a statement by Gold Apollo.
Gold Apollo said the pagers used by the Hezbollah militant group were produced by BAC, which was authorised to use Gold Apollo’s trademark in some regions.
“Regarding the recent media reports about the AR-924 pager, we clarify that this model is produced and sold by BAC,” the Gold Apollo statement read.
“We only provide brand trademark authorisation and have no involvement in the design or manufacturing of this product.”
Namita Singh18 September 2024 07:38
