Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has acknowledged approving the pager attacks in Lebanon that resulted in the deaths of nearly 40 and injuries to 3,000 Hezbollah members in September.
“Netanyahu confirmed on Sunday that he authorized the pager operation in Lebanon,” stated his spokesperson, Omer Dostri, to AFP.
On September 17 and 18, thousands of pagers carried by Hezbollah members exploded, an incident Iran and Hezbollah attributed to Israel. The attacks caused severe injuries, including lost fingers and eyesight, among some Hezbollah members.
Hezbollah described the explosions as an “Israeli breach” of its communications network and declared its intention to retaliate.
The pagers served as a low-tech method for Hezbollah to communicate without being tracked by Israeli technologies.
The attacks occurred shortly after Israel expanded its military objectives to include Hezbollah following the October 7 attacks by Hamas, which initiated a broader conflict along the Lebanese border.
This week, Lebanon complained to the United Nations Labour Agency, denouncing the attacks as a severe violation of human rights.
The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has intensified since Hamas launched attacks into Israeli territories on October 7 of the previous year, leading to significant casualties on both sides. Among those reported killed was Hassan Nasrallah, a former leader of Hezbollah, and last month, Israel confirmed targeting Hashem Safieddine, a high-ranking Hezbollah official, in Beirut.
Most recently, Israeli airstrikes targeted Hezbollah strongholds in southern Beirut, including a strike near Lebanon’s only international airport, which resulted in minor damages to airport structures and facilities of Middle East Airlines.
Since the onset of heightened hostilities last October, over 3,000 individuals have been killed due to Israeli strikes in Lebanon.
