Netanyahu Approved Pagers Attacks in Lebanon, His Office Confirms

Rabat – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has officially taken responsibility for the series of explosive pagers attacks on several areas in Lebanon, spokesperson for his office Omer Dostri said on Monday.

On September 17, the unprecedented incident targeted thousands of pagers and walkie-talkies, which exploded simultaneously across Beirut’s southern suburbs and other parts of Lebanon.

Witnesses reported that before detonating, the pagers beeped as though receiving an incoming message. The devices caused widespread injuries, with victims sustaining severe eye injuries, missing fingers, and deep wounds.

The attacks continued throughout the following day, when weaponized walkie-talkies also detonated. The egregious two-day attack killed 39 people and led to the injuries to more than 3,400 individuals, many of whom were hospitalized with life-threatening wounds. 

The explosions were unofficially attributed to Israel in media reports at the time, but now the suspicions have been confirmed.  

According to Israeli media reports, Netanyahu asserted that he approved  the attack during a cabinet meeting, where he reportedly acknowledged that some senior defense and political officials were opposed to the operation. 

However, Netanyahu decided to proceed, saying the action was necessary  in the wake of heightened tensions with Hezbollah. The Israeli defense authorities initially declined to comment on the incident.

Hezbollah had turned to pagers as a low-tech alternative for communication to evade Israeli tracking systems. The simultaneous detonation of these devices dealt a significant blow to the group’s operations, as they had relied on pagers for secure communication.

The pager attacks came amid escalating cross-border conflicts between Israel and Hezbollah, which have intensified since the Gaza genocide started in October of 2023. Following the explosive incidents in Lebanon, Israel escalated its offensive by targeting Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in an airstrike.

Israeli Occupation Forces then proceeded to continue their deadly attacks on Lebanon, particularly in the south and Beirut suburbs, killing over 3,000 civilians.