Netanyahu says he okayed Lebanon pager attacks

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said on November 10th that he okayed the attacks in Lebanon in September on pagers linked to Hezbollah, according to the Arab News via AFP.

This is the first time Israel has officially admitted involvement in the attacks. Hezbollah had already blamed Israel for the blasts and had vowed revenge, as was reported by The Guardian at the time.

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Netanyahu’s spokesperson Omre Dostri told AFP of the attacks “Netanyahu confirmed Sunday that he greenlighted the pager operation in Lebanon.”

Handheld devices used by members of Hezbollah detonated over two day in supermarkets, on streets and at funerals on the 17th and 18th of September. They killed nearly 40 people and wounded nearly 3,000, including civilian who were both wounded and killed.

Hezbollah began low intensity strikes on Israel in support of Hamas following the October 7th attacks last year which began the current ear in Gaza. Full-scale war broke out in Lebanon in late September after the device attacks, when Israel escalated its military campaign and later launched an invasion.

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A minister in Lebanon’s government recently said Lebanon was filing a complaint against Israel at a UN labour body over the explosions.

AFP, The Guardian