Jerusalem: Israel scored a major military victory in its conflict with Hezbollah as it conducted what many called a "crazy" method of technological warfare by detonating thousands of pager devices on Tuesday, followed by an attack on hand-held radios (walkie-talkies) that killed more than 30 people, delivering a crippling blow on Hezbollah's communication systems. The attacks may just be a tipping point for a wider war between Israel and Hezbollah, throwing the Middle East into a sea of chaos.
Several media reports have now revealed that the attack on Hezbollah's communication systems was conducted earlier than planned. While Israel did not make any public comments on the pager blasts in Lebanon, many have blamed Israel's Mossad spy agency of carrying out the operation. A senior Israeli official with knowledge of the operation told Axios that Israel went forward with the pager attack earlier than expected, in fears that the plan might be exposed to Hezbollah.
According to Al-Monitor, Israel had actually opted for detonating the pagers as an opening blow in case of an all-out war with Hezbollah. However, Israel became concerned when a Hezbollah member became suspicious of the devices and planned to alert his superiors. A US official said Israel had informed US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin that it was about to conduct an operation in Lebanon without giving specific details.
'It was a use it or lose it moment'
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his top ministers and the heads of the Israel Defense Forces and the intelligence agencies decided to use the system now rather than take the risk of it being detected by Hezbollah, according to the US official, after two Hezbollah members became suspicious and decided to report the matter to their superiors. Days before the explosions, a Hezbollah member became suspicious and was killed, according to Al-Monitor.
Upon learning of the suspicions, Israeli leaders reportedly considered launching an immediate full-scale war in order to retain the pager attack as an opening blow. They also considered leaving things as they were, even at the risk of the operation being compromised, according to the report. "It was a use it or lose it moment," said the US official, giving the reasoning given by Israel.
A senior Lebanese security source and another source told Reuters that Israel's Mossad spy agency planted a small amount inside 5,000 Taiwan-made pagers ordered by Hezbollah months before the blasts. Multiple media reported that the thousands of pagers exploded after receiving a "cryptic message", killing several Hezbollah members in one of the most advanced acts of warfare against the group.
'Last chance' attacks against Hezbollah
Veteran Israeli investigative reporter and analyst Ronen Bergman told Israel's Channel 12 that fewer Hezbollah communications devices were blown up on Wednesday than the pagers on Tuesday, but created stronger impacts. “Anyone who was close to these devices would have had a much smaller chance of surviving,” Bergman said.
He says the devices targeted today were walkie-talkies used for military communications and other components of these devices, and that the attacks were designed to underline the vulnerability of Hezbollah’s entire military communications networks. Detonating the explosives in the devices now, therefore, might have been considered “the last chance” to do so after the pager blasts possibly prompted Hezbollah to check all supplies.
Hezbollah has blamed Israel for the pager blasts and promised that it will get 'its fair punishment', according to a statement released by the militant group on Tuesday. It was also reported that Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah was harmed in the spree of pager blasts, but a senior source refuted the reports. Mojtaba Amani, the Iranian ambassador to Lebanon, lost one eye and his other was seriously wounded in the attack, according to The New York Times.
Israel's war against Hezbollah
Meanwhile, the Israeli military declared a 'new phase' of war on Wednesday as the walkie-talkie explosions rocked Lebanon. Speaking to Israeli troops on Wednesday, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said, “We are at the start of a new phase in the war — it requires courage, determination and perseverance.” He made no mention of the exploding devices but praised the work of Israel's army and security agencies, saying “the results are very impressive.”
The declaration diminished hopes for a diplomatic solution to the conflict as Israel signals a desire to change the status quo in the country's north, where it has exchanged cross-border fire with Hezbollah since the Lebanese militant group began attacking last year on October 8, a day after the war between Israel and Hamas broke out when the latter launched an unprecedented attack on southern Israel.
Hezbollah has been thrown into unprecedented disarray, with one of the officials calling the pager blasts as one of the "biggest security breaches" the group has seen in decades. The explosion of thousands of pagers carried by Hezbollah fighters, medics and others sparked confusion and panic in the group known for military discipline and order. Some tossed away their devices as blasts echoed through Hezbollah-controlled areas of Beirut and other parts of Lebanon.
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