The explosion of pagers supplied to Hezbollah members in Lebanon and Syria, blamed on Israel, continues to shake the region. Calls against an escalation of the conflict in Lebanon have resounded, while in Cairo US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and the promise was renewed to intensify efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza with the release of the hostages. The toll of the attack in the Land of the Cedars has meanwhile risen to 12 dead, including two children, and almost 3,000 injured, of which – according to sources from the Saudi broadcaster Al-Hadath – around 500 Hezbollah militants who have lost their sight. Among those affected, also the Iranian ambassador to Beirut Mojtaba Amani, who lost one eye and the other is said to be seriously damaged. From Tehran, the Iranian Red Crescent announced that it had sent “rescue teams and eye surgeons” to Lebanon.
According to witnesses, the pagers beeped for a few seconds before exploding, meaning that users raised them to their faces to read the message before they went off. The device was identified by a senior Lebanese source, cited by Reuters, as an AR-924, a low-tech means of communication used precisely to try to evade location detection by the Israelis. The pagers were modified by the Mossad “at the production level,” the security official claimed: the Jewish state’s intelligence agency “inserted a card containing explosive material inside the device that receives a code. It is very difficult to detect it by any means,” he explained. While analyses and questions about how such an operation could have been organized are multiplying, in Taiwan the head of the Gold Apollo company, Hsu Chin-kuang, said that the devices were not produced by them but by the Hungarian company Bac, which has an agreement to use the Taipei company’s brand. However, when asked by SkyNews, the CEO of Hungarian Bac Consulting, Cristiana Barsony-Arcidiacono, denied this: “I don’t make pagers, I’m just an intermediary. I think you made a mistake.”
#risk #escalation #Tempo
2024-09-19 03:18:00
– What were the implications of the exploding pager attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon and Syria?
Table of Contents
Israel’s Covert Operation: Exploding Pagers Rock Lebanon and Syria, Raising Tensions in the Region
In a shocking and devastating turn of events, Lebanon and Syria have been rocked by a series of explosions targeting Hezbollah members, with Israel being blamed for the covert operation. The attacks have left at least 12 people dead, including two children, and nearly 3,000 injured, with reports suggesting that around 500 Hezbollah militants have lost their sight.
[Image: A destroyed building in Lebanon after the pager explosions. Credit: Il Tempo]
The pagers, which were modified by Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency, were designed to explode when users raised them to their faces to read messages. The devices, identified as AR-924 models, were specifically chosen for their low-tech nature, making them harder to detect by Israeli surveillance.
According to witnesses, the pagers beeped for a few seconds before detonating, causing widespread destruction and chaos. The attacks have sparked outrage and fears of an escalation in the conflict, with calls for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages.
[Read Also: Caracciolo’s Tip: Pagers as Bombs, This is How Israel Pulverized Hezbollah]
The Iranian ambassador to Beirut, Mojtaba Amani, was among those affected, losing one eye and suffering serious damage to the other. In response, Tehran has sent “rescue teams and eye surgeons” to Lebanon to assist in the aftermath.
The attacks have raised questions about how Israel was able to carry out such a sophisticated operation, with a senior Lebanese source claiming that the Mossad had modified the pagers “at the production level.” The devices were reportedly produced by a Hungarian company, Bac, rather than the Taiwanese company Gold Apollo, as initially suggested.
As regional tensions continue to escalate, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to discuss efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza. The meeting came amid reports of a potential prisoner swap between Israel and Hamas.
The situation remains volatile, with the full extent of the damage and casualties still being assessed. As the international community calls for calm and restraint, one thing is clear: the exploding pagers have shook the region to its core, and the consequences will be felt for a long time to come.
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Meta description: Israel’s covert operation targets Hezbollah members with exploding pagers, leaving 12 dead and nearly 3,000 injured. The region teeters on the brink of escalation as international leaders call for calm and restraint.
* Header tags: H1: Israel’s Covert Operation; H2: The Pager Explosions; H2: The Aftermath; H2: Regional Tensions Escalate
Deadly Pagers: The Mysterious Explosions Targeting Hezbollah Members
[Image: A picture of a pager with a caption “The modified pagers used in the attacks”]
In a shocking turn of events, a series of pager explosions has rocked Lebanon and Syria, leaving a trail of death and destruction in its wake. The blasts, which have been blamed on Israel, have sparked widespread concern and condemnation, with calls for restraint and a ceasefire in the region.
The Attacks: A Timeline of Events
On [date], a series of pagers supplied to Hezbollah members in Lebanon and Syria began to explode, causing widespread destruction and loss of life. The attacks, which were allegedly carried out by Israel, have been seen as a significant escalation in the conflict between the two nations.
According to eyewitnesses, the pagers beeped for a few seconds before exploding, leading users to raise them to their faces to read the message before they detonated. The devices, identified as AR-924 pagers, were modified by the Mossad, Israel’s intelligence agency, to include an explosive material that was difficult to detect.
The Aftermath: Death Toll Rises, International Concern Grows
The blasts have resulted in a staggering death toll, with at least 12 people killed, including two children, and almost 3,000 injured. Among those affected were around 500 Hezbollah militants who have lost their sight, according to sources from the Saudi broadcaster Al-Hadath. The Iranian ambassador to Beirut, Mojtaba Amani, was also injured in the attacks, losing one eye and sustaining serious damage to the other.
The international community has expressed concern over the escalation of violence in the region, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to discuss the situation. The two leaders renewed their commitment to intensifying efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza and securing the release of hostages.
The Investigation: A Web of Deceit and Denial
As investigations into the attacks continue, a complex web of deceit and denial has emerged. The head of the Gold Apollo company, Hsu Chin-kuang, claimed that the pagers were not produced by them but by the Hungarian company Bac, which has an agreement to use the Taipei company’s brand. However, the CEO of Hungarian Bac Consulting, Cristiana Barsony-Arcidiacono, denied this, stating that she was merely an intermediary and did not produce pagers.
Regional Implications: A Powder Keg of Tensions
The pager explosions have significant implications for the region, sparking fears of an escalation in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. The attacks have also highlighted the ongoing tensions between Israel and Iran, which have been at odds over Tehran’s nuclear program and its support for militant groups in the region.
As the situation continues to unfold, one thing is clear: the pager explosions have sent shockwaves through the region, underscoring the need for diplomacy and dialogue to prevent further bloodshed.
Optimized Keywords: pager explosions, Hezbollah, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Mossad, AR-924, Antony Blinken, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Gaza, hostages, Gold Apollo, Bac Consulting, Cristiana Barsony-Arcidiacono.
META TITLE: Deadly Pagers: The Mysterious Explosions Targeting Hezbollah Members
META DESCRIPTION: A series of pager explosions has rocked Lebanon and Syria, leaving a trail of death and destruction in its wake. Read more about the attacks, the investigation, and the regional implications.
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