Tuesday September 16th, pagers - small walkie talkie like communication device - mysteriously exploded on the bodies of those associated with the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah - founded in 1982 to end the Israel occupation of Southern Lebanon which they achieved in 2000 - killing 9 and injuring thousands.
The following day, more electronic devices exploded in Lebanon, killing at least another 25 people and injuring more than 600. The specifics of the time, process and culprit of these devastating military operations is still rolling out.
However currently, fingers are pointed at Israel being the military force behind the operation, as Hezbollah and Israel's relationship has been strained over the years in event such as the 2006 war and current day, where shots across the border are exchanged daily since October 7th. In response, the Israel military has declined to comment on this issue.
In relation, Hezbollah sent over a hundred missiles into Northern Israel, Israel responding with hundreds of airstrikes on Lebanon - killing a elite commander of Hezbollah and dozens more.
U.S. officials in the Biden administration are scrambling as escalation is prescribed to continue, both sides asserting their commitment to a war, Israel officials saying their in a "new phase of the war" and "the sequence of military operations will continue".
A Hezbollah and Israel war has dangerous implications for the middle east, as a full out middle east war could very well be on the horizon, and the U.S' place in it's affairs is a crucial decision that may need to be made soon.
While some are focused on the possibility of a full break out war, others are more concerned on the effect this will have on the Gaza-ceasefire. Although military assaults on Gaza have slowed, they still occur, and with Israels resources and attention diverted towards Hezbollah, the ceasefire will be unlikely to pass, creating more Palestinian suffering as a byproduct.
The direction of this continuing escalating conflict is currently unknown however, regardless of where it goes, the unnecessary suffering and displacement of innocent people is a sure outcome.
Sources:
https://apnews.com/article/hezbollah-israel-hamas-lebanon-gaza-62d6eb8831fbd871f862146add7970d9
https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-israel-hezbollah-pager-explosion-e9493409a0648b846fdcadffdb02d71e
https://apnews.com/article/israel-lebanon-hezbollah-war-pagers-920ced5349562163eeb96d6a5a768e89
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/09/20/israel-hezbollah-escalation-00180299
https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/israel-lebanon-attacks-09-22-24/index.html
https://www.npr.org/2024/09/22/g-s1-24085/dozens-of-rockets-fired-into-israel-from-lebanon-idf-says
5 comments:
I've heard that the walkie talkies being used in the bombing were manufactured in Asia. Is it possible that there might be an outside force trying to further the conflict in Israel for their own gain?
It seems crazy to me that this war has escalated to such an extent, where pagers, and presumable other electronic devices, can be turned into IED's. Israel's use of such devastating warfare should really be considered a war crime, even if the attacks were directed at Hezbollah, many non-affiliated citizens were caught in the crossfire and either injured and killed. I think that this is a sign that this war isn't going to be resolved any time soon, and will most likely get more and more ugly as time passes. I just hope that nuclear devices don't get thrown in the mix, as the effects of a nuclear bombing would be devastating for both countries.
Nearing the year-mark of the initial attacks on October 7th, the way the war has carried on has been devastating to many. To specify your claims, it is the lithium batteries within these walkie talkie device, which are being blown up. That being said, lithium is EVERYWHERE, the lithium batteries in cell-phones, children's toys, cameras, and even cars. This new technology should not just be a concern to citizens in places of war, but citizens everywhere. As technology evolves, so does cyber-security, and security threats- and we have seen wide-scale escalations of this. The commitment of these attacks onto civilians, is a massive war-crime, and violates international law. The international outcry following this event is appropriate, and one must wonder what devices are similarly vulnerable now as this technology develops.
It is disheartening to reflect on how, nearly a year after the initial attacks, the use of explosives embedded in electronic devices, such as pagers, has further escalated conflict in the Middle East. The use of these hidden explosives demonstrate a troubling evolution in modern warfare, one that not only targets combatants but also puts civilians in extreme danger. The humanitarian crisis that continues to unfold as innocent people are caught in the crossfire reminds us of the devastating costs of this prolonged conflict. The international community must urgently address these new forms of warfare to protect innocent lives.
Given the amount of planning that is now understood to have gone into these attacks, it seems that Israel has little intention to step down on any of their current war fronts -- this is the immoral path they are clearly commited to. Especially given the escalation with air strikes and the killing of Hezbollah's leader (and previous attacks by Israel to other countries), Israel does not have any regard for citizens where they seemingly get in the way of their political fights. While terrorist groups such as Hezbollah should not be allowed to operate in the Middle East in the first, there must be other international groups speaking out and putting in real effort to make systematic change in the region. Israel's violent power grab must be clearly addressed and stopped, as they dangerously strengthen military programs in Gaza, Iran proxies, and Lebanon.
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