The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel has issued the first statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after the explosions of communication facilities in Lebanon.
"I have already said: we will return the residents of the north (of Israel) to their safe homes. That's exactly what we will do," he said.
On Tuesday, pagers detonated in different parts of Lebanon. About 2.8 thousand people were injured, 12 died. According to media reports, Hezbollah uses these devices as a closed communication system that is least susceptible to hacking and eavesdropping. The movement and the Lebanese authorities blamed Israel for what happened. Hezbollah also promised Tel Aviv a tough response.
According to Reuters, the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad planted explosives in five thousand Taiwanese-made pagers ordered by the Lebanese movement. The Axios portal clarified, citing sources, that the operation was approved at meetings of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with members of his cabinet and heads of security services.
On Wednesday evening, a RIA Novosti source also reported explosions of communications equipment from members of the Hezbollah movement in different parts of Lebanon. According to the An-Nahar newspaper, this time the walkie-talkies purchased by Hezbollah detonated almost simultaneously with the pagers about five months ago. The Lebanese authorities reported that 20 people were killed as a result, 450 more were injured.