The unprecedented operation against the Lebanese Shiite group "Hezbollah", in which hundreds of pagers were almost simultaneously blown up throughout Lebanon and parts of Syria, is today a central topic in the Western press, BTA writes.
At 3:30 p.m. local time, a message was received on pagers in Lebanon that looked like a message from the leadership of "Hezbollah", American experts told the "New York Times". However, the message in question activated the explosives. The Lebanese health minister said at least 11 people were killed and more than 2,700 injured, the American newspaper recalls.
According to people familiar with the matter, Israel has hidden explosives in a new batch of pagers made in Taiwan, which were imported into Lebanon. "Hezbollah" ordered the devices from the company "Gold Apollo". According to independent cybersecurity experts who have studied footage of the attacks, the force and speed of the explosions indicate that explosives were placed in the pagers.
"These pagers were probably modified in some way to cause such explosions - the size and force of the explosions indicate that it is not just about the battery," said Mikko Hypponen, a research specialist at the software company "WithSecure" (WithSecure) and Europol cybercrime advisor.
Many are wondering why now, writes the American magazine "Foreign Policy". Israel had stated that one of the goals of its war was to prevent attacks by "Hezbollah" despite warnings from the United States not to carry out attacks that could lead to a full-scale armed conflict in the region. It is possible that yesterday's attack was the first salvo in a long-term Israeli military campaign against "Hezbollah" in Lebanon, but it could also be another covert operation in the long-running shadow war between Israel and Iranian proxies. There is also a possibility that the Israelis have proceeded with the operation due to time constraints in which it can be carried out, "Foreign Policy" also writes.
The attack may contribute to improving the reputation of the Israeli intelligence service "Mossad", which was severely damaged by the "Hamas" attacks against southern Israel on October 7, the publication predicts.
As for the specific practical effects of the operation with the explosion of the pagers, the magazine notes that in the short term, "Hezbollah" will face significant communication problems. In addition, hundreds of fighters from the group have received injuries that will at least temporarily put them out of action, according to "Foreign Policy".
The Houthis in Yemen, as well as a number of paramilitary groups in Iraq and Syria and other Iranian proxies, will take more serious precautions. This may include a change in communication methods, which will directly affect coordination and make it difficult for them to launch independent attacks, the American magazine also writes. The effect will be felt far beyond the borders of Lebanon, as many illegal groups around the world, including terrorist, criminal and hacking organizations, will doubt the security of the means of communication they use, concludes "Foreign Policy".
The British newspaper "The Guardian" quotes Israeli writer and journalist Yossi Melman, author of several books on Israeli intelligence, who says: "we know that "Mossad" is capable of penetrating and infiltrating "Hezbollah" again and again". However, Melman questions the strategic expediency of the attack, in which a 10-year-old girl was killed.
"This increases the chance that the border crisis will escalate into war", warns the Israeli journalist. According to him, the operation is "more of a sign of panic". On the one hand, it shows an exceptional ability to strike at the heart of "Hezbollah", but on the other hand - the operation is neither particularly targeted nor would it change the broader strategic picture, Melman believes.
Israel's decision to launch yesterday's attack was probably motivated by political and operational factors, writes in the "Washington Post" American journalist and author of thrillers and spy novels David Ignatius. There is no progress in adopting and implementing the US-backed ceasefire plan in the Gaza Strip, and therefore no hope for a diplomatic agreement with "Hezbollah" to calm the situation along the border, Ignatius commented.
Israel's desire to strike Hezbollah more strongly reflects the view shared by many Israelis that the country cannot afford a prolonged war of attrition with the Lebanese group. Although the Israeli army has successfully neutralized Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Hezbollah continues to expand its rocket attacks on northern Israel, the American journalist also writes. More than 60,000 Israelis have been forced to evacuate their homes in the Lebanese border area, leaving behind ghost towns, he recalls.
The political pressure to resolve the situation on the northern border has become almost as strong as the desire to free the hostages, Ignatius concludes.