Israel

Lebanon: Mass Explosion of Pagers Belonging to Hezbollah

Published

3 months ago

September 17, 2024

At least nine people were killed, and around 2,800 injured in Lebanon on Tuesday after a series of explosions involving pagers belonging to Hezbollah members, according to the country’s health minister. The incident is considered one of the most significant security breaches for Hezbollah since the Israel-Gaza conflict began nearly a year ago. A Hezbollah official cited lithium batteries inside the pagers as the likely cause of the detonations, though some members reported feeling their pagers “heating up” before abandoning them.

Hezbollah officials, speculating about the cause, have suggested the possibility of Israeli malware infiltrating their devices, according to the Wall Street Journal. Seven others were similarly killed in Syria near Damascus, indicating a coordinated attack on the group across multiple countries, reported Iran’s IRGC-affiliated Saberin News.

The explosions continued for about 30 minutes, with reports of detonations in southern Lebanon, far from Beirut. Iranian state-owned Mehr News Agency reported that Mojtaba Amani, Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon, was injured but is in stable condition.

Hezbollah has blamed Israel for the attack, though the Israeli military has declined to comment. This comes just hours after Israel’s Shin Bet claimed to have thwarted an assassination attempt on a former senior Israeli defense official. The IDF has warned its citizens of a potential escalation, as tensions have been high following the killing of senior Hezbollah official Fuad Shukr and Hamas political bureau chairman Ismail Haniya in Tehran in July.

Hezbollah has been launching rockets at Israel since Hamas initiated its assault on the country in October of last year. The latest explosions highlight the ongoing volatility in the region as both sides brace for further conflict.

8 deaths and some 2,800 injuries resulted from Tuesday morning’s Beirut attack involving a mass explosion of pagers the group uses to communicate, according to Lebanon’s health minister. | @WelzAlex

https://t.co/lBYhNSKMzE

— National Review (@NRO) September 17, 2024

Israel

President-Elect Trump to Hamas: ‘Release Hostages Now’ or there will be ‘Hell to Pay’

Published

1 week ago

December 3, 2024

Sara Carter Staff

Following the release of a Hamas propaganda video with footage of Israeli-American soldier Edan Alexander, 20, alive after over 420 days in captivity, as well as the IDF having confirmed the death of American-Israeli Captain Omer Neutra who was abducted during the October 7th attack, Trump is not mincing words.

United States President-elect Donald Trump declared Monday that there will be “hell to pay” if the hostages held by Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists in Gaza are not freed before his inauguration on January 20. The message marked the first time since November’s election that the former chief executive commented on the situation facing captured Israeli citizens in the coastal enclave, reports Foreign Desk News.

Writing on his Truth Social account, the former president warned the captors, “Please let this TRUTH serve to represent that if the hostages are not released prior to January 20, 2025, the date that I proudly assume Office as President of the United States, there will be ALL HELL TO PAY in the Middle East, and for those in charge who perpetrated these atrocities against Humanity. Those responsible will be hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied History of the United States of America. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW!”

During the October 7, 2023, massacre in southern Israel, the invaders kidnapped 251 individuals after killing almost 1,200 civilians and responding security forces.

Following negotiations and rescue operations led by the Israeli military over the past year, authorities in Jerusalem estimate about 60 of the 95 remaining abductees are still alive, adds FDN.