Lebanon Pager Attack: A Terrorist Act Funded by Americans

Lebanon is grappling with an unprecedented attack characterized by a mass sabotage of electronic devices that were remotely detonated. Small explosives concealed in pagers and walkie-talkies detonated while their users were in homes, supermarkets, buses, and on the streets. In these recent attacks, at least 37 individuals, including two children, lost their lives, and thousands sustained injuries across two waves of strikes this week. Both the Lebanese government and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah have pointed fingers at Israel as the instigator. While Israel has not openly acknowledged its involvement, those following the situation in the Middle East can surmise that the operation likely originated in Tel Aviv.

On Friday, Israel escalated the conflict, executing an airstrike that reportedly resulted in the death of senior Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Aqil in Beirut. In retaliation, Israeli officials reported that Hezbollah launched numerous rockets into northern Israel.

While sabotage is a component of war, the morality and legality of converting pagers into bombs is under scrutiny. The decision to transform these communication devices into lethal weapons carries a substantial risk of collateral damage. Many of the devices targeted belonged not only to Hezbollah personnel but also to medical staff and civilians.

Previously, Israel’s strategy of targeting specific individuals, such as a bomb maker affiliated with Hamas, appeared to minimize the risk of civilian casualties, especially when compared to broader military responses like missile strikes. However, this recent attack has terrorized Lebanon as a whole. Medical facilities are now overwhelmed with casualties from the explosion. Many residents are drawing parallels between the recent chaos and the devastation following the 2020 Beirut dock explosion.

Hezbollah, in cooperation with Hamas, has executed numerous attacks against Israeli civilians, indiscriminately harming innocents, including children. While their brutality is concerning, it is crucial to note that any financial and political support from American citizens towards Israel complicates the situation. When incidents like these occur, it raises questions about the complicity of those who support Israel through taxes.

The efficacy of such aggressive tactics in promoting peace for Israel remains dubious. Those who believe that such actions can lead Hezbollah to reconsider its position and pursue negotiations may be misguided. Instead of deterring Hezbollah, the cyber attack has merely stirred anger among different sectors of Lebanese society and the Arab world. Responses to the strikes include Iraq sending medical aid to Lebanon, while Egypt has voiced its solidarity.

In examining the potential repercussions, one must question whether Hezbollah will find it easier or harder to recruit new members in the wake of these attacks. While some fighters may have been killed, there will likely be a surge of replacements eager to join the cause.

Hezbollah has long posed a formidable challenge to Israel, acting as a non-state actor with a military presence wielding power surpassing that of Lebanon’s national army. In discussions with a Lebanese government official, predictions indicated that Hezbollah could overcome the Lebanese military decisively within a matter of days. This group, bolstered by financial and military support from Iran, continues to strengthen its capabilities, making it a more potent military threat compared to Hamas.

The hope for the future rests on the possibility that Hezbollah might eventually fall under the control of Lebanon’s political leadership, fostering a coalition of various Lebanese factions, including Sunni, Druze, Christian, and moderate Shiite leaders, to pursue peace with Israel. While such an outcome remains a distant dream, it remains the only realistic path toward a favorable resolution in the ongoing conflict.

However, the recent cyber attack may push that dream further from reality. Although comparing this act of sabotage to a Hamas bombing may be an overreach, one cannot overlook the parallels. The fallout from earlier bombings against Israeli targets led to increased national unity in Israel and a hardening of policies against Palestinians. The current tensions could yield a similar effect in Lebanon, fostering a rallying cry in support of Hezbollah, even among its harshest critics.

This episode could prompt American citizens to reconsider their support for a nation conducting such alarming tactics that endanger many lives, including those of children.

Source: USA Today