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| Pager explosions will devastate Hezbollah's morale and manpower | Pager explosions will devastate Hezbollah's morale and manpower |
| (8 days later) | |
| It is hard to think of an attack more calculated to sow fear and confusion. | It is hard to think of an attack more calculated to sow fear and confusion. |
| Hezbollah relies heavily on pagers for the group’s communications. | Hezbollah relies heavily on pagers for the group’s communications. |
| Mobile phones have long since been abandoned as simply too vulnerable - as Israel’s assassination of a Hamas bombmaker demonstrated as long ago as 1996. | Mobile phones have long since been abandoned as simply too vulnerable - as Israel’s assassination of a Hamas bombmaker demonstrated as long ago as 1996. |
| But today’s attacks were terrifying in their scope. | But today’s attacks were terrifying in their scope. |
| Hezbollah members were blown up in supermarkets, on the street, in their cars, at home, next to their children. | Hezbollah members were blown up in supermarkets, on the street, in their cars, at home, next to their children. |
| Incidents were reported from all across Lebanon, from Beirut to the Bekaa Valley. Even from neighbouring Syria. | Incidents were reported from all across Lebanon, from Beirut to the Bekaa Valley. Even from neighbouring Syria. |
| Iranian state TV confirmed that Tehran’s ambassador in Lebanon was among those injured. | Iranian state TV confirmed that Tehran’s ambassador in Lebanon was among those injured. |
| Each explosion may have been small, but some resulted in catastrophic injuries. | Each explosion may have been small, but some resulted in catastrophic injuries. |
| One particularly graphic image showed a lifeless young man slumped in a barber’s chair, his face bloodied. | One particularly graphic image showed a lifeless young man slumped in a barber’s chair, his face bloodied. |
| LIVE: Latest updates on the Hezbollah pager explosions | LIVE: Latest updates on the Hezbollah pager explosions |
| What we know about the attack in Lebanon | What we know about the attack in Lebanon |
| Watch: Video appears to show explosion at supermarket | Watch: Video appears to show explosion at supermarket |
| Bowen: Tactical triumph for Israel, but Hezbollah won't be deterred | Bowen: Tactical triumph for Israel, but Hezbollah won't be deterred |
| What is Hezbollah in Lebanon and why is it fighting with Israel? | What is Hezbollah in Lebanon and why is it fighting with Israel? |
| Video appears to show pager exploding in a supermarket | Video appears to show pager exploding in a supermarket |
| At a time when Hezbollah and Israel have been locked in a low-level war for almost a year, these attacks will have devastating consequences for Hezbollah’s manpower, communications and morale. | At a time when Hezbollah and Israel have been locked in a low-level war for almost a year, these attacks will have devastating consequences for Hezbollah’s manpower, communications and morale. |
| Israel has yet to comment, but this was undoubtedly its work - no other group or country has the motivation or capacity to do something like this. | Israel has yet to comment, but this was undoubtedly its work - no other group or country has the motivation or capacity to do something like this. |
| It is the latest in a series of sophisticated military and undercover operations that have included, since mid-July, a long-range air raid in Yemen, as well as assassinations in Beirut and Tehran. | It is the latest in a series of sophisticated military and undercover operations that have included, since mid-July, a long-range air raid in Yemen, as well as assassinations in Beirut and Tehran. |
| Do the pager attacks herald a larger Israeli operation? | Do the pager attacks herald a larger Israeli operation? |
| With large numbers of Hezbollah's personnel now injured and its vital communication network massively - and embarrassingly - disrupted, this would clearly be a tempting moment for Israel to take advantage. | With large numbers of Hezbollah's personnel now injured and its vital communication network massively - and embarrassingly - disrupted, this would clearly be a tempting moment for Israel to take advantage. |
| Israeli leaders have been signalling, in recent days, their desire to alter the military status quo along the Lebanese border. | Israeli leaders have been signalling, in recent days, their desire to alter the military status quo along the Lebanese border. |
| On Sunday, Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said Israel needed “a change in the balance of power on our northern border". | On Sunday, Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said Israel needed “a change in the balance of power on our northern border". |
| Tens of thousands of Israeli citizens have spent most of a year away from their homes. Israel ordered an evacuation of vulnerable northern communities when Hezbollah started firing rockets into northern Israel, soon after the Gaza war began. | Tens of thousands of Israeli citizens have spent most of a year away from their homes. Israel ordered an evacuation of vulnerable northern communities when Hezbollah started firing rockets into northern Israel, soon after the Gaza war began. |
| Months of retaliatory Israeli air strikes have also forced huge numbers of Lebanese civilians to abandon their homes. | Months of retaliatory Israeli air strikes have also forced huge numbers of Lebanese civilians to abandon their homes. |
| On Monday, Mr Netanyahu and his defence minister, Yoav Gallant, both warned a visiting US official that Israel was prepared to do whatever it took to ensure its security. | On Monday, Mr Netanyahu and his defence minister, Yoav Gallant, both warned a visiting US official that Israel was prepared to do whatever it took to ensure its security. |
| For the first time, the government also said its Gaza war aims included allowing Israelis to return to their homes, raising the spectre of a wider conflict, possibly involving a limited ground invasion to create a buffer zone in southern Lebanon. | For the first time, the government also said its Gaza war aims included allowing Israelis to return to their homes, raising the spectre of a wider conflict, possibly involving a limited ground invasion to create a buffer zone in southern Lebanon. |
| There are no signs yet of the sort of build up of men and armour that would be needed for a major military incursion, but today’s attacks represent yet another dangerous escalation. | There are no signs yet of the sort of build up of men and armour that would be needed for a major military incursion, but today’s attacks represent yet another dangerous escalation. |
| It is hard to see how Hezbollah won’t feel compelled to respond in some way. | It is hard to see how Hezbollah won’t feel compelled to respond in some way. |
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