Head of Hezbollah declares that widespread pager attacks amount to a declaration of war
The U.N. Security Council is scheduled to convene on Friday to discuss the explosions.
Hezbollah’s leader issued a warning on Thursday regarding remote attacks in Lebanon targeting pagers and walkie-talkies, describing them as a potential “declaration of war.”
Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, expressed in a televised address that the recent explosive attacks orchestrated by Israel have significantly impacted the resistance movement and Lebanon as a whole.
He accused Israel of being responsible for these attacks, deeming them unprecedented and crossing moral and legal boundaries, possibly constituting war crimes.
In his address, Nasrallah did not disclose how Hezbollah would retaliate, stating, “I will not speak about time, or form, or place.”
Nasrallah also mentioned the widespread explosions of pagers, occurring in various public locations like hospitals and stores.
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Iran also responded to the remote attacks in Lebanon, accusing Israel, with Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon being injured in the recent explosions, as reported by state media.
Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations addressed the regime’s intentions to take necessary actions in response to the attacks on their ambassador in Lebanon, citing potential violations of international law.
Both Lebanon’s government and Hezbollah have implicated Israel in the attacks on Hezbollah’s communication infrastructure, resulting in significant casualties and damages.
Israel has refrained from commenting on the attacks and any potential involvement of its military.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated that Israel would continue to exert pressure on Hezbollah following the recent attacks, aiming to achieve its objectives without specifying further details.
Blinken emphasized the importance of restraint from both sides and avoidance of actions that could escalate tensions further, particularly as Gaza cease-fire negotiations are ongoing.
Two Israeli soldiers were reported killed on Thursday in northern Israel due to attacks by Hezbollah.
The U.N. Secretary-General’s office called for restraint from both parties following the pager detonations to prevent further escalation.
The Security Council of the United Nations will convene on Friday to address the recent pager blasts, as revealed by Slovenia’s UN Ambassador, who presides over the Security Council.
Reuters contributed to this report.
