Israel says it is not behind the pager attacks.
At the same time, Netanyahu teases Hezbollah that if they didn’t understand the message, they will.
– I see it as Israel being behind. There is no doubt in my opinion, says political scientist Anders Persson, who believes that the effect of the attacks could lead to a full-scale war in the area.
On Sunday, Israeli President Isaac Herzog went out in an interview in which he denied the country’s involvement behind the pager attacks in Lebanon. The statement was cryptic and evasive, says Anders Persson, lecturer in political science at Linnaeus University.
– It’s incomprehensible nonsense, to be completely honest. That’s probably how it should be meant too, I think he has received orders from Netanyahu to neither answer, confirm or deny and that is exactly what he is doing, says Persson.
“Netanyahu can profit from this”
At the same time that Herzog denies the country’s involvement, an official video is published in which Netanyahu says that they delivered several blows to Hezbollah and that “If Hezbollah did not understand the message, they will.”
– I think he is referring to all attacks with pagers and beyond. Or maybe heavy Israeli bombing after that too.
– It must also be remembered that this is something Netanyahu himself can benefit from. Because it is seen as something that is very successful in Israel. He hopes to tick up in the opinion poll, says Anders Persson.
“Undoubtedly: Israel is behind”
However, several sources state that Israel is involved. Also several media, among others New York Timesreports on how Israel went about acquiring the pagers and how they were distributed. Anders Persson thinks the answer is obvious.
– I see it as Israel being behind. There is no doubt in my opinion, says Persson.
The attacks have since continued and escalated, Israel has carried out extensive aerial bombing of Lebanon and Hezbollah has pushed further into Israel.
According to Persson, why Israel chose to escalate is either that they want to force Hezbollah to withdraw from the border, or the purpose is that they want to provoke Hezbollah to fight back in order to then have an excuse to start a full-scale war.
“Can destroy Hezbollah”
While Israel has raised the stakes, Hezbollah is licking its wounds from what, according to Persson, is the biggest setback and humiliation in the organization’s history.
– A huge setback lies in one of the scales and then with expectations to take revenge. In the second balance is that if you hit back hard against Israel. Then you risk a full-scale war that could destroy Hezbollah. It is an existential dilemma and balancing act for Hezbollah.