Exactly one day after the first explosions in Lebanon and Syria, several new alarm explosions came today. This time there are alarms about communication devices, including walkie talkies, that have exploded.
– The explanation may lie in the fact that these walkie talkies that we are talking about today were purchased at about the same time as the pagers. It is possible that Israel has somehow been able to get its hands on them, says Anders Persson.
Many sources state that the Israeli spy service Mossad is behind the plot where the objects have been loaded with explosives. The attacks must have been carried out prematurely because it was feared that it was about to be revealed.
– This is an incredible development on a development that was already incredible. I cannot recall anything similar in modern history, says Middle East expert Anders Persson.
It points to Israel being behind the attacks
Israeli authorities have not claimed responsibility for the attacks. It is a cryptic silence, according to Anders Persson. But he believes that the evidence that Israel is behind the attack is clearer today.
– Among other things, there have been very credible leaks to the New York Times, which is also a way for Israeli representatives to communicate without formally taking this on, so I would say that the evidence is good, says Anders Persson.
Terror expert Magnus Ranstorp says that there is no other country that has the same interest as Israel in attacking Hezbollah.
– It is very likely that it is so, they will never take this on, but there are not that many other countries that have this interest in neutralizing this movement, says Magnus Ranstorp.
Several possible motives behind the attacks
According to Anders Persson, it may be that they want to greatly weaken Hezbollah and partially try to clip the organization’s wings. It may be that you want to try to knock out specific members at high or mid-level.
– It could also be that Israel wants Hezbollah to strike back forcefully in order to then get a pretext for a more full-scale attack on Lebanon. The motive is not entirely clear, says Anders Persson.
The expert on the risk of major war
Many are now worried that the situation will escalate into a full-scale war between Israel and Hezbollah, but Anders Persson believes that it is not certain that Hezbollah will respond to the attacks.
– And even if there is a war, it is not certain that it will be an apocalyptic war, says Anders Persson.
Fact: Pager
A pager is a small, portable radio receiver that receives messages. The message can consist of an audio signal or a phone number or text displayed in a box. The viewfinder is less sensitive to poor coverage than telephones.
Pagers have been used, among other things, in healthcare or in business contexts, where security is important.
In the 1980s and 1990s, they were common for quickly reaching people when cell phones were not yet as widespread.
Source: TT