Hezbollah is humiliated

The terrorists of Hezbollah suffered a significant humiliating blow in Lebanon on Tuesday.

According to news reports, around 3:30 p.m. local time, pagers used by Hezbollah members exploded. The pagers had been turned into explosive devices, with deadly effects.

The explosions also reached some parts of Syria, in locations populated by Hezbollah militants. The precision of the operation was remarkable, and the targets were notably Hezbollah terrorists. As of now, at least 12 people were killed on Tuesday and more than 3,000 wounded. In a second wave of device explosions on Wednesday, at least 20 more people died. Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, is among the injured, while two adult sons of major leaders of Hezbollah are reportedly among those killed. The reports indicate that the leader of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, is not among the dead or injured.

The clear humiliation of this operation to Hezbollah stems from how it prides itself on its security measures, evidenced in how its terrorists use outdated technologies—such as pagers—precisely to avoid detection by intelligence agencies and especially by its avowed enemy, Israel.

Immediately after the news broke, almost all fingers pointed to Israel. So far, nobody has claimed responsibility, although Hezbollah and Lebanon’s prime minister have blamed Israel. Still, the Jewish state has been completely silent on the matter. In fact, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directed lawmakers not to take any interview requests.

Was Israel really behind the operation?

In reality, there is little question. There is no better intelligence capability in the entire region. No one else could have accomplished such a sophisticated and precise operation—which looks like the work of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency. This is why we are seeing Western media reports with headlines like “Israel behind deadly pager explosions that targeted Hezbollah and injured thousands in Lebanon.” According to The New York Times, Israeli operatives had hidden explosive material in a shipment of pagers made in Taiwan before they arrived in Lebanon that could be detonated remotely.

Arguably, the planning of this massive and precise operation took months, and it clearly has the fingerprints of Israel, notably known for its highly meticulous and sophisticated intelligence.

Was this operation only targeting Hezbollah? Well, yes, but it goes far beyond that.

This sophisticated and coordinated undertaking is not only significantly humiliating to Hezbollah, but it is also severely embarrassing to its ultimate patron, Iran. A little more than a month ago, Israel reportedly led a consequential operation assassinating Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh inside the Iranian heartland, and now Israel shows its reach into the heartland of Hezbollah strongholds inside Lebanon. Iran and Hezbollah, alongside the Houthis in Yemen and Iraq, serve as the Shiite power in the region, and the operation serves as a clear warning message to them all.

So, was it a message against Shiite Muslim terrorists only? No.

This operation also sends a clear message of might and assertiveness against the terrorists of the Sunni Hamas group.

Hezbollah and Hamas have been showing strong ties and cooperation, especially since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Just last week, Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar sent a letter of affirmation and gratitude to Hezbollah, thanking leader Hassan Nasrallah. This was Sinwar’s first letter since he became the Hamas leader in August. Clearly, Hezbollah has shown solidarity with Hamas by attacking Israel across the Lebanese-Israeli border. Hence, the Tuesday operation that humiliated Hezbollah.

Therefore, just one remarkably planned operation has a clear message to several evil terrorist agents. While it occurred primarily in Lebanon, it tactically and strategically was designed to send a deeper message, clearly wider in its scope and regional reach. The message declares to many evil agents that Israel is not going to stop until tactical goals are accomplished.

But, finally, what is the significance of attacking Hezbollah now, particularly in the overall conflict between Israel and its enemies in the region?

Without a doubt, Hezbollah is the most powerful faction of the Iran-backed terrorists in the Middle East. Hitting the bigger and the stronger agent is significant and consequential, sending a powerful message to warn the others. The bottom line is that this operation was a huge success for Israeli intelligence against various evil agents, self-identified as the Axis of Resistance, although critics identify them as the Axis of Evil.

Some say that this operation is a precursor of a complete and imminent war against Hezbollah. Maybe. However, it’s highly doubtful that Israel will open a major military front in the north while the matter of Hamas in the south is not yet complete.

Most likely, Israel chose the timing of the explosive pagers this week to avoid a possible thwarted operation to hit the strongholds of Hezbollah if its members discover the tampered devices. In addition, with reports of explosions of walkie-talkies confirmed on Wednesday, this is without question an unfolding story. And the entire world is watching for what comes next.