U.S. Reacts to Exploding Pager Attacks Blamed On Mossad

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has voiced his frustration on Tuesday’s Hezbollah pager explosions, emphasizing that recent escalations risk undermining efforts to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
It is alleged that Mossad, Israel’s spy agency, are responsible for the attacks.
Blinken, who is currently in Egypt for ceasefire talks, stated that the U.S. is still evaluating the situation following the previous day’s attacks.
Initial explosions occurred on Tuesday, with even more taking place again today on radio-controlled devices operated by Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Both involved personal pagers used by the group’s members and so far have resulted in the deaths of at least 15 people, including a child. Hundreds more have been left wounded.
“Time and again” when the U.S. and other international mediators believe themselves to be making progress in a ceasefire deal for Israel and Hamas’ war in Gaza, “we’ve seen an event that makes the process more difficult, might derail it,” Blinken said.
The U.S. government is yet to remark on the second wave of attacks.
Despite speculation and rising tensions, Israel has yet to publicly acknowledge its involvement.
The Secretary of State’s remarks arrive amid back and forth aimed at halting nearly a year of conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Both incidents have exacerbated an already fraught situation in the region, as efforts to mediate a ceasefire have faced continuous setbacks.
The U.S., alongside international partners such as Egypt, has been actively working to de-escalate tensions and negotiate a resolution.
Blinken highlighted that such incidents often occur cyclically, just as progress seems possible.
He referred to the recent killing of six hostages by Hamas militants, which derailed promising negotiations for a potential exchange of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
Since the conflict erupted in October 2023, after Hamas militants attacked Israel, mediated talks have seen sporadic breakthroughs followed by renewed hostilities.
Blinken’s visit to the Middle East is his tenth since he was appointed in 2021.
These trips have been critical in addressing various aspects of the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, regional stability, and U.S. diplomatic relations with key allies in the region.
The last significant conflict between Israel and Lebanon was the 2006 Lebanon War, when Hezbollah launched a cross-border raid into northern Israel. Two Israeli soldiers were captured and several others killed.
In response, Israel launched a military campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Earlier this year, Eran Etzion, who served in several senior roles for Israel during the Lebanon War, told Newsweek he couldn’t see a way of Israel winning a future conflict.
“It’s very hard to see how this war can be won quickly, or at all,” he said.
“From my perspective, I think it’s going to be a war that Israel will lose within the first 24 hours,” he added, “simply because of the pictures we will see of mass destruction in very sensitive areas within Israel on a scale we’ve never seen before.”
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.