MP Emily Thornberry has cautioned about potential repercussions in the Middle East following an apparent Israeli-linked attack in Lebanon and Syria that left at least 12 people dead.
In what appeared to be a remote attack, thousands of people across Lebanon were reported injured after pagers being used by the Hezbollah organization simultaneously exploded on Tuesday.
Two children were killed and the Iranian ambassador was wounded, as a result of the attack, which Hezbollah and the Lebanese government said was carried out by Israel. Israel, however, has so far not commented on the attacks.
Commenting on the repercussions of the attack, the newly elected chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Thornberry said that the situation was “very worrying.”
“We are really concerned about what is happening now in Lebanon. I think the big question is: why? Why is this happening now? And what will the result of that be?
“It seems to be yet another escalation of the conflict which is happening in the Middle East, which will affect all of us. And it is very worrying indeed, of course it is, and what the response will be? And is this the first step, and what will Israel do next? Is it part of a larger plan?” she told Sky News on Wednesday morning.
Thornberry added that she would “certainly be expecting Israel’s friends to be speaking very seriously to them” and asking questions, such as: “What on earth are you doing? Why is this happening now?”
Her remarks follow a statement by the Foreign Office that has urged “calm heads and de-escalation.”
Pager Explosions
For almost a year now, Hezbollah and Israeli forces have been exchanging strikes, which has led to hundreds of deaths and thousands of displaced people on both sides.Following Tuesday’s attack, an American official said Israel briefed the United States after the conclusion of the operation, which saw thousands of pagers explode in Lebanon.
A statement released by Taiwanese manufacturer Gold Apollo said that the AR-924 pagers, used in the attack, were manufactured in Hungary. The manufacturer, a company named BAC Consulting KFT, was registered in May 2022 and is based in Budapest.
“According to the co-operation agreement, we authorise BAC to use our brand trademark for product sales in designated regions, but the design and manufacturing of the products are solely the responsibility of BAC,” Gold Apollo said in a statement.
The AR-924 pagers contain a rechargeable lithium battery and up to 85 days of battery life. They run on a wireless network, different than one used by mobile phones.
In February, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah warned his people not to carry mobile phones, saying they could be used by Israel to target them with drone strikes. Around 170 Hezbollah terrorists had been killed in targeted Israeli strikes, including one senior commander and a top Hamas official in Beirut, when the decision was made to switch to pagers.
On Feb. 13, Nasrallah told his followers their phones were more dangerous than Israeli spies, and he advised them to smash them up, bury them or lock them in an iron box.
Most members switched to pagers to communicate and were provided with one by the organization.
