Countries around world react to Lebanon pager ‘attacks’

At least 11 people were martyred and 4,000 others were injured in Lebanon following a series of pager blasts by the Israeli regime on Tuesday evening.

An Israeli cyber attack caused the detonation of hundreds of pagers, resulting in mass casualties across several regions in Lebanon, including Beirut, Bekaa, and the south.

The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon – Hezbollah – held the Israeli occupation fully responsible for the treacherous aggression caused by the cyber attack after obtaining results of its probe, as well as examining available data, regarding the pager detonations earlier today.

The Lebanese Resistance affirmed that the martyrs and injuries inspire the struggle on the path of al-Quds and champion the people of Gaza and the West Bank, as well as extend the continued field support [on the northern front] as a means to back the Palestinian Resistance.

Hezbollah vowed to respond to the Israeli aggression in ways and at times the occupation cannot estimate or anticipate.

“The treacherous and criminal enemy will undoubtedly face its just punishment for this heinous attack, in ways both expected and unforeseen,” the statement read.

Earlier, the Resistance confirmed that a 10-year-old girl and two of its members were killed in the explosions. Lebanon’s Health Minister also announced that eight individuals were killed and 2750 were injured, 200 of whom are in critical condition, across 100 hospitals.

Reacting to this vicious cyber-terrorist attack, politicians around the world including the US, Russia, European Union, Arab, Islamic countries, and countries in South America condemned the cyber attack perpetrated by Israel against the residents of southern Lebanon, Beirut, and its surrounding areas.

United States:

The United States has said it does not want to see further escalation between Israel and Hezbollah after the Lebanese armed group blamed Israel for a series of deadly, coordinated handheld pager blasts.

But the administration of US President Joe Biden, which remains Israel’s top military and diplomatic backer, on Tuesday also sought to downplay its ability to tamper tensions between the pair.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday afternoon, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Washington was not involved in the apparent attack and was not given prior notification that it would occur.

“I will say that our overall policy remains consistent, which is, we do want to see a diplomatic resolution to the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah,” Miller said. “We are always concerned about any type of event that may cause further escalation.”

US Secretary Antony Blinken denies reports that the United States had any prior knowledge of the deadly attack in Lebanon that saw hundreds of Hezbollah members’ pagers explode.

“The United States did not know about, nor was it involved in, these incidents. We’re still gathering the information and gathering the facts,” Blinken says at a press conference in Cairo.

“Broadly speaking we’ve been very clear and we remain very clear about the importance of all parties avoiding any steps that could further escalate the conflict that we’re trying to resolve in Gaza,” he says.

Russia:

“What happened – whatever it is – is certainly leading to an escalation of tensions. The region is in a volatile state. Of course, each of these incidents can become a trigger for the situation to get out of control,” Peskov told reporters.

Earlier, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova emphasized that Moscow strongly condemns the attack on Lebanon and its citizens and views it as another act of hybrid warfare against the country. “In all likelihood, the organizers of this high-tech attack purposefully sought to foment a large-scale armed confrontation with the aim to provoke a major war in the Middle East,” Zakharova said.

European Union:

The European Union’s foreign policy chief on Wednesday condemned explosions of pagers carried by Hezbollah that the group blamed on Israel.

“I consider this situation extremely worrying. I can only condemn these attacks that endanger the security and stability of Lebanon, and increase the risk of escalation in the region,” Josep Borrell said in a statement.

United Nation:

Deadly pager detonations across Lebanon are “extremely concerning,” a UN official said Tuesday.

“This story was unfolding just before the briefing. We’re obviously very much aware of what we’ve seen in Beirut and other parts of Lebanon. I can tell you these developments are extremely concerning, especially given that this is taking place in within a context that is extremely volatile,” spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters.

Dujarric said the UN does not have any more information than what is being reported in the media.

“We, of course, deplore the civilian casualties that we’ve seen, but we’re watching the situation,” he added.

Yemen:

In the wake of the explosion of pager devices in Beirut, the Yemeni Armed Forces stated their solidarity with the Islamic Resistance Movement in Lebanon, saying that the cowardly attack of the Zionist regime would go beyond the political position.

This heinous crime committed by the Zionist regime gives a legitimate and appropriate right to respond to the courageous and valiant resistance of Lebanon, Yemeni Deputy Minister of Defense Brigadier Abdullah bin Amer wrote in a post on his X account.

He also emphasized that Yemen’s solidarity with Lebanon and its courageous resistance will not be limited to a political position.

Turkey:

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday expressed sorrow over pager explosions in Lebanon, saying Israel’s attempts to spread conflicts in the region are extremely dangerous.

During his phone conversation with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Erdogan expressed sorrow over the pager attack and offered prayers for those who lost their lives, and wished a speedy recovery to those injured, the Turkish Communications Directorate said in a statement.

Erdogan also stated that Israel’s attempts to spread conflicts in the region are extremely dangerous and that efforts to stop Israeli aggression will continue.

Venezuela:

The Venezuelan government condemned the cyber attack perpetrated by “Israel against the residents of southern Lebanon, Beirut, and its surrounding areas.”

Venezuela warned against the international community’s silence regarding “Israel’s” “harmful and systematic violation of the principles enshrined in international law.

Cuba:

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez condemned the “Israeli cyber aggression against Lebanon.” Rodriguez deemed this Israeli aggression against Lebanon as a dangerous escalation in West Asia, with potentially severe and unpredictable consequences for the region.

Iraq:

The governments of Iraq have condemned what they described as an “Israeli attack” on Lebanon, offering urgent medical assistance to help the victims.

In response to the situation, Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani ordered the immediate deployment of Iraqi medical and emergency teams to Lebanon Tuesday evening. These teams aim to offer swift humanitarian relief to civilians who have been caught in the recent escalations.

Iraqi government spokesperson Basim Al-Awadi also added in a statement that the government is closely tracking the deteriorating security situation in Lebanon. He attributed the attack to Israel.

Al-Awadi stressed that the ongoing Israeli aggression, combined with the potential for a broader conflict in Lebanon, necessitates urgent international intervention to prevent further escalation. He noted that recent violence in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, and southern Lebanon has created a humanitarian crisis and underscored global action to halt “Israeli expansionism”.

Egypt:

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken that Cairo rejects any attempts at escalation in the region and supports Lebanon following the pager blasts, the Egyptian presidency said on Wednesday.

“The President affirmed Egypt’s rejection of attempts to escalate the conflict and expand its scope regionally, pointing out the need for all parties to act responsibly, and reaffirming Egypt’s support for Lebanon”, the statement added.

(MNA)