Photo: AMMAR AMMAR / AFP / Getty Images
Israel launched strikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon on Thursday (September 16). The strikes come after pagers and walkie-talkies belonging to members of the Iranian-backed militant group exploded, killing over 30 people and injuring thousands.
The United Nations experts have condemned the attacks, calling them "terrifying" violations of international law and human rights. They have called for a prompt, independent investigation to establish the truth and enable accountability for the crime of murder.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has stated that the group's leadership was mostly spared during Tuesday's attack as they were using older devices while "new ones were sent elsewhere." He added that the goal was to kill as many leaders and officials as possible, to strike at Hezbollah’s structure, and to damage its command and control system. However, he claimed that this did not happen for even a single moment.
In a post on social media, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed it is striking targets in Lebanon "to degrade Hezbollah’s terrorist capabilities and infrastructure." The IDF accused Hezbollah of weaponizing civilian homes, digging tunnels beneath them, and using civilians as human shields.
Nasrallah warned Israel that the Lebanese front will “not stop” until hostilities end in Gaza. He also called the attacks on the group “unprecedented” but vowed it will not bring them down.