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Pager Bombs - Ingenious Subversion or Israel's Critical Error?

9/19/2024

This week on two consecutive days, pagers, two-way radios, and other electronics linked to the terrorist organization Hezbollah (based in Lebanon on the northern border of Israel) have simultaneously exploded in what appears to be a well-planned and executed hidden attack by Israel, though no one has acknowledged responsibility for the attacks^{[1.1, 1.2]}, including companies linked to the supply-chain attack. Small explosives were hidden in communications devices that were sold to Hezbollah about six months ago, but the "hacked" or "shell" supply-chain companies that sold the devices appear to have been set up as early as 2020^[1.1].

Apparently Israeli Intelligence was behind the plot to take advantage of Hezbollah's paranoia of being tracked by cell phones, and so, in what was a well executed attack using sabotaged electronics, hundreds of devices were set off to explode in two waves in recent days that killed a few dozen people and injured about 3500 people, including civilians and young children^[1.2]. One event where devices exploded was a mass public funeral for a child and Hezbollah members that were killed in the first wave of explosions^[1.2].

An article today on The Times of Israel^[1.1] shared a New York Times story stating the sabotaged devices were intentionally manufactured for the operation instead of existing devices being intercepted and modified, which early news suggested. I noticed a lot of enthusiastic comments in this article about the genius and extraordinary steps to infiltrate Hezbollah's supply-chain so effectively, but I did not see a deeper look at its effects which the Lord had me make comment on. I copy my comment here:

Minister Ty Alexander: Among all the kudos of awesome spy games in the comments here, I don't see anything about this hidden bomb ruse's long-term effect on the war with Hezbollah, Iran, and their allies. It did little lasting impact to the extremists and only slowed down their communications, which they will obviously secure much more now that the spy game is revealed. Israel still faces many, many thousands of the enemy and their amassed weapons, but now they are even more angered than they were. Trying to put fear into extremists hardens them more if you do not strike with sufficient force. I'm afraid these small explosives did not have the kind of effect Israel hopes for. The enemy is still intact. There is hardly a win from squashing a handful of wasps in a hive with millions now stirred up with hate and moved to become more secretive about their actions against you, especially when more civilian and child deaths and injury is involved. There can be no way to peace like this.

People are more focused on Hollywood theatrics and heroism in this hidden bomb attack, but it did little to deter or injure the enemy, and in fact, made things worse for Israel because it hardened the enemy and further smeared Israel's reputation by adding more civilian and child deaths that began mounting in unacceptable numbers in Gaza and the West Bank because of the war with Hamas.

Some have pounced on this, stating that Israel is further violating international law by using booby-trapped devices that can easily fall into the hands of innocent civilians^[1.3]. So with the other mass "collateral damage" on civilians that most of the world sees as unacceptable and unlawful warfare, Israel is losing her public relations and credibility race. The UN just overwhelmingly voted to have Israel withdraw from Palestinian territory within 1 year^[1.4]. This includes the Gaza Strip, where fighting Hamas centered, and the West Bank that includes a large portion around the north, south, and east of Jerusalem. All together the areas house about 4 million Palestinians.

There could have been better ways to fight the enemies of Israel and peaceably control Gaza and the West Bank, but I'm afraid it could never be, because God must judge the people's sins, including Israel's, and so the nations will continue to spiral into the last great conflicts for the age.

Israel has destroyed and oppressed so much of Gaza and Palestinians lives that the Palestinians appear to parallel the mentality of post World War I Germany, which because of her loss in the Great War and subsequent oppression by conquering forces, her disdain festered and grew into the climate that fostered Hitler. There is no doubt that the Antichrist forces of our day will take advantage of festering hate.

References

[1.1] Staff and Agencies. "Israel didn’t tamper with Hezbollah’s exploding pagers, it made them – New York Times". The Times of Israel. 2024 Sep. 19. Retrieved 2024 Sep. 19.
<https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-spies-behind-hungarian-firm-that-was-linked-to-exploding-pagers-report>

[1.2] Associated Press. "What to know about the two waves of deadly explosions that hit Lebanon and Syria". MPR News. 2024 Sep. 18. Retrieved 2024 Sep. 19.
<https://www.mprnews.org/story/2024/09/18/second-wave-of-deadly-device-explosions-injures-at-least-300-in-lebanon>

[1.3] Mary Ellen O'Connell. "Pager attack on Hezbollah was a sophisticated ‘booby-trap’ operation − it was also illegal". The Conversation. 2024 Sep. 17. Retrieved 2024 Sep. 19.
<https://theconversation.com/pager-attack-on-hezbollah-was-a-sophisticated-booby-trap-operation-it-was-also-illegal-239360>

[1.4] Lazar Berman, Agencies. "UN General Assembly demands Israeli pullout from Palestinian areas within 12 months". The Times of Israel. 2024 Sep. 18. Retrieved 2024 Sep. 19.
<https://www.timesofisrael.com/un-general-assembly-demands-israeli-pullout-from-palestinian-areas-within-12-months>

Further comments

9/22/2024

There were some replies to my comment above at The Times of Israel that I will share here, and also scripture references in a related article that the Lord wanted comment on:

dbstevens001968: Ever stopped to think that maybe Israel is already poised to do the same to their next communication method too? What happened as soon as they switched from pagers to their radios?

The paranoia this will inflict on Hezbollah alone will hinder their operations for years.

The fact that you think there is anyway to peace for Israel with organizations dedicated to the destruction of the Israeli state is comical.

Serge: First, the mission resulted in extensive damage to Hezbollah, second it engendered anxiety in Hezbollah members and may discourage others from joining and third, it has humiliated Hezbollah on the world stage.

A life: It did one important thing though, break their arrogance and replace it with uncertainty.

Minister Ty Alexander: The terrorists were already paranoid about being spied on. Israel took advantage of that with the pager scheme when Hezbollah thought using low tech pagers was the answer to ditching cellphones, but now they will be extra careful to get equipment and will simply go to their allies for military support. That only hurts Israel militarily.

You want your enemy to have a big mouth that you can hear so you can circumvent all their plans. As for Israel getting into more comms shipments. It is not likely after the spy game was revealed. Israel and its allies cannot get their hands on everything either, especially when it is not God's will.

Also my statement about peace referred to Israel's global reputation, which is being very badly affected in her military actions. I wasn't speaking as much about making peace with extremists. What I was conveying is their hard hearts are hardened further by insignificant attacks. When a hardened enemy sees you kill their own, some may fear and give up, but many more will pick up the fight for their friends who died. Whatever their beliefs are, they are still people who will respond like everyone else. And because they believe their fight is just, just like any other in faith believes their causes are divine and just, they will keep fighting for what they see as God's cause. So-called "divine" causes never die.

Comments to "Netanyahu [Israel's Prime Minister] says Hezbollah ‘will get the message’ after strikes it ‘never imagined’":

<https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-says-hezbollah-will-get-the-message-after-strikes-it-never-imagined>

stvbaz: 1 Samuel 17:36 “Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” 37 And David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you!” 43 And the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 The Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field.” 45 Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hand.”

Hari: Joel 3:4 ESV
[4] “What are you to me, O Tyre and Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia? Are you paying me back for something? If you are paying me back, I will return your payment on your own head swiftly and speedily.”

Minister Ty Alexander: In the battle with the Philistines, El Elyon, God Most High, was completely with David. Today, God is with Israel in much more limited fashion because of her sins. David was God's anointed savior for the nation, but today, there is no savior but HaMashiach, The Messiah. His appearing will not be in this hour, but at a time when the people lament even more than today. So do not give the words of God in complete arrogance and presumption of victory, for יהוה אלהיך, Yahovah your God, turned His back to you many times to give your enemies victory, yet how much of Israel accepts why when the word was given to you?

In the ancient days of Israel, she could not destroy the Philistines but only secured her borders with them. It was only after a greater power, the one that destroyed ancient Israel and the first temple, that also destroyed the Philistines, and in that way also, the enemies of Israel on her borders today will be destroyed.

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