War in the Middle East: Benjamin Netanyahu admits having given the green light to the pager attack against Hezbollah

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged for the first time on Sunday November 10 that he had given the green light to the pager attack against Lebanese Hezbollah last September.

This attack, which Israel had not previously officially claimed responsibility for, occurred on September 17. The walkie-talkie explosions that occurred the next day brought the number of victims of these two attacks to around forty dead and nearly 3,000 injured.

“During the Council of Ministers this Sunday morning, it was Benjamin Netanyahu himself who recognized that his country was behind this double attack, that of the pagers and also the walkie-talkies,” writes Radio France Internationale, specifying that the remarks were “leaked” by a press adviser to the Israeli Prime Minister. Comments confirmed by its spokesperson, Omer Dostri, according to Le Figaro which cites the AFP.

“Crisis of confidence”

According to RFI, Netanyahu claimed that the beeper attack and the elimination of Nasrallah (head of Hezbollah) were carried out, “despite the opposition of the military establishment and its political hierarchy.” He would thus designate “without naming him directly”, Yoav Gallant, former Minister of Defense dismissed on Tuesday, November 5, due to a “crisis of confidence” between the two men.

“In the midst of war, trust is required more than ever between the Prime Minister and his Minister of Defense,” but “in recent months, this trust has been eroded,” Mr. Netanyahu said in a letter sent to Mr. Gallant.