Reaction to Israel’s twin cyberattacks on the pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah operatives—injuring thousands and killing some two dozen – varied widely based on political ties. The United States and European Union warned that hostilities across the Middle East, already volatile because of the Gaza war, could escalate further after the attacks on Sept. 17 and 18, 2024. In contrast, Iran, which has fostered, trained, armed and funded Hezbollah since 1982, called the attacks criminal.
Volker Türk, the U.N. official for human rights, condemned the cyberattack as indiscriminate. “Simultaneous targeting of thousands of individuals, whether civilians or members of armed groups, without knowledge of who was in possession of the targeted devices, their location, and their surroundings at the time of the attack, violates international human rights law,” Turk said in a statement on September 18.
Iran held Israel and, by extension, Western allies responsible. The explosions “once again showed that Western nations and Americans fully support crime, killings, and blind assassinations by the Zionist regime,” President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a cabinet meeting on September 18, according to the presidential website. Hamas, another ally of Hezbollah, expressed solidarity with the group. The following are reactions from around the world.
United States
Secretary of State Antony Blinken
“The United States did not know about, nor was it involved in these incidents. We are still gathering the information and gathering the facts.”
“Broadly speaking we have 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 are trying to resolve in Gaza, to [not] see it spread to other fronts. It is clearly not in the interest of anyone involved to see that happen and that is why, again, it is imperative that all parties refrain from any actions that could escalate the conflict.” Sept. 18, 2024
State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller
“We are gathering information on this incident. I can tell you that the US was not involved in it, the US was not aware of this incident in advance. And at this point, we are gathering information.” Sept. 18, 2024
European Union
High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell
“Even if the attacks seem to have been targeted, they had heavy, indiscriminate collateral damages among civilians, including children among the victims.”
“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.” Sept. 18, 2024
United Nations
Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for the secretary-general
“The Secretary-General is deeply alarmed by reports that a large number of communication devices exploded across Lebanon, as well as in Syria, on 17 and 18 September, killing at least eleven people, including children, and injuring thousands.
The Secretary-General urges all concerned actors to exercise maximum restraint to avert any further escalation.
The Secretary-General urges the parties to recommit to the full implementation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) and immediately return to a cessation of hostilities to restore stability.” Sept. 18, 2024
High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk
“Simultaneous targeting of thousands of individuals, whether civilians or members of armed groups, without knowledge of who was in possession of the targeted devices, their location, and their surroundings at the time of the attack, violates international human rights law and, where applicable, international humanitarian law.” Sept. 18, 2024
Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis Plasschaert
“The developments today mark an extremely concerning escalation in what is an already unacceptably volatile context. While the full impact of the attack is still unfolding, Hennis-Plasschaert urges all concerned actors to refrain from any further action, or bellicose rhetoric, which could trigger a wider conflagration that nobody can afford.
The Special Coordinator underlines the urgency of restoring calm and calls on all concerned actors to prioritize stability as paramount. Too much is at stake to do anything less.” Sept. 17, 2024
Iran
President Masoud Pezeshkian
"We express our deepest condolences and sympathies to the dear people of Lebanon for the martyrdom and injuries of thousands of Lebanese citizens as a result of the treacherous mass terror carried out by the terrorist regime by exploding communication devices without distinguishing between civilians and others.
"God is invincible and takes revenge and the criminal will definitely be punished justly.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran condemns this heinous crime targeting the Lebanese and emphasizes its support for the Lebanese government and people. We ask international organizations to fulfill their responsibility.
"May God protect Lebanon and its nation.
"Mercy to the martyrs and speedy recovery to the injured." Sept. 19, 2024
“Using devices, made for the welfare of human beings, as a tool for assassination and annihilation” is “an indication of the collapse of humanity as well domination of savagery and barbarism.”
“The incident once again showed that western nations and Americans fully support crime, killings and blind assassinations by the Zionist regime.” Sept. 18, 2024
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
“Some media reporting that members of the Revolutionary Guards were martyred in the terrorist attack with pagers in Lebanon is false.” Sept. 17, 2024
Nasser Kanaani, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson
“Today's terrorist operation in Lebanon was carried out as a continuation of the Zionist regime's combined operations and their mercenary agents. It contravenes all moral and human principles, international law, especially international humanitarian law, and warrants international criminal prosecution, trial, and punishment.”
"This combined terrorist act, which is, in fact, a form of mass killing, once again clearly proves that the Zionist regime, in addition to committing war crimes and genocide against the Palestinian people, has placed regional and international peace and security in serious jeopardy. Accordingly, confronting the regime's terrorist actions and the threats arising from it is an evident necessity, and the international community must act promptly to combat the impunity of the Zionist criminal officials.” Sept. 17, 2024
Hezbollah
Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah
Sept. 19, 2024 “There is no doubt that we have been exposed to a major security and humanitarian blow, unprecedented in the history of the resistance in Lebanon, as well as unprecedented at the level of Lebanon and the conflict with the Zionist enemy.
We have formed technical and security investigation committees and are studying all the hypotheses and have reached a semi-result, but this file is under investigation and close follow-up, whether from the company to manufacturing to transportation and procedures in Lebanon to distribution, and when we reach a result, the matter will be built upon accordingly.
By the grace and kindness of God, and by the sincere and honest human efforts, jealousy, zeal, and the large presence of the various classes of our people, a large part of the enemy’s goal was disrupted.”
Hezbollah statements
Sept. 17, 2024 “We hold the Israeli enemy fully responsible for this criminal aggression, which also targeted civilians and led to the deaths of a number of martyrs and the injury of a large number with various wounds.”
Sept. 18, 2024 “This path is continuous and separate from the difficult reckoning that the criminal enemy must await for its massacre on Tuesday. This is another reckoning that will come, God willing.”
Ali Ammar, Hezbollah member of parliament
Sept. 17, 2024 “This is a new Israeli aggression against Lebanon. ... The resistance will retaliate in a suitable way at the suitable time.”
Hussein al Khalil, political advisor
Sept. 18, 2024 “This is not a security targeting of one, two or three people. This is a targeting of an entire nation.”
Hamas, Palestinian movement
Sept 17, 2024 “We appreciate the struggle and sacrifices of our brothers in Hezbollah, and their insistence on continuing to support and back our Palestinian people in Gaza, and we affirm our full solidarity with the Lebanese people and our brothers in Hezbollah.”
Kataib Hezbollah, Iraqi militia
Sept. 17, 2024 “We are fully prepared to go with them to the end, and to send fighters, equipment, and support, whether on the technical or logistical level.”
Lebanon
Foreign Ministry on Sept. 17, 2024: “This dangerous and deliberate Israeli escalation is accompanied by Israeli threats to expand the scope of the war against Lebanon on a large scale, and by the intransigence of Israeli’s positions calling for more bloodshed, destruction and devastation.”