Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah vowed revenge for Israel’s twin cyberattacks on the pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah operatives that injured thousands and killed more than three dozen on Sept. 17 and 18, 2024. "The enemy transgressed all boundaries and red lines" and committed an "act of war," he said in a speech on Sept. 19, 2024. He acknowledged that the "major security and humanitarian blow" was "unprecedented in the history of the resistance in Lebanon."
Iran, which has fostered, trained, armed and funded Hezbollah since 1982, called the attacks criminal. The Islamic Republic 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 Hezbollah, Iran and other allies.
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.”
Iran
President Masoud Pezeshkian
Sept. 19, 2024 "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. 18, 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.”
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
Sept. 17, 2024 “Some media reporting that members of the Revolutionary Guards were martyred in the terrorist attack with pagers in Lebanon is false.”
Nasser Kanaani, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson
Sept. 17, 2024 “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.”
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.”