Hezbollah Faces Setback Amid Exploding Devices, Delaying Retaliation

The Times and Sunday Times – London

Hezbollah has suffered a significant setback after two waves of explosions, suspected to be part of a sophisticated Israeli attack, hit personal communication devices used by the group. According to experts, the group will likely need time to recover and respond.

On Tuesday, pagers carried by Hezbollah members suddenly exploded, killing several people and wounding many others. Another wave of explosions reportedly targeted walkie-talkies today. Though Israel has not claimed responsibility, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant hinted at a “new phase” of conflict.

General Maroun Hitti, a retired Lebanese officer, estimated that Hezbollah would need at least a month to regroup, making any retaliation unlikely in the near term. Analyst David Des Roches suggested that beyond immediate casualties, Hezbollah’s trust in its communication systems has been compromised. He expects the group’s response to resemble previous retaliations, involving rocket attacks toward Israel, though their ability to conduct coordinated operations is now hindered.

Retired General Wehbe Katicha echoed these views, noting that Hezbollah would likely launch a barrage of fire but is currently incapable of sustaining a large-scale military operation without risking further Israeli retaliation.

Some analysts, like Andreas Krieg of King’s College London, speculated that Hezbollah could retaliate outside the Middle East through covert operations, rather than engaging directly with Israel’s heavily guarded southern border. For now, Hezbollah is conducting an internal investigation into the explosions while its leader, Hasan Nasrallah, has vowed punishment for the attack but refrained from calling for immediate mass mobilization.