Workers World condemns in the strongest terms the Sept. 17 terrorist act of the Israeli state: the cyberattack involving thousands of coordinated pager explosions that killed 21 people, including two children. The son of a Lebanese Member of Parliament Ali Ammar was also killed and the Iranian ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, was injured.

Israel had the pagers programmed to explode simultaneously on command. This heinous attack was orchestrated to punish Hezbollah for carrying out military actions in solidarity with the Palestinian Resistance. 

On Sept. 18, another Israeli cyberattack took place in Lebanon involving the use of walkie-talkies and other electronic devices resulting in an additional 20 people dead and 450 wounded, according to Lebanon’s Ministry of Health.  Explosions occurred during the funerals of Sept. 17 victims.  

The targets on both days were primarily civilian sites, such as homes, offices, hospitals and vehicles. 

Thousands of Lebanese people, including health care workers, have been blinded, injured, maimed and burned. This cowardly act by Israel constitutes a war crime.

In addition, a number of Hezbollah liberation fighters were killed by Israeli airstrikes following the cyberattacks, including Senior Commander Ibrahim Aqil. The U.S. government praised the assassination of Aqil. 

U.S. imperialists did not condemn the cyberattack which should come as no surprise given their ongoing support for Israel’s genocide in Gaza.  

Israel, whose goal is to widen the war in West Asia, has signaled that it is preparing for a ground invasion of Lebanon as the Zionist state escalates more airstrikes against Lebanese civilians and non-civilians resulting in over 500 killed and over 1,600 wounded as of Sept. 23. 

The right to self-defense

Hezbollah has every right to take any measures it deems necessary to undermine Zionist aggression against the Palestinian people. Over 41,000 — and probably closer to 200,000 — people in Gaza have been massacred by the Israeli genocide since October 7, 2023. About one-third of them have been children. 

Iran and Iraq sent medical personnel to Lebanon to assist in treating the many wounded. This includes eye injury specialists from Iran. The Popular Mobilization Forces of Iraq sent 15 tons of medical aid along with 20 doctors to Lebanon. Palestinian Dr. Ghassan Abu Sitta announced plans to travel to Beirut to help the wounded with reconstructive surgery. Also Syrian, Jordanian and Egyptian governments have offered medical aid.

Medical personnel from all over Lebanon have transferred to hospitals and clinics in the areas in Beirut and the south with the most wounded people to provide emergency care. 

These acts of medical assistance express the massive solidarity with Palestine and Lebanon felt throughout West Asia and all over the world and demonstrated by the million-strong marches held in Yemen, Jordan and other countries.

Hassan Nasrallah, the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, has made it clear that Hezbollah will continue and redouble its support for Palestine and that it is prepared for a prolonged battle.   

In what Hezbollah has declared as the new phase of the struggle against Israel as “Open Reckoning Battle,” the liberation force has hit hard illegal Zionist settlements like in Haifa as well as Ramat David, a major Israeli air base and the Rafael Military Industries Complex.

The Lebanese government has pledged that its military will support Hezbollah along with support from the Iraqi and Yemeni resistance.  

From Palestine to Lebanon, oppressed people have the right to rebel! Solidarity is not a crime!  Victory to the Axis of Resistance!