Yoav Galant, Israeli Defence Minister Photo: Getty Images
Israeli officials informed the United States about plans for an operation in Lebanon on Tuesday, but did not provide specific details regarding the nature of the operation. This was reported by three sources familiar with the matter, cited by CNN.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant spoke with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Tuesday morning, but no operational details were disclosed, according to a source. This lack of specifics meant that U.S. officials were unaware of the operation’s scope until hundreds of pagers began detonating, the sources said.
CNN reported that Israel was behind the complex attack, which escalated tensions in an already volatile region. The operation was a joint effort between Israeli intelligence agency Mossad and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
U.S. officials also told The New York Times that Mossad and IDF meticulously prepared the operation ahead of Tuesday’s events.
The Lebanese government condemned the attack as “criminal Israeli aggression.”
This is not the first time Israel has taken provocative actions during U.S. officials’ visits to the Middle East. However, this particular incident raised concerns about regional escalation — a scenario the U.S. has long sought to avoid. Secretary of State Antony Blinken clarified that the U.S. “had no knowledge of these incidents and was not involved.”
Shock for U.S. Officials
The explosions on Tuesday occurred as Blinken was en route from Washington to Cairo, catching American diplomats off guard as they watched the live news unfold on the plane’s onboard TV.
During a press conference in Egypt on Wednesday, Blinken reiterated that the U.S. “was unaware of these incidents and was not involved in them.”
A separate U.S. official told CNN that the U.S. has assured Iran that it was not involved in the attack and urged Tehran not to escalate the situation.
