Russia has accused the attack targeting Lebanese group Hezbollah and others through exploding pagers as a deliberate attempt to “provoke a major war in the Middle East.” The Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, described the incident as “hybrid warfare” against Lebanon, emphasizing that the attack caused harm to thousands of innocent people.
Hezbollah, which has strong ties to Iran, has blamed Israel for the attack. While Israel has not publicly commented on the accusations, analysts believe the explosions were likely caused by explosives concealed within the pagers during production or delivery.
Zakharova stressed the need for a thorough investigation and urged the international community to closely monitor the situation. The Kremlin also condemned the attack, stating that the explosions risk exacerbating tensions in an already volatile region. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov warned that the region is “in an explosive situation,” and any such incident could act as a trigger for further escalation.
The pager explosions have resulted in at least nine deaths and nearly 3,000 injuries. Among the injured is Iran’s envoy to Beirut. Russia maintains close relations with Iran, a major backer of Hezbollah, and has expressed deep concerns about the potential for a regional war in the Middle East, where it has significant security and economic interests.
