Open/close all quotes
Risk of a conflagration
This latest attack may mark the beginning of a war against Hezbollah, France Inter fears:
“What and how much will ensue, and how will the main players react? If Israel decides to launch an offensive against Hezbollah – which is a far more formidable opponent than the Palestinian Hamas, even if the pager attack has demonstrated its vulnerability – Tehran cannot stand idly by. … And what will the US do? It is calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, but whether it likes it or not it would be drawn into this regional conflict. We have not yet reached that point, but all these questions are coming into sharp focus as events accelerate. The looming scenario can be summarised in one word: war.”
Escalation unlikely
Neither Hezbollah nor Israel have an interest in extending the conflict, writes the Kleine Zeitung:
“In Tehran’s strategy, Hezbollah is supposed to pose a constant threat to Israel, tie up Israeli military capacities and, in an emergency, help defend Iran against Israel and the US. Sending Hezbollah troops and missiles into a war forced on it by Israel now contradicts this. … A ground offensive deep in Lebanon would pose a risk for Israel – especially as long as its army continues to fight in Gaza. So for the time being Israel and Hezbollah are likely to continue fighting along the Lebanese border with artillery, drones and missiles.”
There can be no talk of a precision strike
Hämeen Sanomat criticises the attacker was willing to accept civilian casualties:
“They say that in a hybrid war anything is possible. But given enough bad faith and ruthlessness, others could follow Israel’s example. … The most appalling aspect of the attack was its indiscriminate nature. It didn’t just target Hezbollah members but everyone in the vicinity at the time of the explosion. This only adds to the bitterness of the victims.”
Proportionality is key
If it is proven beyond doubt that Israel was behind the attack, there are many open questions, writes Dagens Nyheter:
“Was it a proportionate operation that complies with international law? There is no doubt that civilians were among the victims. Nevertheless, an attack of this kind is still preferable to both the indiscriminate violence in Gaza and the constant missile strikes by Hezbollah. Like Hamas, Hezbollah is an Islamist terrorist organisation at war with Israel, and wants to destroy it. Israel has the right to defend itself. But the means used for that defence must be appropriate for a nation that calls itself the only democracy in the Middle East. This was valid before October 2023 and it is still valid today.”
A fiasco even from a strategic perspective
This was a huge mistake, De Standaard is convinced:
“According to human rights experts, the pager offensive can only be described as a violation of the laws of war and an act of terrorism. … For Israel’s traditional allies in Europe and the US, it is no longer possible to explain why the privileged relationship with Benjamin Netanyahu’s government should be maintained any longer. … From a military-strategic point of view the pager war is also a fiasco. … Emotions will not lead to peace efforts but to armed retaliation and escalation.”