Israel warns US about preparing operation in Lebanon, does not disclose details

Israeli officials informed the US that the country intended to carry out an operation in Lebanon on Tuesday, September 17, but provided no specifics. Three sources familiar with the matter said that the operation was discussed during a phone conversation between US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on the morning of September 17.

This left American officials in the dark until reports of hundreds of pagers exploding surfaced later. This occurred while US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was flying from Washington to Cairo.

CNN adds that this is not the first time Israel has engaged in "provocative action" while Blinken was in the Middle East. However, this incident has raised concerns about escalation, which the US has been trying to avoid.

Blinken later said that the US was not aware of these incidents and was not involved in them.

A US official told CNN that through secret channels, the US conveyed to Iran that it had no part in the operation, urging Tehran to refrain from escalating the situation.

Explosions in Lebanon

On September 17, a series of explosions occurred in Lebanon. Reports indicate that pagers used by Hezbollah militants for communication detonated en masse. The blasts injured 2,800 people, with at least 12 deaths reported.

The next day, September 18, a second wave of explosions hit Lebanon. Social media reports indicated that explosions were heard in various locations, including Beirut. According to media reports, this time Hezbollah militants' radios detonated. Lebanese authorities reported 14 deaths and over 450 injuries.

Israel has not publicly commented on the situation or acknowledged any involvement in the explosions.

For more details on the explosions in Lebanon and their consequences, see RBC-Ukraine's coverage.