Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has given the green light to the blowing up of wireless devices—pagers, via satellite—in Lebanon during consultations on security with senior ministers and intelligence chiefs early this week, the Israeli news website Walla has reported.

It cited unnamed senior American officials as saying that Israel was behind the explosions in Lebanon, which killed nine and injured almost 3,000, of whom 200 are in critical condition, although the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued a denial for an indictment against him linking the attacks to Israel, in a since-deleted social media post by his adviser Topaz Luk. Pagers are low-powered wireless devices that are powered by batteries used for receiving messages in text, audio, and as visual signals by civilians and health professionals.

According to Walla, the operation “neutralised a significant part of Hezbollah’s military command and control system.” Hezbollah confirmed at least two members were killed, with many others wounded in the mass explosion. Israeli officials said: “they are aware that there is now a high probability of a significant escalation on the northern border” and emphasized that the Israeli army was on “high alert for a large-scale response by Hezbollah.” An unnamed Israeli source told the website the operation to blow up the pagers was approved at the start of the week as part of a series of security consultations held by Netanyahu with senior ministers and heads of the defence establishment and the intelligence community.

Schools suspended in Lebanon

Meanwhile, Lebanon announced the closure of all educational institutions and schools across the country, Wednesday. “We announce the closure of public and private schools, the Lebanese University and all private higher education institutions; tomorrow, Wednesday, in condemnation of the criminal act committed by the Israeli enemy against citizens,” said Abbas Halabi, the country’s education minister on Tuesday. The Lebanese minister also urged the “global conscience to stop the Israeli killing machine, which shows no mercy or distinction, and has committed an unprecedented collective crime against the Lebanese people.” Lebanese media blamed the devices exploded after an Israeli breach of the communication system.

Hezbollah held Israel fully responsible for the wireless explosions and vowed “just retaliation from unexpected quarters” to Tel Aviv. The Lebanese Health Ministry earlier urged all citizens who own the pager communication devices to immediately discard them.

Several dead, over 2,700 Civilians injured in pager explosions across Lebanon

US distances itself

The State Department indicated that the United States was gathering information about the attack while distancing itself from it. “I can tell you that the US was not involved in it. The US was not aware of this incident in advance. And at this point, we’re gathering information,” Matt Miller, a spokesman, told reporters. A spokesman, Air Force Major General Pat Ryder, added: “no change to US force posture” in the Middle East. Ryder said Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke to his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant on Tuesday, without giving further information if they held a phone call before or after the attack.