Israel launches strikes on southern Lebanon as IDF fighter jets break sound barrier above Beirut

[moniss]

8. The Western media

reports 70,000 so apparently there are dueling claims. It should be noted that a huge number on the Lebanese side of the border have also evacuated from their homes. I have as much faith in the Arab Press as I do the Israeli Press. I have to weed out the slant in each one. But I note that much of what they do report is actually from Reuters and and others and is credited as such. Here is an excerpt from today from Al Arabiya:

"Israel played a role in manufacturing the pagers that exploded among Hezbollah operatives this week, ABC News reported, citing a US intelligence source.

The report said that this type of “supply chain interdiction” operation had been in the works for at least 15 years.

The CIA has been hesitant to employ such tactics due to the high risk of collateral damage to innocent people, the source added."

Here is the nearly identical word for word original report from ABC News from 9/19:

"Israel had a hand in the manufacturing of pagers that exploded on Hezbollah operatives this week, with this type of "supply chain interdiction" operation having been planned for at least 15 years, a U.S. intelligence source confirmed to ABC News.

The CIA has long been reluctant to employ this tactic because the risk to innocents was too high, the source said.

https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2024/09/20/israel-helped-manufacture-pagers-that-targeted-hezbollah-operatives-report

https://abcnews.go.com/International/israel-hand-manufacturing-pagers-exploded-lebanon-source/story?id=113851347