The operation attributed to Israel, connected with the explosions of pagers in Lebanon, may be only the beginning of a full-scale conflict with the Shiite movement Hezbollah, The Washington Post reports, citing the former head of Israeli intelligence Mossad Danny Yatom. According to him, these explosions could become a kind of "Pearl Harbor" for Hezbollah, which could ultimately lead to an escalation of military actions in the Middle East.

Dani Yatom noted that using pagers as a target for attack was a smart move by Israel, but it was only the "tip of the iceberg" of a larger plan.

"If you look at the current situation, you can assume that this is only the first step. And it is quite possible that Israel is preparing for further active actions," — Yatom said.

At the same time, he stressed that, despite the threat of conflict, the United States is actively trying to put pressure on Israel to restrain it from a full-scale war.

Israeli authorities have not made any official comments regarding their involvement in the series of explosions in Lebanon, but Western media, including The Washington Post, claim that Israeli intelligence played a key role in the operation. Recall that as a result of recent explosions of pagers used by Hezbollah members, more than 4000 people, including civilians, were injured in Lebanon.