‘You Win, Israel’: Egyptian Satirist Bassem Youssef Rues Deadly Pager Explosions In Lebanon
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An empty stretcher, as people, including Hezbollah fighters and medics, were wounded and killed when the pagers they use to communicate exploded across Lebanon. (Reuters)
A shocking attack on Hezbollah pagers resulted in multiple explosions across Lebanon, killing 12 and injuring thousands. Experts suspect Israeli involvement
Popular Egyptian satirist Bassem Youssef has spoken out against explosives-laden pagers ordered by Hezbollah members that killed 12 people and injured nearly 3,000 others across Lebanon. In a post on X, Youssef expressed his concerns about the implications of such actions being attributed to the Mossad spy agency.
Youssef noted that everyday devices like phones and tablets could become “time bombs” due to the whims of a foreign nation. “You win, Israel. Not a single politician or late-night show talks about this? None of that worth the news?” he decried on the social media platform. “The whole country is truly a hostage. The whole world is.”
And suddenly my phone , our security system , my kids tablets are time bombs that detonate at the whims of one country . You win Israel . Not a single politician or late night show talks about this ? None of that worth the news ? Nothing “funny” can come out of it ? The whole…— Bassem Youssef (@Byoussef) September 18, 2024
Tuesday’s blasts were not limited to Lebanon. Nearly 100 explosions were also reported in Syria on the same day. Iranian state media reported that Mojtaba Amani, Iran’s Ambassador to Lebanon, was among those injured in the pager blasts. Hezbollah condemned the explosions as the “biggest security breach” the group has faced in nearly a year of conflict with Israel.
The Iran-backed group vowed to retaliate against Israel for this incident. This is not the first time Youssef has criticised Israel. Youssef gained attention for his witty remarks during an October 2023 interview with British TV presenter Piers Morgan. When asked about Palestinians being difficult to kill, he humorously replied that he knows because he is married to one and joked about trying to reach her while their children act as “human shields.”
