The detonations in Lebanon

Norwegian man linked to the crime disappeared for days

The Norwegian who owns the Bulgarian company linked to the pagers that exploded in Lebanon earlier this week has been missing since Wednesday, his Norwegian employer told NRK.

The man, who is wanted by the police, was on a business trip in the United States when the pagers detonated. The last sign of life he gave was when a Reuters reporter called him after the explosions to ask about the company, whereupon he hung up.

- We do not know if he has any role in this. We do not know what his situation is or how he is doing, says the employer, who is concerned and has contacted the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The company Norta Global has been singled out for having sold pagers to Hezbollah, but according to Bulgarian authorities no sale has taken place. Sources have previously told the New York Times that at least three shell companies were set up by Israeli agents with the aim of selling to the Iran-backed militia.

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The Norwegian's role in the whole thing is still unclear.
Analysis: Explosions shed light on cloudy market

The detonating pagers in Lebanon expose the murky global market where older technology is sold, writes Reuters in an analytical text. In general, buyers have a rather poor grasp of what they are buying, and the risk is that goods are changed or counterfeited along the way. David Fincher, a China-based tech consultant, believes the technology that exploded this week was rigged by middlemen before being delivered to Hezbollah a few months ago.

- It is not that difficult to get some explosive substances into a radio, says Fincher.

The explosions are breathed by Mossad, the Israeli intelligence service whose operations inspire both films and books, writes DN's Nathan Shachar. Mossad is also mystified by Israel's enemies, who now seem to be directing even more energy to get at them, according to Shachar.

"[...] partly to protect oneself, partly to take revenge."

Last week's explosions and attacks on cities in Lebanon do not yet seem to have upset the delicate balance in the Middle East. This is what SR's Middle East correspondent Cecilia Uddén says in P1 Morgon, and at the same time states that they mean a new phase in the war.

Israel now faces three choices, "all quite bad", continues Uddén. One option is to continue aerial bombardment of Lebanon to weaken Hezbollah, another to enter the country with ground troops. A third is to create a buffer zone in southern Lebanon.

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Anxiety and paranoia in Lebanon - new explosions waiting?

Last week's explosions in Lebanon have created great anxiety and paranoia in the country, writes the BBC. Many people are afraid that other technical devices, such as cameras, mobile phones and laptops, have also been rigged with explosive substances. Everyone is panicked, a woman told the BBC's correspondent on the spot.

- Everything seems to be a danger at this point, and no one knows what to do, says Ghita.

Many who witnessed the giant explosion in the port of Beirut in 2020 thought it was the most terrifying thing they would ever witness. But that was before thousands of pagers and communication radio devices exploded in the hands and pockets of people around the country this week, AP writes.

- Suddenly we started to see mopeds whizzing by with injured men. Some of them had no fingers, others had organs hanging out of their stomachs. Then the ambulances started coming, says Mohammad al-Mousawi, adding that he "saw horrible things".