— 🇭🇺/🇮🇱/🇱🇧 NEW: The New York Times now claims that BAC, the company registered in Hungary, is a Mossad front that also had ordinary clients.

At least two other shell companies were created to hide the identities of the Israeli intelligence officers making the pagers, which were manufactured with explosives, not tampered with afterward.

@Middle_East_Spectator

— 🇯🇵/🇮🇱/🇱🇧 NEW: Japanese communications manufacturer ICOM stated it 'cannot confirm' whether it shipped walkie-talkies linked to the explosions in Lebanon. The company mentioned that the device hasn’t been sold in around 10 years, and the necessary batteries are no longer available.

ICOM added that its exports 'comply with strict Japanese government regulations' and is currently gathering information to provide updates.

@Middle_East_Spectator

— 🇨🇳/🇺🇸 NEW: China will sanction nine U.S. defense firms over arms sales to Taiwan, freezing their properties within the country.

The companies will also be banned from transactions with domestic organizations and individuals.

@Middle_East_Spectator

— 🇮🇱/🇮🇷 NEW: Israeli security services say they have arrested an Israeli citizen suspected of being involved in an 'Iranian-backed assassination plot' against prominent figures, including Prime Minister Netanyahu.

The suspect, a businessman linked to Turkey, allegedly attended two meetings in Iran to discuss targeting Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant, and the head of Shin Bet.

@Middle_East_Spectator

This video going around of 'tanks at the Lebanese border with invasion signs' is from October 2023 in Gaza.

— 🇮🇱/🇵🇸 NEW: Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the explosion of the walkie-talkies in Lebanon

“We stand by the government and the people of Lebanon who are subjected to terrorism that harms innocent citizens, and express our deepest condolences to the government and the families of the victims of this great disaster. We wish a speedy recovery to the injured.”

@Middle_East_Spectator

— ❗️🇮🇱/🇱🇧 BREAKING: U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has informed the leaders of Congress about the fear of an imminent Israeli offensive into Lebanon – WSJ

@Middle_East_Spectator

— 🇺🇸/🇺🇦 NEW: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said he would 'probably' meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who will be in the U.S. next week to address a meeting of the United Nations Security Council

@Middle_East_Spectator

— 🇺🇸/🇮🇱 NEW: Against the backdrop of the explosions of pagers and walkie-talkies in Lebanon, Defense Minister Yoav Galant spoke with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin

The two "reviewed regional security developments", according to the Pentagon statement.

@Middle_East_Spectator

— 🇮🇱/🇱🇧/🇩🇪 NEW: Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock announced that 'we have warned all parties against an escalation in the Middle East, for months we and our partners have been holding discussions and working to promote stability in the region'

@Middle_East_Spectator

— 🇮🇷 NEW: Doctors have stated that the Iranian Ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, will return to his duties soon.

@Middle_East_Spectator

— 🇺🇸/🇳🇪 As of two days ago, the U.S. military has completed its withdrawal from Niger, which began in April with 1,000 personnel.

A small number of military personnel remain to guard the U.S. Embassy.

@Middle_East_Spectator