PM & Def Min Meet w/Security Officials As Lebanon Tensions Spike

State-run KAN reporting that Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu is holding a meeting alongside Defence Minister Yoav Gallant (who remains in position for now), and the leaders of Mossad, Shin Bet and the National Security Service at The Kirya IDF HQ in Tel Aviv. This comes after the apparent mass attack on the pager devices that has injured thousands of Hezbollah members in coordinated explosions that has apparently killed some, and injured (but not seriously) the Iranian ambassador to Lebanon.

• Anshel Pfeffer at The Economist opines onX: "A state which has the ability to hack into the communication system of an enemy organization isn’t going to reveal it has that ability just to wound the organization’s operatives, unless: 1. As a prelude to a wider operation 2. To prevent a planned operation by the enemy organization 3. The (vulner)ability was about to be exposed 4. They already have better abilities 5. Distraction from a major (political or intelligence) fiasco 6. All or some of the above"
• Earlier Haaretz reported that according to its sources the replacement of Gallant as defence minister, amid internal coalition ructions could be delayed. 'We are in the middle of a complex security situation, and it's uncertain whether it's possible to replace the defense minister right now. It might become necessary, but the prime minister understands he has a serious problem,'