Are the exploding pager attacks killing 9 including a girl and boy state-sponsored murder or an act of war?

Image: Mohamed Azakir/Reuters

I asked AI the above question. Note: for me this alleged Israeli attack on Hezbollah is very close (or is) state-sponsored murder as a boy and girl were killed and of course non-Hezbollah members might have been killed or badly injured. It was reckless. How could Israel (if they did it) guarantee that only Hezbollah members would be carrying the pagers? There was a real risk of killing and injuring innocent civilians which is what has happened. Update: latest count is 12 dead with thousands injured some very seriously. Further update: Hezbollah say that 300 have been injured and 9 dead so far.

Further update, next day: 'New phase' in conflict as walkie-talkie blasts kill 20. Same sort of thing. In this case 20 killed and 450 injured by booby-trapped walkie-talkie devices that blow up in your hands. This is certainly the work of sophisticated Mossad, Israel's spy service. This is a different kind of warfare but is it cold-blooded murder?

Further update: Also hand-held radios used by Hezbollah have exploded across the country's south, and in the southern suburbs of the capital. And solar energy systems have exploded in several areas as well. This is an incredible example of underhand warfare which I have suggested might be state sponsored murder and mayhem. But if it is Israel, they won't give a damn. They've killed tens of thousands of innocent civilians including children and babies in Gaza, by recklessly shelling and firing rockets into civilian buildings.

The pagers where were made under licence in Budapest by a firm called BAC Consulting, using the Gold Apollo name.

 Here is AI's response (ChatGPT).

The incident you’re referring to involving exploding pagers killing nine people, including a girl and boy, sounds like a targeted or violent attack, but without additional details about the specific case, it's difficult to categorize it definitively as state-sponsored murder or an act of war. The distinction depends on several factors:

1. State-Sponsored Murder: This occurs when a government or a state-backed entity carries out or orders the assassination or killing of individuals. Examples include targeted assassinations, politically motivated killings, or extrajudicial killings that a government either directs or endorses. These are typically covert operations intended to silence or eliminate threats or opposition.
2. Act of War: An act of war refers to aggressive actions between states or factions engaged in armed conflict. If the attack was carried out by one state or an armed group as part of a larger military campaign against another state, then it could be seen as an act of war. In this context, civilian casualties can occur as a result of broader hostilities.

To determine whether this particular attack was state-sponsored or an act of war, you'd need to consider:

• The perpetrator: Was it a state or state-backed group that carried out the attack, or was it a non-state actor, such as a terrorist organization or criminal group?
• The motive: Was the attack politically motivated, part of a conflict, or related to some other cause like terrorism or organized crime?
• The context: Was the attack part of a larger military conflict, or was it a targeted strike on individuals?

If this attack was part of a broader conflict between states, it could be considered an act of war. If it was a targeted killing carried out by or on behalf of a government, it could fall under the category of state-sponsored murder. If more context can be provided, a more specific classification could be offered.

When an innocent boy and girl are killed and possibly non-Hezbollah individuals too this is very close to murder isn't it?

Yes, when innocent civilians, including children, are killed in an attack—especially if they are not involved in any armed conflict or militant activities—it is generally viewed as a grave injustice and could be described as murder. Whether or not the attack was carried out by a state or a non-state actor, the intentional or reckless killing of non-combatants, especially children, is often considered a violation of international humanitarian law and human rights.

Here’s how different perspectives might frame such an event:

1. Murder: From a moral and legal perspective, the killing of innocent civilians, particularly children, could be considered murder if it was intentional or if the attackers acted with reckless disregard for human life. Murder implies an unlawful, unjustified, and deliberate act of killing. Even in conflict zones, the deliberate targeting of civilians is a criminal act.
2. War Crime: In the context of armed conflict, if the attack violated the rules of war, such as the Geneva Conventions, which prohibit attacks on civilians, it could be considered a war crime. Targeting civilians, including children, is explicitly forbidden, regardless of the attackers' affiliation.
3. State-Sponsored Assassination vs. Collateral Damage: If a government or state-backed entity carried out the attack, and it was aimed at specific targets but resulted in civilian deaths, it could be categorized as state-sponsored murder or extrajudicial killings. Even if the target was not civilians (but militants, for example), the killing of innocent bystanders, especially when children are involved, could be interpreted as a failure to observe the principle of proportionality and distinction in warfare, potentially leading to criminal liability.

Innocent lives lost in such a situation, especially if the victims were not involved in any hostile activities, reflect the devastating human cost of violence. Even when not labeled outright murder, the attack would likely be condemned as reckless, unjustified, and deeply tragic.

If this incident occurred in the context of a military operation or state-sponsored attack, international law, ethics, and public opinion would view the loss of innocent lives as highly problematic and likely demand accountability.

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P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins. Also: sources for news articles are carefully selected but the news is often not independently verified. Also, I rely on scientific studies but they are not 100% reliable.