Israel has reportedly achieved a significant intelligence breakthrough by infiltrating a supply chain, leading to the simultaneous detonation of hundreds of Hezbollah pagers. This attack has reportedly struck a severe blow to the Lebanese militant group and its Iranian allies.The explosions, which occurred in Hezbollah strongholds across Lebanon, resulted in at least 11 fatalities and approximately 4,000 injuries. Among the injured was the Iranian ambassador to Lebanon. The incident marks an unprecedented coordinated attack.
Hezbollah, known for its preference for pagers over smartphones due to security concerns, appears to have been targeted with corrupted devices that exploded at a predetermined time. The NY Times reported that the pagers were from the Taiwanese company “Gold Apollo” A source close to Hezbollah, who requested anonymity, confirmed that the devices involved were part of a recent shipment of 3,000 pagers that were likely sabotaged prior to delivery.
Reports indicate that the Mossad, Israel’s intelligence agency, managed to intercept Hezbollah’s communication devices before they were distributed to the group. The Mossad allegedly inserted PETN, a highly explosive material, into the pager batteries, triggering the explosions remotely by elevating the battery temperature.
A Lebanese security official mentioned that each pager contained less than 20 grams of explosives. Hezbollah had recently acquired these pagers following orders from its leader to discontinue cellphone use due to tracking risks from Israeli intelligence. The pagers were a new model for the group.
Experts suggest that the destruction of the pagers was caused by small explosive charges rather than overheating batteries. Images of the damage suggest deliberate detonation rather than accidental battery failure. Paul Christensen, a specialist in battery safety, noted that the extent of the damage was inconsistent with known battery failure cases.
Digital rights group SMEX pointed out that Israel might have exploited a flaw in the pagers or tampered with them before they reached Hezbollah. Yehoshua Kalisky, a researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies, proposed that an electronic pulse could have been used to cause the explosions.
Hezbollah has accused Israel of orchestrating the explosions. While Israel has not confirmed or denied involvement, the attack represents a substantial security setback for Hezbollah and demonstrates Israel’s reach into the group’s operations.
The incident follows recent targeted operations by Israel, including the killing of senior Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr and the political leader of Hamas, Ismael Haniyeh. The recent pager attack has been interpreted by some analysts as part of a broader strategy by Israeli intelligence to regain credibility following setbacks in the conflict with Hamas.
Experts describe the operation as a classic sabotage, suggesting it was meticulously planned over a long period. Analysts believe that Israel exploited Hezbollah’s shift from smartphones to pagers to conduct this sophisticated operation.
