Coordinated Attack: Explosions of Hezbollah Pagers Linked to Israel
On Tuesday, a shocking incident unfolded as hundreds of pagers used by the Iranian-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah detonated nearly simultaneously in what is believed to be an organized attack attributed to Israel. According to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, the catastrophe resulted in approximately 3,000 injuries and at least 11 fatalities, including six members of Hezbollah.
Intelligence sources from the United States, reported by various international media outlets, including the New York Times, indicated that the pagers might have been rigged with a small explosive charge prior to being sold in Lebanon. The explosive device is thought to have been remotely triggered, raising serious concerns about the security measures in place for these communications devices.
Among the speculations surrounding the explosions, experts dismissed the theory that the devices exploded due to the overheating of lithium batteries, which had circulated in the aftermath of the event. Instead, they highlighted the likelihood that the pagers contained 20 to 30 grams of explosives, or potentially even less, cleverly concealed and challenging to identify.
Historically, pagers were widely used in the 1980s and 1990s for their ability to receive short messages. While they have largely been eclipsed by the advent of smartphones, Hezbollah has opted to utilize them as a secure communication method, believing them to be less vulnerable to interception by Israeli intelligence. This tactical choice aligns with their concerns regarding the geolocation capabilities of modern-day cell phones. In February, Hassan Nasrallah, the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, urged members to destroy their mobile phones to avoid becoming targets of Israeli strikes.
In response to this security imperative, Hezbollah procured 5,000 pagers from a Taiwanese company, Gold Apollo, specifically the AR924 model. On the day of the explosions, these devices detonated around 3:30 PM in various regions, including the capital, Beirut, the Beqaa Valley near the Syrian border, and southern Lebanon—areas known for Hezbollah's robust presence.
Eyewitnesses reported that just before the explosions, the pagers had received what looked like a message from Hezbollah's leadership, which was later theorized to have been a covert signal activating the explosives. The incidents led to confusion and panic among the populace, as the pagers emitted sounds for a few seconds before the catastrophic explosions.
In the wake of these events, the Taiwanese company Gold Apollo publicly stated that they were not responsible for directly manufacturing the pagers but had merely given production rights to other entities. The situation further complicated when President Hsu Ching-Kuang mentioned a company called BAC as the actual producer but later refrained from confirming any specifics regarding the company's origins.
As investigations continue, this incident unfurls a new chapter in the ongoing conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, raising questions about the safety and security of communication technologies in conflict zones, and emphasizing the lengths to which militant groups go to protect their operations from surveillance.
Related Sources: