Exploding Pagers Target Hezbollah: Uncovering How Israel Executed a Sophisticated and Lethal Strike

In a sophisticated and coordinated attack, pagers used by hundreds of Hezbollah members exploded almost simultaneously across Lebanon and Syria on Tuesday, killing at least 12 people, including two children, and injuring thousands more.

A U.S. official, speaking anonymously, confirmed that Israel had briefed the U.S. on the operation after it concluded. Explosives hidden inside the pagers were detonated remotely, although details on how this was achieved remain unclear. Hezbollah has blamed Israel for the attack, which targeted a wide range of individuals and appears to have been a meticulously planned operation. The Israeli military has declined to comment.

Why Pagers?

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah had previously urged members to avoid cellphones, fearing Israeli surveillance, leading the group to rely on pagers for communication. A Hezbollah official, who spoke anonymously, revealed that the devices involved were from a new brand the group had recently adopted, though the brand or supplier was not identified.

Taiwanese company Gold Apollo stated that its brand was authorized for the AR-924 pager model, which was produced and sold by BAC Consulting, a Budapest-based company. Further details about BAC remain scarce.

Nicholas Reese, an adjunct instructor at New York University and a former intelligence officer, highlighted that while smartphones are more vulnerable to interception, pagers offer a simpler communication technology, now compromised. He suggested that Hezbollah may need to overhaul its communication strategies in the wake of the attack.

How Were the Pagers Sabotaged?

Though a U.S. official confirmed Israeli involvement, various theories have surfaced about how the attack was executed. Experts consulted by The Associated Press speculated that the explosive devices were likely built into the pagers before delivery, with remote detonation possibly triggered by a radio signal.

Carlos Perez, a security intelligence director at TrustedSec, suggested that by the time of the attack, “the battery was probably half-explosive and half-actual battery.” A former British Army bomb disposal officer noted that pagers already contain three of the five main components of an explosive device, requiring only the addition of a detonator and charge.

Security footage circulating on social media appeared to show a pager exploding on a man’s hip in a Lebanese market. Munitions experts who reviewed the footage concluded the explosion was consistent with a small, high-explosive charge, reinforcing the U.S. official's statement of a tiny device being used.

Sean Moorhouse, a former British Army officer, suggested that the involvement of a state actor was likely, with Israel’s Mossad being the prime suspect, given its resources and history of conducting such operations.

How Long Was This Operation in the Making?

Experts believe the operation would have taken months, if not years, to plan. The attack's precision suggests long-term intelligence gathering, including access to the pagers before they were distributed and embedding the necessary technology.

Elijah J. Magnier, a veteran political analyst, shared that according to Hezbollah sources, the pagers had been in use for over six months before the attack. He noted that the devices functioned normally during that time, with an apparent error message triggering the explosion. Magnier also reported that Hezbollah’s inspection of pagers that didn’t detonate revealed 3 to 5 grams of high explosives concealed in the circuitry.

N.R. Jenzen-Jones, a military arms expert, raised concerns about the large scale of the attack, emphasizing the high casualty rate and broader impact of the operation.