Israeli intelligence agency Mossad executed a sophisticated operation by placing explosives inside 5,000 pagers purchased by Hezbollah. This covert plan, months in the making, resulted in the detonation of these devices across Lebanon, leading to nine deaths and nearly 3,000 injuries, including those of Hezbollah members and Iran’s envoy to Beirut.
How It Happened
According to Lebanese security sources, the pagers were made by Taiwan-based Gold Apollo. However, Gold Apollo’s founder, Hsu Ching-Kuang, clarified that the pagers used in the incident were manufactured by a European company licensed to use the Gold Apollo brand.
The pagers, identified as model AP924, were modified by Mossad to include explosive devices. These explosives were activated remotely via coded messages, causing mass detonations. The security source noted that up to three grams of explosives were hidden in each pager, which Hezbollah failed to detect.
Hezbollah’s Response and Implications
Following the attack, Hezbollah vowed retaliation against Israel. The incident is being described as one of the group’s most significant security breaches, marking a substantial counterintelligence failure.
In response to the attack and other setbacks, Hezbollah had earlier recommended that its members destroy their phones to avoid Israeli surveillance. However, the group’s decision to use pagers instead led to the devastating explosions.
Broader Context
The pager explosions occurred amid ongoing tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, exacerbated by recent conflicts in Gaza. The situation remains tense, with fears of a broader regional conflict involving the U.S. and Iran.
Experts view the incident as evidence of Israel’s deep intelligence penetration into Hezbollah, showcasing a remarkable level of operational capability.
