How Israel’s Weaponized Pagers Dealt a Devastating Blow to Hezbollah

In a sophisticated covert operation, Israel reportedly executed a unique plot to target Hezbollah by planting explosives within seemingly ordinary electronic pagers. The stealthy design of these devices, which arrived in Lebanon earlier this year, played a crucial role in an unprecedented attack that left dozens dead and thousands injured.

The Design and Execution

The battery packs inside the pagers were engineered to hide a layer of PETN, a powerful plastic explosive, and used materials undetectable by X-ray scanners. Unlike traditional explosive devices, these bombs had no visible metal detonators. This level of sophistication allowed the pagers to bypass security checks unnoticed.

Hezbollah distributed the pagers across its network, unaware of the danger they contained. The devices were triggered simultaneously in key locations, causing severe injuries and fatalities among members.

Deception Behind the Cover Story

To ensure the devices would pass Hezbollah's procurement procedures, Israeli agents created fake online stores and marketing campaigns, lending legitimacy to the custom-designed AR-924 pager model. They even secured a licensing agreement from a Taiwanese electronics firm to use its brand name. Despite the suspiciously short battery life of the devices, Hezbollah did not raise alarms until it was too late.

Impact of the Attack

The pager attack on September 17 was followed by another wave involving weaponized walkie-talkies. Together, these assaults killed 39 people and injured more than 3,400, marking one of the most devastating blows to Hezbollah in recent years. Israel, though not officially confirming involvement, tacitly praised the success of the operation.

Aftermath and Escalating Conflict

Hezbollah launched an investigation to uncover the source of the breach, while also vowing retaliation. The incident has escalated tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, pushing both sides closer to a regional conflict. With Israeli airstrikes and Hezbollah’s counterattacks continuing, the situation remains volatile.

This operation highlights not just the technological ingenuity involved but also the lengths to which intelligence agencies are willing to go in high-stakes warfare.

Reference From: www.ndtv.com