Hezbollah caught in Israeli pager bomb plot as Middle East tensions escalate

A highly sophisticated Israeli operation involving weaponized pagers has dealt a significant blow to Hezbollah, resulting in deadly explosions in Beirut and other strongholds in September 2023.

The pagers, sent to Hezbollah earlier in the year, were rigged with explosives concealed in specially designed battery packs that elu

According to a Lebanese source with direct knowledge of the devices, the pagers carried a deceptively potent charge of plastic explosives, PETN, hidden within their battery packs.

The intricate design used a thin layer of explosive between battery cells, and a novel detonator that was entirely invisible to scanners, experts revealed.

Despite Hezbollah’s rigorous security procedures, which involved scanning the devices upon arrival, the explosive nature of the pagers went unnoticed due to their stealthy design.

Reuters has reviewed teardown photos of the battery packs and reports that a major weakness in the operation was the lack of a credible backstory for the pagers.

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To overcome this, Israeli agents reportedly created fake online stores, websites, and social media posts to deceive Hezbollah procurement processes.

A former Israeli intelligence officer told Reuters that this extensive “legend” building around consumer electronics was rare, emphasizing the creativity involved in the plot.

On September 17, thousands of these pagers detonated, killing 39 people and injuring more than 3,400. The explosions, triggered by an incoming message alert on the pagers, caused widespread injuries, with many victims suffering severe burns, eye damage, and loss of limbs.

Two Western security officials confirmed that Israel’s intelligence agency, Mossad, led the operation. While Israel has not publicly claimed responsibility, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant praised the results of Mossad’s recent activities, hinting at the agency’s involvement.

Hezbollah has launched an internal investigation into how the breach occurred and has vowed retaliation, calling the attacks a “declaration of war.”

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Energy and defense analysts say this latest development has pushed the already volatile situation in the Middle East closer to full-scale conflict, with Hezbollah launching rocket strikes on Israel since October 8 in response to the pager bombings.

Israel’s subsequent military actions, including airstrikes and a ground invasion of southern Lebanon, have reportedly decimated much of Hezbollah’s leadership.

Lebanese authorities have condemned the attacks, describing them as a grave violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty.