Hezbollah Pager Attacks Reveal Years-Long Israeli Intelligence Operation

Details are emerging about how Israel turned ordinary communication devices into weapons during coordinated attacks across Lebanon. The operations killed 26 people and injured more than 3,000 over two days.

Thousands of pagers detonated simultaneously on Tuesday afternoon, around 3:30 p.m. Users received what looked like a message from Hezbollah leadership. The devices emitted a beep, then paused before exploding. That brief delay gave people time to grab the pager and hold it close, resulting in numerous facial and hand wounds.

The scale of planning appears extraordinary. According to reports, Hezbollah started looking for about 5,000 pagers roughly three years back. Group leaders pushed members away from mobile phones toward pagers, believing them more secure. Israeli intelligence apparently learned about this procurement need and controlled the entire supply process.

Investigation by The Guardian linked the devices to Gold Apollo, a Taiwanese company. Gold Apollo claimed a Hungarian firm called BAC Consulting manufactured the actual units under a contract from three years ago. BAC Consulting's website disappeared after the attacks. The company's CEO told NBC they merely acted as a middleman. Hungary's government said production never happened on Hungarian soil.

Someone packed each pager with explosive material and installed custom software triggering detonation from specific signals. Small explosive quantities proved sufficient for causing serious harm. Between distribution and activation, Israel probably monitored all encrypted Hezbollah traffic flowing through these devices.

A second attack hit walkie-talkies on Wednesday using comparable tactics. Another 14 people died, and 450 sustained injuries.

The strikes demolished Hezbollah's communication networks and fractured command chains. Airlines started banning pagers and walkie-talkies from flights. Lebanese civilians grew fearful that household electronics might explode next.

American officials speaking with Axios said Israel accelerated the timeline after detecting signs that Hezbollah might uncover the scheme. One source described the decision as "use it or lose it."

Human Rights Watch criticized the attacks for breaking international laws against booby traps that endanger civilians. Security analysts warn that non-state groups might copy these methods using modified consumer products purchased through online platforms.