More details are emerging after a highly coordinated and sophisticated attack targeting pagers used by hundreds of members of the Iran-backed terror group, Hezbollah. The devices exploded nearly simultaneously in Lebanon and Syria on Tuesday. The Associated Press reports the blasts killed at least 12 people, including two children, and injured thousands more.
A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed to the Associated Press that Israel had briefed the U.S. on the operation after it concluded. The official revealed that small explosive devices hidden within the pagers were remotely detonated. While specifics of the operation remain unclear, the coordinated nature of the explosions suggests a long-planned, state-sponsored operation. Israel’s military has declined to comment.
Military analysts estimate that the planning for Tuesday’s coordinated pager explosions may have taken anywhere from several months to two years. The attack would have required extensive intelligence gathering, physical access to the pagers before they were distributed to Hezbollah members, and the development of advanced technology capable of remote detonation.
Hezbollah relies on pagers for communication, deliberately avoiding cell phones to reduce the risk of Israeli tracking. This long-standing method of secure communication became a vulnerability in Tuesday’s attack. A Hezbollah official told the Associated Press that the exploded pagers were of a new brand that the group had not used before.
The pagers were produced by Budapest-based BAC Consulting, using a design licensed by Taiwanese company Gold Apollo. Both companies have yet to issue detailed explanations on how the devices might have been compromised.
Nicholas Reese, a former intelligence officer and adjunct instructor at New York University’s Center for Global Affairs, said the attack would force Hezbollah to reconsider its communications strategies. Reese suggested that survivors of the attack are likely to dispose of not just their pagers but also other electronic devices to avoid future risks.
Experts have speculated that the explosive charges were likely embedded in the pagers during the manufacturing or supply process. Carlos Perez, director of security intelligence at TrustedSec, theorized that the pager batteries may have been partially replaced with explosive material, enabling remote detonation.
Elijah J. Magnier, a veteran analyst with deep experience in the region, reported speaking with Hezbollah members who survived the attack. According to Magnier, the pagers had been functioning normally for six months before being triggered by an error message sent to all devices. Many pagers did not detonate, which allowed Hezbollah to analyze them and determine that 3 to 5 grams of highly explosive material had been hidden within their circuitry.
