Israel reportedly intercepted a shipment of pagers destined for Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, tampering with the devices to detonate when a specific message is received. According to reports from multiple sources, including The New York Times, the pagers, originally ordered from a manufacturer in Taiwan, were modified by Israeli intelligence to include small explosives next to each device’s battery, along with a remote trigger.
The explosion was detonated at 3:30 p.m. local time when Hezbollah fighters received what appeared to be a message from their leader. The timing of the message was crucial; the brief delay before detonation was likely intended to ensure the devices were close to the recipients’ faces, maximizing impact.
Israel just pulled off something that will go down in the history books. Hezbollah leaders switched to pagers and flip phones to make them unhackable, but Israel hacked thousands of them and detonated explosives that overwhelmed Lebanese hospitals with… photo.twitter.com/mQWuQpQPr4
— Yaakov Strasberg (@YaakovStras) September 17, 2024
The operation was a catastrophic event for Hezbollah, with nine people killed and more than 2,800 injured. The scale of the operation and its execution raised significant concerns about a tactical escalation in ongoing conflicts in the region.
Hezbollah has accused Israel of being behind the attack, calling it “acriminal invasion” also targeted civilians, as not all victims were combatants. The group’s statement reflects an increase in hostility, especially after Israel’s security cabinet announced new war goals, including the safe return of residents displaced by the conflict.
Speaking anonymously, US officials confirmed that Israel informed them of the operation after it was completed. The revelation has sparked discussions in international forums about the ethics and implications of such targeted operations, especially those that have the potential to harm civilians or non-combatants.
The incident has sparked a range of reactions across social media platforms, with some users praising the tactic while others have expressed horror at the implications of the method. Critics have debated the ethical and legal boundaries of warfare, questioning the use of technology in such a way without a clear distinction between combatants and civilians, especially as some of the victims were reportedly not Hezbollah members but were caught in the blast due to their proximity to the devices.
