Push Button Pager Attack in Lebenon
Taiwanese pager manufacturer Gold Apollo confirmed on Wednesday that Budapest-based BAC Consulting produced the pagers used in the recent explosions that killed several Hezbollah members in Lebanon. Gold Apollo clarified that while its brand was licensed to BAC, it had no direct involvement in producing the devices.
The attack occurred on Tuesday when pagers used by hundreds of Hezbollah operatives exploded simultaneously in Lebanon and Syria, killing at least nine Hezbollah members and wounding thousands more. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that Israel had briefed the U.S. on the operation, which involved detonating small amounts of explosives hidden within the pagers. Hezbollah immediately blamed Israel for the attack, which appeared to be a highly planned operation targeting the group across a wide area. The Israeli military declined to comment.
Hezbollah has long used pagers for communication after leader Hassan Nasrallah warned members against using cell phones due to the risk of Israeli tracking. The devices involved in Tuesday’s attack were from a new brand Hezbollah had not used before, according to a Hezbollah official who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
Gold Apollo stated that BAC Consulting produced and sold the AR-924 pager model under its licensed brand. The devices were identified as being from Gold Apollo after Reuters reviewed images of the destroyed pagers. Nicholas Reese, a former intelligence officer and adjunct instructor at NYU, explained that pagers are considered more secure than smartphones, though this attack will likely force Hezbollah to reconsider its communication methods. Reese predicted that survivors of the explosions will likely discard not just their pagers but all electronic devices.
Theories have emerged around how the attack was carried out, with experts suggesting the pagers were tampered with during production, allowing small explosive devices to be planted inside. Carlos Perez, security intelligence director at TrustedSec, explained that the batteries may have contained both the explosive material and a functional battery, allowing the pagers to operate normally until the attack. The devices were likely triggered remotely via a radio signal.
A former British Army bomb disposal officer noted that pagers already contain three of the five essential components of an explosive device: a container, a battery, and a triggering mechanism. Only a detonator and explosive charge would need to be added to turn the device into a weapon.
Footage circulating on social media purportedly shows one of the pagers exploding on a Hezbollah member’s hip in a crowded Lebanese market. Munitions experts confirmed that the detonation was consistent with a small, high-explosive device. Sean Moorhouse, a former British Army officer, stated that the precision and scale of the attack point to a state actor, with Israel’s Mossad being the most likely suspect. Israel has been linked to similar operations in the past, including sabotage attempts on Iran’s missile program by inserting faulty parts.
The attack likely took months or even years to plan. Experts estimate that Israel had been gathering intelligence for an extended period to plant the explosives in the pagers. Elijah J. Magnier, a senior political risk analyst, reported that the pagers had been in use for over six months before Tuesday’s explosions, functioning normally until an error message triggered the detonation. Hezbollah members who inspected pagers that did not explode found 3 to 5 grams of highly explosive material embedded in the devices, Magnier said.
The operation, which killed several Hezbollah members, including the son of a Hezbollah parliamentarian, raises questions about targeting precision. N.R. Jenzen-Jones, a military arms expert, stressed that while the attack was aimed at Hezbollah, the sheer number of casualties and potential civilian presence raised concerns. Hezbollah confirmed that nine of its members were killed in the blast, issuing a statement that held Israel fully responsible and vowed retaliation.
As investigators work to uncover the full details, the strike’s complexity underscores a calculated effort by a state actor with significant resources, sending a strong message to Hezbollah.
