Israel carried out an operation against Hezbollah on Tuesday by embedding explosive material within a shipment of Taiwanese-made pagers destined for Lebanon, according to American and other officials briefed on the incident.
The pagers, ordered by Hezbollah from the Taiwanese company Gold Apollo, were reportedly tampered with before reaching Lebanon, some officials revealed. Most of the devices were Gold Apollo’s AR924 model, though three other models from the same manufacturer were also included in the batch.
Explosive material, as little as one to two ounces, was placed near the battery in each pager, according to two officials. A remote-activated switch was also installed, allowing the explosives to be detonated from a distance.
At 3:30 p.m. local time in Lebanon, the pagers received a message that appeared to originate from Hezbollah’s leadership, but it instead triggered the embedded explosives, said two officials. Lebanon’s health minister reported at least 11 fatalities and more than 2,700 injuries following the explosions.
The devices were reportedly programmed to beep for several seconds before detonating, according to three of the officials.
The officials, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, indicated that Hezbollah has accused Israel of orchestrating the attack but has provided limited details of its own investigation. Israel has not issued any public statements regarding the incident.
On Wednesday, Gold Apollo distanced itself from the devices implicated in the attack, stating that the pagers had been manufactured under license by B.A.C. Consulting, a firm based in Budapest. Attempts to reach B.A.C. were unsuccessful, as calls to the number listed on its website went unanswered.
Independent cybersecurity experts analyzing footage of the attack confirmed that the force and timing of the explosions suggest the use of specialized explosives.
“These pagers were likely modified to create explosions of this magnitude — the strength of the blast indicates it wasn’t just the battery,” said Mikko Hypponen, a research specialist at WithSecure and a cybercrime adviser to Europol.
Keren Elazari, an Israeli cybersecurity analyst and researcher at Tel Aviv University, explained that the attack targeted Hezbollah’s communication systems, which were already considered vulnerable.
Earlier this year, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah had restricted the use of cellphones, citing concerns over Israeli surveillance, according to officials and security experts.
“This operation exploited a key vulnerability, as it attacked Hezbollah’s communications infrastructure,” Elazari stated. “Pagers have been targeted before, but not in such a sophisticated manner.”
Officials disclosed that Hezbollah had ordered over 3,000 pagers from Gold Apollo, distributing them to members across Lebanon, with some units reaching Hezbollah’s allies in Iran and Syria. Israel’s operation specifically targeted pagers that were powered on and receiving messages.
Details regarding the exact timing of the order and the pagers’ arrival in Lebanon remain unclear as of Tuesday.