Mossad's pager operation: Washington Post learns how Israel infiltrated Hezbollah
Illustrative photo (Getty Images)
The first part of the plan - booby-trapped radios - was initiated by Mossad in Lebanon in 2015. The concept for the pager operation emerged in 2022 and began to be implemented more than a year before the Hamas attack on October 7, reports The Washington Post.
The article is based on interviews with Israeli, Arab, and American security officials, politicians, and diplomats, as well as Lebanese officials and individuals close to Hezbollah.
Special offer
A special proposal, allegedly from a well-known Taiwanese company, was developed for Hezbollah militants. The Apollo AR924 pager was somewhat bulky but ideal for combat conditions. It was waterproof and equipped with an extended battery that could last for months without recharging. However, its main advantage was its purported anti-tampering protection. Hezbollah leaders were so impressed that they purchased 5,000 units and began distributing them to mid-level fighters and support staff in February.
According to officials from Israel, the US, and Middle Eastern countries, around 3,000 Hezbollah officers and members were killed or injured when Mossad remotely activated the devices on September 17.
The idea for the pager operation originated in 2022, with elements of the plan being implemented more than a year before the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.
The first part of the plan - booby-trapped radios - was initiated by Mossad in Lebanon nearly ten years ago, in 2015. The mobile two-way radios contained large battery packs, hidden explosives, and a transmission system that provided Israel with full access to Hezbollah's communications.
According to sources, for nine years, Israeli operatives eavesdropped on Hezbollah while maintaining the capability to turn the radios into bombs. However, a new opportunity arose: a small pager equipped with powerful explosives.
The devices could not be manufactured in Israel, the US, or any other Israeli ally. Therefore, in 2023, a group began receiving offers for a bulk purchase of Apollo pagers under the well-known Taiwanese brand. Sources indicated that the Taiwanese company was unaware of the plan.
The sales proposal came from a trusted marketing individual associated with Apollo. The woman, whose identity and nationality officials refused to disclose, was a former sales representative in the Middle East for the Taiwanese firm who had established her own company and obtained a license to sell a line of pagers under the Apollo brand. Somewhere in 2023, she offered Hezbollah a deal for one of the products sold by her company: the durable and reliable AR924.
As it turned out, the actual production of the devices was outsourced, and the marketing officer had no knowledge of the operation and was unaware that the pagers were physically assembled in Israel under Mossad's supervision.
The bomb component was concealed so carefully that it was nearly impossible to detect, even if the device was disassembled. Israeli officials believe that Hezbollah disassembled some pagers and may have even X-rayed them.
Encrypted message
The electronic signal from the intelligence service could trigger the simultaneous explosion of thousands of devices. However, to maximize damage, the explosion was activated through a special two-step procedure required to view encrypted messages.
"You had to push two buttons to read the message," said one official. This effectively meant using both hands. According to the official, as a result of the explosion, users would almost certainly injure both hands, rendering them unable to fight.
US officials indicated that the US, Israel's closest ally, was not informed about the booby-trapped pagers.
On September 17, thousands of Apollo-branded pagers simultaneously rang or vibrated throughout Lebanon and Syria. A brief message appeared on the screens in Arabic: "You received an encrypted message."
Hezbollah operatives obediently followed the instructions to check the coded messages, pressing both buttons. In homes and stores, in cars, and on sidewalks, explosions tore apart hands and severed fingers. Within less than a minute, thousands of other pagers detonated via remote command, regardless of whether the user had touched their device.
The next day, September 18, hundreds of radios exploded similarly.
For a detailed account of the Mossad operation, read the article by RBC-Ukraine.
