Report Reveals Ominous Feature of Hezbollah’s Pagers

The Unseen Power Shifts in the Middle East: Device Explosions and Covert Operations

Whoever thinks pagers and walkie-talkies are relics of the past, think again. Last month, an unprecedented event unfolded as [thousands of electronic devices exploded](https://www.businessinsider.com/more-devices-explode-in-lebanon-after-deadly-hezbollah-pager-blasts-2024-9) across Lebanon. These devices were not sitting idly by but were used actively by Hezbollah fighters. Reports indicate dozens were left dead and many more injured.

An Explosive Mystery

The devices included pagers and walkie-talkies linked to Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group. Though Israel hasn’t officially owned up to the orchestration, speculations point towards its infamous Mossad intelligence. According to a [Washington Post report](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/10/05/israel-mossad-hezbollah-pagers-nasrallah/), these devices augmented the horror with a gruesome twist. They required a two-step de-encryption that ensured users held them tightly with both hands during an explosion—diabolical, right?

The Mechanics of a Covert Operation

Mossad supposedly engineered these devices with the ability to remotely trigger explosions. As if that wasn’t sophisticated enough, the devices also detonated during a user’s attempt to read encrypted messages. “Push two buttons and boom,” said an official. This forced strategy rendered users incapable of fighting back, wounding both hands.

**Numbers** don’t lie. Around 3,000 Hezbollah members met their fate or got severely injured, relying on statements from several officials across Israeli, U.S., and Middle Eastern fronts.

| Types of Devices | Consequences |
|————————-|—————————|
| Pagers | Explosions upon handling |
| Walkie-Talkies | Detonation by remote |

The Switch from Cellphones: A Hezbollah Misstep?

Interestingly, Hezbollah made a **strategic switch**. A few months before the explosion, they reportedly opted for low-tech pagers over cellphones. This wasn’t just a nostalgic turn—far from it. They aimed to outmaneuver Israeli intelligence. A [Reuters discussion in July](https://www.businessinsider.com/hezbollah-decided-months-ago-switch-from-cellphones-pagers-just-exploded-2024-9) uncovered that cellphones were banned from the battlefield, an effort to elude prying eyes and ears.

But alas, former spies have characterized this as a well-calculated, classic covert operation—textbook, if you will.

A Region on Edge: An Airline Ban and Political Ramifications

In reaction, Emirates Airlines is taking no chances. They’ve [banned the transport of such devices](https://www.businessinsider.com/emirates-airline-bans-pagers-walkie-talkies-after-lebanon-attacks-2024) on flights, effectively rendering pagers and walkie-talkies as unwelcome relics. Their statement was clear: “All Passengers traveling on flights to, from, or via Dubai are prohibited from transporting pagers and walkie talkies.”

The tension between Israel and Hezbollah isn’t novel. Strikes between the two have intensified since last October after Hamas launched attacks on Israel. Israel has purposefully targeted high-ranking Hezbollah figures and, just recently, took down [Hassan Nasrallah in an airstrike](https://www.businessinsider.com/hezbollah-pager-attacks-reveal-textbook-covert-operation-ex-spies-say-2024-9) on Beirut. This event might amplify the already precarious regional tensions, as it triggered a swift retaliatory missile launch from Iran.

Avi Melamed, a noted former Israeli intelligence officer, aptly summarized, “We are looking at something that has been a very carefully, very thoroughly, well-calculated, meticulously tailored process.”

Clearly, the plot thickens, leaving an air of uncertainty hovering over the region.