Israel Blew Hezbollah’s Pagers Earlier Than Planned Over Fears Of Plot Leak

New Delhi: Israeli officials on Tuesday detonated thousands of Hezbollah pagers in Lebanon earlier than planned amid concerns that the Iranian-backed outfit had discovered their plot, according to several reports.

The decision, reportedly approved by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was influenced by intelligence suggesting Hezbollah might have detected explosives concealed within the devices, the New York Post reported. The pagers, primarily the AR-924 model, were allegedly modified before being shipped to Lebanon from a Taiwanese manufacturer, Gold Apollo.

Explosives were implanted near the battery with a remote activation switch, allowing for a coordinated detonation. After the initial attack, a second wave of explosions occurred on Wednesday when walkie-talkie radios used by Hezbollah also detonated. This escalation was prompted by fears that Hezbollah operatives would abandon their devices after the first attack.
According to CNN intelligence analyst Bob Baer, Israel has disrupted Hezbollah’s communications network, potentially setting the stage for an imminent military offensive in Lebanon. The recent attacks have left Hezbollah unable to coordinate its operations effectively, giving Israel a strategic advantage in the ongoing conflict, Baer, a former CIA operative, said.