According to CNN, a series of explosions involving communication devices have occurred from Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, to Damascus, the capital of Syria, since September 17. These incidents are suspected to have been orchestrated by the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad, resulting in at least 32 deaths and approximately 3,200 injuries, including the Iranian ambassador to Lebanon.
Explosions with the Power of Half a Hand Grenade
The New York Times revealed that months ago, Hezbollah had ordered thousands of pagers in four models from external suppliers. Israel then secretly implanted explosives in these pagers, embedding remote detonation switches.
At around 1:50 PM on the day of the incident, these timed bombs were simultaneously triggered by an activation signal, causing mass casualties.
Initial reports, according to CNN, suggested that the pagers were manufactured by an electronics company in Taiwan. However, the company’s spokesperson denied any involvement, clarifying that the products in question were rebranded and made by a European distributor.
A British military weapons expert analyzed that the pagers may have been loaded with 10 to 20 grams of military-grade high explosives, equivalent to the explosive power of half an infantry hand grenade, capable of causing fatal injuries.
Italian newspaper La Repubblica reported that among the thousands injured in the explosions, around 500 Hezbollah members were blinded. These victims had been prompted by a pager’s beeping to check their messages when the explosion occurred, causing severe damage to their eyesight.
Al Jazeera reported that one medical center in Beirut alone admitted hundreds of injured individuals, with around 200 in critical condition.
Hospital staff revealed that most injuries were to the waist, face, eyes, and hands. “Many have lost fingers, with some even losing all ten digits,” one staff member stated.
Pervasiveness of Modern Electronic Warfare
The BBC’s website quoted expert analyses stating that the scale of these explosions was unprecedented, highlighting Hezbollah’s vulnerability and indicating that the group’s internal security network had been breached.
To maintain confidentiality, Hezbollah had avoided using easily traceable smartphones, opting for pagers for internal communications. These devices were thought to be secure but were ultimately turned against them by their adversaries.
Lebanese security officials believe the explosions were “meticulously planned over a long period.” The Jerusalem Post noted that months ago, Israeli Defense Minister Gallant hinted at Israel’s possession of “new capabilities that would surprise the enemy,” though Hezbollah apparently did not take this warning seriously.
The Times of Israel reported that Israel’s intelligence services have carried out similar operations in the past. For instance, on January 5, 1996, Hamas bomb expert Yahya Ayyash was killed by a mini-explosive device implanted in a mobile phone.
Using technical vulnerabilities in electronic devices to attack adversaries has become common in modern warfare. For example, the BBC reported that on April 21, 1996, Chechen rebel leader Dzhokhar Dudayev was killed by a Russian missile after his satellite phone signal was intercepted.
According to The Washington Post, in 2010, the U.S. and Israel jointly launched a cyberattack, infecting over 200,000 computers in Iran with a worm virus, damaging around 1,000 centrifuges and significantly delaying the country’s nuclear program.
Mutual Losses for Hezbollah and Israel
Foreign media pointed out that the timing of the pager explosions was delicate, coinciding with escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, amid international efforts to mediate peace.
CNN suggested that if Israel was indeed behind the attack, its intent might have been to provoke a larger-scale conflict or war.
Israeli media partially confirmed this theory. The Times of Israel reported that Israel had initially planned to cause casualties and chaos among Hezbollah ranks through the pager explosions before launching a full-scale war. However, concerns over a potential security leak led to an early detonation of the devices.
Foreign media described the surprise attack as a severe blow to Hezbollah. Although Hezbollah’s leadership vowed retaliation, it may struggle to recover in the short term.
Among the nearly 3,000 killed or injured, many were core members of Hezbollah. This mass “removal” of its backbone forces will likely weaken the group’s command, communication, intelligence, and combat systems, significantly impacting its ability to confront Israel militarily.
However, the heavy casualties from this large-scale attack have sparked outrage across the Middle East, indirectly garnering sympathy for Hezbollah.
According to Al Jazeera, after the incident, Egypt reaffirmed its “steadfast support” for Lebanon, the Iranian Red Crescent sent medical teams for rescue efforts, and Iraqi planes carrying medical supplies landed in Beirut.
Meanwhile, AFP reported that the United States, Israel’s key ally, warned Iran and Hezbollah against escalating the situation, while sending Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Cairo for talks aimed at promoting a ceasefire in Gaza. After all, the U.S. does not wish to be drawn into a regional war at this time.
Thus, a new round of great power struggles in the Middle East has quietly unfolded in the wake of the pager explosions.
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