Former Israeli agents reveal how attacks on Hezbollah pagers were carried out

Two former Israeli intelligence agents have revealed how members of the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah used bombed Israeli walkie-talkies for 10 years before they were detonated in a surprise attack this September.

Two former Mossad agents told CBS News how the agency tricked Hezbollah into buying thousands of counterfeit walkie-talkies and pagers, unaware that they were made in Israel.

As a result of terrorist attacks, dozens of people were killed and thousands were injured. Israel said it was intended only for Hezbollah members, but civilians were among the victims, Lebanese officials said.

The UN human rights chief called the attack a war crime.

At the time of the attack, Israel and Hezbollah were engaged in a conflict that escalated after Hezbollah shelled Israeli positions a day after Hamas’ unprecedented attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023.

On September 17, 2024, thousands of pagers detonated simultaneously across Lebanon, mostly in areas with a strong Hezbollah presence. The blasts injured or killed users and some bystanders, causing panic and confusion. The next day, walkie-talkies exploded in the same way, killing and injuring hundreds more.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged Israel’s responsibility two months later, Israeli media reported at the time.

In an interview with the American broadcasting partner BBCtwo former agents revealed details of the operation.

One of the agents, named Michael, said the Mossad had hidden the explosive device inside batteries that work in walkie-talkies, which he said are usually worn in a vest close to a person’s heart.

He said Hezbollah unwittingly bought more than 16,000 walkie-talkies at a “good price” from a fake company 10 years ago.

“We have an incredible array of opportunities to create foreign companies that are not traceable to Israel in any way,” Michael said. “Front companies on top of front companies to influence the supply chain in our favor.

“We create an imaginary world. We are a global manufacturing company. We write the script, we direct, we produce, we are the main actors, and the world is our stage.”

The operation expanded two years ago to include pagers, CBS reported.

Mossad discovered that Hezbollah was buying pagers from Taiwan’s Gold Apollo at the time, the report said. He created a fake company that used the Gold Apollo name on pagers rigged with explosives without the parent company’s knowledge.

CBS reported that the Mossad planted explosives inside, powerful enough to harm only the user.

“We triple, double, check everything to make sure the damage is minimal,” said the second agent, identified by the program as Gabriel.

It says Mossad specifically chose a ringtone that sounded urgent enough for someone to check an incoming message.

Gabriel said the agency tricked Hezbollah into buying pagers, making promotional films and pamphlets and posting them online.

“When they buy from us, they don’t know what they’re buying from Mossad,” he said. “We’re making (the movie) The Truman Show, everything is controlled by us behind the scenes.”

By September 2024, Hezbollah has bought 5,000 bomb pagers, CBS reports.

They were called by Israel when the Mossad feared that Hezbollah had become suspicious, the report said.

The blasts sent shockwaves across Lebanon, with detonations occurring wherever pagers went off, including in supermarkets. Hospitals were overflowing with wounded, many of whom were crippled.

Gabriel said there were “strong rumours” that people had also been killed in front of then-Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.

Days later, with Hezbollah still reeling from the attack, Israel launched intense waves of airstrikes against Hezbollah targets, followed by a ground invasion of Lebanon.

The parties agreed on a ceasefire on November 26.

Lebanon strongly condemned the attacks on pagers and walkie-talkies, and the UN human rights chief Volker Turk said they left him ‘shocked’.

The method of attacks, he said, “violates international human rights law and, in relevant cases, international humanitarian law.”