The trail of Hezbollah's exploding pagers extends from Taiwan to Budapest
Nine Dead, 3,000 Injured in Major Hezbollah Security Breach
Hezbollah Ordered Pagers Months Ago, Pledges Retaliation
Pagers Reportedly Made by BAC, Says Taiwanese Firm
Devices Allegedly Altered by Israel, Say Lebanese Security Officials
BEIRUT, Sept 18 – Israel’s Mossad spy agency secretly planted explosives in 5,000 pagers acquired by Hezbollah months before Tuesday’s explosions, which left nine dead and 3,000 injured, according to Lebanese security officials. The large-scale operation involved a network spanning from Taiwan to Budapest, culminating in coordinated blasts across Lebanon.
Among the wounded were Hezbollah fighters and Iran's ambassador to Beirut, underscoring the significant toll on Hezbollah. The pagers, ordered from Taiwanese firm Gold Apollo, were reportedly manufactured by a Budapest-based company called BAC. Gold Apollo denied responsibility, stating that BAC was using its brand under a license.
Israel has yet to comment, but Iran-backed Hezbollah has vowed to retaliate, further heightening tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border. The blasts occurred amid growing fears of a broader regional conflict, fueled by the ongoing clashes between Israel and Hezbollah since the Gaza war began in October.
Lebanese sources disclosed that Mossad had tampered with the pagers during production, embedding explosives triggered remotely, which remained undetected for months. When a coded signal was sent, around 3,000 pagers exploded, leading to widespread casualties.
This incident represents a major security lapse for Hezbollah, already under strain from the conflict with Israel. Experts say it deals a serious blow to the group's counterintelligence efforts, likening it to Mossad’s previous high-level operations, including assassinations of key Hezbollah and Hamas figures.
Hospital footage showed severely injured Hezbollah members, many missing limbs or with deep wounds at the locations where the pagers were worn. In response, Hezbollah reaffirmed its backing for Gaza and promised to exact revenge on Israel for what it referred to as the "massacre" on Tuesday.
International experts warn that this escalation risks drawing the region into a larger conflict, as diplomatic attempts to reduce tensions between Israel and Hezbollah appear to be stalling.
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