Hezbollah Pager Explosions: Israel and Cyber and Psychological Warfare
Kanako Mita, Sawako Utsumi, and Lee Jay Walker
Modern Tokyo Times
In Lebanon, members of Hezbollah were hit by pager explosions. It is suspected that Israel was behind this brazen attack.
According to Lebanese officials, at least 12 people were killed – including two children. Another 3,000 people were injured – some remaining in serious condition.
The BBC reports, “Citing US officials, the New York Times said that the pagers received messages that appeared to be coming from Hezbollah’s leadership before detonating. The messages instead appeared to trigger the devices, the outlet reported.”
However, it remains unclear if Israel utilized a Supply Chain Breach to carry out this attack against Hezbollah. Or a cyber attack (cyberattack)?
Haaretz Reports, “Experts and sources told Haaretz that the extensive attack, which injured thousands, could have been carried out by overheating pager batteries via malicious software or by planting explosives in the devices before delivery to Hezbollah. Either method would require complex and precise intelligence operations before execution.”
Mass confusion erupted in Beirut and in other parts of Lebanon (a small number of Hezbollah members were reportedly hit in Syria also).
Firass Abiad (Public Health Minister of Lebanon) said, “Most of the injuries appear to be to the face and especially to the eyes and also the hand with some amputations, whether it’s in the hands or the fingers, and some of them have injuries to their flank.”
Lina Khatib (Chatham House – UK based) uttered the attack suggests that Israel has “deeply” infiltrated the “communications network” of Hezbollah.
Irrespective of whether Israel is infiltrating the security apparatus of Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon – it is part of Israel’s psychological warfare.
Cyber News reports (Stefanie Schappert), “Dozens of top Hezbollah leaders and their advisers have also been reported seriously wounded, although the terror group’s chief Hassan Nasrallah was announced unharmed by a Hezbollah spokesperson.”
Hezbollah suspects the timing of the attack by Israel coincides with an assassination attempt by a Shia militia against an important official connected to the Israeli Defense. Hence, Shin Bet and others in Israel enacted this brazen attack.
The Guardian reports, “The blasts appeared to exploit the low-tech pagers that Hezbollah has adopted in order to prevent the targeted assassinations of its members, who could be tracked by mobile phone signals. Those wounded in the attack included Iran’s ambassador to Beirut, Mojtaba Amani, according to reports.”
The New York Times says, “Independent cybersecurity experts who have studied footage of the attacks said it was clear that the strength and speed of the explosions were caused by a type of explosive material.”
Israel is assassinating senior terrorists belonging to Hamas and Hezbollah – irrespective if in Lebanon, Gaza, or Iran (nobody is out of reach).
AP News reports, “Despite periodic cycles of escalation, Hezbollah and Israel have carefully avoided an all-out war, but Israeli leaders have issued a series of warnings in recent weeks that they might increase operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon.”
In July, Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas, was killed by Israel while he was staying in Iran. Hence, his death in Tehran is also humiliating for Iran.
In another attack (July 2024), Israel killed a senior Hezbollah commander in Lebanon.
CBS News reports, “The Israeli military on Tuesday said it killed Fuad Shukr, Hezbollah’s most senior military commander, in a rare strike in Beirut, raising the stakes in the escalating tensions with the Lebanese militant group.”
Israel is highlighting its innovative approach to war.
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