Mossad's audacious and calculated operation against Hezbollah reached new heights on September 17, 2024, when thousands of pagers exploded across Lebanon, altering the course of the conflict. This operation, akin to modern-day Trojan horses, involved tricking Hezbollah fighters to unwittingly carry explosives disguised as everyday items. The ramifications of this strategic deception have been extensive, weakening Hezbollah, disrupting Iran, and raising concerns for regional stability.
The operation was spearheaded by two retired senior Mossad agents—Michael and Gabriel (not their real names for security reasons)—who recently shared insider details with 60 Minutes. They began working on the plot over ten years prior to its activation, underlining the patience and planning characteristic of Israeli intelligence strategies.
Initially, Mossad’s approach involved weaponizing walkie-talkies. "The walkie-talkie was seen as just as lethal as any rocket or missile," Michael stated, explaining how these devices were outfitted with explosives within their batteries. Around 16,000 of these disguised tools were sold to Hezbollah at a price carefully determined to avoid raising suspicions about their origin.
The ultimate shift came when Mossad decided to switch to pagers, which Hezbollah operatives still utilized. By 2022, plans were underway to create booby-trapped pagers, leading to the development of the modified devices. Gabriel elaborated, stating they needed to enlarge the pager slightly to fit the explosives without arousing suspicion. This sleek and shiny pager, originally sourced from the Taiwanese company Gold Apollo, represented the crux of the operation.
The Mossad team worked tirelessly to craft the marketing of these devices, presenting them as upgrades to existing equipment. Gabriel recalled, "It became the best product in the beeper area in the world." They plastered persuasive ads online and created fake testimonials to sell the pagers to Hezbollah convincingly. The Mossad even used long-standing contacts within the organization to solidify the ruse.
When the moment arrived on September 17, 2024, chaos ensued. At around 3:30 p.m., the pagers began to beep, signaling the explosions. "We wanted them to be the only ones harmed," Gabriel explained, noting how the design ensured injuries were limited to the user alone.
The aftermath was catastrophic. Hospitals were inundated with casualties, as approximately 30 people died, including two children, and around 3,000 were injured. Footage from the scene revealed the carnage: fingers, limbs torn off, and bloody victims struggling for life. Panic gripped Lebanon, with fear seeping deeply as citizens questioned the safety of their everyday environments.
The desperation and turmoil extended beyond the immediate scene of destruction. Observers noted the shift within Hezbollah, particularly during the subsequent speech by their leader, Hassan Nasrallah. Gabriel pointed out, "He looked defeated, and his soldiers could see he was broken." This moment was seen as the tipping point for Hezbollah’s morale, leading to calls for ceasefire amid growing Israeli military action.
Days after the pager attacks, Israel escalated its operations, targeting Hezbollah's bases and eventually resulting in the assassination of Nasrallah himself on September 27. The Israeli Air Force inflicted heavy collateral damage, leading to over 1,000 casualties, many being civilians caught amid the conflict.
Though Mossad's actions sparked debate over their wider moral ramifications, agents like Gabriel defended the operation as necessary. "First, you have to defend your people," he said, implying the need to prioritize national security over reputational concerns when faced with existential threats.
The long-term impacts of the operation have shaped the dynamics of power within the region, leaving Iran's influence weakened and raising new questions about the future of militant groups such as Hamas. Michael suggested the psychological toll of these actions could still haunt adversaries for years to come, as the fear instilled by the explosion operation remains fresh. "They feel vulnerable, which they are," he stated.
Overall, this sophisticated operation reveals the extent to which intelligence agencies will go to protect their national interests, reflecting the complicated nature of modern warfare intertwined with deception and strategy. The very essence of Mossad’s undertaking stands as a warning: those who finance their adversaries may find themselves victims instead of victors.
