How Israel's Mossad convinced Hezbollah to buy its exploding pagers

In a covert operation by Israel's Mossad , Hezbollah was convinced to purchase and distribute pagers to thousands of its operatives. The scheme was designed to infiltrate the group's communication system, ultimately leading to the deaths and injuries of many members.

The story began two years ago when Mossad devised a plan to use pagers as a Trojan horse to penetrate Hezbollah's network. The device in question, the AR924 pager , appeared to be an ideal tool for a militia group like Hezbollah. It was rugged, waterproof, and came with an oversized battery capable of lasting months without needing a recharge. The pagers were marketed as being immune to Israeli tracking, which appealed greatly to Hezbollah’s leaders, who were always wary of Israeli intelligence monitoring their communications.

In early 2023, Hezbollah made a bulk purchase of these pagers, convinced of their reliability. The devices were distributed to mid-level fighters and support personnel across Lebanon and Syria . What Hezbollah didn’t realise was that Mossad had designed the pagers themselves. Hidden within the battery pack of each device was a powerful explosive, which could be triggered remotely by Mossad or activated through a two-step process. The latter option involved pressing two buttons to decrypt messages, meaning the user would likely be holding the device with both hands when it detonated.

On September 17, thousands of these pagers exploded simultaneously, killing or maiming an estimated 3,000 Hezbollah officers, fighters, and civilians. The operation is considered one of the most audacious and effective pieces of spycraft in recent history.
The plan originated in 2022 when Mossad, tasked with combating foreign threats to Israel, sought new ways to infiltrate Hezbollah, which had grown increasingly sophisticated in its communications.
The organisation was desperate to avoid Israeli surveillance, and Mossad capitalised on this paranoia by offering Hezbollah what seemed to be secure, untraceable communication devices.

To ensure the plan’s success, Mossad had to conceal the origins of the pagers. The devices were branded as Taiwanese and sold through a marketing official who had no knowledge of the true intent behind the sales. Hezbollah had been successfully misled into buying and distributing what were essentially bombs designed by their enemy.

The first part of Mossad's pager plot was triggered on September 17. Explosions occurred simultaneously across Lebanon and Syria as Hezbollah operatives attempted to access encrypted messages. The two-step decryption process, which required both hands, ensured maximum casualties as fighters were directly exposed to the blasts. A day later, Mossad remotely triggered walkie-talkies that had been similarly booby-trapped, further adding to the chaos.

This operation resulted in devastating consequences for Hezbollah, severely damaging its leadership and disrupting its communication networks. Israel followed up with airstrikes on Hezbollah’s key military infrastructure, intensifying the group's vulnerability. Despite the success of this operation, it also led to heightened tensions in the region, with Hezbollah and its backers, including Iran, retaliating and threatening further escalation.

The attack is seen as a turning point in Israel’s ongoing conflict with Hezbollah, demonstrating the lengths Mossad is willing to go to neutralise threats and highlighting the profound risks of modern spycraft.