Hezbollah pagers: How did they explode and who is responsible?
What We Know About Hezbollah Pager Explosions
Check out: Minor blast at a supermarket in Lebanon.
In Lebanon, thousands of individuals were hurt when devices used by the militant group Hezbollah to communicate unexpectedly detonated almost at the same time throughout the nation on Tuesday.
At least nine individuals lost their lives in the explosions, and hundreds more have been admitted to hospitals throughout the nation. According to Lebanon's health ministry, there are at least 2,750 reported injuries, with 200 of those being serious cases.
The details surrounding the attack, which appears to have been quite advanced, remain uncertain. However, Hezbollah has pointed the finger at Israel for the incident. Meanwhile, officials from Israel have not yet provided any statements on the matter.
Here's what we have learned up to this point.
"When And Where Did It Take Place?"
The explosions started in southern Beirut and various other parts of Lebanon on Tuesday afternoon at approximately 3:45 PM local time (1:45 PM BST).
Observers noted smoke emerging from people's pockets, followed by tiny explosions that resembled the sounds of fireworks and gunfire.
In one video, security cameras seemed to capture an explosion happening in a man's pants pocket while he was standing at the checkout counter of a store.
According to the Reuters news agency, explosions persisted for about an hour following the first detonations.
Before long, a large number of individuals started showing up at hospitals throughout Lebanon, with onlookers describing chaotic scenes.
According to a source familiar with Hezbollah, two of the deceased were the sons of two members of parliament from the group. The source also mentioned that the daughter of a Hezbollah member lost her life.
One of those hurt was Mojtaba Amani, Iran's ambassador to Lebanon. Iranian news sources indicated that his injuries were not severe.
According to a source cited by Reuters, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was unharmed during the blasts.
In addition to the situation in Lebanon, a total of 14 individuals were hurt in similar explosions in neighboring Syria, as reported by the UK-based organization the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Analysts were quick to voice their astonishment at the magnitude of Tuesday's assault, noting that Hezbollah is known for its strong security protocols.
Some people have speculated that a hack might have led to the pager batteries overheating, which in turn caused the devices to explode. If this is true, it would be something we've never seen before.
However, numerous experts believe that this is improbable, as the videos of the explosions do not align with the idea of the batteries overheating.
Some experts believe that it’s more probable this incident involved a supply chain attack, where the pagers were altered either during production or while being transported.
Supply chain attacks are becoming an increasing worry in the realm of cybersecurity, especially with numerous well-known cases recently where hackers have compromised products during their development stages.
However, these types of attacks typically focus on software. In contrast, hardware supply chain attacks are much less common because they require direct access to the physical device.
If this was really a supply chain attack, it would have required a massive effort to discreetly interfere with the pagers in some manner.
A former munitions specialist from the British Army, who wished to remain anonymous, informed the BBC that the devices might have contained between 10 to 20 grams of military-grade explosives, concealed within a counterfeit electronic part.
The expert explained that this would have been activated by a signal, which is referred to as an alphanumeric text message.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Up to now, no one has taken responsibility for the incident, although the Prime Minister of Lebanon and Hezbollah are pointing fingers at Israel.
Prime Minister Najib Mikati stated that the explosions were a significant breach of Lebanon's sovereignty and an act that is considered a crime by any measure.
In a statement blaming Israel for the attacks, Hezbollah declared that it considers the nation entirely accountable for this violent act, which also affected innocent civilians.
"This deceitful and unlawful foe will undoubtedly face the consequences it deserves for this wrongful act of aggression, whether it anticipates it or not," it continued.
Israeli authorities have remained silent regarding the accusations, but the majority of experts believe it is probable that Israel is responsible for the assault.
Professor Simon Mabon, who holds the chair in International Relations at Lancaster University, spoke with the BBC and noted that Israel has a history of using technology to monitor its targets. However, he described the magnitude of this particular attack as "unprecedented."
Lina Khatib from Chatham House in the UK noted that the attack indicates that Israel has thoroughly penetrated Hezbollah's communication systems.
Three women arrive at a hospital in Beirut seeking updates about their family members after the explosions.
Why Does Hezbollah Use Pagers?
Hezbollah primarily depends on pagers for their internal communications.
Mobile phones have been deemed too risky for quite some time, illustrated by the assassination of Hamas bomb-maker Yahya Ayyash in 1996, when his phone detonated while he was holding it.
However, a member of Hezbollah informed the AP news agency that the pagers were a new model that the group had not utilized previously.
Emily Harding, a former CIA analyst, stated that the security lapse is a significant embarrassment for Hezbollah.
"This kind of breach is not just a physical threat; it will also lead them to scrutinize their entire security system," she stated to the BBC.
I anticipate they will carry out a thorough internal review, which might divert their attention from a possible conflict with Israel.
Could The Hezbollah-Israel Conflict Escalate?
Hezbollah has strong ties with Iran, which is Israel's main adversary in the region. As a member of Tehran's Axis of Resistance, Hezbollah has been involved in ongoing skirmishes with Israel for several months, repeatedly launching rockets and missiles across the northern border. This ongoing conflict has led to the displacement of entire communities on both sides.
The explosions occurred only hours after Israel's security cabinet declared that ensuring the safe return of residents to the northern part of the country was an official objective of the war.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu informed a visiting American official that Israel will take the necessary actions to guarantee its safety.
Earlier on Monday, Israel's internal security agency announced that it had prevented a plot by Hezbollah to kill a former official.
Even with the current tensions, analysts believe that both parties have managed to keep conflicts in check and avoid escalating into an all-out war. However, there are growing concerns that things could get out of hand, especially since Hezbollah has already warned that it may retaliate against the explosions that occurred on Tuesday.
Further contributions by Frances Mao.
