Well, if you thought modern warfare was all drones and cyberattacks, Israel just flipped the script.
In one of the most sophisticated military operations in recent memory, Israel reportedly infiltrated Hezbollah’s supply chain and rigged thousands of pagers with explosives. Yes, you read that right—pagers. These are the very devices Hezbollah fighters had switched to, thinking they were outsmarting Israel’s surveillance of their cell phone communications. Turns out not so much.
According to The New York Times, Israel pulled off this operation with stunning precision. Pagers containing small amounts of pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN)—a highly explosive material—were remotely detonated all at once, causing absolute chaos within Hezbollah ranks.
The explosions happened around 3:30 p.m. in Lebanon, right when thousands of Hezbollah terrorists received a message that looked like it came from their own leadership. But instead of orders, they got a deadly surprise. The pagers beeped briefly before blowing up, injuring around 4,000 fighters, with 500 of them listed in critical condition and at least 11 dead (10 of whom were confirmed Hezbollah members).
The level of planning here is extraordinary. These pagers were reportedly imported from Taiwan months ago and slipped into Hezbollah’s hands with a tiny amount of PETN hidden inside. The original plan, according to Al-Monitor, was to detonate them if a full-scale war broke out between Israel and Hezbollah, giving Israel a massive head start. But the timeline was fast-tracked after two Hezbollah members sniffed out the sabotage. One was quietly “neutralized,” but when a second terrorist got wise to the rigged pagers, Israel was forced to make a move—and fast.
In a matter of seconds, Israel turned Hezbollah’s security measures against them in a way that’s equal parts genius and terrifying. Hezbollah had adopted these pagers, believing they were safer than cell phones from Israeli eavesdropping. Now, their so-called “secure” communications network has been weaponized against them in a way they probably didn’t see coming.
🚨UPDATE🚨
Pager Go Boom: The New York times is reporting that Israel apparently intercepted the pagers from Taiwan, tampered with the devices that Hezbollah ordered and detonated the pagers in the pockets of thousands of Hezbollah fighters.
They reportedly placed two ounces of… pic.twitter.com/hd77z42uJd— John Cremeans USA (@JohnCremeansUSA) September 18, 2024
And here’s the kicker: the Biden-Harris administration wasn’t in on the plan, likely because Israel didn’t want to tip off a White House that’s been cozying up to Iran, Hezbollah’s chief patron. With the U.S. bending over backward to get back into a nuclear deal with Iran, Israel’s not taking any chances. They went full Lone Ranger on this one, and frankly, who could blame them?
This operation sends a loud and clear message to Hezbollah—and Iran by extension—that Israel isn’t playing around. Hezbollah can switch to all the “low-tech” devices they want, but Israel will find a way to use their own tools against them. And while the Biden administration continues its soft diplomacy with Tehran, Israel’s out here making real-time decisions to protect its borders and its people. After all, if you can’t trust the White House to have your back, sometimes you’ve got to take matters into your own hands.
As this story unfolds, expect a lot of hand-wringing from the usual suspects. But one thing is certain: this operation just put a major dent in Hezbollah’s capabilities, and it serves as a brutal reminder that Israel’s intelligence and military strategies remain unmatched in the region.
