In a shocking revelation, ex-Israeli intelligence operatives describe how Hezbollah was deceived into purchasing booby-trapped communication devices, leading to multiple tragedies in Lebanon.
Inside the Covert Operation: How Israel's Mossad-baited Hezbollah with Booby-Trapped Devices
Inside the Covert Operation: How Israel's Mossad-baited Hezbollah with Booby-Trapped Devices
Two former Mossad agents disclose the intricate details behind the deadly attacks on Hezbollah using Israeli-manufactured devices.
Two former Israeli intelligence agents have come forward to expose the covert operation that led to a catastrophic attack on members of the Hezbollah militia, revealing the use of Israeli-made walkie-talkies and pagers rigged with explosives. The ex-Mossad operatives shared their insights in an interview with CBS News, explaining that the operation spanned a decade, culminating in a massive surprise assault in September this year that left thousands killed or injured.
Hezbollah was reportedly duped into acquiring over 16,000 rigged communication devices by a fictitious company linked to Mossad, who engineered the attack to ideally target only Hezbollah operatives. However, Lebanese officials lamented that this well-planned assault resulted in numerous civilian casualties, prompting widespread condemnation, including from the UN human rights chief, who labeled the event a war crime.
The attacks, which unfolded on September 17 this year, saw a series of pagers simultaneously explode across Lebanese territories where Hezbollah's influence was strong, resulting in chaos and panic. One ex-agent, identified as Michael, divulged that explosive devices were ingeniously concealed inside the batteries of the walkie-talkies, intentionally placed where users would least expect them. With an operation that involved creating multiple layers of shell companies, Mossad successfully masked its involvement, leading Hezbollah to unwittingly invest in their own destruction.
The operation, which gained a new facet two years prior with the inclusion of pagers, allowed Mossad to penetrate Hezbollah's communications by faking the supply chain. A Taiwanese manufacturer named Gold Apollo was used as a front for the camouflaged devices. The second agent, referred to as Gabriel, indicated that even the sound of incoming messages was meticulously curated to ensure maximum engagement from users, leading to their demise.
In total, Hezbollah acquired 5,000 of these lethal pagers by September 2024, and when Mossad detected growing suspicions within the group, they activated the explosives from Israel. The ensuing detonations caused shockwaves throughout the country, overwhelming hospitals and leaving countless individuals crippled.
As Lebanon grappled with the aftermath, Israel escalated its military campaign against Hezbollah, which sparked a flurry of air strikes and eventually a ground invasion. Despite efforts to restore peace, the echoes of that fateful day reverberate through history, as national and international bodies alike denounce the operation for its blatant disregard of human rights and humanitarian law.
