A recent report from Israel's Channel 12 has unveiled new details about the explosive pager incident targeting Hezbollah operatives, suggesting a highly sophisticated and precisely executed operation.
According to the report, each pager was individually programmed to detonate, allowing for pinpoint accuracy in targeting specific individuals. An unnamed foreign security source told Channel 12, "Each pager had its own arrangements. That's how it was possible to control who was hit and who wasn't."
The attackers reportedly had extensive knowledge of their targets' movements and locations, enabling them to minimize civilian casualties. One example cited in the report describes an operative being killed by his pager while standing next to a fruit and vegetable stand, with no harm coming to nearby civilians.
Channel 12 reported that Hezbollah had increased its reliance on pagers following the death of its military chief Fuad Shukr in a targeted Israeli airstrike in Beirut in July. The organization had grown wary of using mobile phones due to potential interception.
The report also revealed that tens of thousands of pagers were specially manufactured with explosives for this operation. A "brilliant female intelligence operative" under 30, somewhere in the Middle East, is said to have masterminded the scheme, which involved setting up a factory to build the devices from scratch.
While Israel has not officially claimed responsibility, former IDF intelligence chief Amos Yadlin suggested the attack was strategically timed to send a message to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah about the costs of ongoing attacks on northern Israel.
The report indicates that this operation, while sophisticated, does not represent the full extent of Israel's capabilities against Hezbollah and Iran. These capabilities have reportedly been in development for years but were not fully utilized against Hamas, partly explaining the failure to prevent the October 7 attacks.
As tensions continue to escalate in the region, the full implications of this unprecedented attack remain to be seen.