On Tuesday and Wednesday of last week, Lebanon experienced a series of inter-related attacks that took the lives of around 32 people leaving 3,100 injured in hospitals. The victims consisted of innocent Lebanese civilians and members of the notorious political party Hezbollah, which many claim to be an active terrorist group. What makes these attacks stand out is how they were conducted, according to sources, at 3:30 pm on Tuesday 17th September, a wave of explosions took place all across Lebanon when pagers and walkie-talkies exploded simultaneously, indiscriminately killing and injuring everyone in their vicinity.
Thousands of these civilian-owned devices turned weapons have raised terrifying questions that were never even considered before. How could these mundane devices turn into explosives? Who could possibly be behind the attack? How does this attack affect the tech industry and global affairs?
How Were the Pagers Turned Into Explosives?
The exact mechanism used to turn these pagers into explosives remains unclear, but many experts have started to speculate. Some believe that the pager’s radio systems were hacked through doctored code, which might have triggered the batteries to overheat and explode. Another proposed theory is that the pagers were probably tampered with—to explode on command—while going through the supply chain.
According to an alleged investigation held by Hezbollah on pagers that did not explode, there were 1 to 3 grams (0.04 to 0.11oz) of pentaerythritol tetranitrate (a powerful explosive) placed in each device along with metal balls allowing the explosive force to blast metal fragments along with explosion.
Are Israeli Forces Responsible for the Pager Explosions in Lebanon?
It is speculated that Israel’s spy agency “Mossad” is responsible for planting 5,000 explosive pagers in Lebanon to fulfill the order the group Hezbollah placed months ago. To trigger these devices into exploding, a code was sent to 3,000 of the pagers at the same time. These devices could not have been delivered directly from the manufacturers, as Lebanon faces sanctions from the United States and the European Union, which restrict companies registered in these regions or trading with these countries from working with Hezbollah or Lebanon. Thus, a third party was required to ensure the trade, and allegedly during the trading process, the pagers waited at a port for three months pending clearance before being sent to Lebanon. Many claim that it was during those three months that the devices were tampered with.
The exploded pagers carried the trademark of Gold Apollo, a Taiwanese company. However, the company denies manufacturing these devices or having any relation with Hezbollah fighters, clarifying that only their logo is used. They further added that they licensed a Hungarian company under the name of BAC Consulting, which was responsible for the manufacturing of these devices. BAC has not been able to respond to these accusations yet.
Right after the pager blasts, Lebanese officials and Hezbollah were quick to accuse Israel, based on the ongoing tensions between both countries. Despite the indictments, Israeli officials refuse to deny or accept the responsibility for these attacks. According to CBS News, the United States—the strongest ally of Israel—received a 20-minute heads-up for this operation without any specific information on the methods that are going to be used by Mossad. This method of tampering with communication devices is not new to Israel as there have been many similar small-scale incidents like the 1996 killing of Yahya Ayyash—the Hamas bombmaker through an explosives-rigged mobile phone.
This Israeli operation targeting Hezbollah by tampering with thousands of electronic devices is raising concerns regarding the emerging threat of everyday communications equipment being weaponized in the future.
Ramifications of the Pager Attack
These attacks have left several broader ramifications. Prior to this incident, the notion of utilizing personal technological devices to target a group of specific individuals was not a part of the global zeitgeist. But it is now opening doors for new kinds of terror that can be used by state and non-state actors to achieve their interests. It manifests a never-ending threat to everyone everywhere of their devices being weaponized right in their pockets or in the hands of their loved ones. Despite it being against international humanitarian law, deserting the UN treaty forbidding the use of mines, booby-traps, and other devices, and violating the ban on indiscriminate attacks, these types of episodes are difficult to contain, as those responsible often go unrecognized or unaccounted for. The covert nature of these attacks makes them a bigger threat to international security and peace in the future.
Even though Israel has not confirmed or denied its involvement in these attacks, it still represents the argument that these military operations are justified as it is a part of the fight against “terrorism.” Furthermore, supporters of the Israeli Government have widely praised the attacks in Lebanon as being “precise.” Nevertheless, the reality is contradictory to this claim as the majority of the victims had nothing to do with the targeted armed group, the explosions majorly went off around civilians at funerals, grocery stores, barber shops, and in residential buildings—32 people were killed, including an 8-year-old girl and an 11-year-old boy, injuring 3,100 needing surgery as they lost eyes, fingers or even their whole hands.
Another perspective that we should consider is the impact of these Lebanon pager explosions on global supply chains, specifically regarding their security and vulnerability to tampering by state or non-state actors. This incident raised concerns about not just the supply chain but also the manufacturer’s role in preventing such aggressions as it threatens people’s trust in the tech industry. Many fear that these attacks can push states to tighten their control of supply chains and tech cooperation, affecting global trade. Some argue that tech giants such as Apple, Samsung, and Huawei will be less vulnerable to facing such effects than smaller companies due to their greater attention to security.
Despite the rising threats of newer nature in the international arena, if any good will come out of this tragedy, there will be a growing awareness among the public regarding strategic autonomy over digital assets and digital sovereignty.
If you want to submit your articles, research papers, and book reviews, please check the Submissions page.
The views and opinions expressed in this article/paper are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of Paradigm Shift.
Ahwar Azhar is a student of Social Sciences majoring in International Relations, currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree at Bahria University, Islamabad. She is an aspiring IR scholar aiming to work in the areas of international stability, humanitarian relief, and international law. Her research interests include emerging technologies and national security.