Summary
On 17 Sep 2024 at about 3:30 PM local time, hundreds of pagers exploded in Lebanon, leaving nine people dead and thousands injured. The incident is thought to be an intentional cyber attack and military strike.
As of 18 Sep 2024, additional devices other than pagers began exploding including handheld radios, smartphones, and even solar power systems.
This document provides some links to news and information about the incident. It is significant because nothing like this has happened before on this scale and it could be an indication of future state sponsored tactics.
Whoever is responsible for the attack apparently didn’t care if civilians were injured. The location of the explosions were not predictable. Perhaps those in possession of the pagers were the primary targets, but it would be almost certain that the arbitrary and random public locations of the explosions would result in harm to innocent civilians — men, women, children, and the elderly.
By the general standards of warfare, it may be judged by some to have been irresponsible and within the definition of a war crime or terrorism. For this reason, it’s possible that nobody will claim responsibility. A danger of introducing such a tactic, combined with the lack of concern about collateral damage, is that others may begin to mimic the tactic. It’s something we do not want to see anyone use.
UPDATE: 18 Sep 2024
By 18 Sep 2024, news reports suggest that Israel’s Mossad agency is responsible for the incident. However, Israel has not claimed responsibility for the incident. Also, there does not seem to be any evidence yet to confirm the specific details of what happened. A third party wanting to escalate war in the region could have staged the attack to look like an Israeli initiative. Some reports indicate the pagers came from Europe, but were branded by a company in Asia, perhaps to complicate investigations into the incident.
News
Below are news reports in order by date following the initial reports on 17 Sep 2024. The reports are listed in chronological order and within the same date, listed by source name. Most of the reports are in video format. Some are written.
Al Jazeera (18 Sep 2024)
“Israel’s mass Lebanon device explosions ‘an act of terror using cyber warfare’: Marwan Bishara” — Multiple explosions were reported across Lebanon on Wednesday, with state-run National News Agency saying that pagers and “devices” exploded in Hezbollah strongholds in the east and south of Beirut. Marwan Bishara, Al Jazeera’s senior political analyst, says the explosions in Lebanon were “an act of mass terror”, noting that Hezbollah is not only an armed group but also a political party with presence in various parts of society. [Source]
Al Jazeera (18 Sep 2024)
If the video below is not viewable on this page, it can be viewed on YouTube using the Source link.
“Lebanon pager blasts: Analysts examine hi-tech attack” — 12 people were killed and thousands injured in attacks on Tuesday targeting Hezbollah members across Lebanon. A Taiwanese company linked to the pagers targeted in Lebanon says it was another firm in Hungary that produced them. Al Jazeera’s Alex Gatopoulos reports. Jody Westby of Global Cyber Risk says Hezbollah relied on “old technology” because it thought it would make its members’ lines of communication more secure. [Source]
Al Jazeera (18 Sep 2024)
If the video below is not viewable on this page, it can be viewed on YouTube using the Source link.
“New wave of device explosions across Lebanon” — There are reports of more communication devices exploding in several parts of Lebanon. Three people have been killed and hundreds injured. One blast occurred during the funerals of Hezbollah members in Beirut. It’s being reported hand-held radios have exploded, not pagers as we saw in Tuesday’s attack. Emergency services have been responding in at least three cities across the country. Hezbollah’s leadership says the group is facing “a new phase” and that “punishment is certainly coming.” Al Jazeera correspondents are covering this across the region. [Source]
BBC (18 Sep 2024)
“Exploding walkie-talkies in Lebanon kill at least three and injure hundreds” — More than 100 have been wounded and at least three people are reported to have been killed in the latest wave of walkie-talkie blasts in Lebanon, the health ministry says, as quoted by the AFP and AP news agencies. The Lebanese Red Cross says its teams are responding to “multiple explosions in different areas”, including in the country’s south and east. About 30 ambulance teams have been deployed and more are on “high alert and ready to intervene”, it added. The blasts come a day after pagers exploded across the country. Multiple sources say Mossad, the Israeli spy agency, was behind the attack on Tuesday – Israel has not commented. [Source]
Bloomberg (18 Sep 2024 at 5:14 AM CT)
“Lebanon Exploding Pager Mystery Focus Shifts to Company in Europe” — The Taiwanese company Gold Apollo, whose brand appears on pagers that exploded in Lebanon, said a company based in Hungary is responsible for manufacturing the models used in the attacks, adding to the mystery around a strike that is escalating tensions in the Middle East. Gold Apollo said it has had an agreement with BAC Consulting in Budapest for several years under which the Hungarian company can use its brand in designated regions. Our EMEA News Director Rosalind Mathieson joined Stephen Carroll and Lizzy Burden on Bloomberg Radio to discuss. [Source]
BBC (18 Sep 2024 at 3:45 AM CT)
“Israel’s Mossad spy agency planted explosives in Hezbollah pagers, reports say” — Israel’s Mossad spy agency placed explosives in thousands of Hezbollah pagers before they detonated across Lebanon, multiple reports say. So far Israel hasn’t commented. At least nine people were killed and thousands injured when the pagers went off on Tuesday. It is unclear how the attack – which looks to have been highly sophisticated – occurred, though Hezbollah has blamed its adversary Israel. Israeli officials have so far declined to comment. [Source]
CBS (18 Sep 2024)
If the video below is not viewable on this page, it can be viewed on YouTube using the Source link.
“Hezbollah vows revenge after deadly pager explosions” — At least 12 Hezbollah militants were killed Tuesday by explosive devices allegedly hidden in pagers. The group is blaming Israel, but the Israelis have yet to comment on the attack. CBS News foreign correspondent Chris Livesay reports on the incident and Jon Alterman, vice president of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, joined CBS News to discuss how an attack like this could happen. [Source]
DW News (18 Sep 2024)
“Hezbollah vows retaliation after second wave of device explosions” — Lebanese health officials say at least 20 people have been killed and more than 450 injured in a second wave of explosions involving communication devices. Iran condemned the blasts as “terrorism” and accused Israel of carrying them out. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said the war is entering a new stage. Although Gallant did not explicitly mention the deadly wave of communicative device explosions, he praised the work of the Israeli military and security agencies, saying “the results are very impressive.” [Source]
DW News (18 Sep 2024)
“What’s the situation in Lebanon after the deadly pager explosions?” — Officials in Lebanon say at least 9 people, including a child, have been killed, after pagers used by Hezbollah exploded across the country. Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon is among the nearly 2,800 injured by the simultaneous blasts. Hezbollah blames Israel for the explosions and says the attack will not go unpunished. There’s been no immediate comment from the Israeli military. DW correspondent Mohamad Chreyteh is in the Lebanese capital Beirut. What is the situation in Beirut this morning? [Source]
DW News (18 Sep 2024)
“What we know about the walkie-talkie explosions in Lebanon” — Hezbollah communication devices exploded again in the south of the country and in the southern suburbs of the capital Beirut. The death toll has increased to 20, the country’s health ministry said, while those injured now stands at 450. This comes a day after an attack which targeted people using pagers, which resulted in 12 deaths and nearly 3,000 being injured. [Source]
France 24 (18 Sep 2024)
“Fresh explosions heard in Lebanon as Hezbollah hand-held radios detonate” — Hand-held radios used by Hezbollah detonated late on Wednesday afternoon across Lebanon’s south and in Beirut’s southern suburbs, security sources and witnesses said, further hiking tensions with Israel a day after similar explosions launched via the group’s pagers. [Source]
France 24 (18 Sep 2024)
“Motorola wrongly accused of manufacturing Hezbollah pagers” — Some on X are calling it the ‘Israeli Motorola massacre,’ blaming Motorola for manufacturing the deadly Hezbollah pagers that exploded in Lebanon. For years, the American mobile company has faced boycotts, accused of supplying the Israeli army with communication and bomb equipment devices. We tell you more in this edition of Truth or Fake. [Source]
Al Jazeera (17 Sep 2024)
“Pager explosions ‘the most dangerous event’ faced by Hezbollah in years: Analysis” — Hundreds of Hezbollah members have been injured across Lebanon, after their personal wireless devices exploded. Media say the pagers exploded in Beirut and in the south, after being hacked by Israel. The Health Ministry has appealed to all citizens who own pagers to dispose of them. It’s the latest in a series of cross-border attacks between Israel and Hezbollah in the past year. Rami Khoury, a distinguished fellow at the American University of Beirut, has called the pager explosions “the most dangerous event” faced by Hezbollah in years. [Source]
BBC (17 Sep 2024)
“Hezbollah vows to punish Israel after pager blasts kill 9, injure thousands” — The militia group Hezbollah promised revenge against Israel after accusing it of detonating pagers across Lebanon on Tuesday, killing nine people and wounding nearly 3,000 others including Iran’s envoy to Beirut. A girl of eight was reported to be among the dead and at least 200 people were said to be critically injured. [Source]
Bloomberg (17 Sep 2024)
“Hezbollah Blames Israel for Pager Attack that hurt thousands” — CSIS Senior Fellow Natasha Hall breaks down the attack on Hezbollah pagers in Lebanon and what it could mean for cease-fire talks in the region. [Source]
Bloomberg (17 Sep 2024)
“Exploding Pagers in Lebanon, Fingers Pointed at Israel” — Bloomberg’s Nick Wadhams discusses pagers exploding in Lebanon resulting in nearly 3,000 people injured and whether or not this is something Israel could be responsible for. He also weighs in on what’s next and if Hezbollah may decide to retaliate. Nick Wadhams speaks with Kailey Leinz and Joe Mathieu on Bloomberg’s “Balance of Power.” [Source]
Channel 4 News (17 Sep 2024)
“Hezbollah fighters among thousands injured in Lebanon pager attack” — Hezbollah thought it had switched to a safer method of communication, fearing mobile phones could be hacked by Israel. Instead it was humiliated after hundreds of the group’s new pagers exploded, causing chaos and panic across Lebanon. Eight dead and thousands injured, among them Iran’s ambassador in Beirut. Could this be the trigger that sparks the long-feared wider war in the region? [Source]
Deutsche Welle (17 Sep 2024)
“Lebanon: Hezbollah pager explosions injure thousands, several people dead” — Lebanon’s health minister says more than 2,500 people have been injured after pagers used by the Hezbollah militia group exploded simultaneously across the country. Hezbollah fighters and medics are among the wounded. Several deaths have also been reported. Iranian media say that Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon has been injured. Hezbollah says it’s investigating the cause of the blasts. Israel has declined to comment. For more on this, we talk to Security Expert Hans-Jakob Schindler, Senior Director of the Counter Extremism Project. He joins us from New York. [Source]
Deutsche Welle (17 Sep 2024)
“What we know so far about the deadly pager explosions in Lebanon” — Lebanese officials say at least 9 people were killed and nearly 28-hundred injured when pagers used by the Hezbollah militant group exploded simultaneously across the country. [Source]
France 24 (17 Sep 2024)
“Hezbollah members’ wireless devices explode across Lebanon” — [Source]
France 24 (17 Sep 2024)
If the video below is not viewable on this page, it can be viewed on YouTube. [Watch]
“‘Biggest security breach’: More than 1,000, including Hezbollah members, wounded in Lebanon” — More than 1,000 people, including Hezbollah fighters and medics, were wounded on Tuesday when the pagers they use to communicate exploded across Lebanon, security sources told Reuters. A Hezbollah official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the detonation of the pagers was the “biggest security breach” the group had been subjected to in nearly a year of war with Israel. FRANCE 24’s Rawad Taha reports from Beirut, Lebanon. [Source]
NBC News (17 Sep 2024)
If the video below is not viewable on this page, it can be viewed on YouTube. [Watch]
“CCTV captures Beirut explosion as pagers detonate across Lebanon” — A man was left moaning in pain after a handheld device appeared to explode in his trouser pocket while he was shopping for groceries in the Lebanese capital. With dozens of people wounded in similar circumstances across the country, Hezbollah issued a statement saying, “We hold the Israeli enemy fully responsible.” [Source]
Reuters (17 Sep 2024)
“What we know about the deadly pager blasts in Lebanon” — At least nine people were killed and nearly 3,000 wounded when pagers used by Hezbollah members – including fighters and medics – detonated simultaneously across Lebanon. Here’s what we know so far about the pager blasts. [Source]
Document History
On 17 Sep 2024, this document was originally given the title “Pagers Exploding in Lebanon 2024” and on 18 Sep 2024 it was renamed to “Mobile Devices Exploding in Lebanon 2024” after additional devices were involved.