Pager Pandemonium: The Mysterious Code That Wiped Out Lebanon’s Entire Pager Network in an Instant
- A series of incidents in several Lebanese regions, including the southern suburbs of the capital Beirut, has raised questions about the nature of portable communication and pager devices...
- The explosions occurred when pager devices, used by Hezbollah members, detonated simultaneously, resulting in a significant number of casualties.
- Al-Qara stated that the nature of the attack suggests that there was no infiltration in the general sense, as these devices followed an old technological system and were...
Lebanon Explosions: What Happened and How Did It Occur?
A series of incidents in several Lebanese regions, including the southern suburbs of the capital Beirut, has raised questions about the nature of portable communication and pager devices used by Hezbollah members that exploded simultaneously, causing over 2,000 casualties.
What happened in Lebanon?
The explosions occurred when pager devices, used by Hezbollah members, detonated simultaneously, resulting in a significant number of casualties. Technology expert Ramez Al-Qara explained that these devices are not explosive unless tampered with.
Al-Qara stated that the nature of the attack suggests that there was no infiltration in the general sense, as these devices followed an old technological system and were not modern devices. He believes that the attack was handled before it reached Hezbollah members stationed in Lebanon.
What is a pager?
A pager is a wireless communication device used to send signals or short text messages to a specific recipient. Its concept appeared in the 1970s and was mainly used in the medical and military fields.
It is likely that the shipment of pagers coming specifically to Hezbollah members was tampered with, allowing a code to reach all of them at the same time, causing the devices to explode together. This is supported by the fact that other figures in Lebanon, such as doctors, use pagers, but their devices did not explode.
Consequences of the Attack
Hezbollah confirmed that the incident was the biggest security breach since the start of the conflict between Israel and the group last October. According to Lebanon’s Ministry of Health, the series of explosions killed 9 people and injured more than 2,800.
Hezbollah’s Efforts to Evade Israel’s Surveillance
Sources familiar with the matter reported that the Hezbollah group had begun using codes on messages, landline phone lines, and pagers to evade Israel’s advanced surveillance technology. The group has also been using its own technology, including drones, to study and attack Israel’s intelligence-gathering capabilities.