Israel targets Hezbollah by placing explosives in Taiwan-made pagers in Lebanon
Date
9/18/2024 8:35:05 AM
(MENAFN) Israel reportedly targeted Hezbollah by placing explosive material in Taiwan-made pagers imported into Lebanon, according to a report citing American and other officials briefed on the incident. The New York Times, referencing officials who requested anonymity, stated that the pagers, ordered by Hezbollah from the Taiwanese company Gold Apollo, had been tampered with before their arrival in Lebanon.
Most of the devices were the AP924 model, though the shipment included three other models. The officials detailed that small amounts of explosive material, about one to two ounces, were placed near the battery in each pager, equipped with a remotely triggered switch for detonation. On the day of the incident, at 3:30 p.m. local time in Lebanon (1230 GMT), the pagers received a message that appeared to come from Hezbollah's leadership but instead triggered the explosives.
CNN also reported Israel's involvement in the attack, which resulted in thousands of pagers exploding simultaneously across Lebanon. The explosions killed at least nine people, including a child, and injured approximately 2,750 individuals, with 200 in critical condition, according to Lebanese Health Minister Firas Al-Abiad.
Hezbollah held Israel fully responsible for the attack and vowed retaliation, while Israel has not yet commented. The mass explosion occurred amid ongoing cross-border exchanges between Hezbollah and Israel, set against the backdrop of Israel's offensive on the Gaza Strip following an attack by Hamas on October 7 of the previous year. The U.S. stated it was not involved in and was unaware of the incident beforehand and is currently gathering more information.
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