(MENAFN) Israeli intelligence agency Mossad spent over a decade preparing a covert operation that led to deadly explosions across Lebanon in September, involving exploding pagers and walkie-talkies, according to two retired senior agents. The agents revealed in an interview with CBS that Mossad began by creating a walkie-talkie with a concealed explosive device, infiltrating supply chains through shell companies to hide their involvement. Over 16,000 of these modified walkie-talkies were sold to Hezbollah.

Building on that success, Mossad shifted focus to pagers in 2022, devices that Hezbollah members would carry constantly. The operatives ran multiple tests to determine the precise amount of explosive power needed to target the owner with minimal collateral damage. These pagers, which Mossad fully manufactured, were sold through shell companies, including one in Hungary, after identifying that Hezbollah was purchasing devices from a Taiwanese company, Gold Apollo.

To deceive Hezbollah, Mossad created a fake ad campaign and even employed the saleswoman handling Hezbollah’s transactions. By September 2024, Hezbollah had reportedly acquired about 5,000 pagers, unaware that they were purchasing weapons from Mossad.

The goal of the operation was to instill fear and vulnerability in Hezbollah, making them feel targeted. The September 17 attack killed 42 people, including 12 civilians, and injured over 3,500. Although Israeli authorities initially denied involvement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later claimed responsibility for the attack. The operation sparked international criticism, with the UN and Russia condemning the use of such tactics as human rights violations and terrorist methods.

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