Lebanon - At least nine killed and close to 3,000 injured after pager explotions, 17 september 2024

[Inthedetails]

I'm aware of the reasons. I don't have to agree that civilians being murdered is acceptable. That is very victim unfriendly, IMO.

Unfortunately the folks here on WS aren't going to solve the conflicts in the Middle East (though I think some smart-thinking and good souls here might be good at it!).

To bring it back to a more Websleuthy topic, I'm interested in HOW this was accomplished. How were the devices activated to explode?

jmo

 

[shotgun09]

Unfortunately the folks here on WS aren't going to solve the conflicts in the Middle East (though I think some smart-thinking and good souls here might be good at it!).

To bring it back to a more Websleuthy topic, I'm interested in HOW this was accomplished. How were the devices activated to explode?

jmo

Expert Covert Ops.
Incredible, IMO

 

[Inthedetails]

Expert Covert Ops.
Incredible, IMO

It is incredible to think how coordinated this had to be, from "selling" the communication devices en masse to setting them up in advance to explode via remote instructions. Or were they on a timer?

It's an attack that has been in waiting mode for months to be put into use. Frightening, actually.

jmo

 

[Chimera]

Unfortunately the folks here on WS aren't going to solve the conflicts in the Middle East (though I think some smart-thinking and good souls here might be good at it!).

To bring it back to a more Websleuthy topic, I'm interested in HOW this was accomplished. How were the devices activated to explode?

jmo

Good question.

A few links with the explanations.
The originators are obviously not going to share every aspect as the same could be done (maybe?) with cell phones or laptops/desktop pc's; if Hezbollah and Hamas continue their murderous rampages.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/19/middleeast/lebanon-pager-walkie-talkie-attacks-explainer-intl-hnk/index.html#:~:text=The%20pagers%20that%20exploded%20were,citing%20US%20and%20other%20officials.

The pagers that exploded were new and had been purchased by Hezbollah in recent months, a Lebanese security source told CNN. The New York Times reported that Israel planted explosives next to the battery in each pager, as well as a switch for remote detonation, citing US and other officials.
The batteries of the pagers could have been triggered to overheat, leading to a process called thermal runaway, which in turn caused the pager batteries to explode.
Rbm.

The fact that they all seemed to detonate simultaneously seems to indicate switch was flipped, or a number called ?
Omo.

Hezbollah pagers and walkie-talkies: How did they explode and who did it?

The attacks left at least 32 dead and thousands injured, but how the blasts occurred remains unclear.

www.bbc.com

I'm a bit curious what the message in each pager said.
Was another October 7th-style attack being planned ?
If so, thankful it was stopped !
Imo.

 

[OldCop]

It is incredible to think how coordinated this had to be, from "selling" the communication devices en masse to setting them up in advance to be able to explode via remote instructions. Or were the on a timer?

It's an attack that has been in waiting mode for months to be put into use. Frightening, actually.

jmo

The Hezbollah members thought their cellphones were being hacked and tracked. The leadership decided to resort to using pagers for information. They placed the order for thousands of pagers from what they thought was a Taiwanese company. Unbeknownst to Hezbollah, the company had been sold to an interest in Hungary. Someone in Hungary realized to whom the pagers were being sent and notified IDF and/or Mossed operatives.
Each pager was equipped with a bit of explosive material which was somehow heated. A group page was sent out causing an explosion in each of the pagers at the same time.
Politics aside, putting this together was an absolutely incredible operation, which if written into a spy novel, would have been deemed implausible and unbelievable.

 

[HmmMysterious]

It's a shame that Hezbollah doesn't agree with you. JMO.

Neither does the IDF at this point

And yes, I condemn Hamas and Hezbollah

https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-rele...lled-reported-human-rights-violations-against

 

[Chimera]

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-planted-explosives-hezbollahs-taiwan-made-pagers-say-sources-2024-09-18/

The company, which says it manufactures all of its radios in Japan, could not confirm whether it had shipped the device, in part because that model had been discontinued 10 years ago.
The Osaka-based firm said its products for overseas markets are sold exclusively through authorised distributors and it vets exports in accordance with Japan's security trade control regulations.
The company has previously warned about counterfeit versions of its devices circulating in the market, especially discontinued models.
The hand-held radios were purchased by Hezbollah five months ago, around the same time as the pagers, a security source said.
Rbm.

Wondering if they bought cheaply-made or marked down devices for their soldiers -- both those in uniform and those posing as civilians ?
If a deal seems to be too good to be true ... choose wisely, Hezbollah terrorists.
Omo.

 

[RANCH]

Neither does the IDF at this point

And yes, I condemn Hamas and Hezbollah

https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-rele...lled-reported-human-rights-violations-against

I disagree. JMO.

 

[Cryptic]

Wondering if they bought cheaply-made or marked down devices for their soldiers -- both those in uniform and those posing as civilians ?
If a deal seems to be too good to be true ... choose wisely, Hezbollah terrorists.

They probably did- and they thought they were choosing very wisely at the time.

My bet is that they wanted inexpensive, marked down devises with very basic functioning- nothing fancy that would tempt members into say, texting their wife, mistress, bookie, or friends and thus providing the Mossad with information.

As a result, a cheap, marked down and bare bones pager probably seemed perfect. All it needed to do was be able to receive messages that were likely sent via a heavily protected system set up by a Hezbollah telecom engineer.

The pager is cheap? Even better.

 

[Inthedetails]

The Hezbollah members thought their cellphones were being hacked and tracked. The leadership decided to resort to using pagers for information. They placed the order for thousands of pagers from what they thought was a Taiwanese company. Unbeknownst to Hezbollah, the company had been sold to an interest in Hungary. Someone in Hungary realized to whom the pagers were being sent and notified IDF and/or Mossed operatives.
Each pager was equipped with a bit of explosive material which was somehow heated. A group page was sent out causing an explosion in each of the pagers at the same time.
Politics aside, putting this together was an absolutely incredible operation, which if written into a spy novel, would have been deemed implausible and unbelievable.

It is high-tech and low-tech at the same time. I mean, pagers??

Meanwhile, we're all concerned about cyber-attacks.

(And by "we," I mean a general, collective word, not "we" in any specific way.)

jmo

 

[Cryptic]

It is high-tech and low-tech at the same time. I mean, pagers??

My bet is that Hezbollah's low tech approach goes even lower than pagers and dates back to the Pony Express as a concept. I strongly suspect that part of their set up is a network of moped riding message couriers with blind drops and pick ups.

Electronics just attracts missiles, smart bombs, drones etc. They probably used the pagers because the moped riders can only handle so many drop offs and pick ups.

 

[Inthedetails]

My bet is that Hezbollah's low tech approach goes even lower than pagers and dates back to the Pony Express as a concept. I strongly suspect that part of their set up is a network of moped riding message couriers with blind drops and pick ups.

Electronics just attracts missiles, smart bombs, drones etc. They probably used the pagers because the moped riders can only handle so many drop offs and pick ups.

Wonder if any of their bikes are run on batteries. Just saying.

jmo

 

[Cryptic]

Wonder if any of their bikes are run on batteries. Just saying.

Wow, good point.

The Israelis have stated that they have "other capabilities" that they not used yet. Even if this is a bluff, its got to be un nerving for Hezbollah's fighters to constantly be worried about "whats next?"

As you said, battery power scooters, bikes etc. are a definite possibility. Or... fighters now having troubling fixations on their car's radios and related speakers.

 

[Fabled Automatic]

Definitely doesn't seem as targeted as some would have us believe. Seems closer to 50/50 Hezbollah and civilians.

At least 20 more people were killed and 450 injured in Lebanon on Wednesday after a series of new explosions of wireless devices rocked the South, the Bekaa and the southern suburbs of Beirut, according to the Ministry of Health and the Lebanese Red Cross.

Ten Hezbollah members were among those killed on Wednesday, the group confirmed.

At least 12 civilians were killed and at least 2,800 people injured in the explosions that took place Tuesday, according to Lebanese authorities. Around 460 of the injuries were critical and required surgery, Lebanese Health Minister Firass Abiad said.

20 more dead, 450 injured as new round of explosions rocks Lebanon: Health officials

 

[Dotta]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1837088127703199760

 

[GRT]

I agree that Hezbollah killing innocent children and other civilians is not acceptable. JMO.

I think we can all agree that it's not acceptable to kill innocent children or other civilians, no matter WHO does it.

When Hezbollah does it -- it's unacceptable.
When Israel does it -- it's unacceptable.

 

[GRT]

Wonder if any of their bikes are run on batteries. Just saying.

jmo

I may never ride my e-bike again.

Just joking, but seriously, this will become the new terrorism tactic for anyone wanting to instill fear in a population.

As someone said earlier, the genie is now out of the bottle. I agree with that. This will breed a host of copycat attacks across the world.

 

[Dotta]

As someone said earlier, the genie is now out of the bottle. I agree with that. This will breed a host of copycat attacks across the world.

This will breed more hatred IMO.
And, mind you, these nations are neighbours,
so they are stuck with each other

JMO

 

[Inthedetails]

Wow, good point.

The Israelis have stated that they have "other capabilities" that they not used yet. Even if this is a bluff, its got to be un nerving for Hezbollah's fighters to constantly be worried about "whats next?"

As you said, battery power scooters, bikes etc. are a definite possibility. Or... fighters now having troubling fixations on their car's radios and related speakers.

I am thinking the actual fighters accept injury or death could come at any time. But I also think the leaders and people who coordinate their actions are in turmoil right now and in need of tech people willing to examine every piece of technology they use.

FWIW, my discussion here on WS is focused narrowly on the events, with perhaps the false hope the thread can stay open.

 

[ilovewings]

Hezbollah launches rockets that kill innocent civilians. If they didn't do that then Israel wouldn't have a reason to retaliate.

A cratered field, a mangled fence. Clues emerge from strike that killed 12 children in Golan Heights

Two days after a rocket slammed into a soccer pitch in the Israel-controlled Golan Heights, killing 12 children, many questions remain about the attack on the Druze town of Majdal Shams.

apnews.com

The thing about war is that there are no "rules" or "off-limits"-- innocent people are always victims in a war- ( I believe the term is collateral damage) this is a war-- first remember this: Hezbollah believes that Israel should not exist and they have vocalized wanting to wipe them off the face of the earth- In response over the years Israel has been targeted by Hezbollah and Hamas who really want to make Israel and Israelis disappear---

I certainly have no answers for the horror of what is occurring there but Israel is doing what it believes it has to do to continue to survive in that place.