Image Credits: The Hindu
The mass explosions of pagers across Lebanon that killed nine and injured over 2,750 people are showing signs of being part of a meticulously planned operation, according to weapons experts. The explosions, which primarily affected communication devices linked to Hezbollah, have prompted speculation about how the devices were detonated and whether explosives were involved.
“There are clear signs of detonation,” said Alex Plitsas, a weapons expert at the Atlantic Council, in an analysis published by Al Jazeera. “A lithium-ion battery fire is one thing, but I’ve never seen one explode like that. It looks like a small explosive charge.” Plitsas suggested that Israel may have been aware of a shipment of these pagers bound for Hezbollah and could have modified them before delivery to trigger the explosions.
Investigators have yet to determine precisely how the pagers were rigged to explode. One possibility, according to experts, is that explosives were somehow smuggled into the devices, though this has not yet been confirmed by authorities.
Another theory has been proposed by Yehoshua Kalisky, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv. Kalisky believes the explosions may have been triggered remotely using an electronic pulse. “It was not some random action. It was deliberate and known,” he said, pointing to the precision with which the devices exploded simultaneously across various regions of Lebanon.
The incident has heightened tensions in the region, with Hezbollah and Lebanese authorities accusing Israel of orchestrating the attack. Israeli officials have not commented on the matter. The explosions, described as a blow to Hezbollah’s operational capabilities, have sparked urgent discussions within Israel’s defense ministry on how to respond to the potential for retaliatory strikes.
The investigation is ongoing, and no official confirmation has been given regarding the exact method used in the attack.