Following the coordinated pager explosions in Lebanon on Tuesday, new evidence has emerged linking Israel to the production and supply of explosive-laden devices to Hezbollah.
According to fresh reports, Israel allegedly established a front company to manufacture and rig these devices with explosives before they were provided to the militant group.
While earlier reports had suggested that Israeli intelligence tampered with existing pager supplies, findings by The New York Times reveal that Israel played a more direct role by setting up a shell company to create the pagers from the outset.
Tehran’s Mehr News Agency further disclosed that Israel established at least two additional companies to mask the identities of those involved.
Amid rising concerns about Israeli infiltration, Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah advised his members to avoid using modern communication devices like cell phones, fearing they could be compromised by Mossad.
Consequently, Hezbollah opted for pagers, acquiring thousands from a Hungarian-based company, BAC, which reportedly gained access to Hezbollah’s inner circles.
Notably, one of the explosive pagers was found in the possession of Iran’s ambassador in Beirut. The explosion of this device injured the diplomat, confirming suspicions about the rigged pagers and exposing the threat posed by these devices.
Reports suggest Israeli intelligence set up BAC Consulting, a shell company, to carry out the operation. Under a licensing deal with Taiwanese firm Gold Apollo, BAC Consulting manufactured the pagers. However, on Wednesday, Gold Apollo clarified that they were not responsible for producing the pagers involved in the explosions.
According to The Independent, BAC Consulting appeared to operate legitimately but was covertly manufacturing pagers loaded with PETN explosives, specifically targeting Hezbollah.
Despite these allegations, BAC Consulting’s CEO denied any involvement, claiming the company was merely a part of the supply chain and had no role in producing the explosive-laden devices.
The revelations, backed by three intelligence officers who briefed The New York Times, point to BAC as an Israeli front. Israeli intelligence officials confirmed the operation, revealing that BAC produced standard pagers for civilians while also shipping modified explosive devices to Lebanon starting in mid-2022.
The use of these pagers intensified earlier this year, with Hezbollah members unknowingly relying on the compromised devices for communication. Israeli intelligence dubbed these devices “buttons” due to their ability to be remotely detonated, forming part of a broader Israeli effort to disrupt Hezbollah’s operational capabilities.
