How Israel's pager operation shattered Nasrallah’s aura of invincibility - opinion
Two years later, Hezbollah can buy devices, change intermediaries, and rebuild parts of its network. It cannot turn the clock back to before the first ring.
The anniversary of Israel's pager operation serves as a stark reminder of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah's shattered reputation. For years, Nasrallah had cultivated an invulnerable persona, boasting of Hezbollah's missiles, tunnels, and supposed surprises. However, an old-fashioned pager revealed the truth about Hezbollah's exposed vulnerabilities.
Israeli intelligence had infiltrated the terrorist group's supply chain, introducing wireless devices monitored by Mossad while retaining the ability to detonate them. By 2022, pagers were the favored devices, cleverly disguised with a Taiwanese brand and a forged supply chain stretching from Hungary to Hong Kong. Hezbollah officials unknowingly chose the traps, as explosives were concealed within the batteries.
Despite Nasrallah urging his men to destroy mobile phones, the pagers were distributed among fighters, commanders, and affiliated medics. The operation not only exposed the organization's weaknesses but also shattered trust, leaving supporters questioning their own decisions. This clandestine campaign paved the way for subsequent strikes on Hezbollah's infrastructure, ultimately culminating in Nasrallah's death.
The pagers served as a chilling illustration of how an adversary can penetrate an organization and manipulate its own choices, eroding trust and dismantling security doctrines.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
