On Tuesday, Israel reportedly conducted an operation against Hezbollah by embedding explosive devices in a shipment of Taiwanese-made pagers destined for Lebanon. According to American and other officials familiar with the operation, the pagers, ordered by Hezbollah from Gold Apollo in Taiwan, were modified before reaching Lebanon.

The shipment, which included various models from Gold Apollo, had explosive material inserted next to the battery in each pager, with a remote-trigger mechanism for detonation. At approximately 3:30 p.m. local time, the pagers received a message that appeared to come from Hezbollah’s leadership, but instead activated the explosives. This attack resulted in at least 11 deaths and over 2,700 injuries, as reported by Lebanon’s health minister.

Experts have noted that the scale of the explosions indicates a sophisticated modification of the pagers. Mikko Hypponen, a cybersecurity specialist, confirmed that the devices were altered to cause significant damage.

While Hezbollah has accused Israel of orchestrating the attack, and Israel has yet to confirm its involvement, there is speculation about the indirect role of the United States. Given that the pagers were sourced from Taiwan, which is under significant U.S. influence, it raises questions about the extent of American involvement or oversight in this operation.

Keren Elazari, a cybersecurity analyst, emphasized that the attack targeted a key communication channel for Hezbollah, particularly after restrictions on cellphone use by its leader, Hassan Nasrallah. The use of pagers, critical for their operations, made them a vulnerable target.

The shipment involved over 3,000 pagers, with some reaching Hezbollah allies in Iran and Syria. The precise timing of the order and arrival of the pagers in Lebanon remains unclear.