Hundreds of Hezbollah Operatives Wounded as Pagers Explode Across Lebanon

Latest Developments​

Hundreds of Hezbollah operatives were wounded in various parts of Lebanon on September 17 when the pagers they use to communicate exploded, in what appeared to be an act of long-range sabotage. Lebanon’s Health Ministry said that at least 2,800 were injured, some of them seriously. The casualties — which also included some fatalities — were the result of what a Hezbollah official quoted by Reuters described as the “biggest security breach” suffered by the Iranian-backed terrorist group during the almost year-old war with Israel. Another Hezbollah official blamed the explosions on Israel, telling the Associated Press that “the enemy stands behind this security incident.” The same official said that Hezbollah terrorists had recently been issued with new pagers containing lithium batteries that were apparently the source of the blasts. Among those who sustained minor injuries was the Iranian Ambassador to Beirut, Mojtaba Amani, along with two of his bodyguards. Similar explosions were also reported in neighboring Syria, with Iranian state media outlets claiming that seven people were killed from blasts targeting their devices in the Seyedah Zeinab neighborhood, a Shia stronghold in Damascus, according to The New York Times.

Israel offered no comment in the immediate aftermath of the explosions. In recent weeks, Jerusalem has warned that it is prepared to escalate clashes with Hezbollah to end the cross-border attacks that have displaced more than 60,000 Israelis from their homes. Hezbollah launched the attacks in earnest following the October 7 Hamas atrocities in the south of Israel. On September 16, both Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Maj. Gen. Ori Gordin, the head of the Northern Command, said that an expanded military operation was increasingly becoming necessary to restore stability to the area. Israel’s security cabinet also announced that the goals of the war had been updated to include safely returning displaced Israelis to the north. “Israel will continue to act to implement this objective,” a statement from the prime minister’s office declared.

Expert Analysis​

“This was an extraordinary example of technological and intelligence penetration. We do not yet know the extent of the damage and whether this was cover for an even deeper penetration. Hezbollah will have to recall all of its communications devices to assess the extent to which these have been compromised. That will hinder its operational capacity — as will having so many men incapacitated, even if temporarily.” — Mark Dubowitz, FDD CEO

“Today’s incident demonstrates, once again, the extent to which Israeli intelligence has succeeded in penetrating Hezbollah’s organizational apparatus. Much remains unclear about the outcome of the attack, including the identity of the casualties — but many of the wounded Hezbollah operatives are also unlikely to return to battle.” — David Daoud, FDD Senior Fellow

Israel Foils Hezbollah Plot to Assassinate Top Security Official

The explosions in Lebanon were reported just hours after Israel’s Shin Bet intelligence agency revealed that a Hezbollah plot to assassinate a former senior Israeli security official with an anti-personnel mine had been foiled. The announcement, which did not name the targeted individual, followed threats by the Lebanese terrorist group to avenge the Israeli airstrike that killed its top commander, Fuad Shukr, in Beirut on July 30. According to the Shin Bet, the assassination had been imminent, with Hezbollah planning to use a Claymore-style mine with a cellphone detonator and camera remote-operated from Lebanon.

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