Hezbollah beeper operation was ‘turning point of war,’ says Mossad chief

On September 17, 2024, thousands of pagers in the hands of Hezbollah terrorists detonated simultaneously.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

On Tuesday, Mossad Director David Barnea discussed the origins of the beeper operation that targeted Hezbollah terrorists and how it became the “turning point” of the Lebanon War.

Barnea explained to the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) that the beeper operation was “a clear example of the realization of our mission.”

On September 17, 2024, thousands of pagers in the hands of Hezbollah terrorists detonated simultaneously, killing 30 people and injuring 4,000, most of whom were terrorists.

The pagers were remotely detonated months after most of the terrorists started using them.

The Mossad chief highlighted that the operation “reflects a deep understanding of the enemy, intelligence mastery, technological superiority, and exceptional operational capabilities.”

He further described the operation as a “turning point” in the northern conflict, marking “the beginning of the 10 days that shifted the balance in our favor. A clear distinction can be drawn in the northern campaign—from the exploding pagers to the elimination of Nasrallah and the subsequent ceasefire agreement.”

Following the attack, Hezbollah’s now-deceased leader Hassan Nasrallah acknowledged that Israel had delivered a “major blow” to the terror organization.

Nasrallah stated, “We undoubtedly suffered a major security and humanitarian blow, unprecedented in the conflict and perhaps in the history of mankind.”

He added, “We were hit hard, but that’s the nature of war. We understand that the enemy possesses technological supremacy.”

The beeper operation followed a similar attempt using walkie-talkies developed 10 years ago, which was found to be ineffective in many combat situations.

Barnea noted, “Therefore, we devised an alternative method to target Hezbollah terrorists—by detonating a device that was always attached to their bodies.”

Although the operation could have been launched in the days or weeks following October 7, 2023, relatively few pagers had been distributed at that time compared to the larger number used in the operation.

“The preparatory infrastructure for the operation was established in late 2022, with the first shipment of 500 pagers arriving in Lebanon just weeks before the horrific massacre of October 7.”

However, Barnea emphasized that launching the operation earlier would not have had the same powerful impact.

By September 2024, Barnea explained, “Ten times more beepers were detonated than at the start of the war, and twice as many radios were used.”

“The dilemma in launching the operation on September 17, 2024, was significant. In the discussion on whether to approve the operation, two schools of thought emerged, both of which were valid at the time.”

He concluded, “The prime minister ultimately made the decision, completely opposing the prevailing opinion in the discussion, and now we are witnessing the outcome.”