As if the synchronised pager explosions across Lebanon on Tuesday weren't sensational enough, it has now come to light that Israel used a shell company to manufacture those devices and rig them with explosives before delivering them to Iran-backed terror group Hezbollah.
Reports had earlier suggested that Israeli intelligence agencies planted explosives in pagers by infiltrating the supply chain.
New reports claim that Israel established a shell company to manufacture the pagers in the first place, according to a report in The New York Times. The entire operation is much more detailed than was previously believed.
In fact, Israel created at least two more companies to mask the true identities of the people who created the pagers, reported Tehran's Mehr News Agency.
Here's how Israel, which has not claimed responsibility for the pager attack, likely orchestrated this intricate operation that led to more than a dozen deaths and thousands of injuries.
Israel's intelligence agency Mossad, known for its capability of successful bombings and foreign strikes, had been in their minds.
This prompted Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah to warn his operatives and members to avoid modern communication devices like cellphones, which could be hacked and weaponised against them.
As a result, Hezbollah adopted using pagers to communicate among themselves. Soon, they placed an order to purchase thousands of pagers for safe and discreet communication. In the last few months, the pagers were imported from a Hungary-based company called, BAC, which penetrated through the Hezbollah ranks.
One of the pagers was even in the possession of the Iranian ambassador in Beruit. The pager explosions testified that, as the pager with him exploded too, causing injuries to the Iranian diplomat, who would certainly has a commanding role in Hezbollah's operations against Israel.
Following the mass order of the pagers from Lebanon, Israeli intelligence established a shell company, BAC Consulting.
The shell company used the branding of Taiwanese company Gold Apollo under a three-year brand-licencing agreement.
This shell company, BAC Consulting, headquartered in Hungary, appeared to be manufacturing pagers for several clients using the agreement with Taiwan's Gold Apollo, according to a report in The Independent.
Behind the scenes, BAC was secretly producing modified pagers containing the powerful explosive PETN, specifically targeting Hezbollah, reported The New York Times.
However, the CEO of BAC Consultancy denied reports that it manufactured the pagers.
BAC CEO Cristiana Barsony-Arcidiacono said she was just a link in the supply chain and did not make the pagers, reports The Independent.
The New York Times, quotes three intelligence officers briefed on the operation, and calls BAC an Israeli front.
According to former Israeli intelligence officials The New York Times spoke to, the BAC produced ordinary pagers for civilian clients but also manufactured pagers laced with explosives, which were shipped to Lebanon starting in mid-2022.
Earlier this year, the pager imports to Lebanon picked up, resulting in their widespread usage by their intended users.
These devices were then distributed among Hezbollah members, who believed they were using secure communication tools. The pagers were instead dubbed 'buttons' by Israeli intelligence, as they could be remotely detonated at the opportune moment.
The officials, speaking anonymously, described how Israel covertly manufactured explosive-laden pagers and walkie-talkies as part of a broader effort to weaken Hezbollah's operational capabilities.
On Tuesday, the order to activate the devices was given and at 3.30 pm on Tuesday the pagers beeped. According to multiple intelligence sources referred to by the New York Times, Israel sent a signal that made the pagers beep.
In an instant, Lebanon was plunged into chaos, leaving Hezbollah’s rank and file devastated.
As the detonations on Tuesday and Wednesday shook Lebanon, Israel's hidden intent seemed to go beyond just sending a message to Hezbollah — it appeared to be a potential prelude to something far larger.
Source: India Today