Inside Mossad’s Decade-Long Operation Targeting Hezbollah with Explosive Devices

A recent CBS report has unveiled a meticulously planned Mossad operation spanning more than a decade, involving the covert infiltration of Hezbollah’s supply chain and the deployment of explosive devices embedded in pagers and walkie-talkies. Two retired senior Mossad agents, who were reportedly key figures in the operation, shared insights into the strategy and execution.

The Operation’s Genesis: Walkie-Talkies

Mossad’s efforts began with walkie-talkies, which became a focal point of the agency's innovation. According to CBS, the agency engineered explosive-laden batteries for the devices and strategically infiltrated Hezbollah’s supply chain. This was achieved through an elaborate network of shell companies designed to mask Mossad’s involvement.

“We create a pretend world. We are a global production company: we write the screenplay, we’re the directors, producers, and main actors,” one of the former operatives explained. Over 16,000 walkie-talkies equipped with explosive batteries reportedly reached Hezbollah operatives through this covert pipeline.

Expanding the Scope: Pagers as Weapons

By 2022, Mossad expanded its focus to pagers, devices Hezbollah members would carry at all times. The agency conducted extensive tests to optimize the explosive payload for targeted damage, minimizing collateral impact. These pagers, described by a former Mossad operative as "essentially just small bombs," lacked intelligence or surveillance capabilities.

Mossad identified Gold Apollo, a Taiwan-based company, as Hezbollah’s supplier for pagers. Through a network of shell companies, including one in Hungary, Mossad duped Gold Apollo into unknowingly partnering with the operation. The agency even went so far as to hire the company’s sales representative managing Hezbollah’s account, launching a massive online advertising campaign complete with fake testimonials to promote the rigged devices.

“When [Hezbollah] are buying from us, they have zero clue that they are buying from the Mossad,” a former agent revealed. The operation, likened to a real-life “Truman Show,” was entirely controlled by Mossad behind the scenes.

September 2024: The Climax of the Operation

By September 2024, Hezbollah was in possession of approximately 5,000 of these rigged pagers. On September 17, a coordinated series of explosions across Lebanon killed at least 42 people, including 12 civilians, and injured over 3,500, among them women and children.

Mossad’s intention, according to the operatives, was to instill fear and demonstrate Israel’s capabilities. “We want them to feel vulnerable, which they are,” one agent stated. Another added, “Those people without hands and eyes are living proof, walking in Lebanon, of ‘don’t mess with us.’”