Two former Mossad agents revealed the details behind one of Israel's most audacious operations, the “Pager Plot,” during an interview broadcast Sunday night on 60 Minutes. The operation, carried out on September 17, 2024, saw thousands of tampered pagers sold to Hezbollah and subsequently detonated by the Mossad, causing chaos and heavy losses for the terrorist organization.
The operation has its roots over a decade ago, when Mossad began introducing manipulated devices into Hezbollah's ranks. As told by “Michael”, a former Mossad operations officer, walkie-talkies were initially used. “A walkie-talkie was a weapon, like a bullet or missile,” Michael said. An explosive device made in Israel was hidden inside the battery. “The technology was so sophisticated that the device seemed completely normal in the eyes of buyers.”
Over the next few years, the Mossad created a complex system of front companies to infiltrate the market and sell these devices without arousing suspicion. “We created a fictional world” – explained Michael. “We are directors, producers and lead actors; the world is our stage.” Over time, the Mossad realized that Hezbollah still widely used pagers for critical communications, as they were considered simple devices and difficult to intercept. In 2022, the organization then focused on these devices, modifying them to include explosives and ensuring they remained fully functional. We tested each device carefully, making sure that the explosion only hit the bearer, avoiding collateral damage” explained “Gabriel”, another former agent involved in the operation.
To make the pagers more attractive, the Mossad launched a marketing campaign with fake video advertisements on YouTube promoting the devices as “rugged, dustproof and waterproof.” Despite the initial skepticism of their superiors, who considered the design too cumbersome, the agents managed to convince them of the effectiveness of the plan.
On September 17, 2024, at 3:30 pm, the Mossad remotely activated explosive pagers deployed in Lebanon. Victims received an encrypted message directing them to press two buttons to activate a supposed feature of the device, triggering the explosion instead. However, as Gabriel explained, even without pressing the buttons the devices would have exploded. “The next day, people were afraid to even turn on their air conditioners, fearing they might explode,” Michael recalled. The Mossad then reactivated the manipulated walkie-talkies, which had been dormant for over a decade. Some of these exploded during the funerals of pager victims, amplifying the psychological impact of the operation. Overall, the action injured around 3,000 Hezbollah members, killed 30 and left the organization in chaos.
Despite the strategic success, the operation raised questions about the ethics of these actions. When asked by journalist Lesley Stahl how this operation affected Israel's moral reputation, Gabriel replied: “First you defend your people, then you think about the reputation.” However, for many the operation has been called a masterpiece of psychological warfare. “We can't use pagers again, but now Hezbollah will have to keep guessing what our next move will be,” concluded Michael. “We have proven that we can strike anywhere, anytime,” Gabriel said. “And now, the enemy lives in fear of what might happen tomorrow.”
