From the “Washington Post”
Article reserved for subscribers
New details are emerging of Israel’s plan to sabotage Hezbollah’s communications facilities in order to kill or maim thousands of its operatives.
When first presented to Hezbollah executives two years ago, the new Apollo range of pagers seemed to perfectly meet the needs of a militia group with sprawling networks and a well-established paranoid reputation.
The AR924 pager was a bit bulky but sturdy, designed to survive battlefield conditions. It benefited from a Taiwanese waterproof design and an oversized battery, capable of operating for several months without recharging. Importantly, there was no risk that these pagers could be traced by Israeli intelligence services. Hezbollah leaders were so impressed that they purchased 5,000 and began distributing them to mid-level fighters and support personnel as early as February.
None of the users suspected that he was carrying a cleverly concealed Israeli bomb. And even after thousands of these devices exploded in Lebanon and Syria, few realized the pagers’ most sinister feature: a two-step decryption procedure that ensured that most users would hold the pagers with both hands when using them. would detonate.
Up to 3,000 Hezbollah officers and members – po
