On 17 and 18 September 2024, thousands of handheld pagers and hundreds of walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah, a Lebanese political party and militia, exploded in simultaneous attacks across Lebanon and Syria. As of 19 September 37 people had been killed, including at least 12 civilians. According to The New York Times, Israeli intelligence services had manufactured the devices. The incident was described as the organization's biggest security breach since the start of the conflict.
The 17 September explosions, which involved pagers and took place around 15:30 EEST, killed at least 12 people and wounded more than 2,750. Many of the casualties were Hezbollah members (including civilian members of Hezbollah) and other civilians (including children). The 18 September explosions of ICOM walkie-talkies killed at least 25 people and injured 708. Other electronics, such as fingerprint biometric devices, were also reported to have exploded, but it is not confirmed if those devices caught fire from other explosions or detonated themselves. A Reuters security source said Hezbollah bought the pagers and radios about five months before the attack.
The blasts affected several areas in Lebanon, including Beirut's Dahieh suburb, southern Lebanon, and the Beqaa Valley on the border with Syria, which are considered to have a Hezbollah presence. Explosions were also reported in several locations in Syria. It was initially unclear whether only Hezbollah members were carrying the pagers but later Hezbollah confirmed the pagers were those distributed to low-ranking members. Around 150 hospitals across Lebanon received victims of the attack, which saw chaotic scenes. Among those killed were two Hezbollah operatives and two children. Iran's ambassador in Lebanon was injured by an exploding pager. International officials and law of war scholars questioned the legality of the pager attacks under the Protocol on Mines, Booby-Traps and Other Devices.
In February 2024, the secretary-general of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, told the group's members to use pagers instead of cell phones, claiming that Israel had infiltrated their cell phone network. Hezbollah then bought a new brand of pagers, Gold Apollo AR924 models imported from Taiwan. Nasrallah, responding to the explosions, described them as an act of war and arguably a declaration of war by Israel. Hezbollah vowed to retaliate. Following the explosions, Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant announced a "new phase" of the war against the Axis of Resistance, with a focus on the north of Israel (which borders Lebanon).
A day after Hamas launched its 7 October attacks on Israel, Hezbollah joined the conflict in support of Hamas by firing on Israeli towns like Safed and Nahariya, and other Israeli positions. Since then, Hezbollah and Israel have been involved in cross-border military exchanges that have displaced entire communities in Israel and Lebanon, with significant damage to buildings and land along the border. Over 96,000 people in Israel have been displaced and over 111,000 in Lebanon. As of 24 August 2024, there were 564 confirmed deaths in Lebanon including 133 civilians. Israel and Hezbollah have maintained their attacks at a level that causes harm without escalating into a full-scale war. Hezbollah has said it will not stop attacking Israel until Israel ceases its attacks in Gaza.
Earlier on 17 September 2024, just a few hours before the explosions, the Security Cabinet of Israel established a new war objective: the safe return of displaced residents to the north. This goal was added to the two existing objectives: dismantling Hamas and securing the release of hostages taken during the 7 October attacks. Israel's domestic security agency, Shin Bet, announced it had thwarted a Hezbollah plot to assassinate a former senior defense official using an explosive device.
Use of pagers
Some Hezbollah members had used pagers for years before the 7 October attacks, but more members began using them after February 2024, when Hezbollah secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah called on members to stop using smartphones, citing Israel's capability to infiltrate them. Hezbollah subsequently ordered the pagers, which were imported to Lebanon in the months before to the explosion. It was reported that the devices were compromised in Iran before being sent to Lebanon.
The exploding pagers were the AR924 model by the Taiwanese company Gold Apollo. However, they were made and sold by Budapest-based BAC Consulting KFT, which had a three-year licensing agreement with Gold Apollo. Gold Apollo founder Hsu Ching-Kuang said that BAC's payments had been "very strange", having been paid via the Middle East. Taiwanese police opened an investigation into Gold Apollo's involvement, searched four locations in Taipei and New Taipei City, and questioned two individuals. Both Economic Minister J.W. Kuo and Premier Cho Jung-tai denied that the pagers were made in Taiwan.
BAC's Chief Executive, Cristiana Bársony-Arcidiacono, acknowledged working with Gold Apollo, but stated "I don't make the pagers. I am just the intermediate." Hungarian government spokesperson Zoltán Kovács said that BAC Consulting "is a trading intermediary, with no manufacturing or operational site in Hungary. It has one manager registered at its declared address, and the referenced devices have never been in Hungary."
The New York Times reported that in fact the Israeli intelligence operated BAC Consulting and had created two other unnamed shell corporations to hide their involvement.
Sky News reported a Lebanese security source which said that Hezbollah had ordered 5,000 devices. Israeli agencies have previously carried out operations involving explosive communication devices, notably the assassination of Hamas operative Yahya Ayyash in 1996.
Explosions
First wave
On 17 September 2024 at around 15:30 EEST, many communication pagers across Lebanon and Syria unexpectedly exploded in an apparent coordinated attack on Hezbollah members, many of whom were seriously wounded. According to the Lebanese Health Ministry, most of the casualties presented at the hospitals were in civilian clothing, and their Hezbollah membership was unclear.
An Associated Press report indicated that the devices were possibly rigged with explosives prior to arriving in Lebanon. The New York Times also reported that Israeli intelligence services intercepted the deliveries and rigged the pagers with small amounts of explosives. Reuters reported an anonymous Lebanese source as claiming the devices had a board inserted into them which could detonate up to three grams of explosive upon receiving a code. Facial and eye injuries were the most common effect of the explosions and, according to Tracy Chamoun, the pagers emitted a sound to encourage users to pick the devices up and lift them to their heads. Other reports say that the device vibrated and showed an error message on the screen, and only detonated when the user pressed a button to clear the error, increasing the chance that the operator of the device would be holding it.
The explosions occurred in several areas where Hezbollah has a strong presence, including its stronghold of Dahieh in Beirut; southern Lebanon; and the Beqaa Valley near the Syrian border, where explosions were reported in the towns of Aali en Nahri and Riyaq. In Syria, explosions of pagers were also reported in Damascus and its vicinity. There were early reports that 19 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) members had been killed in Syria, but the IRGC later released a statement saying none of its members had been killed. Blasts reportedly continued to occur for up to 30 minutes after the initial detonations, intensifying the resulting chaos.
Witnesses reported seeing multiple individuals bleeding from their wounds in the aftermath of the blasts. In one instance, an explosion occurred inside the trouser pockets of a man standing outside a shop. Photos and videos circulating on social media and local media from Beirut's southern suburbs showed individuals lying on the ground with injuries on their hands or near their pockets.
Around 150 hospitals received victims of the attack, which saw chaotic scenes. Hospitals in southern Lebanon, the Beqaa Valley, and Beirut's southern suburbs were overwhelmed with patients, many suffering from injuries to the face, hands and waist. In response, the Ministry of Health advised individuals with pagers to dispose of them and instructed hospitals to remain on "high alert". It also called on health workers to report to work and asked them not to use wireless devices. The state-run National News Agency appealed for blood donations. Ambulance crews were deployed from the northern cities of Tripoli and Al-Qalamoun to help in Beirut.
The attack came just a day after the Biden administration's special envoy Amos Hochstein visited Israel and warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against provoking a major escalation in Lebanon. Just before the blasts, Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant told the US defence minister Lloyd Austin that an operation was planned in Lebanon.
Second wave
About 24 hours after the initial explosions, a second wave of device explosions occurred in Lebanon. Hezbollah stated that handheld radios were involved. The devices affected were reported as Icom IC-V82 VHFwalkie-talkies, which are known to be used by Hezbollah militants. Manufacture of the IC-V82 model ceased in 2014, and Icom had previously issued an advisory warning about counterfeit radios, including the IC-V82, and said on 19 September that it was conducting an investigation. A sales executive at the company's US subsidiary said the transceivers involved appeared to be "knockoff" products.
Explosions were reported in Beirut, the Bekaa Valley, and southern Lebanon. The explosions also caused fires in at least two homes. Other explosions occurred at a funeral held in Beirut for three Hezbollah members and a child, who had been killed by the initial explosions. Smartphones, solar panels, radios, intercoms and car batteries were amongst other devices that reportedly also exploded on that day. Lebanese Civil Defense said it responded to fires that erupted in 60 homes and shops, including a lithium battery store in Majdel Selm, as well as 15 cars and numerous motorcycles. These fires were triggered by the explosion of radios and two fingerprinting devices in various locations across Nabatieh Governorate. One compromised device was discovered inside an ambulance outside the American University of Beirut Medical Center and neutralized in a controlled explosion by the Lebanese Army.
In the aftermath of the second wave of explosions, a group of men attacked UNIFIL vehicles in Tyre, before Lebanese armed forces intervened. Hezbollah supporters reportedly prevented journalists from filming. The Lebanese Red Cross dispatched 30 ambulances to transport victims.
Casualties
The total death toll from the attacks stood at 37, and included at least 12 civilians killed according to Lebanese authorities. Most of the dead were believed to be militants, based on casualty reports posted by the group.
At least twelve people were killed in the first wave of attacks; more than 2,750 were wounded. In the first wave, civilians were killed, including a 9-year-old girl and an 11-year-old boy. At least two health workers were also killed, along with the son of Lebanese MP Ali Ammar, a member of Hezbollah; Prime Minister Najib Mikati visited southern Beirut to pay respects to him. It was initially unclear if only Hezbollah members were carrying the pagers but Hassan Nasrallah during his speech clarified the exploded pages were those distributed to lower ranking members while the leaders didn't use the model. In the second wave on 18 September, at least 25 people were killed and 708 injured.
Health Minister Firass Abiad said the vast majority of those being treated in emergency rooms were in civilian clothing and their Hezbollah affiliation was unclear. He added the casualties included elderly people as well as young children. According to the Health Ministry, healthcare workers were also injured and it advised all healthcare workers to discard their pagers.
Mojtaba Amani, Iran's ambassador to Lebanon, was wounded; according to The New York Times, quoting unnamed members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, he lost one eye and suffered severe injuries in the other. Two staff of the Iranian embassy were also injured. Al-Hadath reported that 19 IRGC members were killed and another 150 were injured in Deir ez-Zor, Syria, but the IRGC denied any casualties.
The legal questions that were examined attempted to determine whether the attacks violated the principle of distinction (including the prohibition against using booby traps) and the principle of proportionality.
Distinction
Indiscriminate attacks
United Nations experts said the attack was indiscriminate in nature. It argued that given thousands of devices exploded simultaneously, meant the attacker failed to verify that each target and distinguish between those who can be targeted and those who cannot. Alonso Gurmendi-Dunkelberg, of the London School of Economics, also argued in order to meet the principle of distinction, Israel would have had to verify if each individual device was in the possession of a military target and not a civilian one. He opines, it is unlikely Israel did that given that thousands of devices were detonated simultaneously.
Professor William Boothby wrote in Lieber Institute for Law & Warfare that the targets appeared to be persons to whom the pagers were issued and it was "probably reasonable" to assume pagers would be in possession of their users.
Brian Finucane of the Reiss Center on Law and Security questioned whether the explosions constituted an indiscriminate attack, which are either not directed at a specific military objective, or employ a method which cannot be directed at a military objective. Professor Toby Walsh argued the attack was indiscriminate in nature, given that the pagers can't be tracked.
Legitimacy of targets
Many sources cautioned that under International Humanitarian Law (IHL) only combatants may be targeted; anyone not taking part in hostilities can't be targeted. While Hezbollah has a military wing, it is also a political party. Huwaida Arraf pointed out that civil servants are considered civilians under international law unless there is evidence that they took part in hostilities. Professor William Boothby wrote that attacks on pagers would be illegal if it was known that pagers were also issued to non-combatant members of Hezbollah, for example its diplomatic, political, or administrative staff.
In addition to a political wing, Hezbollah also has affiliated charities that provide social services. For example, one of those killed was a hospital orderly carrying a pager at Al Rassoul Al Azam Hospital, which is linked to a Hezbollah charity. Andreas Krieg, a professor of security studies at King's College London, said it was likely the pager system was distributed among civilian members of Hezbollah, such as those working in charities or the civil service, and these people are not taking part in the hostilities.
Booby traps
Booby traps are mostly outlawed under the Protocol on Mines, Booby-Traps and Other Devices ("Amended Protocol II") of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, to which Israel is a party. Article 7, paragraph 2 of Amended Protocol II prohibits the use of "booby-traps or other devices in the form of apparently harmless portable objects which are specifically designed and constructed to contain explosive material." The rules of engagement of some countries, such as the United Kingdom, also ban explosive devices disguised as harmless items. The United States Department of DefenseLaw of War Manual gives watches, cameras, tobacco pipes, and headphones as examples of such items, which are prohibited to "prevent the production of large quantities of dangerous objects that can be scattered around and are likely to be attractive to civilians, especially children".
Law of war professor William H. Boothby wrote in the Lieber Institute for Law & Warfare's Articles of War that "The information in the early reports suggests that once the arming signal has been sent, the devices used against Hezbollah in Lebanon fall within Article 7(2) and are therefore prohibited on that basis [...] it would appear, considering what is currently known and assumed, to be an unlawful weapon."
Brian Finucane also questioned whether the pagers constituted prohibited booby traps under Amended Protocol II.
Proportionality
Under the principle of proportionality, the attacker must assess whether "the expected harm to civilians and civilian objects from this attack would be excessive in relation to the concrete and direct military advantage anticipated". William Boothby wrote it was an important question whether the incidental injury from these larger number of explosions was proportional to the military advantage expected.
Giacomo Biggio, of the University of Bristol Law School, wrote that it should have been expected that collateral damage resulting from such an attack would be large. Given that some of the devices exploded in crowded areas, like supermarkets and funerals, an "extremely high" likelihood of harming civilians should have been anticipated. Biggio stated that the Israeli government's interpretation of what constitutes "excessive" harm to civilians differs sharply from the interpretation given by the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Janina Dill of the Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict doubted the attacks were proportionate, pointing out that people carry pagers to different places, including taking them home. She questioned whether, given hundreds of pagers exploding simultaneously, it was even possible for the attacker to make a meaningful calculation on the expected harm to civilians.
Reactions
Lebanon
A senior Lebanese security source told Al-Hadath that Israel had infiltrated the communication systems of individual devices, leading to their detonation. The office of Prime Minister Mikati said the incident was a criminal "violation of Lebanese sovereignty" by Israel. The Lebanese government contacted the United Nations and certain countries, asking them to hold Israel responsible for the attack. Lebanon's health minister, Firas Abiad [ar; de], praised the Lebanese health system's response, characterizing the response as "good" and noting that the system was able to "get care to those who needed it, especially for those with serious injuries".
Lebanese journalist Mohammad Barakat, known for his anti-Hezbollah views, called the pager attacks a "Lebanese 9/11". The Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar reported that "the enemy succeeded in directing its harshest blows to the body of the Islamic Resistance since the beginning of the conflict with the enemy, in an exceptional security operation in terms of the ability to reach targets and means."
Hezbollah
Hezbollah blamed Israel for the explosions, which it described as "criminal aggression" and pledged a "just retribution". Those close to the group describe a state of shock following the explosions. In his address on 19 September, Hassan Nasrallah called the attack a "severe blow", adding that Israel had crossed a "red line". Nasrallah claimed that there were 4,000 pager holders and all of them were Hezbollah members but criticized Israel for being indifferent towards Hezbollah members being in civilian areas when they exploded, describing the explosions as a massacre. He challenged the IDF to invade Lebanon claiming Hezbollah was ready and claimed that Israelis displaced in the north would only be allowed to return if Israel ceased the invasion of Gaza.
Israel
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) initially declined to comment when approached by the Associated Press. Israeli Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi held a meeting with Israeli generals to discuss "preparation for defensive and offensive operations on all fronts". The next day, Halevi made the following statement: "We have many capabilities that we have not yet activated... we have seen some of these things, it seems to me that we are well prepared and we are preparing these plans going forward." He also said that Israel will move further in stages, with each stage more painful for Hezbollah, and stated that the IDF is determined to allow displaced citizens in northern Israel to safely return to their homes.
According to Axios, Israeli officials said they are aware that a major escalation on the northern border is possible after the explosions and said that the IDF was on high alert for a possible retaliatory response by Hezbollah. The Israeli news website Walla, citing unnamed Israeli officials, reported that "Israeli intelligence services assessed before the operation that Hezbollah might respond with a significant counterattack against Israel."
Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced the beginning of a "new phase", and that the IDF is redirecting forces and resources to the North to confront Hezbollah.
On the day of the first wave of attacks, Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid was in the on a trip to the United States talking to US government officials about a "ceasefire-for-hostages deal between Israel and Hamas". He cut his trip short and returned to Israel in response to the attack.
Multi-national organizations
Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, the United Nations special coordinator for Lebanon, condemned the attack, saying "civilians are not a target and must be protected at all times". Stéphane Dujarric, the Secretary-General's spokesperson, said the organization deplored the civilian casualties and warned of the risks of escalation in the region. Speaking on 18 September, Secretary-General António Guterres stressed that "civilian objects" should not be weaponized. The Security Council has scheduled a meeting for 20 September to address the situation. Volker Türk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, issued a statement saying that "Simultaneous targeting of thousands of individuals, whether civilians or members of armed groups, without knowledge as to who was in possession of the targeted devices, their location and their surroundings at the time of the attack, violates international human rights law and, to the extent applicable, international humanitarian law."
Egypt: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, during a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, reaffirmed Lebanon's security, stability, and sovereignty and said that his government rejects any "attempts to escalate the conflict and expand its scope regionally", calling on all parties to act responsibly.
Hamas: The Palestinian organization Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip, blamed Israel for the pager explosions, which it called a "crime that defies all laws". In a statement, Hamas praised Hezbollah's "efforts and sacrifices" and said "this terrorist act is part of the Zionist enemy's larger aggression on the region". The Palestinian Authority denounced the attack, fearing an escalation in Lebanon.
Houthis: The spokesperson of the Houthis, who govern much of Yemen, Mohammed Abdelsalam, called the attacks "a heinous crime and a violation of Lebanese sovereignty" and assured that "Lebanon is capable of facing all challenges, and has a resistance movement capable of deterring the Zionist enemy entity and making it pay a heavy price for any escalation it may undertake against Lebanon." Hours after the explosions and two days after firing a supersonic ballistic missile at Tel Aviv, the deputy head of the Houthis' media authority, Nasr Al-Din Amer, said that the group is ready to support Hezbollah and send thousands of fighters to Lebanon should a war break out with Israel.
Iran: Iran referred to the attacks as "Israeli terrorism" and pledged to provide medical assistance to those affected. Foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani called the attack as an "example of mass murder" by the "Zionist regime". Iran dispatched a medical team of twelve doctors, twelve nurses and the president of the Iranian Red Crescent to Lebanon to provide medical assistance. Iraq also dispatched a military aircraft carrying medical aid which landed at Beirut. Jordan, Turkey, Syria and Egypt also offered medical assistance.
Iraq: The Iraqi government provided medical supplies to Lebanese hospitals following the first wave of attacks. The government also said that it will strengthen controls at its borders to avoid any "infiltration" or security risk with the imports of electronic equipment.
Syria: Syria expressed solidarity with the Lebanese people and said it "stands by their side in their right to defend themselves" while condemning the blasts. The Syrian foreign ministry issued a statement carried by state news agency SANA accusing Israel of "its desire to expand the scope of the war and its thirst to shed more blood". It called on nations to "unequivocally condemn this aggression".
Turkey: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan criticized Israel during a phone call with Lebanese Prime Minister Mikati, saying that its attempts to spread conflicts in the region are "extremely dangerous" and that Turkey's efforts to stop "Israeli aggression" will continue.
International
Belgium: The deputy prime minister, Petra De Sutter, condemned the "massive terror attack in Lebanon and Syria".
China: Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Lin Jian stated that China is closely following the attacks and "oppose any act that infringes on Lebanon's sovereignty and security" and expressed concerns over possible escalation of tensions that the attack might trigger.
South Korea: Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lee Jae-woong said the government is closely monitoring the situation in the Middle East with grave concerns and has continued to urge the relevant parties to seek a peaceful solution through dialogue.
United Kingdom: Foreign SecretaryDavid Lammy expressed concern about "rising tensions and civilian casualties" and urged British citizens to leave Lebanon warning that the situation "could deteriorate rapidly". He also said that "We are all very, very clear that we want to see a negotiated political settlement so that Israelis can return to their homes in northern Israel and indeed Lebanese to return to their homes" and he expressed "the need for a negotiated solution to restore stability and security".
The Guardian quoted Lebanese health minister Firas Abiad [ar; de]'s assessment that the scale of the attack was greater than the 2020 Beirut explosion, which was the largest artificial non-nuclear explosion in history. The head of Lebanon's disaster response committee also compared the pager attack with the Beirut explosion, in terms of the sudden influx of casualties and the strain imposed on Lebanon's emergency response system. Many Lebanese doctors who were treating the injured concurred that the level of injuries was greater than that they treated after the port explosion.
The Lebanese army announced it was conducting controlled blasts in various areas to destroy any suspicious pagers or remote devices.
Hezbollah
CNN suggested that the operation was likely intended to instill paranoia among Hezbollah members, undermine their recruitment efforts, and weaken confidence in Hezbollah's leadership and its ability to protect its operations and personnel. John Miller, CNN's Chief Law Enforcement and Intelligence Analyst, stated the message for Hezbollah was: "We can reach you anywhere, anytime, at the day and moment of our choosing and we can do it at the press of a button."
The Economist suggested several interpretations of the attack. One theory is that the pager-bombs were a precursor to a larger Israeli offensive aimed at disrupting Hezbollah's command and communications in preparation for a potential invasion. Alternatively, the attack might be the full extent of Israel's operation, delivering a significant impact beyond previous retaliatory measures. Lina Khatib of Chatham House suggests the breach could paralyze Hezbollah's military and instill fear, making the group more cautious with its communications. Another theory is that Israel acted preemptively to prevent Hezbollah from discovering the vulnerability.
Lebanese journalist Kim Ghattas, who also contributes to The Atlantic, spoke to CNN, suggesting that the incident could be an effort "to cow Hezbollah into submission, and make clear that an increase of their attacks against Israel will be met with even further violence." She noted that it might act as a precursor to a large-scale Israeli campaign, especially as Hezbollah contends with the chaos from this "science-fiction-like attack" on its operatives.
Jewish-American political scientist Eliot A. Cohen wrote in The Atlantic that the explosions represented "a strategic win for Israel" beyond the death and injuries sustained by Hezbollah. According to Cohen, Hezbollah would not be able to trust electronic forms of communication, and an organization cannot function without them. He also opined that the explosions serve as a "morale boost" for Israel after the killings of Hersh Goldberg-Polin and five other hostages three weeks prior.
^ Jamal, Urooba; Marsi, Federica (18 September 2024). "Hezbollah vows retaliation after blaming Israel for pager blasts". Al Jazeera. Lebanon's Minister of Health Firass Abiad has held a media conference in Beirut on the situation in the aftermath of the pager blasts. Abiad said many of those carrying the pagers were civilians. At least 12 people have been killed, including four medical staff, an eight-year-old girl and an 11-year-old boy.
^"Second wave of blasts hits Lebanon as Israel declares 'new phase' of war". Al Jazeera. 18 September 2024. Hezbollah says it will continue its "operations to support Gaza, its people, and its resistance" after simultaneous explosions of pagers used by its members killed 12 people and wounded thousands across Lebanon. Several wounded in neighbouring Syria.
^ Marsi, Federica (19 September 2024). "Death toll in Lebanon blasts rises to 37". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 19 September 2024. The following day, 25 people were killed and 708 injured, including 61 who remain in the intensive care unit.
^Presse, AFP-Agence France. "Taiwan's Gold Apollo Says Hezbollah Pagers Made By Hungary Partner". www.barrons.com. Retrieved 18 September 2024. Gold Apollo has established a "long-term partnership" with Budapest-based BAC Consulting KFT to use its trademark and the model mentioned in media reports "is produced and sold by BAC," the company said in a statement after the New York Times reported that its pagers were involved in the blasts.
^JOHNSON LAI; SIMINA MISTREANU (18 September 2024). "Taiwanese Company Disavows Links to Pager Explosions, Points to Budapest Manufacturer". TIME. Retrieved 18 September 2024. Gold Apollo chair Hsu Ching-kuang told journalists Wednesday that his company has had a licensing agreement with BAC for the past three years, but did not provide evidence of the contract.
^Frenkel, Sheera; Bergman, Ronen; Saad, Hwaida (18 September 2024). "How Israel Built a Modern-Day Trojan Horse: Exploding Pagers". The New York Times. Retrieved 19 September 2024. Even before Mr. Nasrallah decided to expand pager usage, Israel had put into motion a plan to establish a shell company that would pose as an international pager producer. By all appearances, B.A.C. Consulting was a Hungary-based company that was under contract to produce the devices on behalf of a Taiwanese company, Gold Apollo. In fact, it was part of an Israeli front, according to three intelligence officers briefed on the operation. They said at least two other shell companies were created as well to mask the real identities of the people creating the pagers: Israeli intelligence officers.
^"9 killed, almost 3,000 injured as vast wave of pager explosions strikes Hezbollah". The Times of Israel. 18 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024. Other photos and videos from Beirut's southern suburbs circulating on social media and in local media showed people lying on the pavement with wounds on their hands or near their pants pockets.
^"The Joint Service Manual of the Law Of Armed Conflict"(PDF). Ministry of Defence. 2004. pp. 105–107. JSP383. Retrieved 19 September 2024. 6.7.3 Where combat between ground forces is neither taking place nor appears imminent, booby-traps may not be used at all in populated areas unless ... measures are taken to protect civilians from their effects, for example, the posting of warning [signs, the posting of] sentries, the issue of warnings or the provision of fences. 6.7.4 'It is prohibited to use booby-traps in the form of apparently harmless portable objects which are specifically designed and constructed to contain explosive material.'