Mossad chief reveals details of "pager" bombing operation against Hezbollah

The Director of "Israel's" Mossad, David Barnea, has provided new insights into the bombing of pager devices carried by Hezbollah members, calling it an "innovative intelligence operation" that was meticulously planned and executed.

Speaking at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) conference, Barnea described the operation as a "deep intelligence breakthrough," showcasing "Israel's" technological superiority and high-level operational capabilities.

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He referred to the operation as a "turning point" in the ongoing conflict with Hezbollah, emphasizing that it contributed significantly to increasing pressure on the group, leading to the eventual assassination of Hezbollah's late leader, Hassan Nasrallah, and the subsequent agreement.

Barnea explained that the operation was an extension of a previous project, which involved the detonation of wireless "walkie-talkie" devices. This initiative began nearly a decade ago during the tenure of Tamir Pardo and continued under Yossi Cohen's leadership.

He revealed that the idea for detonating "pager" devices came after observing the limited impact of previous "walkie-talkie" device bombings. This observation led Mossad to develop a new tactic aimed at targeting Hezbollah members by detonating devices they carried constantly.

The operational infrastructure for this mission was set up in late 2022, with the first shipment of devices being sent to Lebanon weeks before Oct. 7, 2023.

The bombings took place on Sept. 17 and 24, after an intensive internal discussion on the operation's timing. While different opinions were voiced, the final decision to proceed with the mission was made by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, despite some opposition within the meeting.

Reports indicate that the bombings resulted in the deaths of approximately 30 Hezbollah members, with nearly 3,000 others wounded with varying degrees of severity.

Barnea emphasized the psychological impact of the operation, stating, "Victory in war is not measured by the number of deaths or the destruction of missiles, but by breaking the enemy's morale and weakening their motivation."

Concluding his remarks, the Mossad chief reiterated that the operation was not a sudden decision but the culmination of years of intelligence gathering and strengthening cooperation with "Israeli" security agencies. He added, "The next war will be unlike anything we've seen before."