Earlier this week, <keyword id="19935844" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lebanon" source="keywords">Lebanon</keyword> was rocked by a series of deadly explosions involving pagers and walkie-talkies, killing dozens and injuring thousands. These incidents, allegedly linked to Israeli covert operations targeting <keyword id="19925799" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Hezbollah" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Hezbollah" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Hezbollah">Hezbollah</keyword>, sent shockwaves through the region. The blasts have since sparked a wave of fear — can modern, personal devices like smartphones also be hacked and turned into weapons? <h2>What happened in Lebanon?</h2>The explosions in Lebanon were far from random. Reports suggest that pagers used by Hezbollah operatives had been rigged with explosives and remotely detonated, catching their users off-guard. Security sources indicate that the rigging involved physically placing explosives inside these relatively old devices, and then using the communication functionality of the pagers to trigger the blasts. This raises the question: if pagers and walkie-talkies can be tampered with in such a devastating way, could modern consumer electronics — like your smartphone — suffer the same fate? <h2>Are smartphones at risk?</h2>The short answer is no, or at least not in the same way. The technology used in the <keyword id="23230922" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="pager-attacks" source="keywords">pager attacks</keyword> in Lebanon exploited vulnerabilities specific to older devices. Unlike the bulky pagers involved in the attacks, modern smartphones are designed with highly sophisticated internal components, which are tightly packed with almost no room for extra materials like explosives. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113448146" title="Lebanon pager explosion: What is Hezbollah and why is Israel targeting it?" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>Moreover, the idea of hacking a smartphone to make it explode is highly impractical. While it's true that lithium-ion batteries in smartphones can overheat and, in rare cases, explode, this is typically due to manufacturing defects or improper charging, not hacking. Security experts stress that breaking into consumer devices to physically modify them with explosives would require access to the supply chain — an almost impossible feat on a large scale. In other words, your phone isn't going to explode just because someone hacks it. Further, even if a hacker could compromise the software of a phone, it is unlikely that they would be able to create an <keyword id="19930918" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="explosion" source="keywords">explosion</keyword> just by pushing code. Devices like pagers, on the other hand, have larger components and more rudimentary designs, making them more vulnerable to physical sabotage. <h2>Why the fear persists</h2>Despite reassurances from experts, the explosions in Lebanon have left many wondering what the future holds. As technology advances, so do the methods of warfare. While it is unlikely that your phone will ever be hacked to explode, the attacks on Hezbollah have inevitably sown fear that even everyday technology can be weaponised under certain conditions. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113478704" title="The detonation of pagers used by Hezbollah shows the depths of supply-chain infiltration" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>But for the most part, the average person needn’t worry about their phone becoming a bomb, as <keyword id="19906883" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cybersecurity" source="keywords">cybersecurity</keyword> expert Daniel Card puts it. However, the fact that such attacks are happening on specific groups means we cannot entirely dismiss the potential for other forms of tech-based sabotage in the future. These events serve as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities in the devices we rely on, not just from a privacy perspective but from a <keyword id="20676085" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="physical-security" source="keywords">physical security</keyword> angle. Companies like Apple and Google have made strides in protecting their users from digital threats with regular updates and robust security features. However, physical tampering — like what happened in Lebanon — is a whole new battlefield that the tech world must keep an eye on.

Could your personal smartphone be hacked to explode like the pagers in Lebanon?

The recent <keyword id="23208779" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="pager-explosion" source="keywords">pager explosion</keyword> in <keyword id="19935844" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lebanon" source="keywords">Lebanon</keyword>, which injured thousands and killed several <keyword id="19925799" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Hezbollah" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Hezbollah" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Hezbollah">Hezbollah</keyword> members, has brought the group's long-standing conflict with <keyword id="19900599" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Israel" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Israel" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Israel">Israel</keyword> back into the spotlight. But what exactly is Hezbollah, and why is Israel allegedly targeting it with such unique approaches now? <h2>Who are Hezbollah? </h2>Hezbollah, meaning "Party of God" or "Party of Allah," is a <keyword id="23215715" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Shiite-Muslim" source="keywords">Shi’ite Muslim</keyword> political party and militant group based in Lebanon. Backed by Iran, Hezbollah was formed in the 1980s during the Lebanese Civil War. Since 1992, it has been led by <keyword id="20084790" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Hassan-Nasrallah" source="keywords">Hassan Nasrallah</keyword>. Though it holds significant political power within Lebanon, particularly in Shi’ite-majority areas, many countries — including Israel and the United States — consider Hezbollah a <keyword id="20246594" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="terrorist-organisation" source="keywords">terrorist organisation</keyword>. Hezbollah's military capabilities are substantial, and it has been involved in several regional conflicts, most notably with Israel. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113435081" title="Hundreds of Iran-backed Hezbollah members were hurt when their pagers just weirdly exploded" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> <h2></h2><h2>Why is Israel and Hezbollah fighting now? </h2>Much like <keyword id="19900598" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="hamas" source="keywords">Hamas</keyword>, Hezbollah has been in conflict with Israel for decades, starting with Israel's occupation of southern Lebanon in 1978. In fact, Hezbollah and Israel actively exchanging fire ever since the Hamas attack last year. Even after Israel withdrew in 2000, skirmishes between the two have continued. One of the most significant conflicts was the 2006 Lebanon War, a 34-day war that caused widespread devastation in Lebanon and northern Israel. Hezbollah opposes Israel's existence and has been linked to numerous attacks on Israeli and Jewish targets around the world. This includes operations in Africa, the Americas, and Asia. Israel's primary reason for targeting Hezbollah is its military presence along the northern border of Israel and Lebanon. Hezbollah, with <keyword id="23215716" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Iranian-backing" source="keywords">Iranian backing</keyword>, has vowed to retaliate against Israel for these strikes, leading to a persistent cycle of conflict. <h2>The pager explosion: A new chapter in the conflict?</h2>The recent pager explosion appears to be an unprecedented breach in Hezbollah's security. Hezbollah had ordered 5,000 pagers from a Taiwanese company, but according to reports, Israel’s national intelligence agency <keyword id="19924660" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mossad" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Mossad" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Mossad">Mossad</keyword> managed to plant explosives inside these devices. When activated, these hidden explosives caused thousands of pagers to detonate simultaneously across Lebanon, killing nine people and injuring nearly 3,000 others. Hezbollah has referred to this as one of its biggest counterintelligence failures in recent decades. Israel, which has declined to comment on the explosion, likely sees this as part of its broader strategy to weaken Hezbollah’s operational capacity. For Hezbollah, the explosion represents a significant blow not only militarily but also symbolically, as it highlights Israeli intelligence’s ability to infiltrate their operations. Meanwhile, Hezbollah has stated that it does not seek a full-scale war, but it is prepared to defend itself if Israel continues its aggression. Tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border remain high, and the potential for escalation is ever-present. The recent pager blast shows that both sides are engaged in covert operations that could tip the region back into open conflict. For now, Hezbollah’s primary challenge lies in addressing the breach in its security, while Israel continues to prepare for potential retaliations. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113446731" title="Hezbollah&amp;#39;s deadly pagers were sourced from a Taiwanese company and contained explosive material planted by Israel: reports" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

Lebanon pager explosion: What is Hezbollah and why is Israel targeting it?

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Hezbollah's exploding pagers were sourced from a Taiwanese company, officials told NYT and Reuters.</li><li>Both outlets reported that Israel also planted the pagers with small amounts of explosives.</li></ul>Thousands of Hezbollah-owned pagers that detonated in unison on Tuesday were made in Taiwan and had been tampered with by Israel, according to multiple reports.The wireless beeper explosions, now widely considered an unusual and audacious attack on the Iran-backed militant group, raise serious questions about Hezbollah's security. Lebanese health officials say the detonations injured at least 2,700 people and killed nine more.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/17/world/middleeast/israel-hezbollah-pagers-explosives.html">The New York Times</a> reported that Hezbollah had purchased the pagers from Gold Apollo, a manufacturer in Taiwan.The Times cited unnamed officials, at least some of whom were American, and wrote that Hezbollah had primarily obtained the AP924 model of Gold Apollo's pagers, though it bought another three models.The outlet further reported that two officials said Israeli forces had planted small amounts of explosive material — as little as one or two ounces — next to the pagers' batteries with remote switches.But Gold Apollo's founder, Hsu Ching-Kuang, told reporters on Wednesday that his company did not make the exploded pagers.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/gold-apollo-says-it-did-not-make-pagers-used-lebanon-explosion-2024-09-18/">Per Reuters</a>, he said the devices were instead manufactured by a European firm that had the right to use Gold Apollo's brand."The product was not ours. It was only that it had our brand on it," he said, according to the outlet.Hsu called the incident "very embarrassing," but said his company had also been made a victim, per Reuters.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-planted-explosives-hezbollahs-taiwan-made-pagers-sources-say-2024-09-18/">Reuters had earlier reported</a> similar findings to The Times, citing an unnamed senior Lebanese source who said that Hezbollah had ordered 5,000 beepers, including the AP924, from Gold Apollo.The same source told the outlet that Mossad, Israel's intelligence service, had planted a board inside the pagers that contained explosive material and could remotely receive a detonation code. ""It's very hard to detect it through any means. Even with any device or scanner," the source said, per Reuters.The outlet added that it had examined some of the exploding pagers and said their design and stickers matched devices built by Gold Apollo.Gold Apollo and the Israeli Defense Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider.Hezbollah and Lebanon have both blamed Israel for the exploding pagers, though Tel Aviv has not claimed responsibility.Pagers became a significant part of Hezbollah's communication network earlier this year, when its <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hezbollah-decided-months-ago-switch-from-cellphones-pagers-just-exploded-2024-9">leaders decided to use the devices out of concern</a> that its cellphone network had been compromised.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/pagers-drones-how-hezbollah-aims-counter-israels-high-tech-surveillance-2024-07-09/">A July report from Reuters</a> citing multiple sources familiar with Hezbollah said that the group had made the switch due to the loss of several commanders amid hostilities with Israel.The exploding pagers have led to heightened fears that Israel and Hezbollah may escalate their conflict into a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wider-war-hezbollah-could-unleash-unprecedented-missile-barrage-against-israel-2024-7">wide-scale or direct war.</a>Both have been <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-hezbollah-exchange-fire-major-regional-escalation-2024-8">conducting cross-border strikes</a> against each other for months in the wake of Hamas' October 7 attack and Israel's subsequent deadly campaign in Gaza. The fighting has displaced tens of thousands of residents on either side.Before the pagers exploded on Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced his administration's war goal of returning Israeli evacuees to their homes near Lebanon."The Security Cabinet has updated the objectives of the war to include the following: Returning the residents of the north securely to their homes," Netanyahu's office said in a statement. "Israel will continue to act to implement this objective," it added.He had made no comment or hint implying involvement or planning in any specific attack on Hezbollah.

Hezbollah's deadly pagers were sourced from a Taiwanese company and contained explosive material planted by Israel: reports

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Hundreds of pagers throughout Lebanon were detonated on Tuesday.</li><li>An attack of this scale likely required months of planning, an arms expert told BI.</li></ul>The Tuesday <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/iran-backed-hezbollah-members-hurt-after-pagers-just-weirdly-exploded-2024-9">attack in Lebanon,</a> where hundreds of pagers used by the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah simultaneously detonated, points to a highly sophisticated operation that likely required months of planning and an infiltration of a global supply chain, experts told Business Insider.At least 2,800 people were injured and 12 killed, The Associated Press reported, citing the Lebanese Health Ministry. The pagers exploded in Lebanon around Tuesday late afternoon. On Wednesday, a more limited attack involving <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/more-devices-explode-in-lebanon-after-deadly-hezbollah-pager-blasts-2024-9">walkie-talkies and solar equipment</a> that exploded injured hundreds more and killed at least 20 people, according to the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-israel-exploding-pagers-hezbollah-syria-ce6af3c2e6de0a0dddfae48634278288">AP report</a>, which cited the Lebanese Health Ministry.Israel has not commented or claimed responsibility for the attack. US and other officials who were briefed on the operation and who spoke on the condition of anonymity told <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/17/world/middleeast/israel-hezbollah-pagers-explosives.html">The New York Times</a> that Israel was behind the attack and infiltrated a batch of Taiwanese-branded pagers in order to plant explosives inside the device.Spokespeople for the Israel Defense Forces and the US Department of Defense did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.An attack of this size requires a massive amount of technical capabilities involving intelligence gathering and months of planning, a national security expert and arms expert told BI."The scale of this operation suggests a complex supply-chain attack executed by a state actor," N.R. Jenzen-Jones, a director at the Armament Research Services, told BI. "This would have required a significant investment in terms of manpower and other resources, and likely months of planning."And if Israel was indeed behind the attack, as US officials have said, then it comes as no surprise from a country that has already proven its technical prowess, Sean McFate, a national security and foreign policy expert at Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship &amp; Public Affairs, told BI."Israel is a very tech-savvy state with its own 'Wadi Valley,' as they put it," McFate said.Supply-chain experts also told BI that the attack showcases how vulnerabilities in global supply chains are often overlooked and can be exploited in warfare."The fact that explosives were implanted in the pagers before reaching Hezbollah shows the challenges of securing electronics sourcing, especially with international shipments," Robert Khachatryan, CEO of Freight Right Global Logistics, told BI.Images online appear to show that the pagers in the attack had branding from <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hezbollahs-exploding-pagers-bought-taiwanese-company-denied-israel-explosive-material-2024-9">Gold Apollo</a>, a company based in Taiwan, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/taiwan-firm-denies-making-pagers-used-lebanon-explosions-rcna171594">NBC News</a> reported. The company told the outlet in a statement that a Hungary-based entity called BAC Consulting was authorized to use Gold Apollo's branding and that the "design and manufacturing of the prodcuts are entirely handled by BAC."Cristiana Bársony-Arcidiacono, the chief executive of BAC, denied making the pagers in a statement to NBC News and said that she was "just the intermediate."Gold Apollo did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Business Insider was not able to reach BAC Consulting for comment. The company's website appeared to be down as of Wednesday evening.Jenzen-Jones said that while supply chain attacks are often thought of in the context of cyberattacks, "sabotaging enemy supply lines has a long history in warfare."In 2012, The New York Times published a story about a US-run covert program for <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://archive.nytimes.com/atwar.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/07/dirty-tricks-of-government-forces-where-deception-and-deadliness-meet-inside-a-gun/">booby-trapping ammunition</a> intended to be used by the Taliban.The size of Tuesday's attack in Lebanon and the targeting of an object like a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hezbollah-decided-months-ago-switch-from-cellphones-pagers-just-exploded-2024-9">pager</a> rather than weapons is what makes this operation different, Jenzen-Jones said."For an attack of this sort — one using modified everyday objects to deliver potentially lethal effects in a targeted fashion — the scale of the operation is unprecedented," he said.

The detonation of pagers used by Hezbollah shows the depths of supply-chain infiltration

<ul class="summary-list"><li>More explosions were reported across Lebanon on Wednesday.</li><li>Reports indicated that hand-held radios blew up.</li></ul>Hand-held radios exploded across Lebanon on Wednesday, according to multiple reports, potentially signaling a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hezbollah-decided-months-ago-switch-from-cellphones-pagers-just-exploded-2024-9">second wave of coordinated attacks</a> targeting personal devices in the Middle Eastern country.The official broadcaster of the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group, Al-Manar, reported a wave of explosions from wireless devices across Lebanon, according to local and international media.The Lebanese Red Cross said dozens of ambulance teams were responding to explosions across the country. The number of killed and wounded in the latest round of explosions is unclear.The reported explosions follow a similar incident Tuesday in which scores of pagers used by Hezbollah members <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/iran-backed-hezbollah-members-hurt-after-pagers-just-weirdly-exploded-2024-9">simultaneously detonated across Lebanon</a>. At least a dozen people were killed, and thousands more were left injured by the blasts.A security service source <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-planted-explosives-hezbollahs-taiwan-made-pagers-say-sources-2024-09-18/?utm_medium=Social&amp;utm_source=twitter">told Reuters</a> that the devices that detonated on Wednesday, hand-held radios or walkie-talkies, were purchased several months ago, around the same time as the pagers that exploded on Tuesday.One video circulating around social media on Wednesday purportedly shows an explosion at a funeral for Hezbollah members who were killed the day prior.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Hundreds, possibly thousands of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Hezbollah?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Hezbollah</a> two-way radios were just detonated across <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Lebanon?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Lebanon</a>.Video footage shows one during a funeral for 4 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Hezbollah?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Hezbollah</a> operatives killed by their pagers yesterday. <a href="https://t.co/fyjyw0H1rD">pic.twitter.com/fyjyw0H1rD</a>— Charles Lister (@Charles_Lister) <a href="https://twitter.com/Charles_Lister/status/1836411963594637434?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2024</a></blockquote> Hezbollah and Lebanon both <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hezbollah-pager-attacks-point-to-dangerous-new-era-fighting-expert-2024-9">blamed the Tuesday explosions</a> on Israel, which has not claimed responsibility. Israel has a long history of clandestine operations beyond its borders, targeting Iran and its regional proxy network.The apparent attack came shortly after Israel indicated that it would increase military pressure on Hezbollah so that people in the north of the country who have been displaced by <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wider-war-hezbollah-could-unleash-unprecedented-missile-barrage-against-israel-2024-7">months of fighting</a> between the two bitter enemies could return home.Hezbollah has vowed revenge for the explosions this week, threatening to plunge the embattled region into even more violence.

More devices are blowing up in Lebanon a day after Hezbollah pagers fatally exploded

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Hundreds of Iran-backed Hezbollah members were hurt when their pagers suddenly exploded.</li><li>Lebanon's Internal Security Forces urged people to stay off the roads for emergency vehicles.</li></ul>Hundreds of Hezbollah members in Lebanon were hurt on Tuesday when their pagers suddenly exploded, according to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd7xnelvpepo?xtor=AL-72-%5Bpartner%5D-%5Bbbc.news.twitter%5D-%5Bheadline%5D-%5Bnews%5D-%5Bbizdev%5D-%5Bisapi%5D&amp;at_link_type=web_link&amp;at_bbc_team=editorial&amp;at_link_origin=BBCWorld&amp;at_link_id=BB33F1E6-74FA-11EF-8FAF-A57C8FA5F06B&amp;at_ptr_name=twitter&amp;at_format=link&amp;at_campaign_type=owned&amp;at_campaign=Social_Flow&amp;at_medium=social">multiple reports</a>.Lebanon's Internal Security Forces <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/LebISF/status/1836040595090923586">said people were injured</a> after wireless communications devices exploded in several regions across the country. It requested that drivers clear the roads so emergency vehicles could provide first aid and transport the wounded to hospitals.A security source <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/dozens-hezbollah-members-wounded-lebanon-when-pagers-exploded-sources-witnesses-2024-09-17/">told Reuters</a> that Hezbollah fighters and medics were injured by the blasts. An official of the Iran-backed militant group described it as their "biggest security breach" of the past year. The exact number of injured is unknown.Some reports suggested that <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/dozens-of-hezbollah-members-said-serious-injured-in-beirut-as-devices-explode-in-alleged-israeli-op/">Israel hacked the personal pagers</a>, which Hezbollah <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd7xnelvpepo?xtor=AL-72-%5Bpartner%5D-%5Bbbc.news.twitter%5D-%5Bheadline%5D-%5Bnews%5D-%5Bbizdev%5D-%5Bisapi%5D&amp;at_link_type=web_link&amp;at_bbc_team=editorial&amp;at_link_origin=BBCWorld&amp;at_link_id=BB33F1E6-74FA-11EF-8FAF-A57C8FA5F06B&amp;at_ptr_name=twitter&amp;at_format=link&amp;at_campaign_type=owned&amp;at_campaign=Social_Flow&amp;at_medium=social">uses to communicate</a>, and caused them to explode. The country has not claimed responsibility for doing so.The incident occurred shortly after Israel's Shin Bet security agency said it <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/shin-bet-says-it-foiled-hezbollah-attempt-to-kill-former-top-israeli-security-official/amp/">foiled Hezbollah's attempt</a> to kill a former high-ranking Israeli official with a remotely detonated explosive device. It is unclear if the events are related.The detonation of the pagers also came just hours after Israel indicated that it may <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/yoavgallant/status/1835699027964317874">increase military pressure</a> on Hezbollah so people who have been displaced by fighting between the two sides can return home."The Security Cabinet has updated the objectives of the war to include the following: Returning the residents of the north securely to their homes," the Israeli Prime Minister's Office said in a statement early Tuesday morning local time."Israel will continue to act to implement this objective," it added.Tens of thousands of people in northern Israel and southern Lebanon have been <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/09/17/world/israel-hamas-war-news/a6bbe5fe-bde5-58e9-b2ca-27d1b28ee38f?smid=url-share">displaced by fighting</a> between the Israeli military and Hezbollah.The two bitter enemies have traded constant strikes against each other since Hamas staged its brutal October 7 massacre, triggering a wider regional conflict. However, despite fears that the situation would escalate into a full-scale war, Israel and Hezbollah have avoided an all-out confrontation.

Hundreds of Iran-backed Hezbollah members were hurt when their pagers just weirdly exploded

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Wireless pagers used by Hezbollah exploded across Lebanon on Tuesday.</li><li>The attack killed at least nine people and injured about 2,800, Lebanon's health minister said.</li></ul>The simultaneous detonation of thousands of pagers in Lebanon on Tuesday is a harbinger of a darker and more dangerous age of individualized attacks, according to a retired general and warfare strategist.Wireless pagers used by Iran-backed Hezbollah members <a target="_blank" rel="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/iran-backed-hezbollah-members-hurt-after-pagers-just-weirdly-exploded-2024-9">detonated</a> around Lebanon on Tuesday, killing at least nine people and injuring about 2,800, 200 of whom are in critical condition, Lebanon's health minister <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.moph.gov.lb/en/Media/news#/en/Media/view/75382/abiad-in-an-emergency-press-conference-the-initial-toll-of-the-security-incident-is-9-martyrs-and-ab">said</a>.Hezbollah and Lebanon have <a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" class="" href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/several-killed-thousands-hurt-as-wave-of-pager-explosions-strikes-hezbollah/">both blamed Israel</a>.A US State Department spokesperson said Washington was not involved in the incident and was not aware of any attack in advance.US and other officials told <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/17/world/middleeast/israel-hezbollah-pagers-explosives.html">The New York Times</a> that Israel carried out the attack by placing explosives within a shipment of Taiwanese-made pagers sent to Lebanon.The pagers were ordered by Hezbollah and were tampered with before they reached Lebanon, some of the officials said.Three officials said they were programmed to detonate upon receiving a specific message.As of now, no one has claimed responsibility for the attack, although Sky News Arabia, citing unnamed sources, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/SkyNewsArabia_B/status/1836106211269202205">reported</a> that Mossad, Israel's foreign intelligence service, placed the explosives.If Israel was behind the attack, it would carry "profound implications" for Hezbollah and the future of warfare, Mick Ryan, a former Australian major general, wrote in an <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/pager-bombs-precision-warfare-takes-personal-turn-lebanon">article published on Wednesday</a>."This is yet another demonstration that individuals are increasingly vulnerable to highly precise and personalized attacks," he said.Ryan cited the use of armed first-person-view drones on the battlefields in Ukraine and Russia, which he said showed the use of lethal personalized attacks had escalated in the past two years.He said that the use of explosive mobile devices has been "relatively" rare in the past, and that this latest incident has shown that lethal, personal attacks are now possible at scale and "well beyond" the battlefield."These kinds of attacks do not require the resources of a state either," he said. "They are possible from motivated individuals or issue-motivated groups if they can access the personal devices of government officials or politicians."Ryan added that such an attack should not come as a surprise: "Nations have been developing ever more precise ways of targeting individuals, equipment, and installations since the US Air Force developed laser-guided bombs during the Vietnam War."Yousef Munayyer, a senior fellow at Arab Center Washington DC, made a similar observation in an <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/yousefmunayyer/status/1836056729009668373?s=46&amp;t=o-gfid_uWzVLqbUuvoCCsg">X post</a> on Tuesday.He said the pager attack on Hezbollah "opens a dangerous Pandora's box" and makes almost everyone a "walking ticking bomb.""It won't be long before this tech will be used by many actors," Munayyer predicted.

Hezbollah pager attacks are a harbinger of a darker, more dangerous age of individualized strikes, military expert says

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Wireless pagers used by Hezbollah militants suddenly exploded across Lebanon on Tuesday.</li><li>Thousands of people were hurt in the incident, which officials blamed on Israel.</li></ul>Hezbollah militants decided to switch from risky cellphones to old-fashioned pagers only months before the devices suddenly blew up across Lebanon on Tuesday, earlier reporting shows.Wireless pagers used by Iran-backed Hezbollah members <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/iran-backed-hezbollah-members-hurt-after-pagers-just-weirdly-exploded-2024-9">mysteriously detonated</a> around Lebanon, killing at least eight people and injuring nearly 3,000 more, including scores of militants, per local estimates.Hezbollah and Lebanon have <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/several-killed-thousands-hurt-as-wave-of-pager-explosions-strikes-hezbollah/">both blamed Israel</a> for the carnage, which has not claimed responsibility. A US State Department spokesperson said Washington was not involved in the exploding pager incident and was unaware of any attack in advance.Though there is speculation, at this moment, it is unclear exactly how the handheld communication devices all detonated in such a sophisticated and coordinated way. It's also unclear how many pagers exploded.Some <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/lebanon-pagers-attack-hezbollah#h_fae744b5f17886dd7ce2bec9ff9ab047">experts and analysts theorized</a> that the pagers may have been tampered with a while ago, implanted with explosives, and programmed to detonate upon receiving a specific message. Another possibility is a cyberattack on their batteries that caused them to overheat and explode.<div type="image" title="Lebanese army soldiers secure the area for an ambulance to enter the premises of the American University hospital in Beirut on September 17." height="3840" width="5760" msid="113437139" hostid="261" sizebytes="1436134"></div>Hezbollah relies heavily on pagers to communicate, but that was not always the case. According to a July Reuters <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/pagers-drones-how-hezbollah-aims-counter-israels-high-tech-surveillance-2024-07-09/">report</a> citing multiple sources familiar with the group, in response to the losses of multiple commanders, the militants switched from using mobile phones, which are less secure for combat purposes, to older methods of communication like pagers to try and stay ahead of Israel's highly capable intelligence apparatus.The concern that cellphones are vulnerable and can be used to track an individual's movement extends beyond the Middle East. Such tactics have <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="c-link" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-soldiers-rely-phones-to-fight-ukraine-risks-killing-them-2024-7">led to deadly strikes</a> in the Ukraine war, for instance. This trend has the US military paying close attention to the potential threats that personal devices can bring.Lebanese security services <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/what-we-know-so-far-about-deadly-pager-blasts-lebanon-2024-09-17/">told Reuters</a> on Tuesday that the pagers were new models acquired by Hezbollah in recent months.Israel and Hezbollah have repeatedly traded <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wider-war-hezbollah-could-unleash-unprecedented-missile-barrage-against-israel-2024-7">fire in cross-border strikes </a>since Hamas' October 7 massacre. The deadly fighting between these two bitter foes has displaced tens of thousands of people in northern Israel and southern Lebanon.Tuesday's pager incident came just hours after Israel indicated, without specificity, that it would increase military pressure on Hezbollah to allow those who have been displaced to return home."The Security Cabinet has updated the objectives of the war to include the following: Returning the residents of the north securely to their homes," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said in a statement early Tuesday morning local time."Israel will continue to act to implement this objective," it added.Despite long-standing concerns of escalation, Israel and Hezbollah have managed to avoid a wider confrontation. However, the pager explosions have reignited fears that the two enemies could descend deeper into an all-out conflict.

Hezbollah decided months ago to switch from risky cellphones to pagers for security. The low-tech devices just blew up.

Drama is mounting, reader. I'm Diamond Naga Siu, and I'm not just talking about the <a href="https://www.insider.com/explainer-selena-gomez-hailey-bieber-kylie-jenner-social-media-drama-2023-2">Selena/Hailey 'mean girls' saga</a> — I'm fascinated by the Salesforce spectacle.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bret-taylor-leaves-salesforce-shocking-employees-and-marc-benioff-2022-11">CEO Marc Benioff recently </a>oversaw the departure of two leading candidates to inherit the Salesforce throne. And the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/salesforce-bret-taylor-tech-layoffs-marc-benioff-succession-crisis-2022-12">succession crisis</a> has caught the eye of antsy activist shareholders.Within months, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/salesforce-activist-shareholders-elliott-changes-board-seats-slack-2023-1">multiple activist investors bulked up their stakes</a> in Salesforce. Now, under their careful watch, Benioff needs to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/salesforce-employee-performance-metrics-less-severance-layoffs-2023-2">guide the company through a cost-cutting period</a> — something he's never done before.Leaked documents show that <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/leaked-documents-lay-out-salesforce-plan-hit-over-30-margins-2023-3">"lean and mean" is his new mantra</a>, seeming to replace his focus on "Ohana" (a Hawaiian term for family). Benioff then <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/salesforce-is-prioritizing-profitability-in-a-new-day-strategy-2023-3">emphasized this outlook during Wednesday's earnings call</a>.This is quite the turn, considering he was <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/salesforce-ceo-benioff-compared-losing-people-to-layoffs-employees-dying-2023-1">still emphasizing Ohana</a> after <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/salesforce-layoffs-marc-benioff-overhiring-profits-costs-economic-downturn-staff-2023-1">laying off 10% of the company</a> in January.Phew. That's a lot for just a few months. So before the drama llama continues its marathon, let's dive into today's tech.<hr />If this was forwarded to you, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/subscription/newsletter/10-things-in-tech">sign up here</a>. Download Insider's app <a href="https://link.insider.com/click/27645591.160803/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaW5zaWRlci5jb20vYXBwP25yX2VtYWlsX3JlZmVyZXI9MSZ1dG1fc291cmNlPVNhaWx0aHJ1JnV0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX2NvbnRlbnQ9T3BlbmluZ19iZWxs/62667762063d6b9bef0cffb3Bf9c9aa56" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here.</a><hr /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/salesforce-is-prioritizing-profitability-in-a-new-day-strategy-2023-3"></a>1. Salesforce is <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-705T4FioZE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pushin' P</a> (profitability). CEO Marc Benioff announced on Wednesday that the company is starting a "new day." Profitability and efficiency are Benioff's new favorite words, eclipsing the company's infamous family-centric mantra.<ul><li>The sudden pivot is likely due to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/salesforce-activist-shareholders-elliott-changes-board-seats-slack-2023-1">multiple investors keen to change the company.</a> It's already making progress toward what those activists want to see: Salesforce posted a 22.5% operating margin during its last fiscal year and is now working toward 27%. Plus, its stock rose 15% after hours after the earnings report.</li><li>Benioff said he's <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/oracle-larry-ellison-helps-marc-benioff-improve-salesforce-profits-2023-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">following Oracle's profit playbook</a>. But one of its most powerful investors is still unhappy and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/marc-benioff-salesforce-needs-sustainable-leadership-plan-elliott-jesse-cohn-2023-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">shared an icy warning that declared "much work remains."</a></li><li>The Salesforce CEO is also watching to see how Elon Musk's <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/marc-andreessen-elon-musk-twitter-glitches-2023-2">drastic cuts</a> at Twitter pan out. Speaking to Insider, Benioff said CEOs are asking themselves, "<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/marc-benioff-elon-musk-ceos-unleash-their-inner-elon-2023-3">do they need to unleash their own Elon within them</a>?"</li></ul><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/salesforce-is-prioritizing-profitability-in-a-new-day-strategy-2023-3">Dive into Salesforce's future here.</a><hr />In other news:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ford-patent-cars-repossess-themselves-drive-away-if-missing-payments-2023-2"></a><div type="image" title="an older woman looks into an empty car from the passenger side" height="3796" width="5062" msid="98365142" hostid="261"></div>2. Ford wants its vehicles to repossess themselves. The American carmaker applied for a patent that would let cars repossess themselves if drivers miss a payment. Vehicles would lock drivers out and drive themselves to a scrapyard or impound lot. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ford-patent-cars-repossess-themselves-drive-away-if-missing-payments-2023-2">More on the punitive patent here.</a>3. Top Twitter alternatives. Ever since Elon Musk took over, platforms like Discord and Mastodon have worked to nab unhappy users. We break down the numbers of the frontrunners: user volume, staff headcount, funding, and other stats. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/twitter-alternatives-social-media-discord-mastodon-hive-cohost-truth-2023-2">Check them all out here.</a>4. The one-pager that nabbed this UCLA student 40+ brand deals. Stacy Kim only has 3,400 Instagram followers. Yet she's secured paid partnerships with brands like Sephora, Fabletics, Samsung, and other major companies. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/media-kit-nano-influencer-brand-deals-instagram-pitch-2023-2">This is the one-page document she used to strike those deals.</a>5. Knowing how to talk with chatbots is the hottest new skill. AI companies are keen to hire prompt engineers to test their chatbots. They must be able to identify flaws within AI and uncover inaccurate answers. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/prompt-engineering-ai-chatgpt-jobs-explained-2023-3">Here's what you need to know about the hot new job.</a>6. Facebook is stripping managers of their teams. An employee told Insider that managers are being trained for work they haven't done in years. Plus, they could even be in direct competition with their former direct reports. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-managers-are-being-demoted-compete-with-former-reports-2023-3">More on the team changes here.</a>7. Shopify is 'flattening' its org structure. The e-commerce company is trying to incentivize certain workers, dubbed "crafters," to help grow the company. Crafters would focus on building projects, while managers would focus on things like strategy. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/shopify-flattens-management-structure-incentivizes-individual-contributors-2023-2">Get all the upcoming reorg details here.</a>8. Four huge benefits to go electric. Insider's car connoisseur Tim Levin has driven 19 EVs. Interesting features and cool storage solutions are among his top reasons to make a switch. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/electric-car-best-reasons-to-buy-speed-technology-cargo-space-2023-1">Check them all out here.</a> Bonus: Meet the average EV driver. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/typical-ev-buyer-wealthy-millennial-man-trading-luxury-for-electric-2023-2">They're typically wealthy millennial swapping out their luxury gas-powered car.</a><hr />Odds and ends:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/boomer-greed-ruined-economy-gen-z-millennials-labor-shortage-inflation-2023-3"></a><div type="image" title="An hourglass shape filled with houses, suitcases, cars, and money at the top and a hand pinching the middle." height="1500" width="2000" msid="98365143" hostid="261"></div>9. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ok-boomer-trademark-application-submitted-tiktok-meme-2019-11">Okay, Boomer</a>: a greedy generation that destroyed the economy. They bottlenecked the amount of homes, workers, and other key resources needed to thrive. Millennials and Gen Z are facing the consequences of their actions, Alex Yablon writes for Insider. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/boomer-greed-ruined-economy-gen-z-millennials-labor-shortage-inflation-2023-3">Dive into the boomer blockage here.</a>10. Scientists had no idea that this US military's nuclear explosion would be so big. Castle Bravo was 1,000 times more powerful than the atomic bomb that leveled Hiroshima. Its radioactive fallout was much worse than anyone anticipated. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/castle-bravo-us-military-largest-nuclear-explosion-size-shocked-scientists-2023-2">Go behind-the-scenes of the explosion here.</a><hr />What we're watching today:<ul><li>SpaceX Crew-6 mission plans to launch to the International Space Station today. <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/content/live-coverage-of-nasas-spacex-crew-6-mission" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Watch it here.</a></li><li>Quarterly earnings for VMWare, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Best Buy, and other companies. <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/earnings-calendar">Keep up with earnings here.</a></li></ul><hr />Curated by Diamond Naga Siu on an airplane. (Feedback or tips? Email <a href="mailto:dsiu@insider.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dsiu@insider.com</a> or tweet <a href="http://www.twitter.com/diamondnagasiu" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@diamondnagasiu</a>) Edited by Matt Weinberger (tweet <a href="https://twitter.com/gamoid" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@gamoid</a>) in San Francisco and Hallam Bullock (tweet <a href="https://twitter.com/hallam_bullock" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@hallam_bullock</a>) in London.

You Searched For "pager explosion" and got 9 results

Could your personal smartphone be hacked to explode like the pagers in Lebanon?

Ankush Banerjee

Lebanon pager explosion: What is Hezbollah and why is Israel targeting it?

BI India Bureau

Hezbollah's deadly pagers were sourced from a Taiwanese company and contained explosive material planted by Israel: reports

Matthew Loh

The detonation of pagers used by Hezbollah shows the depths of supply-chain infiltration

Lloyd Lee,Erin Snodgrass

More devices are blowing up in Lebanon a day after Hezbollah pagers fatally exploded

Jake Epstein

Hundreds of Iran-backed Hezbollah members were hurt when their pagers just weirdly exploded

Jake Epstein

Hezbollah pager attacks are a harbinger of a darker, more dangerous age of individualized strikes, military expert says

Thibault Spirlet

Hezbollah decided months ago to switch from risky cellphones to pagers for security. The low-tech devices just blew up.

Jake Epstein

Salesforce: A New Dawn. CEO Marc Benioff is pivoting the cloud company from family to profitability.

Diamond Naga Siu