In September 2024, an explosive secret operation carried out by Israel’s intelligence agency, Mossad, shook the militant group Hezbollah to its core. For months, the world had speculated about the blasts that targeted Hezbollah members, but the true story remained hidden—until two retired Mossad agents revealed the truth. What they shared is nothing short of mind-blowing: Mossad had turned Hezbollah’s own communication devices into bombs, causing chaos and fear.
The plan began to unfold on September 17, when Mossad triggered a series of explosions in Hezbollah-controlled areas across Lebanon. These explosions were set off by pagers that Hezbollah members used for communication. The pagers had been secretly altered to include explosive charges, which detonated when a specific message was received. The blasts were carefully timed, catching Hezbollah off guard. But it didn’t stop there—the very next day, on September 18, Mossad unleashed a second wave of explosions targeting walkie-talkies used by the group.
The operation was years in the making, and the details are as remarkable as the mission itself. Two Mossad agents, who were interviewed by CBS’s 60 Minutes while masked and using fake names, shared how Mossad carefully planned every detail of the operation. According to one of the agents, named Michael, the weaponization of these devices had been in the works for over a decade.
The devices were chosen because of how easily they could be carried and used by Hezbollah fighters. The pagers were designed to explode when a message was received, while the walkie-talkies were rigged with explosives in their batteries. But these were not ordinary batteries. They were made in a special Mossad facility in Israel, with the sole purpose of carrying explosives. The walkie-talkies were sold to Hezbollah through shell companies, making it appear as though they were buying regular equipment. These items were offered at a low price to ensure Hezbollah would bite, but not too low to raise suspicion.
The Mossad agents went to great lengths to make sure the devices reached Hezbollah. They even used fake advertisements to promote the pagers as “robust, dustproof, and waterproof,” making them seem like the perfect tool for the group. The clever marketing worked, and Hezbollah bought thousands of these modified pagers, unaware they were being set up.
When the pagers detonated, they caused panic and chaos. Hezbollah members were injured, and at least 30 people died, including two children. The explosions also injured over 3,000 people. But for Mossad, this was just the beginning. The operation severely weakened Hezbollah’s communication system, crippling its leadership and command structure.
But the story doesn’t end there. Mossad’s use of walkie-talkies was just as clever. They were strategically timed to go off during Hezbollah funerals, causing further confusion and terror. The agents behind the operation believed that even if the explosions only wounded their targets, the message was clear: don’t mess with Israel. The injured members would become a constant reminder to others of the price of defying Israel.
This secret operation was hailed as a huge success, leaving Hezbollah crippled. It also paved the way for Israel’s next phase of attacks, with airstrikes taking down key Hezbollah leaders, including their leader, Hassan Nasrallah, later that month.
The Mossad agents revealed that they would never use the same methods again. But they hinted that the intelligence agency is always one step ahead, planning the next move that Hezbollah will have to guess.
What’s most chilling about this operation is not just the scale of destruction but the precision and intelligence behind it. Mossad didn’t just fight Hezbollah—they outsmarted them at every turn. And if Hezbollah thought they were dealing with a simple attack, they were wrong. Mossad’s covert operation showed that Israel’s intelligence agency has a mind like no other, always thinking ahead and always ready for the next strike.
