Who is still using the pagers used in the attacks on Hezbollah?

Members of Hezbollah, a militant group in Lebanon, have adopted traditional pagers as a way to counter the close surveillance of Israeli intelligence, believing that these devices are harder to track and hack than modern smart devices.

The pager system uses proprietary encryption keys, designed for maximum security, to ensure that communications between members of the organization are not leaked. However, in an operation carried out by Mossad, Israel's prestigious intelligence agency, it was successful in penetrating and disabling Hezbollah's highly sophisticated encrypted communications system.

The Mossad intelligence operation caused an explosion that simultaneously detonated hundreds of pagers belonging to Hezbollah members in Lebanon, killing dozens of people and injuring more than 2,800.

What is a pager?

The pager, also known as a beeper, beeper, or pager, is a portable communication device with a long history. Invented in 1949 by Al Groos, the man behind groundbreaking inventions such as the walkie-talkie and the cordless telephone, the pager was originally designed to receive short, urgent messages.

Although invented in the 1940s, pagers were initially limited to specialized environments such as hospitals and government agencies. Their bulky size, high cost, and simple functionality made them unappealing to the general public.

It wasn't until the 1980s and 1990s, as microchip technology advanced, that pagers became smaller, more versatile, and more affordable. The convenience of one-way communication, especially useful for doctors, emergency workers, and busy businessmen, helped fuel the popularity of pagers.

However, the advent of mobile phones with more advanced features quickly usurped the throne of pagers and made this device gradually become a part of the past.

Why does Hezbollah use pagers?

To cope with the growing cyber threat and sophisticated Israeli intelligence operations, Hezbollah, which is listed as a terrorist group by many Western countries, has turned to a seemingly outdated method of communication: pagers.

Hezbollah believes that pagers, which are simpler and have fewer functions than smartphones, are harder for hackers to hack and track. In addition, pagers do not require an internet connection, which reduces the risk of revealing their location.

In the context of a protracted conflict, secure communications are of utmost importance to Hezbollah. Pagers are seen as an effective tool to ensure the security and safety of the organization's operations.

Faced with increasing pressure from Israel, Hezbollah leaders made a bold decision to completely switch the organization's communication method from mobile phones to pagers. Accordingly, thousands of pagers were purchased and distributed to members to ensure safe and secure communication.

However, with meticulousness and high professionalism, Mossad agents succeeded in infiltrating Hezbollah's new pager supply chain. They took advantage of loopholes in the production and transportation process to carry out their plan.

Once they had successfully penetrated the supply chain, Mossad agents injected a powerful explosive called Pentaerythritol Tetranitrate (PETN) into the lithium batteries of the pagers. When activated, the explosive could cause a massive explosion, powerful enough to kill a group of people.

Who still uses pagers?

It is difficult to accurately estimate the number of people in the world who still use pagers today. After being overtaken by mobile phones, the pager market has shrunk significantly. However, some companies continue to manufacture and supply these devices to loyal customers.

It can be seen that although the demand has decreased a lot, pagers still exist as a product for a certain niche market, especially in some industries with high requirements for security and reliability.

In addition to being used by organizations like Hezbollah to ensure secure communications, pagers have found another niche in the medical field. In hospitals, where patient information must be kept strictly confidential and the stability of the communication system is of utmost importance, pagers are still widely used.

With the ability to operate independently, without depending on Wi-Fi or mobile phone networks, pagers help medical staff communicate with each other quickly and safely, especially in emergency situations. In addition, pagers are also used to notify patients of their condition, coordinate activities in the operating room and minimize the risk of information confusion.

The American company that manufactures pagers, Spok, claims that their pagers have superior wall-penetrating capabilities, and can transmit signals through dense materials such as concrete and steel without much difficulty.

This is especially useful in high-rise buildings, mines, or in emergency situations where the structure is damaged, where smartphone signals are often degraded or lost completely.

Additionally, Spok's pagers use replaceable batteries, ensuring long-term continuous operation, even during power outages or in areas without cellular networks. This makes the pagers a reliable communication tool in emergency situations.

A 2019 report found that the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) used 130,000 pagers to help with its work. However, in just a short time, the situation has changed dramatically. The NHS is now moving away from using pagers in non-emergency situations and plans to phase them out completely in the near future.

Pagers have become an indispensable tool for people working in hazardous environments such as mines and chemical plants in Australia. Unlike mobile phones, pagers do not create sparks and do not emit radio waves, which helps to reduce the risk of fire and explosion. In addition, pagers operate stably in humid environments and have high anti-interference ability, ensuring that communication is always smooth even in harsh conditions.