Reuters: Hezbollah distributed pagers before explosions despite security checks

Hezbollah continued distributing new Gold Apollo-branded pagers to its members just hours before thousands of these devices exploded this week, according to two security sources.

This suggests that the group felt assured of their safety, despite conducting an ongoing sweep of electronic equipment to detect potential threats, exclusive material by Reuters says, per Caliber.Az.

One member received a new pager on September 16, which exploded the next day while still in its packaging. Another pager, given to a senior member, injured a subordinate when it detonated.

The coordinated attacks targeted Hezbollah's strongholds across southern Lebanon, Beirut’s suburbs, and the eastern Bekaa Valley, killing 37 people, including at least two children, and injuring over 3,000. Lebanon and Hezbollah have accused Israel of orchestrating the attacks, with reports suggesting involvement from Israel's military intelligence.

Investigations revealed that the batteries of the devices contained PETN, a highly explosive compound, which had gone undetected by Hezbollah. While the group routinely checked its equipment for security breaches, the specific checks on the pagers were not driven by suspicion.

Following the explosions, Hezbollah intensified scrutiny of its communication systems and began investigating the supply chains of the pagers, which were brought into Lebanon earlier this year as a means to avoid Israeli surveillance. Despite these measures, a batch of hand-held radios exploded the following day, causing 25 additional deaths and more than 650 injuries, highlighting a serious breach in security.

Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah called the attacks unprecedented and acknowledged the group's ongoing investigation into how the devices were compromised.