The 'Pager Plot' shows that when Israel is pushed, it will do whatever it takes to win

Israel's pager operation not only shifted the balance in the conflict with Hezbollah but also served as a warning to Iran and its proxies.

By JPOST EDITORIAL DECEMBER 24, 2024 05:53

CROWDS GATHER outside American University of Beirut Medical Center after thousands of Hezbollah operatives were wounded when the pagers they use to communicate exploded across Lebanon, on Tuesday. (photo credit: MOHAMED AZAKIR/REUTERS)

The Mossad’s operation “Pager Plot” conducted against Hezbollah was a mind-blowing moment when the organization released the details, as it was difficult not to marvel at the foolhardiness and originality behind it. 

In a fantastic moment of psychological warfare and technical skill, the intelligence agency of Israel ingeniously inserted explosives into devices that Hezbollah used for communication, causing them to fall from the sky after being synchronously bombed. 

Two months after the operation’s completion, the 60 Minutes segment that aired Sunday night US time, early Monday in Israel, reignited the global discussion on its implications.

The point of the plan is in its simple, yet effective nature: Tampering with the pagers that were meant for Hezbollah fighters under the guise of giving them real high-performance devices was a stroke of genius. 

The operation not only wiped out a significant number of Hezbollah’s forces but also inflicted a massive blow to the morale of the terror organization and its sense of invincibility. 

Former agents from Israel's Mossad detail how they built and sold explosive pagers to Hezbollah terrorists (credit: 60 Minutes, CBS NEWS screenshot)

The psychological effect was not limited to the immediate victims but spread even further, creating an atmosphere of paranoia and uncertainty inside Hezbollah and all of its allies.

“The weaponized pagers had a charge of plastic explosive and a novel detonator that could not be detected by X-ray and with a little bit of plastic explosive,” Reuters reported in October. Those sophisticated methods were devised to get through the security checks, even those with the highest strictness. According to one Lebanese source, “Hezbollah was looking for explosives triggering alarms in airport security scanners. Nothing was found to be suspicious.”

An operation that targeted individuals to create both confusion and a scare but not to maximize the number of casualties was the motto of the “Pager Plot.” The Mossad, when it wounded about 3,400 fighters, caused 39 to lose their lives in the tactic, which made the resources of Hezbollah spread inefficiently – nursing the wounded and dealing with insecurity.

The use of psychological tactics in this operation has sparked debates about which methods are acceptable in today’s conflicts. By spreading fear and suspicion within Hezbollah, the Mossad won a strategic advantage, weakened a major enemy, and warned others strongly. Still, this tactic could encourage less ethical groups to use similar methods, leading to unpredictable and risky outcomes in future conflicts.

“We build a fake reality,” said Michael, a former Mossad agent, in an interview with CBS News. “We act as the creators, the producers, and the main characters; the world is our stage.” This “fake reality” involved detailed stories, online marketing efforts, and fake company details to make the explosive devices seem real. Reuters reported, “Hezbollah’s system for checking supplies was tricked by a carefully designed story that appeared very believable.”

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This operation marked a turning point in the war with Hezbollah, displaying Israel’s true strength and creativity on the battlefield. It was a decisive, precise, and practical demonstration of power that has not only weakened Hezbollah but has also sent an unequivocal message to its adversaries and the world: Israel is a force to be reckoned with. Standing tall against the axis of evil, Israel has reaffirmed its position as a superpower – a democratic nation that values human rights and humane warfare but will not hesitate to defend itself when provoked.

For over a year, Israel has endured relentless attacks, with hundreds of thousands of its citizens displaced by rocket fire. The “Pager Plot” was not just about defense but about regaining security and showing resilience. As Gabriel, a former Mossad agent, noted, “First, you defend your people, then you worry about reputation.” 

This operation has not only shifted the balance in the conflict with Hezbollah but has also served as a warning to Iran and its proxies. The ingenuity and precision demonstrated in this mission leave little doubt that Israel is prepared for any challenge.

Iran, take note: The “Pager Plot” is but one example of the creativity and resolve that Israel brings to the battlefield. The message is clear – when Israel is pushed, it will do whatever it takes to win, and it will do so with strength, strategy, and an absolute commitment to its people and its sovereignty.