NYT investigation: Israel used fictitious company BAC Consulting to attack Hezbollah
Illustration: Midjourney
A series of pager and radio station bombings in Lebanon have killed at least 32 people and injured more than 2,700, many of them seriously. Among the dead are members of the Hezbollah group, but also civilians, including four children. The New York Times has conducted an investigation that indicates that Israel was behind this sophisticated operation, using a fictitious Hungarian company, BAC Consulting, to deliver the booby-trapped pagers to Hezbollah members.
Creation of the fictitious company BAC Consulting
According to the newspaper, Israeli intelligence services created several front companies, including BAC Consulting, which was positioned as a Hungarian company that manufactured pagers for the Taiwanese company Gold Apollo. In reality, BAC Consulting was part of an Israeli cover-up, and the people responsible for producing the pagers were Israeli intelligence officers. The devices intended for Hezbollah were equipped with PETN explosives disguised as batteries.
Hezbollah's tactics and Israel's response
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has long expressed concerns about the use of mobile phones, claiming that Israel could hack them and track the movements of militants. In February, he publicly called on his supporters to give up their phones: "Put it in an iron box and lock it." He recommended the use of pagers as a safer means of communication.
The Israeli security services saw this as an opportunity. Even before Nasrallah decided to expand the use of pagers, Israel had begun a plan to set up a fictitious company to supply the booby-trapped devices.
Supply and activation of explosive devices
The first booby-trapped pagers began arriving in Lebanon in the summer of 2022 in small numbers. After Nasrallah's call, the volume of supplies increased significantly, and thousands of devices were distributed to Hezbollah members and their allies.
On 19 September, the order was given to activate the explosive devices. At 15:30, the pagers began beeping, indicating the receipt of a message that appeared to be an official instruction from the Hezbollah leadership. A few seconds after activation, the devices exploded.
Scale and impact
The explosions took place in various locations across Lebanon: on the streets, in shops, and in homes. Witnesses describe horrific scenes: people thrown back by the explosions, smoke coming out of their pockets, broken limbs. Mohammed Awada, 52, said: "My son started screaming when he saw the man's arm fly away from him."
The next day, the explosions were repeated, this time targeting radio stations, killing another 20 people and injuring hundreds more. Among the dead was 9-year-old Fatima Abdullah from the village of Sara'ain, who died when her father's pager exploded in her hands.
After the explosions, hospitals were overwhelmed and ambulances were running through the towns trying to help the victims. Panic spread throughout Lebanon, with people afraid to use any means of communication.
Israel has neither officially confirmed nor denied its involvement in the operation. However, according to The New York Times, 12 current and former defence and intelligence officials, who wished to remain anonymous, confirmed Israel's involvement in this complex and long-planned operation.
Conclusions of the investigation
This incident is yet another escalation in the long-standing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which has escalated since the outbreak of the war in the Gaza Strip. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at a meeting with the security cabinet that he would do everything necessary to ensure security in the north of the country and allow more than 70,000 Israelis who were forced to flee their homes due to fighting with Hezbollah to return home.
An investigation by The New York Times highlights Israel's use of high-tech and unconventional methods in the fight against Hezbollah. The creation of fictitious companies and the use of booby-trapped pagers demonstrate a new level of asymmetric warfare in a region where even conventional means of communication can become a tool of attack.
Source: The New York Times
