How Israel Used Legacy Tech For Electronic Warfare

The attack leveraged tampered pager tech, blending human intelligence with electronic warfare to enable kinetic use of Hezbollah's communication radio devices

- LT COL SIDHARTH SHUKLA (RETD)

In a covert operation that surprised military experts worldwide, Israel executed one of the most sophisticated retaliatory strikes in recent history. On 18 September 2024, approximately 5,000 pagers carried by senior and mid-level Hezbollah officials detonated simultaneously across Beirut, causing widespread casualties and confusion. This attack, following Hezbollah’s missile strikes on Northern Israel, highlights a pivotal moment in the ongoing conflict.

But how did this happen? And, more importantly, what made the strike so effective?

BEYOND SIMPLE RETALIATION: A STRATEGIC APPROACH

This offensive was not simply a reaction to Hezbollah’s missile attack. It was the result of a meticulously planned operation, combining Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT), Human Intelligence (HUMINT), and Electronic Warfare (EW), executed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Mossad.

To understand the brilliance of the operation, it is crucial to look at Hezbollah’s shift from modern mobile communications to older pager systems. Believed to be impervious to modern cyberattacks, pagers became the primary means for Hezbollah’s leadership to relay strategic information. However, this reliance on older technology—likely influenced by Mossad moles—became a vulnerability that Israel exploited.

TECHNOLOGY OVERVIEW: LEGACY AND MODERN DEVICES

Pager devices, commonly known as beepers, were small telecommunication devices widely used before the proliferation of mobile phones, particularly during the 1980s and 1990s. They were designed to send short messages or alerts and were often worn on the waist belt for convenience.