Explosions in Lebanon raise serious concerns over Israeli cyber warfare

If Israel can turn pagers and walkie-talkies into bombs, more critical infrastructure such as transportation systems or even medical equipment will also become insecure, expressing the urgent need for accountability and compliance with international law

Muslim Network TV Analysis

BIURET, Lebanon (MNTV) – The detonation of communication devices such as pagers and walkie-talkies left dozens dead and thousands injured in Lebanon on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Although Israel has neither confirmed nor denied its involvement, the attacks bear the hallmark of sophisticated cyber warfare.

They have raised alarming questions about the ethics and legality of such operations, as well as their broader implications for international conflict.

The first wave of explosions struck on Tuesday, targeting hundreds of wireless paging devices used by people across Lebanon. The devices simultaneously exploded, causing horrific injuries.

Doctor Joelle Khadra, who was on duty at Beirut’s Hotel-Dieu hospital, described the aftermath: “The injuries were mainly to the eyes and hands, with finger amputations and shrapnel wounds in the eyes—some people lost their sight.”

The hospital, located in Beirut’s Christian-majority Ashrafieh district, treated about 80 of the wounded. “Around 20 were admitted to intensive care immediately and were put on ventilators due to facial swelling,” Khadra told news agencies.

Barely 24 hours later, another round of explosions rocked Lebanon as walkie-talkies and other gadgets detonated, killing 20 people and wounding 450 more.

Civilians were not only caught in the crossfire but became primary victims. Among the dead was Fatima Abdullah, a nine-year-old girl, and Muhammad Hassan Nour Al-Din, an employee at Al-Rasoul Al-Aazam Hospital.

Many of those injured or killed were simply going about their daily lives—at home, in supermarkets, or even at funerals. The indiscriminate nature of the attacks has caused outrage and fear among the Lebanese populace.

Lebanon’s Health Minister Firass Abiad confirmed that the number of injured had risen to 2,800. The devastation was widespread, with victims suffering from severe head and stomach injuries, loss of eyesight, and limb amputations.

Many of the victims were civilians, including two children, and even mourners at the funerals of those killed in the first attack.

The attacks have prompted speculation about how and when Israeli intelligence were able to compromise the devices. Most experts believe that devices could have been compromised during their shipment to Lebanon, by Israeli operatives.

The pagers were manufactured by Gold Apollo, a Taiwanese company, but were allegedly modified by a distributor based in Budapest, Hungary.

According to Dr. Alper Ozbilen, a Turkish expert in cyber security, Israeli agents could have placed small amounts of explosives in the devices, which were then detonated remotely.

Onur Aktas, a former head of the Turkish National Cyber Security Center, said that the attack was a sophisticated supply chain operation.

He told TRT World that the  devices could have been intercepted during transportation, with explosives or other tracking mechanisms implanted inside. Aktas also speculates that the pagers may have contained cameras or other surveillance equipment, allowing operatives to monitor Hezbollah fighters.

The use of booby-trapped devices raises serious legal and ethical questions under international humanitarian law. The principles of distinction, proportionality, and military necessity are central to the laws of armed conflict.

These principles require combatants to distinguish between military targets and civilians and to ensure that any military action does not cause excessive harm to civilians in relation to the anticipated military advantage.

The human cost of these attacks has been staggering.

The attacks in Lebanon have highlighted the dangerous potential of cyber warfare, particularly when used against civilian targets. Israel has a history of using such tactics against its adversaries.

In 1996, Yahya Ayyash, a leader of Hamas, was killed by a booby-trapped mobile phone in Gaza.

More recently, Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was assassinated using a remote-controlled machine gun.

These incidents, combined with the latest attacks in Lebanon, suggest a worrying trend of using technology to carry out targeted assassinations and cause widespread terror.

Experts warn that the use of cyber tactics to target communication devices could set a dangerous precedent. If Israel can turn pagers and walkie-talkies into bombs, what is to stop similar attacks on more critical infrastructure, such as transportation systems or even medical devices?

Human rights organizations have raised concerns about the legality of the operations and the potential violation of international law. The lack of accountability for such actions only emboldens states to use similar tactics in the future, potentially leading to an escalation in the use of unconventional warfare.

With thousands injured and many more traumatized, Lebanon is struggling to cope with the aftermath.

Hospitals are overwhelmed, and there is a growing sense of anger and helplessness among the population. The Lebanese government, already under pressure from economic and political crises, is now faced with the challenge of responding to an unprecedented act of aggression.

While the full extent of the damage and the long-term implications are yet to be seen, the attacks have already left an indelible mark on the lives of thousands of innocent people. As the world watches, the need for accountability and adherence to international law has never been more urgent. Without it, the cycle of violence and retribution will continue, leaving more lives shattered in its wake.

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