Rigged pagers carried by members of Lebanon-based Hezbollah had a “sinister feature” largely overlooked in the aftermath of the explosions last month, according to a new report.
The exploding pagers featured two-step de-encryption that meant most of the users would be holding the devices with both hands when they detonated, The Washington Post reported on Saturday.
International onlookers were left stunned in mid-September when pagers used by the militant group and influential political force Hezbollah simultaneously exploded. Blasts were also reported in Syria.
The following day, similar-sized walkie-talkies also carried by members of the Iran-backed organization exploded, in what appeared to be a follow-up to the extraordinary operation blamed on Israel’s Mossad intelligence service. Israel has not publicly confirmed its involvement.