After thousands of pagers and radio devices exploded in two separate incidents in Lebanon—injuring thousands and killing at least 37—investigators are still working to uncover how this complex operation was executed.
Hezbollah, whose members and communication systems were targeted, along with the Lebanese authorities, have accused Israel, though Israel has yet to respond.
Tracing the devices led to a tangled trail spanning Taiwan, Japan, Hungary, Israel, and back to Lebanon.
Here are the key unresolved questions.
How were the pagers compromised?
Initial speculation suggested a sophisticated hack might have caused the explosions, but experts quickly ruled that out. Given the scale of the destruction, it is more likely the pagers were rigged with explosives before Hezbollah acquired them.
Images of the pagers’ remains revealed the logo of a Taiwanese electronics manufacturer, Gold Apollo.
Gold Apollo’s founder, Hsu Ching-Kuang, expressed shock and denied any involvement, stating, “They don’t have any ‘Made in Taiwan’ marks. We did not make those pagers!” He directed attention toward a Hungarian firm, BAC Consulting, which had licensed Gold Apollo’s trademark three years ago. Hsu mentioned suspicious financial transactions from BAC, which came from the Middle East.
What role did BAC Consulting play?
When reporters visited BAC’s registered office in Budapest, the address was shared by several companies, none of which knew anything about BAC Consulting. Hungarian authorities confirmed that BAC was merely a trading intermediary with no operational presence in the country.
A brochure published on LinkedIn listed BAC’s claimed collaborations, including with the UK Department for International Development (DfID). However, the UK Foreign Office, now overseeing DfID’s responsibilities, said they were investigating but did not have any ties to BAC.
BAC’s website named Cristiana Bársony-Arcidiacono as its CEO, but despite several attempts to contact her, she remained unavailable. She reportedly told NBC News that she was just a middleman and not involved in manufacturing pagers.
Who is really behind BAC Consulting?
According to the New York Times, BAC Consulting may have been a front for Israeli intelligence. Citing Israeli officials, the report stated that other shell companies were created to conceal the identities of those producing the pagers. Bulgarian authorities have also begun investigating another company linked to BAC after €1.6 million related to the device explosions passed through Bulgaria before being sent to Hungary.
How were the radio devices compromised?
The radio devices, which exploded in a second wave of attacks, are linked to the IC-V82 model produced by the Japanese company ICOM. Hezbollah reportedly bought these radios five months prior, according to a security source speaking to Reuters.
However, ICOM’s US subsidiary stated that the devices in question appeared to be counterfeits. The company had discontinued production of the IC-V82 in 2014 and never outsourced manufacturing. Experts suggest the radio batteries may have been retrofitted with explosives.
How were the devices detonated?
Videos from the incidents show victims reaching into their pockets moments before the devices exploded. Lebanese authorities concluded that the devices were triggered by electronic messages. Citing US officials, the New York Times reported that the pagers received messages appearing to come from Hezbollah’s leadership, which instead detonated the devices.
The exact mechanism used to trigger the radio devices remains unclear.
Could other devices be compromised?
This is the question causing widespread fear across Lebanon. There is rising concern that other devices—phones, cameras, or laptops—could be rigged with explosives. The Lebanese Army has been using bomb disposal robots to detonate suspicious items.
Residents are on edge. One woman, Ghida, told reporters, “Everyone is panicking… Everything seems like a danger now, and no one knows what to do.”
Why did the attack happen now?
Several theories are circulating. One suggests that Israel timed the attack to send a strong message to Hezbollah amid escalating border tensions following the October 7 Hamas attack. Another theory posits that Israel may have rushed the operation after discovering that Hezbollah had grown suspicious of the plot, potentially preventing an even larger attack planned for later.
