Sep 18, 2024 09:23 AM IST
Taiwan’s Gold Apollo founder Hsu Ching-Kuang denied involvement in the pager detonations in Lebanon
At least nine people were killed and nearly 3,000 wounded when pagers used by Hezbollah members detonated simultaneously across Lebanon.
The detonations started around 3:30pm in the southern suburbs of Beirut known as Dahiyeh and the eastern Bekaa valley – strongholds of the anti-Israel militant group Hezbollah.
They lasted around an hour, with witnesses and residents of Dahiyeh saying they could still hear explosions at 4:30pm.
American and other officials told New York Times that Israel executed the operation targeting Hezbollah by concealing explosives inside Taiwanese-made pagers imported into Lebanon.
Hezbollah had ordered these pagers from Gold Apollo in Taiwan, according to the NYT report.
Gold Apollo founder Hsu Ching-Kuang denied that the company made the pagers used in the detonations in Lebanon.
Hezbollah promised to retaliate against Israel for the detonations.
Lebanese information minister Ziad Makary condemned the late-afternoon detonations of the pagers, describing it as an “Israeli aggression”. Hezbollah vowed that Israel would face consequences for the blasts.
Hezbollah pager blasts in Lebanon: 10 updates
- The explosives, hidden near the batteries of the pagers, could be remotely detonated, according to the NYT report.
- At 3:30 pm, the pagers exploded, resulting in at least nine fatalities and over 2,800 injuries.
- Israel has not confirmed responsibility, while Hezbollah attributed the incident to the country but provided limited details. Experts suggested that the attack took advantage of Hezbollah’s reduced reliance on cellphones.
- Reuters reported that Israel’s Mossad spy agency planted explosives inside 5,000 Taiwan-made pagers ordered by Hezbollah, months before the detonations.
- Images of destroyed pagers analyzed by Reuters indicated that they were consistent with pagers made by Gold Apollo.
- Hezbollah announced an investigation into the explosions and warned of repercussions for Israel.
- Speculation arose regarding the cause of the explosions, with some suggesting that the batteries of the devices could have detonated due to overheating.
- Earlier this year, Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah restricted the use of cellphones due to concerns about Israeli surveillance.
- The attack left Hezbollah members wounded and deceased, marking a significant security breach for the group.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Insight:
Adding to the complexity of the situation, the denial by Gold Apollo founder Hsu Ching-Kuang raises questions about the origin of the pagers used in the detonations, suggesting a potential misdirection in the investigation. Additionally, the strategic implications of targeting Hezbollah through their communication devices highlight the evolving tactics in modern conflict between Israel and its adversaries in the region.
