Israel’s intelligence agency ‘Unit 8200’ behind pager blasts in Lebanon

Beirut (Lebanon) – On 17th and 18th September, explosions involving pagers (wireless devices), walkie-talkies, radios, laptops, and solar panels in Lebanon resulted in the deaths of 35 members of the jihadi terrorist group Hezbollah, with several thousand others injured, many of whom are also militants. Claims were being made that Israel’s intelligence agency Mossad was responsible for these explosions; however, reports suggest that the explosions were carried out by Israel’s cyber intelligence branch, Unit 8200. This agency is distinct from Mossad. Nevertheless, Israel is yet to accept or deny responsibility for these attacks.

1. Sources say that Unit 8200 was involved in the manufacturing process of pagers and other electronic devices. The agency had been working for several months on installing explosives in all electronic devices, gaining remote control over them, and orchestrating simultaneous explosions.

2. Yossi Kuperwasser, a former intelligence officer and director-general of Israel’s Defence and Security Forum, told Reuters that there was no involvement from the military intelligence agency or Unit 8200 in this attack. Members of Unit 8200 are skilled personnel in their field, significantly contributing to enhancing Israel’s defence and cyber security capabilities.

Functioning of Unit 8200

Unit 8200 is responsible for collecting information on enemy countries, providing that information to intelligence and defence agencies, analyzing the data, and ensuring cyber security. This unit is directly compared to the U.S. National Security Agency. The Israeli Government does not allow any information regarding Unit 8200’s operations and missions to be disclosed.

Clarification from the Japanese manufacturer of walkie-talkies

The walkie-talkies involved in the explosions in Lebanon were manufactured by Japan’s Icom. Following the explosions, the company issued a statement saying that the model of the walkie-talkies that exploded had been discontinued a decade ago. An investigation is underway, and they will soon release a detailed statement.