Expert warns Israeli cyberattack may have triggered Hezbollah pager explosions

A cyberattack attributed to Israel has reportedly caused the detonation of portable pagers used by Hezbollah in Lebanon, leaving many injured, according to officials. Lebanese Health Minister Firas al-Abyad confirmed to the Anadolu that hundreds of people were affected by the explosions, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

The explosion of the devices has raised concerns about a sophisticated cyber operation, with experts pointing to two possible technical causes.

Screenshot from a video that show the moment of explosion, causing shopper is knocked onto the ground by the detonation. (via X)

Speaking to Türkiye daily on the matter Deniz Unay, a cybersecurity expert, noted two primary scenarios that could explain the coordinated explosions:

1. Hacker Intervention: Hackers could have infiltrated the devices and sent a malicious update, causing them to overheat and eventually explode. This type of attack could explain the simultaneous detonation of the pagers.
2. Transmitter Malfunction or Tampering: The devices rely on transmitters for communication, and any disruption—whether through technical failure or hacking—could weaken the signal. This signal disruption would force the pagers to use more power, potentially leading to battery overheating and explosions.

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Unay also highlighted why the overheating may have gone unnoticed, suggesting that the Hezbollah members using the pagers were likely wearing heavy military-style clothing, which could have masked any increase in temperature.

In addition to cyber vulnerabilities, Unay warned that poor-quality replacement batteries or chargers could have amplified the risk of explosion.