Israel’s Mossad planted explosives in 5,000 pagers imported by Lebanon’s Hezbollah: sources

Israel’s Mossad spy agency planted explosives inside 5,000 pagers imported by Lebanese group Hezbollah months before Tuesday’s detonations that killed 12 people, a senior Lebanese security source and another source told Reuters.

Lebanese health Minister Firass Abiad said on Wednesday that two children were among the 12 killed.

The operation, with a trail running from Taiwan to Budapest, was an unprecedented Hezbollah security breach that saw thousands of pagers explode across Lebanon, wounding nearly 3,000 people, including many of the group’s fighters and Iran’s envoy to Beirut. Explosions were also reported in Damascus, Syria.

The Lebanese security source said the pagers were from Taiwan-based Gold Apollo, but the company said in a statement it did not manufacture the devices. It said they were made by a company called BAC – based in the Hungarian capital – which has a licence to use its brand.

Iran-backed Hezbollah has vowed to retaliate against Israel, whose military declined to comment on the blasts.