The entire world was&nbsp;left in shock on Tuesday (Sep 17), when more than 1,000 Hezbollah militants were seriously injured after their pager sets exploded, all simultaneously. The pagers&nbsp;blast was then followed by blowing off several walkie-talkies the next day on September 18.&nbsp;

In the series of mass mysterious blasts in Lebanon, at least 32 people were killed and around 3,250 suffered injuries. This is one of the biggest and probably the most shocking forms of attack using technology in the modern era of warfare.&nbsp;

There is a lot of curiosity among commoners about the incident- how it was carried out, how pagers were “hacked,” and how Israel was able to carry out such a deadly attack by sitting miles away. Although Israel has not commented on the Lebanon pager attack, the spotlight is shifted to Israel Defence Forces’ (IDF) Unit 8200, which is a secretive cyber warfare unit.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/lebanon-explosions-japanese-firm-says-devices-used-in-recent-blasts-discontinued-around-10-years-ago-759959">Lebanon explosions: Japanese firm says devices used in recent blasts discontinued around 10 years ago</a>

As per several reports, Unit 8200 played a crucial role in the development stage of the intelligence operation, which was, according to sources, going on for over a year. The reports suggest that the unit was responsible for testing how to insert explosive material within the manufacturing process.

<h2>Unit 8200 in spotlight: IDF’s secretive intelligence cyber warfare arm</h2>

The IDF has a dedicated Military Intelligence Directorate for carrying out clandestine operations using signals. This is one of the oldest directorates of IDF, established as soon as the state of Israel was founded in 1948.&nbsp;

This particular directorate is made up of its three main arms- the 8200 Unit, the 9900 Unit and the 504 Unit. The biggest of which is the 8200 Unit, which is the Military Intelligence Directorate's main information-gathering unit, as per IDF’s official website.

Watch |&nbsp;Lebanon Hezbollah pagers explosion: Lebanese Information Minister Calls It 'An Israel Aggression'

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Soldiers in the 8200 Unit are in charge of developing and utilising information-gathering tools, analysing, processing and sharing the gathered info with relevant officials.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/kinetic-cyberattacks-exploding-communication-devices-in-lebanon-demonstrate-new-dimension-of-warfare-759985">Kinetic cyberattacks: Exploding communication devices in Lebanon demonstrate new dimension of warfare</a>

“The unit operates in all zones and in wartime, they join combat field headquarters in order to enable a faster flow of information,” the IDF website read.

Its activities are usually highly secret and range from signal&nbsp;intelligence to data mining and technological attacks and strikes.

<h2>Previous attacks by Unit 8200</h2>

Some of the alleged previous operations carried out by the IDF’s Unit 8200 include the 2005-10 Stuxnet virus attack that disabled Iranian nuclear centrifuges, then a recent 2017 cyber attack on Lebanon’s state telecoms company Ogero, and the thwarting of an ISIS attack on a civilian airliner travelling from Australia to the United Arab Emirates in 2018.

Last year, its commanding officer told a conference in Tel Aviv that the unit had used artificial intelligence technology to help select Hamas targets.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/gaza-war-head-of-israeli-intelligence-unit-quits-over-october-7-failure-758317">Gaza war: Head of Israeli intelligence unit quits over October 7 failure</a>

The unit also spies on Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza, including combat zones, and in wartime.&nbsp;

<h2>Recruiting young talented minds</h2>

Unit 8200’s personnel are mostly young people in their late teens and early 20s, identified from highly competitive school programs, and many of whom have&nbsp;careers in cyber security and&nbsp;high-tech sector.&nbsp;

Former members say the unit's culture resembles that of a startup with small teams working on problems with an unusual degree of freedom that is designed to foster creativity.

It is to be noted that the unit's reputation took a hit over the IDF and the unit’s failure to forestall the October 7 attack on Israel after which the unit&nbsp;commander announced his resignation this month.

(With inputs from agencies)

The entire world was left in shock on Tuesday (Sep 17), when more than 1,000 Hezbollah militants were seriously injured after their pager sets exploded, all simultaneously.

The entire world was left in shock on Tuesday (Sep 17), when more than 1,000 Hezbollah militants were seriously injured after their pager sets exploded, all simultaneously. The pagers blast was then followed by blowing off several walkie-talkies the next day on September 18. In the series of mass mysterious blasts in Lebanon, at least 32 people were killed and around 3,250 suffered injuries. This is one of the biggest and probably the most shocking forms of attack using technology in the modern era of warfare. There is a lot of curiosity among commoners about the incident- how it was carried out, how pagers were “hacked,” and how Israel was able to carry out such a deadly attack by sitting miles away. Although Israel has not commented on the Lebanon pager attack, the spotlight is shifted to Israel Defence Forces’ (IDF) Unit 8200, which is a secretive cyber warfare unit. Also Read | Lebanon explosions: Japanese firm says devices used in recent blasts discontinued around 10 years ago As per several reports, Unit 8200 played a crucial role in the development stage of the intelligence operation, which was, according to sources, going on for over a year. The reports suggest that the unit was responsible for testing how to insert explosive material within the manufacturing process. Unit 8200 in spotlight: IDF’s secretive intelligence cyber warfare arm The IDF has a dedicated Military Intelligence Directorate for carrying out clandestine operations using signals. This is one of the oldest directorates of IDF, established as soon as the state of Israel was founded in 1948. This particular directorate is made up of its three main arms- the 8200 Unit, the 9900 Unit and the 504 Unit. The biggest of which is the 8200 Unit, which is the Military Intelligence Directorate's main information-gathering unit, as per IDF’s official website. Watch | Lebanon Hezbollah pagers explosion: Lebanese Information Minister Calls It 'An Israel Aggression' × Soldiers in the 8200 Unit are in charge of developing and utilising information-gathering tools, analysing, processing and sharing the gathered info with relevant officials. Also Read | Kinetic cyberattacks: Exploding communication devices in Lebanon demonstrate new dimension of warfare “The unit operates in all zones and in wartime, they join combat field headquarters in order to enable a faster flow of information,” the IDF website read. Its activities are usually highly secret and range from signal intelligence to data mining and technological attacks and strikes. Previous attacks by Unit 8200 Some of the alleged previous operations carried out by the IDF’s Unit 8200 include the 2005-10 Stuxnet virus attack that disabled Iranian nuclear centrifuges, then a recent 2017 cyber attack on Lebanon’s state telecoms company Ogero, and the thwarting of an ISIS attack on a civilian airliner travelling from Australia to the United Arab Emirates in 2018. Last year, its commanding officer told a conference in Tel Aviv that the unit had used artificial intelligence technology to help select Hamas targets. Also Read | Gaza war: Head of Israeli intelligence unit quits over October 7 failure The unit also spies on Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza, including combat zones, and in wartime. Recruiting young talented minds Unit 8200’s personnel are mostly young people in their late teens and early 20s, identified from highly competitive school programs, and many of whom have careers in cyber security and high-tech sector. Former members say the unit's culture resembles that of a startup with small teams working on problems with an unusual degree of freedom that is designed to foster creativity. It is to be noted that the unit's reputation took a hit over the IDF and the unit’s failure to forestall the October 7 attack on Israel after which the unit commander announced his resignation this month. (With inputs from agencies)

What is Israel's Unit 8200? Secretive cyber warfare arm linked to Hezbollah pager attacks

At least 14 Hezbollah members have reportedly been&nbsp;injured in Syria following explosions in their electronic pagers. The explosions were reported from&nbsp;the Damascus neighbourhood of Seyedah Zeinab, a Shiite stronghold.

Earlier, nine&nbsp;people were reported dead in Lebanon due to a massive wave of simultaneous pager explosions. Hezbollah blamed Israel for the attack, saying, “We hold the Israeli enemy fully responsible for this criminal aggression." 
 
“Fourteen people, whose nationalities are unknown, have been wounded in Damascus and its countryside after pagers used by Hezbollah exploded,” says the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which has a problematic history of misreporting.

A source close to Hezbollah told&nbsp;AFP that some of its members have been wounded in pager blasts in Syria, without specifying how many. 
 
Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwitr-CpzcqIAxVrafUHHckBOPkQxfQBKAB6BAgHEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/dozens-of-hezbollah-fighters-injured-after-israel-explodes-their-communication-devices-759520" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/world/dozens-of-hezbollah-fighters-injured-after-israel-explodes-their-communication-devices-759520&amp;ved=2ahUKEwitr-CpzcqIAxVrafUHHckBOPkQxfQBKAB6BAgHEAE">Nine Hezbollah fighters dead; 2,750 injured as ‘Israel explodes’ their communication devices</a>

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terror group also condemned&nbsp;the simultaneous explosion of pagers held by Hezbollah members in Lebanon and Syria.

“We are fully confident that the Islamic resistance in Lebanon and Syria will be capable of absorbing this vicious blow, contain its consequences rapidly, and respond to the enemy proportionately to the scale of the crime and the targeting of civilians inside their homes, especially the families of resistance fighters,” the PIJ said in a statement.

Meanwhile, a&nbsp;Hezbollah official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told a news agency that&nbsp;the new brand of handheld pagers used by the group first heated up and then exploded.

It remains unclear at this time how the communication devices used in Lebanon were rigged to explode, he added. 
 
A source close to the group, requesting anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, reportedly said the blasts were an “Israeli breach” of its communication system.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwitr-CpzcqIAxVrafUHHckBOPkQxfQBKAB6BAgQEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israels-shin-bet-thwarts-hezbollahs-remote-bombing-plot-targeting-former-security-chief-759582" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/world/israels-shin-bet-thwarts-hezbollahs-remote-bombing-plot-targeting-former-security-chief-759582&amp;ved=2ahUKEwitr-CpzcqIAxVrafUHHckBOPkQxfQBKAB6BAgQEAE">Israel’s Shin Bet thwarts Hezbollah’s remote bombing plot targeting former security chief</a>

Hezbollah has been exchanging near-daily fire with Israeli forces since it began attacking Palestinian ally Hamas after the October 7, 2023 assault on southern Israel. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Disclaimer: WION takes the utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq, and non-state actors like the Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos, and videos.

At least 14 Hezbollah members have reportedly been injured in Syria following explosions in their electronic pagers. The explosions were reported from the Damascus neighbourhood of Seyedah Zeinab, a Shiite stronghold.

At least 14 Hezbollah members have reportedly been injured in Syria following explosions in their electronic pagers. The explosions were reported from the Damascus neighbourhood of Seyedah Zeinab, a Shiite stronghold. Earlier, nine people were reported dead in Lebanon due to a massive wave of simultaneous pager explosions. Hezbollah blamed Israel for the attack, saying, “We hold the Israeli enemy fully responsible for this criminal aggression." “Fourteen people, whose nationalities are unknown, have been wounded in Damascus and its countryside after pagers used by Hezbollah exploded,” says the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which has a problematic history of misreporting. A source close to Hezbollah told AFP that some of its members have been wounded in pager blasts in Syria, without specifying how many. Also read: Nine Hezbollah fighters dead; 2,750 injured as ‘Israel explodes’ their communication devices The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terror group also condemned the simultaneous explosion of pagers held by Hezbollah members in Lebanon and Syria. “We are fully confident that the Islamic resistance in Lebanon and Syria will be capable of absorbing this vicious blow, contain its consequences rapidly, and respond to the enemy proportionately to the scale of the crime and the targeting of civilians inside their homes, especially the families of resistance fighters,” the PIJ said in a statement. Meanwhile, a Hezbollah official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told a news agency that the new brand of handheld pagers used by the group first heated up and then exploded. It remains unclear at this time how the communication devices used in Lebanon were rigged to explode, he added. A source close to the group, requesting anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, reportedly said the blasts were an “Israeli breach” of its communication system. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military. Also read: Israel’s Shin Bet thwarts Hezbollah’s remote bombing plot targeting former security chief Hezbollah has been exchanging near-daily fire with Israeli forces since it began attacking Palestinian ally Hamas after the October 7, 2023 assault on southern Israel. (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: WION takes the utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq, and non-state actors like the Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos, and videos.

Hezbollah pager explosions: At least 14 wounded in Syria as death toll mounts in Lebanon

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What is Israel's Unit 8200? Secretive cyber warfare arm linked to Hezbollah pager attacks

Hezbollah pager explosions: At least 14 wounded in Syria as death toll mounts in Lebanon