At least 15,000 devices failed to detonate on Hezbollah militants during the final activation phase of the pager attack in Lebanon, according to a report by Israeli news outlet i24NEWS on Wednesday (December 26).

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The report revealed that the attack was carried out in mid-September at the last possible moment, due to fears that Israel's method of execution might be exposed. Initially, the operation was supposed to be carried out earlier, at the beginning of the war. A security source was cited saying by i24NEWS that doing so at that stage could have resulted in greater success.

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Idea for the Lebanon pager attack was conceptualised by Mossad over a decade ago: IDF

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On Wednesday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) shared new details about its involvement in the pager and walkie-talkie blast attacks targeting Hezbollah. According to the military, the idea for these attacks was first thought of by Mossad over a decade ago.

Reports indicate that once Mossad developed the concept, the military's intelligence and operations units took the lead in turning the idea into a functional plan and deployable weapon. The IDF also made up strategies to analyse the best timing for the explosions to ensure maximum impact.

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had earlier suggested that some security officials opposed the use of these explosive devices, but he overruled their objections and authorised the operation. However, IDF’s insights on Wednesday indicated that it did not oppose the attack but had recommended delaying the attacks until the northern front, involving Hezbollah, became the primary focus of the war, rather than launching them earlier when Gaza was still the main battlefield.

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On Sept. 17, at precisely 3:30 pm, thousands of pagers simultaneously exploded across Lebanon. The following day, the decade-old walkie-talkies exploded in the same way. Two months later, Israel's Netanyahu officially took responsibility for the attack.

Combined, these operations resulted in approximately 30 deaths, including two children, and left around 3,000 people injured.

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.

(With inputs from agencies)