In a shocking revelation following the synchronized pager explosions in Lebanon on Tuesday, it has emerged that Israel created a shell company to not only manufacture explosive pagers but also rig them with explosives before supplying them to Hezbollah.
Initially, reports suggested that Israeli intelligence had infiltrated the supply chain to plant explosives in existing devices. However, new findings from The New York Times indicate that Israel actively set up a shell company to produce the pagers from scratch.
According to Tehran’s Mehr News Agency, Israel established at least two additional companies to further obscure the identities of those involved in the pager production.
In light of growing concerns about infiltration by Israel’s intelligence agency, Mossad, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah warned members to avoid modern communication devices like cellphones, which could be compromised. Consequently, Hezbollah shifted to using pagers for secure communication, ordering thousands from a Hungary-based company, BAC, which had managed to infiltrate the organization.
One of these pagers was reportedly found with the Iranian ambassador in Beirut, and during the recent explosions, it detonated, injuring the diplomat, who plays a crucial role in coordinating Hezbollah’s operations against Israel.
Following Hezbollah’s large order, Israeli intelligence reportedly set up a shell company named BAC Consulting. This firm operated under a three-year licensing agreement with Taiwanese company Gold Apollo. On Wednesday, Gold Apollo clarified that the pagers involved in the explosions were not produced by them but by BAC, which holds a license to use their brand.
BAC Consulting, based in Hungary, appeared to manufacture pagers for various clients under this agreement, according to The Independent. However, the company allegedly produced modified devices outfitted with the powerful explosive PETN specifically targeting Hezbollah, as reported by The New York Times.
Despite these claims, BAC Consulting’s CEO, Cristiana Barsony-Arcidiacono, denied any involvement in producing explosive devices, stating that BAC was merely a link in the supply chain.
The American newspaper cited three intelligence officers familiar with the operation, describing BAC as an Israeli front company. Former Israeli intelligence officials revealed that BAC Consulting manufactured standard pagers for civilian use while also creating explosive-laden devices, which began shipping to Lebanon in mid-2022.
Earlier this year, the import of such pagers intensified, leading to widespread adoption among Hezbollah members, who believed they were using secure communication tools. Israeli intelligence referred to these devices as “buttons,” indicating they could be remotely detonated at strategic moments.
According to anonymous officials, Israel secretly developed pagers and walkie-talkies embedded with explosives as part of a broader strategy to undermine Hezbollah’s operational effectiveness. An order was issued on Tuesday to activate the explosive-laden pagers, which beeped at 3:30 PM, triggering chaos across Lebanon.
As the explosions unfolded, it became evident that Israel’s actions were not merely a message to Hezbollah but potentially a precursor to a much larger operation.
