Mumbai, September 18: A series of alarming incidents unfolded in Lebanon as pagers used by Hezbollah members exploded simultaneously across the country on September 17. The blasts resulted in at least nine fatalities and left nearly 3,000 people injured. Hezbollah has publicly accused Israel’s Mossad spy agency of planting explosives inside the 5,000 Taiwan-made pagers it acquired earlier this year. Despite these claims, there has been no official confirmation of the involvement of external actors or any concrete evidence linking the attacks to Mossad.

The explosions have drawn significant attention to Hezbollah’s continued use of pagers, a communication tool that many had considered obsolete in the age of smartphones. Pagers, also known as beepers, are small devices that receive and display short messages via radio frequencies. Once a staple of professional communication in the 1980s, their use has drastically declined with the advent of mobile phones. Let’s delve into why Hezbollah continues to rely on these antiquated devices for their operational needs. What Are Pagers? Know All About the Device As Hezbollah Issues Warning to Operatives After Pager Explosions Kill 8 in Lebanon (Watch Video).

Why Does Hezbollah Use Pagers for Communication?

Despite modern technological advancements, Hezbollah’s use of outdated pagers for communication in 2024 is driven by security concerns. Pagers, which transmit messages over radio frequencies, offer a communication method with a minimal electronic footprint, making them less susceptible to surveillance and hacking than mobile phones. This feature is particularly valuable in conflict zones where the risk of interception is high. Pager Explosions: Hezbollah Vows To Retaliate Against Israel After Pager Blasts Kill 9, Leave 3,000 Injured in Lebanon and Syria.

The simplicity and reduced visibility of pagers provide Hezbollah with a discreet and secure way to coordinate operations without exposing their communications to potential monitoring. Moreover, pagers can operate effectively in areas with poor cellular coverage, further enhancing their utility in remote or unstable regions.

Although mobile phones offer more advanced features, they also present greater risks of tracking and electronic breaches. By relying on pagers, Hezbollah maintains a communication system that is harder to trace and disrupt, aligning with their operational security needs.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 18, 2024 02:13 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).