Behind the ‘Beeper’ Operation

September 17th, 3:30 PM, thousands of beepers (or pagers, simple communication devices) used by Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon and Syria, exploded in perfect unison. On the opposite side of the border sat Mossad and Aman (IDF intelligence) operators, who watched as a decade’s worth of carefully-woven setups became a reality. The day after, another wave of device explosions sealed the operation.

The ‘Beeper Attack’, as it came to be known, dealt a powerful blow to the terrorist organization, and, coupled with other operations in the northern front, tipped the scales in favor of Israel. But the intelligence preparations behind it, which began already in 2017, are only now being revealed. 

Thorough/Intense Preparations

“Even if we had brought together all the scriptwriters of James Bond movies, they wouldn’t have come up with a plot like this. It’s beyond what a normal person can imagine,” Lieutenant Colonel S., Branch Head at the ‘Operation Brigade’ tries to describe.

“Our task was basically to coordinate between the different bodies involved, in the army and outside of it, recommend the exact time to strike, and, of course, tail the devices and gather critical information about the enemy for years upon years.”

Aman (the IDF’s intelligence) was part of the operation from its early beginnings, helping, for example, to identify the type of device to target: “Our basic question was always ‘to what extent are these devices attached to Hezbollah’s terrorists?’” admits Lieutenant A., Head of the ‘Specials’ Unit at the ‘Research Brigade’. “We studied during what hours of the day they carry them, especially at night or outside ‘working’ hours.”

It was no accident that they focused on such a ‘dumb’ appliance: The Beeper is a one-value tool used to pass messages, and the terrorists took it with them wherever they went, trusting it completely. “We discovered that it’s with them almost all the time. That’s how we knew that no matter what time we’d act, the results would be pretty much the same.”

When asked if it wasn’t obvious from the start that the Beepers would be used, Lieutenant Colonel S. answers: “I think nothing about this operation was obvious.”

The close tracking of the enemy required cooperation with other units, but they weren’t aware of the true objective.  “In an operation where surprise plays such an important part, we had to keep everything hidden even from people who work right beside us. Only those who absolutely had to know - did. We talked in code: In fact, none of us ever said ‘Beeper’,” Lieutenant A. says through a half smile.

Ultimately, the entire operation would have been impossible if even the smallest detail had leaked.“While keeping the information hidden from the ‘red side’ (the enemy), we also needed to keep it away from the ‘blue side’, meaning Israeli civilians and other soldiers,” Lieutenant Colonel S. reveals.

Involving higher-ranking officers in the planning process was a crucial element of the preparations. “This is an unprecedented operation, and as such, we couldn’t be fully sure of its outcomes. It was important that we recruit our superiors, lay before them the challenge but also the great opportunity at hand. So we spoke not in terms of ‘X eliminations’, but rather a deep devastation of the organization’s abilities.”

“We estimated what could be achieved. The surprise element would overpower Hezbollah’s ability to retaliate and damage the terrorist’s faith in their own equipment. In retrospect, the forecasts did prove true–they began fearing everything around them. It’s a moral blow beside a physical one, which affects the desire to join, remain and fight in the organization.”

So the question became: when do we put this plan into action?

Designing the Operation - Step by Step

When making a dramatic decision like this one, there are several things to take into account. Three, according to Lieutenant Colonel S. First, a theoretical stage that deals with building the manpower to carry out the attack. 

Second, the designing stage: “We thought of the timing, arranging events like dominos. Should the attack follow a crackdown on Hezbollah officials, should Nasrallah be taken out first? These were the ‘bigger boulders’ to take care of.”

Then came the ‘smaller’ steps, the planning stage, where the precise details fall into place. And everything culminated in the real thing–the moment the ‘button was pushed’.

White Nights

Since July ‘24, Hezbollah’s offenses against Israel had increased and intensified. During that month, the terrorist organization fired a missile that landed in a soccer field at Majdal Shams. 12 children were killed in the attack.

In response, Israel killed Fuad Shukr, Hezbollah’s Chief in Command. “This was a turning point in the operation. Apprehending a heated conflict in the north, we geared up for the possibility that the attack would go into motion.”

Like pilots entering the cockpit, each one of us knew exactly what to do. We understood Hezbollah had begun suspecting their Beepers, and have even sent some for tests. Before it’d become too late, we decided to go ahead.

“From the minute the command was issued, we stayed up all night,” describes Lieutenant A., “The next day, we observed the terrorists  using the devices as usual. We sat at the base, knowing that within hours, everything could change.”

September 17th

Tuesday, 3:30 PM, the signal was given, and the beepers went off simultaneously. The base went silent with expectation, while news began surfacing. “I remember the moment we understood it had worked. Our initial excitement was soon replaced by the need to figure out the effects of the attack,” testifies Lieutenant A. Lieutenant Colonel S., who took part in hundreds of operations, can’t think of another event quite like this one.

“Piecing together the big picture proved difficult. Loads of information began pouring in, and soldiers who weren’t familiar with the mission needed to sort through them as well. The enemy was also confused - they didn’t understand what had happened. They didn’t know how many of their men had been hit.

The many questions asked boiled down to three: On the tactical level, who was directly hit? On the operative - what would it mean regarding Hezbollah’s abilities going forward? And strategically - would its decision makers be profoundly affected?

Plus, what about the second wave? “Following the first blow, Hezbollah began fearing its equipment - not only the beepers, but also air conditioners,” Lieutenant A. explains, “This led them to distance themselves from devices. That was our biggest challenge then, but we managed several achievements in spite of it.”

Alongside the great blow to Hezbollah, there’s Israel’s inner angle. “It’s become complex to walk with a green (symbolizing Military Intelligence) beret following 7.10. The weight and responsibility remain with us,” Lieutenant Colonel S. shares honestly, “After the operation succeeded, it was the first time I felt that those around me felt a little safer. For me, that meant a lot.”