Israel’s attack on Hezbollah bombers was a tactical success that may not have had a clear strategic impact, but it put Hezbollah in a particularly difficult position, both communicatively and substantively, neutralizing several of its members, analysts told the New York Times. .
Despite this, the military balance between Israel and Lebanon has not changed. On the border of the two countries, more than 100,000 civilians have been displaced by a battle of low intensity so far.
In this way, the two “camps” remain “locked” in the same pattern, exchanging fire with each other.
Of course, with regard to Tuesday’s unprecedented explosion, the question that arises concerns how the bombers arrived with the explosive material in Lebanon.
From Taiwan to Hungary and from there to Lebanon and Hezbollah
So the explosion of thousands of Hizbullah buglers has left behind a mysterious trail from Taiwan to Hungary. At the same time, it has caused the fear of a greater escalation of the war situation prevailing in the Middle East.
According to Reuters information from a senior Lebanese security source, the Mossad, which has a long history of carrying out sophisticated attacks on foreign soil, placed explosives inside the bombers, which Hezbollah had imported six months ago.
The operation was an unprecedented breach of security for the Lebanese organization. Since the first day’s attack, almost 3,000 people have been injured, and 12 have lost their lives, including two children. At the same time, at least nine other people died today, after new explosions occurred in Hezbollah bombers.
Who made the buzzers after all
Hezbollah has named the Taiwanese company, Gold Apollo, as the supplier of the buzzers used in the attack. Despite this, she denies her involvement in the Israeli strike. He also notes that the manufacturer is another company, which uses its brand name by agreement.
Gold Apollo even clarified that the buzzers were manufactured by the BAC company, which is based in Budapest, Hungary.
The two companies have agreed two years ago for BAC to sell its own products under the Gold Apollo brand, which has a good reputation in the niche market.
«This product is not ours. They just stick to our company brandexplained Hsu Ching-Kuang, founder and president of the Taiwanese company. At the same time, he added that his company in return received a share of the profits.
“We only provide brand trademark authorization and have no involvement in the design or manufacture of the product in question,” Gold Apollo clarified in a written statement. Although the company’s website until Wednesday morning, when it was taken down, featured an image of a buzzer model.
Who owns the AR924 model?
Hezbollah’s order included several AR924 model blasters, as well as other Gold Apollo models. Some of the officials briefed on the operation told The New York Times that the pagers had been hacked long before they reached Lebanon.
The “ghost” company
Reuters tried to contact the Hungarian company BAC, but it did not respond to its messages.
The paradox about this company is that BAC Consulting’s stated address in Budapest is a building on a suburban street that is mostly residential. The company’s name is written on an A4 sticker stuck to the glass door of the building.
A person at the building, who asked not to be named, said BAC Consulting is listed at the address but does not have a physical presence there. The managing director of BAC Consulting Cristiana Barsoni-Archidiacono mentions in her LinkedIn profile that she has worked as a consultant for various organizations including UNESCO.
BAC’s activities span a wide spectrum, from video game production to information technology consulting and oil exploration.
At the same time, Hsu Ching-Kuang noted that he had a long-term relationship with the Hungarian company before they worked together. Of course, he later described a curious incident: Specifically, the local Taiwanese bank delayed a wire transfer from BAC, as it considered the transaction suspicious. Gold Apollo’s president indicated that the shipment likely came from a Middle Eastern country, without specifying which one.
How and when the Hezbollah whistleblowers were breached
Tracing where and when the pagers were hacked and filled with explosives is a fairly complicated process. Taiwan’s extensive consumer electronics industry consists of a complex supply chain of brands, manufacturers and distributors.
In fact, the country’s finance ministry, which oversees the trade, said its records show “no direct export to Lebanon” of such buzzers from Gold Apollo. He also explained that such products from the company are exported to Europe and North America.
A senior Lebanese source told Reuters the devices had been modified by the Mossad spy agency during production.
“The Mossad inserted a board inside the device that has explosive material that receives a code. It is very difficult to trace it by any means,” the same source explained. He also adds that the buzzers went off when they received a coded message, causing the explosives to be activated at the same time.
The “aftermath” of Israel’s attack on Hezbollah
Iran-backed Hezbollah has vowed to retaliate against Israel. The Israeli army, on the other hand, has not commented.
The two sides have been engaged in a cross-border war since the Gaza conflict erupted last October. Of course, the regional conflicts between the two countries have fueled fears of an escalation of the war situation.
«Hezbollah wants to avoid an all-out war. She still wants to avoid him. But given the scale, the impact on families, on civilians, there will be pressure for a stronger responsesaid Mohanad Hage Ali of the Carnegie Middle East Center.
Hezbollah, however, announced on Wednesday that it will continue its resistance. “And today, as every other day, its operations in support of Gaza, its people and its resistance, which is a separate path from the harsh punishment that the criminal enemy (Israel) must expect in response to its slaughter Tuesday“, he notes.
The plan appears to have been prepared many months ago, sources told Reuters.
The reaction of the Israelis
Israeli analysts are divided on whether the attack is characterized by short-term opportunism or long-term foresight. Some believe that Israeli commanders feared that their Hezbollah counterparts had recently discovered Israel’s ability to sabotage pagers, prompting Israeli commanders to blow them up immediately.
Other analysts suggest that Israel had specific strategic intent. Israel may have hoped that the brazenness and sophistication of the attack would eventually make Hezbollah more amenable to a ceasefire in the coming weeks, if not immediately.
“The aim of the operation, if Israel was behind it, as Hezbollah claims, may have been to show the group that it will pay a very high price if it continues its attacks on Israel rather than reaching an agreement,” said General Amos Yadlin , former head of Israel’s military intelligence directorate.
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