Pagers used by Hezbollah, a group backed by Iran members exploded in Lebanon, killing at least nine people and injuring nearly 3,000 on tuesday. A Lebanese security official stated that Israel’s spy agency, Mossad, had planted explosives inside 5,000 of these pagers months before.

What Are Pagers?

Pagers, also called “beepers,” are small devices that receive short messages. Before mobile phones were popular, doctors, journalists, and other professionals used pagers to get important alerts. The device would beep to notify the user when a message came through.

How Do Pagers Work?

Pagers work by receiving messages through radio waves. When a message is sent, the pager beeps, and the user checks the message. Early pagers could only beep, but later versions could show short text messages on a small screen.

Why Hezbollah Still Uses Pagers

Hezbollah still uses pagers because they are harder to track than mobile phones. Pagers use a different frequency and don’t rely on phone networks, making them more secure for communication.

The Explosion

Israel’s Mossad reportedly put the explosives inside pagers that Hezbollah had ordered. These pagers were triggered by a special message, causing them to explode simultaneously. The blasts caused massive destruction and many injuries across Lebanon.