Explosive pager/radio device is the label used here for the September 2024 Lebanon attacks in which hidden charges inside Hezbollah pagers and later handheld radios detonated across Lebanon and parts of Syria. Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and AP described the attacks as a covert mass-casualty strike that also put civilians at risk.
In the 2023 Israel-Hezbollah Conflict, the September 17-18, 2024 attacks detonated booby-trapped pagers and walkie-talkies across Lebanon and parts of Syria, hitting Hezbollah members, support personnel, and civilians.
Amnesty International said the 18 September 2024 wave also involved handheld radios, including IC-V82 models.
| Carrier | Carrier type | Carriage evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | Handheld radio | Amnesty International said the second wave involved handheld radios and that the exploded devices were consistent with radios containing hidden explosive devices. Sources: Lebanon: Establish international investigation into deadly attacks using exploding portable devices |
Amnesty International linked the September 2024 pager detonations to AR-924 Gold Apollo Rugged pagers.
| Carrier | Type | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | Pager model | Amnesty International said the destroyed pagers were consistent with AR-924 Gold Apollo Rugged pagers, and that hidden explosive devices were inside thousands of pagers that detonated on 17 September 2024. |
Thousands of pagers detonated across Lebanon and parts of Syria in the first wave of the attack; Amnesty International later said the overall campaign killed at least 37 people and injured more than 2,931.
Sources: Lebanon: Establish international investigation into deadly attacks using exploding portable devices, HRW Lebanon exploding pagers statement
A second wave hit handheld radios about 24 hours later, adding to the casualty count and showing that the operation covered more than one device class.
Sources: Lebanon: Establish international investigation into deadly attacks using exploding portable devices, AP exploding device attacks on Hezbollah
AP published new reporting from retired Israeli intelligence agents describing a decade-long covert operation, shell-company procurement, and booby-trapped pagers and walkie-talkies.
Sources: Former Israeli spies share new details about exploding pager attack
Open reporting split the attack into two device waves. The first used pagers; the second used handheld radios. Later reporting also described a shell-company supply chain and a long covert build-up behind the devices.
| Issue | What the reporting says |
|---|---|
| Civilian object base | The devices were ordinary communications tools before being turned into weapons. |
| Supply chain compromise | AP reported that retired Israeli intelligence agents described a decade-long operation using shell-company procurement. |
| Civilian-risk concern | HRW and Amnesty both said the attacks harmed civilians as well as Hezbollah members and called for accountability. |
