Lebanon experienced a devastating pager attack on September 16, where a series of explosions killed nine and injured over 2,000 people. This unexpected event has brought pagers back into focus, years after their decline in use with the rise of mobile phones.
A post on X stated, “Pager was invented in 1949 by Al Gross, Jewish Engineer,” sparking amazement online, with some Jews reportedly seen celebrating the tragic event. Notably, the first telephone pager system was patented in 1949 by Alfred J Gross, and one of the first practical services was introduced in New York City in 1950 for doctors.
— Imtiaz Mahmood (@ImtiazMadmood) September 17, 2024
Hezbollah fighters use these pagers as a low-tech communication method to avoid Israeli location-tracking, two sources familiar with the group’s operations told Reuters earlier this year.
Comments surfaced on the post, with one saying, “So the Jews really did it this time,” and another stating, “The plan was always on then.” A third added, “The plan was soooo longly hatched.” Some even commented humorously, “The man who saw tomorrow, or rather the man who saw 17th of September, 2024, Tuesday afternoon, he seems a happy old man.”
Meanwhile, reports suggest that images from settlements in Israel show Jews celebrating the pager explosions in Lebanon, with some seen in synagogues singing and celebrating similarly to how Palestinians celebrate Israeli deaths.
A series of explosions rocked Lebanon and Syria as pagers used by Hezbollah detonated, leading to the deaths of 11 people and injuries to hundreds. Videos captured the explosions starting at 3:30 p.m. local time in southern Beirut, continuing for over an hour, with footage circulating widely on social media. Key targets included Hezbollah strongholds in Daniyeh and the Bekaa Valley, with witnesses reporting explosions until 4:30 p.m.
Lebanese security sources have accused Israel’s Mossad of orchestrating the pager attacks, as reported by Reuters. Mossad allegedly planted explosives in 5,000 pagers ordered by Hezbollah months prior, resulting in the synchronized detonations across Lebanon. This breach has provoked Hezbollah, which has vowed retaliation for the attack.
