# Exploding Pagers in Lebanon {2024-09-17} **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 17, 2024, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exploding-pagers-in-lebanon-2024-09-17/1007395 "2024-09-17T18:27:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.winston_oboogie/32/2945_2.png) [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Winston_OBoogie)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2024, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exploding-pagers-in-lebanon-2024-09-17/1007395/81 "2024-09-18T14:26:48Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > Doubtless they’ve thrown all their pagers out now Why? The ones that didn’t explode are safe! ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2024, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exploding-pagers-in-lebanon-2024-09-17/1007395/82 "2024-09-18T14:43:41Z")
Sure…until the “321BOOMAGAIN!” page is sent. ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2024, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exploding-pagers-in-lebanon-2024-09-17/1007395/83 "2024-09-18T15:05:00Z")
First pagers, now walkie talkies. [https://www.axios.com/2024/09/18/israel-detonates-hezbollah-walkie-talkies-second-wave-after-pager-attack](https://www.axios.com/2024/09/18/israel-detonates-hezbollah-walkie-talkies-second-wave-after-pager-attack) ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2024, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exploding-pagers-in-lebanon-2024-09-17/1007395/84 "2024-09-18T15:07:19Z")
I’ll look at this thread. I assumed there was a breaking news thread. My thread is just speculating about electronic vulnerabilities. It could be any device. A massive EMP attack is expected if WWIII ever breaks out. We all may be using candles and heating our homes with firewood. But, electronics targeting would come first. PC’s and Smart Phones are vulnerable at the hardware level. Norton Anti-virus will never see hardware level attacks. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2024, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exploding-pagers-in-lebanon-2024-09-17/1007395/85 "2024-09-18T15:09:11Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > Sure…until the “321BOOMAGAIN!” page is sent. One of the news sources I saw this morning (either MSNBC or Yahoo News) said that the pager messages appeared to be from Hezbollah leadership which I think is a brilliant way to get someone to hold the pager up to their face in anticipation of the next message. As for what the next message was, my money is on DEEZ NUTS. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2024, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exploding-pagers-in-lebanon-2024-09-17/1007395/86 "2024-09-18T15:10:52Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > Sure…until the “321BOOMAGAIN!” page is sent. No, no, no. “TWOFORFLINCHING” ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2024, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exploding-pagers-in-lebanon-2024-09-17/1007395/87 "2024-09-18T15:12:52Z")
I feel weird saying this when this is about blowing people up but that is way better. It is the modern version of soldiers writing message on bombs in WWII (and a few other wars). ---
**Author:** ![JoseB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/joseb/32/1530_2.png) [@JoseB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoseB)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2024, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exploding-pagers-in-lebanon-2024-09-17/1007395/88 "2024-09-18T15:13:42Z")
There is something that I have not seen mentioned so far… Right now the paranoia levels in Hezbollah (both among foot soldiers and among the leadership) must be going through the roof… Who do you trust now? How much has Israel infiltrated us if they have been able to do this? When is the next wave of explosions going to start, and what will it affect? Are our laptops safe?! Can we trust them!? Can I call the interphone at my own home!? This is not going to help Hezbollah - it is not conducive to having an efficient organization. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2024, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exploding-pagers-in-lebanon-2024-09-17/1007395/89 "2024-09-18T15:15:27Z")
> [@JoseB](#): > > How much has Israel infiltrated us… Are you Hezbollah? 😉 FWIW Israel has been caught spying on the US In case “us” meant someone other than Hezbollah). The US wagged its finger at Israel. I would be willing to bet Israel still spies on the US (and everyone else they remotely think affects them). ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2024, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exploding-pagers-in-lebanon-2024-09-17/1007395/90 "2024-09-18T15:16:36Z")
I used to get irritated when my pager vibrated on my bedside table. Ugly sound at 1AM. Israel took it to a different level. Boom! About like holding a lit firecracker. It can take off a hand or your nuts if the pager is in a pants pocket. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2024, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exploding-pagers-in-lebanon-2024-09-17/1007395/91 "2024-09-17T15:39:39Z")
I put this in the pit thread, but it may be better suited for this one. This is rather amazing, and disconcerting. > **[Exploding pagers injure hundreds in attack targeting Hezbollah members,...](https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/17/middleeast/lebanon-hezbollah-pagers-explosions-intl/index.html)** > > Hundreds of people were injured Tuesday in an attack targeting the pagers of Hezbollah members, a Lebanese security source told CNN. ---
**Author:** ![xtenkfarpl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c2a13f/32.png) [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2024, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exploding-pagers-in-lebanon-2024-09-17/1007395/92 "2024-09-17T16:29:12Z")
PAGERS exploding??? I almost think this has to be a hoax. What is there in a pager that is explosive? A lithium battery, perhaps. But the idea that there is some exploit that can remotely trigger an explosion smacks strongly of conspiracy theory nonsense? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2024, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exploding-pagers-in-lebanon-2024-09-17/1007395/93 "2024-09-17T16:32:49Z")
If true, that’s some William Gibson-level shit right there. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2024, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exploding-pagers-in-lebanon-2024-09-17/1007395/94 "2024-09-17T17:06:18Z")
> [@xtenkfarpl](#): > > PAGERS exploding??? > > I almost think this has to be a hoax. What is there in a pager that is explosive? > A lithium battery, perhaps. But the idea that there is some exploit that can remotely trigger an explosion smacks strongly of conspiracy theory nonsense? Any chance Mossad could have found the source of their pagers and preloaded them with explosive materials/devices before they were procured by Hezbollah? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2024, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exploding-pagers-in-lebanon-2024-09-17/1007395/95 "2024-09-17T17:12:13Z")
That would be the most likely scenario. The alternative is too far out there to have much credence. ---
**Author:** ![Palooka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/palooka/32/2902_2.png) [@Palooka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palooka)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2024, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exploding-pagers-in-lebanon-2024-09-17/1007395/96 "2024-09-17T17:15:24Z")
They probably unknowingly bought them from Mossad. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2024, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exploding-pagers-in-lebanon-2024-09-17/1007395/97 "2024-09-17T17:15:46Z")
The must likely scenario is that no pagers exploded, and the story was started but something other than exploring pagers. (And who uses pagers these days? Haven’t they been entirely replaced by cell phones?) ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2024, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exploding-pagers-in-lebanon-2024-09-17/1007395/98 "2024-09-17T17:16:30Z")
> [@Palooka](#): > > They probably unknowingly bought them from Mossad. Or they ordered them online through a compromised computer; Mossad watched for the delivery and intercepted it, replacing it with a box of sabotaged pagers. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2024, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exploding-pagers-in-lebanon-2024-09-17/1007395/99 "2024-09-17T17:19:16Z")
Wow, I never knew that people actually sent explosive pagers that people thought were actually legitimate. Although if they _did_ do that then it would make sense as it would be near the person when it went off. I had always assumed that explosive pagers were attached to a bomb and the pager was just used to communicate the explosive order since it’s an off the shelf component with high reliability. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2024, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exploding-pagers-in-lebanon-2024-09-17/1007395/100 "2024-09-17T17:21:40Z")
It’s more likely a pager is the trigger of another explosive. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exploding-pagers-in-lebanon-2024-09-17/1007395.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exploding-pagers-in-lebanon-2024-09-17/1007395.md?page=6)