Operation Pager: Insights from Mossad’s Unit 515

To target Israel, Iran formed an organization in Lebanon, which is a neighboring territory of Israel, in 1982. It established a representative group of Shia Muslims and the name of that group was Hezbollah. The literal meaning of Hezbollah is Party of God. It was an organization that was first used as a proxy group in Lebanon. Its symbol was established in such a way that Shia Muslims joined that organization, especially those living in Lebanon. They were indoctrinated that their neighbor Israel has to be targeted and they have to destroy it. Even today, Hezbollah’s goal remains the complete destruction of Israel.

From October 7th of last year, Mossad officers of Unit 515 embarked on a mission to hack the radio frequencies of pagers. The operation focused on developing technologies aimed at intercepting and hacking these frequencies. Israel, being a leader in technological innovation, has consistently advanced in creating tools that allow it to intercept communications. Under the efforts of Unit 515, the Mossad officers began this operation with two primary objectives.

Key Players in the Middle East

Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Israel are the three most important players in the Middle East who drive the dynamics of the region. Generally, Israel and Saudi Arabia do not get along well because the Jewish nation was formed there in 1948. Since then, the Saudi people, especially the Sunni Muslims, were very upset. Secondly, the Shia Muslims also do not like the Jewish nation there at all because they feel that this Jewish nation has been formed in a place which used to be Islamic territory.

Hezbollah’s Evolution

Hezbollah is a terrorist organization which has been operating in Lebanon since 1982 and from there targets Israel in different ways. However, when this proxy group was formed in 1982, its purpose at that time was only to connect people, especially Shia Muslims, with each other.

By 1995, Hezbollah transformed itself into a political party. Because Shia Muslims had been associated with Hezbollah for the last 10 to 15 years, Hezbollah developed a mass following. When Hezbollah first contested elections in Lebanon in 1995, it gained representation and seats in the Lebanese Parliament.

With these seats, Hezbollah became an important actor in forming the government in Lebanon. It was decided that Hezbollah would fight a war against Israel in the coming times by using the funds of the Lebanese State.

Western countries, especially Britain and America, have declared Hezbollah a terrorist organization. They do not consider it a political party, given its goal of destroying Israel.

Israel’s Response and Mossad Operations

Notably, any Jewish person or anyone from Israel is not allowed to enter Lebanon. There is a complete prohibition on entering Lebanon for Israelis. However, Israel’s intelligence agency Mossad has conducted operations inside Lebanon many times. They have built their assets deep inside Lebanon and have even eliminated high-ranking Hezbollah commanders.

The Erica Chambers Operation (1979)

In 1979, Mossad had a female operative named Erica Chambers. She was sent to Lebanon for two reasons:

1. To operate as a woman in Lebanon
2. To target Ali Hassan Salameh, a key figure in the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)

Ali Hassan Salameh was important for Israel because in 1972, he formed an organization called Black September. This organization was responsible for killing Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics.

Operation Details

Erica Chambers entered Lebanon using a fake British passport and posed as a British charity officer. She took a house opposite Ali Hassan Salameh’s residence and observed his movements. On January 22, 1979 (Salameh’s mother’s birthday), Chambers planted bombs under Salameh’s car. When Salameh opened his car door, an explosion occurred, killing him instantly.

Evolution of Communication Interception

1980s: Breaking Telecommunication Codes

In the 1980s, Hezbollah had to use rudimentary telecommunication devices. Israel was trying to break the communications of Hezbollah commanders by intercepting them.

1990s: Mobile Phone Era

When mobile phones started becoming prevalent, Hezbollah commanders and field operatives in Lebanon began using them. Israel responded by:

1. Studying and hacking the telecommunication networks
2. Using satellite intelligence to intercept communications

2000s: The Pager Strategy

After Israel’s successful interceptions, Hezbollah changed its strategy in the 2000s. They started using pagers, which are more difficult to hack because they work on radio frequency. Hezbollah used both one-way and two-way pagers.

Israel’s Countermeasures

Mossad’s Unit 515

Mossad has a specialized unit called Unit 515 that works closely with the Israel Defense Force’s Signal Intelligence. There is advanced cooperation and intelligence sharing between these units.

Post-October 7, 2023 Strategy

After October 7, 2023, Unit 515 focused on two main strategies:

1. Hacking radio frequencies used by pagers
2. Identifying the pager supply chain

Global Apollo’s Role in the Pagers’ Supply Chain

Israel’s intelligence identified a Taiwanese company, named Global Apollo, as the manufacturer of these pagers. This company specializes in producing pager components, especially triple-A and lithium-ion batteries. Global Apollo exports these pagers and components to Russia, Iran, and China, where intelligence agencies in these countries operate front organizations disguised as commercial construction companies. These companies buy pagers under the guise of needing them for construction activities. Once these pagers are procured, they are passed to intelligence agencies in Russia, Iran, and China, eventually ending up in the hands of Hezbollah, Hamas, ISIS, and other rebels.

Pagers Flow from Taiwan to Russia, Iran, and China

Israel observed that Russia, China, and Iran provided pagers to Hezbollah. These intelligence agencies in each of these countries established front organizations, masquerading as commercial companies involved in construction. Through these entities, Global Apollo pagers were funneled into Hezbollah’s hands.

The pagers manufactured by Global Apollo in Taiwan are not only reaching Hezbollah but are being used widely across the Middle East. The Syrian conflict also involves the use of these pagers by antigovernmental factions.

Israel’s Two-Pronged Approach: Radio Hacking & Supply Chain Disruption

Israel’s Mossad then took two distinct approaches to disrupt this entire process:

1. Developed technology to hack radio frequencies
2. Infiltrated the battery supply chain in Lebanon

• Radio Frequency Hacks: Israel developed technologies to hack the radio frequencies used by pagers, enabling them to intercept communications.
• Supply Chain Disruption in Lebanon: Israel observed that the pagers used by Hezbollah cadres in Lebanon relied on triple-A and lithium-ion batteries. Israel identified all the supply chains in Lebanon supplying these batteries and strategically designed a plan to infiltrate these networks. It ensured that all batteries in the supply chain were either sourced from or controlled by Israeli-manufactured companies. These batteries were designed to heat up after limited use, causing them to explode, rendering the pagers useless.

How the Operation Unfolded

Once Hezbollah members experienced battery failure in their pagers, they would go to the market to replace the triple-A or lithium-ion batteries. Unbeknownst to them, these batteries were supplied by Israel. As a result, the pagers would overheat, eventually causing explosions. This tactical move was designed to not only disable their communications but also to cause disruption and confusion.

Simultaneously, Israel hacked walkie-talkies and other wireless communication devices used by Hezbollah, further crippling their ability to coordinate.

Implications for India

India can learn from Israel’s approach to counter Pakistan’s ISI, which is using China-manufactured telecommunication equipment around the Line of Control. While India can currently intercept radio frequencies using directed energy weapons through RAW, Pakistan and China have developed satellite-based communication to avoid this.

India needs to develop capabilities to hack satellite communications, similar to what Mossad has achieved. By learning these techniques, India can better counter the use of Chinese equipment by Pakistan for cross-border terrorism.

This operation by Israel demonstrates a comprehensive approach to disrupting enemy communications, from hacking radio frequencies to manipulating the supply chain of essential components like batteries. It’s a significant learning opportunity for India in its ongoing security challenges.

This entire operation provides important lessons for India. Just like Hezbollah, Pakistan’s ISI uses China-manufactured telecommunication equipment around the Line of Control (LoC). Pakistani terrorists are exploiting Chinese technology to create instability in the region. To counter this, India must learn from Israel’s Mossad and its counter-technology hacking strategies.

Today, RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) can intercept radio frequencies using directed energy weapons, but Pakistan and China have evolved. They understand the risk of radio frequency hacks and have developed satellite-based communication equipment to avoid interception. India must expand its capabilities to also intercept satellite communications, just as Israel has.

Conclusion: A Masterstroke by Israel

In conclusion, Israel has effectively combined radio frequency hacks with supply chain sabotage to disrupt Hezbollah’s communication infrastructure. By targeting the batteries used in pagers and wireless devices, Israel has dealt a severe blow to Hezbollah’s communication network. This operation stands as a masterstroke, showcasing Israel’s prowess in modern intelligence warfare.

India, facing threats from Pakistan and China, must take cues from this operation and strengthen its own counterintelligence measures to intercept and disable Chinese and Pakistani equipment being used against it.