A Hungary-based firm, BAC Consulting, which had come under scrutiny following the explosions of communication devices used by Hezbollah, has been revealed as an Israeli shell company, according to a report by The New York Times. The report alleges that BAC was one of at least three shell companies created to conceal the identities of Israeli intelligence officers involved in manufacturing the devices.
Citing three intelligence officers briefed on the operation, The New York Times stated that BAC had taken on clients, including Hezbollah, but pagers produced for the group were rigged with explosive PETN-laced batteries. Israel is reported to have triggered these devices by sending Arabic messages that appeared to come from Hezbollah’s senior leadership.
The use of these sabotaged pagers reportedly escalated after Hezbollah’s leadership advised members to cease using mobile phones, concerned that Israeli intelligence was tracking them. In response, Israel is said to have invested heavily in developing technology to hack and sabotage the pagers, targeting Hezbollah operatives.
The revelation provides further insight into the explosions earlier this week, which killed 14 people and injured over 450 across Lebanon, fuelling the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.