After thousands of pagers owned by Hezbollah operatives exploded in Lebanon, the IDF heightened its alert status on Wednesday, redeploying the elite 98th Division—comprising the Commando and Paratroopers Brigades—from Gaza to the northern border in anticipation of potential escalation with the Iran-backed terrorist group.
The strategic shift aligns with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant’s previous warnings and the Cabinet's aim of ensuring the safe return of northern residents to their homes.
The 98th Division’s redeployment marks a significant transition, leaving the 162nd and 252nd Divisions as the only Israeli forces in Gaza. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi has been conducting continuous assessments of the northern situation, although no special instructions have been issued to the home front at this time.
In Lebanon, the explosions have left many shocked. "What happened yesterday stunned us. It was unimaginable that pagers could explode like that," said Hassan Shaitani, a Lebanese trader, describing the scene of devastation.
Mussa, a resident of Beirut’s Dahieh district, a Hezbollah stronghold, expressed disbelief to AFP, saying, "I’ve never seen anything like this—people walking down the street and suddenly exploding."
Haider Jafar, a Lebanese engineer living in the U.S. who is currently in Beirut, remarked, "I wasn’t surprised by what happened—wars are dirty. Whether or not Hezbollah responds, we are already at war. This is a long war of attrition."
Another Beirut resident, Abu Jawad Hamadeh, asserted, "Hezbollah will respond. We need to teach them a lesson they won’t forget."
Russia and Iran were quick to condemn the attack. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said, "Thousands of innocents were harmed in this attack, which aims to provoke a major war in the Middle East." However, many of the casualties were Hezbollah members who reportedly received a "message from the leadership" at the moment of the explosions.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expressed his regret over the incident in a phone call with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, reaffirming his commitment to efforts aimed at halting Israel's actions in the region.
Manufacturer denials
Meanwhile, details are emerging about the origin of the beepers used by Hezbollah. Attention has turned to a Taiwanese company that allegedly sold thousands of communication devices to the Lebanese terrorist organization, although the company denies involvement in planting explosives. The Taiwanese company stated that the AR-924 device is manufactured and sold by a company named BAC: "BAC to use our brand trademark for product sales in specific regions, but the design and manufacturing of the products are entirely handled by BAC."
As details emerge regarding the pagers used by Hezbollah, the focus has shifted to a Taiwanese company allegedly involved in selling thousands of communication devices to the Lebanese terror group.
The company, Gold Apollo, has denied any involvement in planting explosives in the devices. Gold Apollo said that the AR-924 pagers were manufactured and sold by a Budapest-based BAC Consulting KFT, which operates under a licensing agreement to use Gold Apollo’s brand in certain regions. "The design and manufacturing of the products are entirely handled by BAC," the Taiwanese firm emphasized.
Investigations into BAC have revealed that it is based in Hungary, but attempts to contact company representatives have been unsuccessful. The company’s official website provides only vague details about its consultancy services, featuring generic photos and lacking specifics about its operations. BAC’s listed address is a private residence in Budapest, raising further questions about its legitimacy.
Gold Apollo’s president also reported unusual payment arrangements with BAC, describing them as "very strange" and noting that the funds came through Middle Eastern channels.
Taiwan's economy minister confirmed that the pagers were likely tampered with after being exported, adding, "We will continue to support the manufacturer in the investigation. There is no record of direct exports to Lebanon."