27 September 2024

Ex-top cyber official: It won’t be easy for Hezbollah to get new comms system in place

Lazar Berman

There has never been a targeted killing operation comparable to the pager attack in Lebanon earlier this week, a former senior Israeli cyber defense official told The Times of Israel.

“It was precise while widespread,” said Refael Franco, former Deputy General Director of Israel’s National Cyber Directorate and head of its defensive measures, referring to the coordinated attack on Hezbollah pagers across Lebanon on Tuesday, in which at least 12 people were killed and 2,800 wounded.

Israel is widely believed to have been behind the attack, but has not taken responsibility. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah on Thursday acknowledged the “unprecedented” strike on his forces, blamed Israel and vowed vengeance.

Franco declined to comment when asked whether Israel was responsible.

“Several months ago, Hezbollah decided to equip itself with pagers,” he said.

“That decision is, in my eyes, the real turning point… Nasrallah understood that he couldn’t use cellphones anymore,” said Franco cryptically.

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