I wonder what the next shoe to fall will be?

The extraordinary rumors going around Arab language T-gram groups are that dozens to hundreds of Hezbollah operatives across Lebanon had their encrypted personal pagers explode on their belts all at once in the last hour.

How did the Israelis do this? Did they hack the network… pic.twitter.com/vAzxY4s55P

— Saul Sadka (@Saul_Sadka) September 17, 2024

[Update a while later]

Again, they really should have thought twice before buying pagers in bulk from the Definitely Not Mossad Bulk Pagers Company, LLC https://t.co/4hexwrPp2s

— Emily Zanotti 🦝 (@emzanotti) September 17, 2024

So weird that the Iranian ambassador to Lebanon had a Hezbollah pager. As I write this, I’m thinking that Ben Rhodes, Antony Blinken, and Jake Sullivan are throwing their pagers in the Potomac.

[Update a few minutes later]

🚨💥📟 BREAKING: Ilhan Omar in critical condition after her pager inexplicably explodes pic.twitter.com/4SyZu95VYc

— 𝓓𝖗. 𝓥𝖔𝐱 𝓞𝖈𝖚𝖑𝖎, 𝐌𝐃 👁️‍🗨️ (@Vox_Oculi) September 17, 2024

[Update a few more minutes later]

A thread:

Post your favourite Hezbollah memes in the comments

I’ll start with this one from @MaxNordau pic.twitter.com/fYivCY53rA

— Kosher🎗🧡 (@K0sher_C0ckney) September 17, 2024

[Update a few minutes later]

I suspect that Mossad just got a treasure trove of intel from this, by seeing where everyone was and who they were with when it happened. It will help them map the entire network (if they hadn’t already) in preparation for what’s coming next.

[Wednesday-morning update]

More at Instapundit.

[Bumped]

[Update a few minutes later]

The second wave: exploding walkie talkies:

It’s Groundhog Day in Lebanon: Whoever turned Hezbollah’s pagers into bombs did the same to their walky-talkies, and in the last hour, 100s+ exploded.

It seems whoever planted them knew they would be found and pulled the trigger.

Free tip for Hezbollah: Messenger pigeons. pic.twitter.com/lwxvHZqkMU

— Saul Sadka (@Saul_Sadka) September 18, 2024

Ignoring all the carnage, Israel has made it impossible for them to communicate. They’d be sitting ducks if the IDF decides to attack.

[Mid-afternoon update]

Thoughts from Blake Powers.

[Tuesday-morning update]

Today was a very big day in the ongoing war. Israel’s strategy is suddenly clear and has been vindicated. It was in Israel’s interest to delay the inevitable reckoning with Hezbollah as long as possible, since for Hezbollah, yesterday was always the best day to attack Israel.… pic.twitter.com/D7rg4C6qE6

— Saul Sadka (@Saul_Sadka) August 26, 2024

[Bumped]