Hsu Ching-Kuang, founder of Taiwan’s Gold Apollo, clarified that the company was not responsible for producing the pagers used in the Lebanon detonations.
At least nine people were killed and nearly 3,000 injured when pagers used by Hezbollah members, including fighters and medics, exploded simultaneously throughout Lebanon.
The explosions began around 3:30 p.m. (12:30 GMT) in Beirut’s southern suburbs, known as Dahiyeh, and in the eastern Bekaa Valley, both strongholds of the anti-Israel militant group Hezbollah.
The blasts continued for about an hour, with Reuters witnesses and Dahiyeh residents reporting hearing explosions as late as 4:30 p.m.
American and other officials told The New York Times that Israel carried out the operation targeting Hezbollah by hiding explosives inside Taiwanese-made pagers imported into Lebanon.
According to the NYT report, Hezbollah had ordered these pagers from Taiwan’s Gold Apollo.
However, Gold Apollo founder Hsu Ching-Kuang denied that the company manufactured the pagers involved in the Lebanon detonations.
In response, Hezbollah vowed retaliation against Israel, accusing it of setting off the pagers.
Lebanese Information Minister Ziad Makary condemned the late-afternoon pager explosions—handheld devices used by Hezbollah and others in Lebanon for communication—as an act of “Israeli aggression.” Hezbollah vowed that Israel would face “fair punishment” for the blasts.
Key Updates on the Hezbollah Pager Blasts in Lebanon:
1. The New York Times reported that 1-2 ounces of explosives were hidden near the batteries of the pagers, allowing for remote detonation.
2. At 3:30 p.m., the pagers, seemingly receiving a message from Hezbollah leadership, exploded, killing at least nine people and injuring over 2,800.
3. Israel has not officially taken responsibility, but Hezbollah blamed the country, offering limited information.
4. Experts believe the attack took advantage of Hezbollah’s reduced reliance on cellphones.
5. Reuters, citing a senior Lebanese security source and another unnamed source, claimed that Israel’s Mossad planted explosives inside 5,000 pagers ordered by Hezbollah months before the detonations.
6. Reuters also reported that Hezbollah had ordered these pagers from Gold Apollo, a Taiwan-based manufacturer, and a Lebanese source identified the model as an AP924.
7. Analysis of destroyed pagers showed features consistent with those made by Gold Apollo.
8. Iran-backed Hezbollah announced a “security and scientific investigation” into the blasts and reiterated its promise of “fair punishment” for Israel.
9. Diplomatic and security sources speculated the explosions may have been triggered by battery malfunctions, potentially from overheating.
10. Earlier this year, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah restricted cellphone use due to concerns about Israeli surveillance, according to The New York Times.
Hezbollah was left reeling from the attack, which caused significant casualties among fighters and others. A Hezbollah official, speaking anonymously, called it the group’s “biggest security breach” since the Gaza conflict between Israel and Hezbollah ally Hamas began on October 7.
