An electronics manufacturer in Taiwan, Gold Apollo, denied making the pagers used by Hezbollah members that exploded in Lebanon, killing nine people and injuring over 2,750 others. The company stated that the pagers were made by another company, BAC, based in Hungary, licensed to use its brand. Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs confirmed that Gold Apollo primarily exported pagers to European and American markets, with no direct shipments to Lebanon.
The explosions in Lebanon come amidst escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, which have engaged in cross-border attacks since October, displacing thousands. Lebanon’s foreign ministry condemned what it termed an “Israeli cyber attack” and vowed to lodge a complaint with the U.N. Security Council. The U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon expressed deep concern over the blasts.
Hezbollah blamed Israel for the explosions but provided no evidence, while Israel has not commented on the incident. Pagers, favored by Hezbollah members to avoid being tracked by Israel, have prompted Lebanese officials to warn citizens to avoid using wireless communication devices.
Gold Apollo’s founder, Hsu, expressed shock at his company’s unwitting involvement in the attack and suggested that he may pursue legal action. Hezbollah has vowed a severe response against the “criminal enemy” responsible for the deaths of civilians and fighters. The investigation into the source of the pagers continues, with the Israeli-Lebanon conflict showing no signs of abating.
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