Israel’s Advanced Tech Used to Penetrate Lebanese Phones, Carry Out Assassinations

Men place a banner on a damaged building that was hit late on February 14 by an Israeli strike, in Nabatieh, southern Lebanon February 16, 2024. REUTERS/Aziz Taher
Men place a banner on a damaged building that was hit late on February 14 by an Israeli strike, in Nabatieh, southern Lebanon February 16, 2024. REUTERS/Aziz Taher
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Israel’s Advanced Tech Used to Penetrate Lebanese Phones, Carry Out Assassinations

Men place a banner on a damaged building that was hit late on February 14 by an Israeli strike, in Nabatieh, southern Lebanon February 16, 2024. REUTERS/Aziz Taher
Men place a banner on a damaged building that was hit late on February 14 by an Israeli strike, in Nabatieh, southern Lebanon February 16, 2024. REUTERS/Aziz Taher

Lebanon’s communication networks have become a source of profound concern for Hezbollah, particularly following successful Israeli intelligence operations that have penetrated the phones of key leaders and operatives, allowing for easy tracking and assassination.

Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah has labeled mobile phones as “lethal informants” and urged party members to abandon their use.

Reports indicating Israel’s ability to infiltrate internet networks and access Wi-Fi systems have only heightened anxieties for the Lebanese group.

The reasons behind Israel’s effective execution of assassinations vary, including recruitment of local agents and possession of advanced technologies.

While ground agents have historically played a role, recent events raise questions about the extent to which Israel’s success is due to these operatives or its technological capabilities.

Communication and social media expert Omar Qasqas affirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that Israel “has almost total control over Lebanese phone networks.”

According to Qasqas, Israel’s penetration of Lebanese phone networks occurs through malware attacks, phone calls, and exploiting vulnerabilities in phone networks, particularly transmission stations.

This allows Israel to eavesdrop on calls, access messages and images, and pinpoint device locations.

Mobile phone users often disable internet services and switch to Wi-Fi for security, but experts warn that Wi-Fi networks are not secure due to outdated technology.

Lebanon’s failure to invest in modernizing its communication infrastructure leaves it vulnerable to Israel’s advanced tactics.

Social media monitoring adds another layer of concern. Israel can access social media platforms to monitor user activity, even breaching profiles to track comments, likes, and friend requests.

This surveillance extends to all levels, posing significant privacy and security risks for users.

In light of these developments, Hezbollah’s call to abandon mobile phones underscores the gravity of the situation.



Israel Is Ramping up Annexation of West Bank, UN Rights Chief Says 

Israeli army vehicles block a road during an Israeli military operation in the West Bank city of Jenin, 14 March 2025. (EPA)
Israeli army vehicles block a road during an Israeli military operation in the West Bank city of Jenin, 14 March 2025. (EPA)
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Israel Is Ramping up Annexation of West Bank, UN Rights Chief Says 

Israeli army vehicles block a road during an Israeli military operation in the West Bank city of Jenin, 14 March 2025. (EPA)
Israeli army vehicles block a road during an Israeli military operation in the West Bank city of Jenin, 14 March 2025. (EPA)

Israel has significantly expanded and consolidated settlements in the occupied West Bank as part of the steady integration of these territories into the State of Israel, in breach of international law, the UN human rights office said on Tuesday.

The report to be presented to the UN Human Rights Council later this month comes amid growing fears of annexation amid US policy shifts under President Donald Trump and new settler outposts in areas of the West Bank seen as part of a future Palestinian state.

"The transfer by Israel of parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies amounts to a war crime," UN High Commissioner Volker Turk said in a statement accompanying the report, urging the international community to take meaningful action on Israel’s advancing settlement.

"Israel must immediately and completely cease all settlement activities and evacuate all settlers, stop the forcible transfer of the Palestinian population, and prevent and punish attacks by its security forces and settlers," he said.

Israel disengaged from the UN Human Rights Council earlier this year, alleging a chronic anti-Israeli bias. Its military says it is conducting counter-terrorism operations in the West Bank and targeting suspected militants.