Mossad Has Devices Like the Exploding Pagers in "Every Country You Can Imagine"

Former Mossad chief Yossi Cohen says Israel developed a covert “manipulated equipment” approach in 2002-04: infiltrating adversaries’ supply chains and altering devices they would later use. He linked the strategy to the explosives hidden in Hezbollah’s pagers and communications equipment, which operatives triggered in September 2024, and said the tactic was first tested during the 2006 Lebanon war before expanding to operations in many countries. Cohen suggested the compromised equipment is present across “every country you can imagine,” without naming locations or describing specific operations.

Cohen also identified Gaza as a major gap in the system, saying Mossad’s capabilities had not been deployed there effectively. He argued that stronger intelligence coverage might have affected Israel’s preparedness for the October 7, 2023 attack. According to Cohen, Shin Bet and IDF intelligence resisted his efforts to take a larger role in Gaza, despite his repeated warnings that intelligence there was inadequate. His remarks prompted concerns that publicly discussing covert methods could expose them or serve as intimidation, as well as criticism that he was risking Israel’s security for political purposes.