Opinion International Geopolitics

[Festerz]

Plus Mossad were probably planting and promoting the idea within Hezbollah that mobile phones were insecure in order to get them to move to the booby trapped pagers and walkie-talkies.

Yep. And sniping drones are ready when they switch to homing pigeons next.

But seriously, as the Washington Post has pointed out and I commented in a post in the main international politics board, this was a complex, multistage attack that appears to have been meticulously mapped out over a long time. Israel pulling the trigger on its implementation would only have been done if plans were already in place to take full advantage of the chaos and uncertainty it has caused in the Hezbollah hierarchy.

And yet no such military attack has been launched? Which suggests the decision to activate the mobile device detonations was premature. Arab security services have speculated that Hezbollah had discovered a problem with the pagers (they may have uncovered the explosive device planted on the battery) and that Israel faced a “use it or lose it” moment. Otherwise, the timing of the attack makes little sense. It may also mean that Israel is going to have to bring forward longer term plans they had to push forces into Southern Lebanon.

 

[bomberclifford]

Is anyone else surprised that pagers are still a thing? Thought they were phased out when the Nokia 3310 hit the scene.

Old tech, ironically, can sometimes be more secure.

That thinking is probably being revised after the last few days though.

 

[Festerz]

Old tech, ironically, can sometimes be more secure.

That thinking is probably being revised after the last few days though.

Yep. With what happened in Lebanon this week and what was revealed yesterday about the AFP hacking of the Ghost messaging app developed locally and distributed globally to crime syndicates, I think it's time to go back and watch The Wire series again (where the local hoods went from using payphones, to pagers, to burner mobiles over the course of several seasons as digital technology developed ).

Using the technology itself as a means to directly target individuals involved was probably inevitable when you think about it. The reason why Hezbollah dumped them en-masse was apparently because it was suspected that they could be used as covert listening and tracking devices, even with the sim removed. As Duck says, Mossad actively promoting that fear and taking control of the supply chain to plant covert incendiary devices in what would be their most likely replacement was the logical next step for an intelligence service regarded as the most innovative and ruthless in the world.

 

[OneGreatClub]

 

[backtozero]

Old tech, ironically, can sometimes be more secure.

That thinking is probably being revised after the last few days though.

Yeah, like in the movies when someone would make an important call on a burner phone. They'd always snap the flip phone or take the battery out and ditch it. Now phones are always "on" no matter what.

 

[OneGreatClub]

 

[OneGreatClub]

 

[wannabejack]

More potential russian troops?

 

[OneGreatClub]

Zelenskyy is brave.
Trump is a chicken.

 

[EskimoPAFC]

Is anyone else surprised that pagers are still a thing? Thought they were phased out when the Nokia 3310 hit the scene.

A lot of older tech is less trackable - that's my guess.

 

[OneGreatClub]

 

[OneGreatClub]

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

 

[Grave Danger]

Someone needs to call for restraint on both sides and not risk any further escalation.

 

[OneGreatClub]

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Someone needs to call for restraint on both sides and not risk any further escalation.

Nah, Iran or someone has to hit back hard or the Israelis will just keep going indiscriminately.

Blinken gave the Green Light to the Israelis last November or late October and they have used it ever since.

Netanyahu isn't going to be tactful, so Israel has no intention of restraint. He has fobbed off the USA and west plenty of times and will keep doing it.

 

[Grave Danger]

Nah, Iran or someone has to hit back hard or the Israelis will just keep going indiscriminately.

Blinken gave the Green Light to the Israelis last November or late October and they have used it ever since.

Netanyahu isn't going to be tactful, so Israel has no intention of restraint. He has fobbed off the USA and west plenty of times and will keep doing it.

I was being sarcastic - Blinken parrots the same thing after every Israeli indiscriminate onslaught.

 

[OneGreatClub]

 

[wannabejack]

Australian 155mm artillery shells destined for Ukraine - APDR

Shells being made at a new plant in the rural Queensland town of Maryborough and exported to Germany are destined for use in Ukraine.

asiapacificdefencereporter.com

The shells are being manufactured at a new plant in the rural Queensland town of Maryborough and exported to Germany. Once there, they will be filled with explosive material and receive a fuse – and after that they go into the pool of ammunition to be transferred to Ukraine. While it is impossible to track each individual shell, some – or all – of the Australian production run will be fired against Russian invaders.

This is not being done via the Australian government – indeed 100% of the factory’s current output is going to Germany. This is a consequence of the ownership of the plant, which is a 51-49 joint venture between industrial giant Rheinmetall Waffe Munition and family-owned Australian company NIOA. While the JV is currently producing German DM121 shells at a rate of 20,000 per year, this will progressively increase because of global demand to an annual total exceeding 100,000.

Even though there is huge global demand for 155mm ammunition, the Australian Army has future proofed supply with a series of 5-year contracts, the most recent of which came into effect in June 2023.

 

[Holden Hillbilly]

Iranian attack on Israel:- 200 missiles launched by Iran into Israel- One man killed in the West Bank - Reported damage in Tel Aviv- ⁠Iran informed U.S. and Russia ahead of the attack- Israel states ‘the attack was serious and will have consequences’⁠ - ⁠Iran threatens they would attack again if Israel responds- ⁠U.S. intercepted incoming missiles from Iran - ⁠U.S. bases in Iraq would be a target if the U.S. joins any response to Iran's strikes on Israel

 

[TazD]

Israel will strike 30 Hezbollah and Hamas command centers located within schools and hospitals as retaliation. Next week they'll detonate the life alert bracelets of senior terrorists as they attend the funerals of the previously slain child terrorists.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

I can't just make shit up? What is this?

 

[Grave Danger]

I can't just make shit up? What is this?

Isn't Kamala still the Veep?

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Isn't Kamala still the Veep?

Yes, but this is a debate between the candidates, otherwise Kamala would be debating herself. Which she kind of did in the Presidential debate.

 

[Grave Danger]