Israel's cyber warfare: How devices became weapons as a new dimension of battle unfolds

Report by Mario Doueiry, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

Hezbollah's Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has previously warned against the use of mobile phones—calling them agents of espionage and surveillance.

However, no one could have imagined the events that would follow. At that time, Hezbollah seemingly replaced cell phones with thousands of pagers, believing they were a safer means of communication, but what happened next changed everything.

A series of explosions triggered by Israel through a complex intelligence operation raised a profound question: Are we witnessing a new dimension in warfare?

In the academic world, political scientists and international relations experts have been reassessing the nature of modern conflict for several years. This new dimension includes cyber warfare, which has introduced a radically different component to global conflicts, far removed from the traditional wars that have shaped history for centuries.

With the integration of digital technology into almost every aspect of life, cyber-attacks have become strategic tools governments and organizations use to demonstrate power, destabilize adversaries, and influence public opinion. 

The current confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah offers a clear example of how the lines between traditional warfare and cyber warfare have blurred. Warring parties now face new, asymmetric, and often invisible challenges on the battlefield.

The recent attack on Lebanon's telecommunications infrastructure and Hezbollah shed light on the vulnerability of public safety, especially in densely populated areas. 

If 3,000 pagers can be detonated with the push of a button, what does that mean for smartphones and other electronic devices? 

More alarmingly, could governments or organizations use these devices to detonate explosives on planes, trains, or in large crowds?

International law stipulates the protection of civilians during wartime, but the complexity arises in the differing interpretations of who is considered a civilian. 

In an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council to address Israel's attacks on Hezbollah, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights emphasized that "war has rules." 

These rules stress the importance of distinguishing between civilians and military targets. Targeting thousands of people at once—whether they are civilians or members of armed groups—constitutes a clear violation of international law.

The challenge now is figuring out how to protect humanity from this emerging threat. 

The Israeli attack on Lebanon has demonstrated that warfare has evolved beyond physical combat. It now operates in the technological sphere, where every device we hold in our hands, which we can hardly imagine living without, can become a soldier in global conflicts.