A series of explosions in Lebanon killed 39 people and hurt over 3,000. Iran's Revolutionary Guard has banned certain communication devices.
A series of explosions shook Hezbollah’s areas in Lebanon. The first attack happened on Tuesday when pager devices blew up. The next day, hundreds of walkie-talkies exploded. Sadly, these attacks killed 39 people and hurt over 3,000.
In response to these explosions, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is taking serious action. Senior Iranian officials said all members must stop using any type of communication devices, including pagers and walkie-talkies, which their allies, Hezbollah, often use.
One official revealed that the IRGC is checking all communication devices and other equipment.
Many of these devices were homemade or brought in from countries like China and Russia. The IRGC is worried about possible spies from Israel, so they are investigating high-ranking members to make sure no one is sharing information.
This investigation includes checking bank accounts and travel history for both the IRGC members and their families. This level of checking is unusual and shows how worried Iran’s leaders are.
While details about how the IRGC is currently communicating are unclear, one official mentioned that they are now using secure messaging systems. This change is meant to keep communication safe among the 190,000 members of the IRGC.
The explosions have raised concerns about the safety of Iran’s important places, especially its underground nuclear and missile sites. An Iranian official said security at these sites has increased a lot since last year.
This change came after Iranian authorities accused Israel of trying to sabotage their missile program. While Israel hasn't responded to these claims, the IRGC has stepped up security more than ever before.
The IRGC is a powerful group in Iran, acting as a strong military, political, and economic force. It has close ties to Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, and was set up after the 1979 Revolution to protect Iran’s leaders. The IRGC has its own air force, navy, and ground forces, managing Iran's important weapons.
Iran’s military has used secure communication devices for years. While the exact types of devices may differ, most of the communication equipment is made in Iran or sourced from local and foreign suppliers. The armed forces have not used pagers for over 20 years.
To reduce reliance on foreign imports, especially due to ongoing Western sanctions over its nuclear program, Iran has worked on making its own military radio systems.
However, in the past, they have also imported communication devices from countries like China, Russia, and even Japan.
The conflict between Iran and Israel has lasted for decades, with both sides accusing each other of sabotage and assassination. Tensions have increased this past year, especially after the war in Gaza began when Hamas attacked southern Israeli towns on October 7.
Both Iran and Hezbollah have blamed Israel for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Fuad Shukr, a senior military leader of Hezbollah, in Beirut. Israel admitted to killing Shukr but has not confirmed its role in Haniyeh's death.
Iran does not recognize Israel’s right to exist. Khamenei has called Israel a “cancerous tumor” that must be destroyed. Meanwhile, Israel sees Iran as a serious threat and accuses it of secretly trying to build nuclear weapons, which Iran strongly denies.