The attacks occurred amid Israel’s expanded military campaign following the start of the Gaza war in October 2023.

They targeted Hezbollah-linked communications devices across Lebanon and resulted in mass casualties, drawing condemnation from United Nations experts.

Technology and Targeting Claims

The central claim is drawn from a newly published biography of Palantir co-founder Alex Karp, which states that Palantir software was deployed by Israel during military operations in Lebanon in 2024.

According to the book, the technology supported operations that “decimated Hezbollah’s top leadership,” including a coordinated campaign involving booby-trapped pagers and walkie-talkies.

The attacks began on 17 September 2024, when thousands of pagers belonging to Hezbollah members detonated across Lebanon.

Many of the devices displayed “error” messages and vibrated before exploding, drawing users and, in some cases, family members closer at the moment of detonation.

The following day, additional communication devices exploded, including during public funerals held for those killed on the first day.

“Operation Grim Beeper”

The book identifies the campaign as “Operation Grim Beeper,” stating that “hundreds of Hezbollah fighters were injured and maimed when their pagers and walkie-talkies exploded.”

It further notes that Israeli forces had booby-trapped the devices prior to their distribution.

In total, 42 people were killed, and thousands were wounded, with many suffering life-altering injuries to the eyes, face, and hands.

While some Israeli public figures publicly celebrated or joked about the operation, United Nations experts described the attacks as a “terrifying” violation of international law.

The criticism focused on both the method of attack and the scale of civilian harm, given that some victims were not involved in any armed activity.

Expanding Use After October 2023

According to the biography, Israel significantly deepened its reliance on Palantir technology after launching the Gaza war in October 2023.

Demand for the company’s assistance was described as so extensive that Palantir dispatched a team of engineers from London to help Israeli users get online and operational.

A July report by UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese further alleged that Palantir provided “automatic predictive policing technology,” core defense infrastructure, and its Artificial Intelligence Platform for real-time battlefield data integration and automated decision-making.

The report called on UN member states to suspend trade and investor relations with entities implicated in endangering Palestinians and urged investigations by the International Criminal Court and national courts.

Middle East Eye said it had requested comment from Palantir.