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Mossad Agents Behind Hezbollah Pager Operation Honored in Independence Day Torch-Lighting Ceremony
By: Fern Sidman
In a rare and emotionally charged moment, three operatives from Israel’s elite intelligence agency, the Mossad, were honored with the distinction of lighting torches during this year’s Independence Day celebrations—a solemn recognition of their role in the high-risk pager operation targeting Hezbollah, a mission that significantly disrupted one of Israel’s most dangerous enemies. As Israel National News (INN) reported on Wednesday, the identities of the agents remain classified, and all three appeared masked and referred to themselves only by initials throughout both the ceremony rehearsal and private torch-lighting event.
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Due to the massive wildfires sweeping the Jerusalem Hills, which forced the cancellation of many Independence Day events, including the iconic torch-lighting ceremony on Mount Herzl, pre-recorded video messages from the Mossad operatives were aired in place of live speeches. The footage was captured during the final general rehearsal before the fires disrupted the national celebration.
The first Mossad agent to speak during the torch-lighting ceremony delivered a stirring e message that combined personal devotion and national commitment. According to the information provided in the Israel National News report, the agent identified herself as an operational leader in the Mossad, and more poignantly, as a mother of three, including a soldier currently serving in Gaza and Lebanon—two of Israel’s most volatile front lines.
“I am an operational leader in the Mossad, a proud mother of three, including a soldier on active duty in Gaza and Lebanon, and I am lighting this torch with a sense of mission on behalf of the operational personnel of the Mossad in Israel and around the world,” she declared in her prerecorded message.
“Thanks to the initiative, sophistication, and determination that distinguish them, bold operations are carried out that have the power to break the spirit of our enemies and create a stable and strong future for the State of Israel,” she continued, according to INN.
Her remarks highlighted the often unseen sacrifices made by Mossad’s field operatives—missions that, while unacknowledged publicly, form the backbone of Israel’s proactive defense doctrine.
The second honoree was introduced as a technological leader in the Mossad, a critical yet frequently overlooked role in the modern battlefield, where cyber and tech operations are as decisive as kinetic ones. As reported by Israel National News, the agent described his family heritage and personal mission:
“I am a technological leader in the Mossad, the son of immigrants from Europe who put down roots in the Land of Israel, and I am lighting this torch with pride in honor of the technology personnel who turn imagination into reality every day,” he said.
“In their work at headquarters and in the field, they are a model of the innovation and technological power of our industries and security forces, thanks to whom we can ensure the existence and security of Israel.”
His statement was a tribute to the engineers, developers, and cyber intelligence experts within the Mossad who pioneer technologies that neutralize threats before they reach Israeli soil. According to INN, this recognition underscores how the intelligence agency’s technological capabilities have evolved into one of its most potent weapons—an edge that has allowed Israel to outmaneuver some of the world’s most sophisticated adversaries, including Iran-backed Hezbollah.
The final Mossad agent to light a torch identified herself as an intelligence officer, speaking movingly about her personal values and professional mission. As cited by Israel National News, she emphasized the moral and strategic imperative that underpins her work:
“I am an intelligence officer in the Mossad. I was raised, and I am raising my daughters, with the values of love of country and people,” she said.
“I humbly light this torch in honor of my companions, the intelligence officers who engage in research, observation, and gathering intelligence for operations. Thanks to their wisdom and dedication, we reveal the secrets of our enemies, maintain our advantage, and lead the ongoing struggle against our enemies for the security and defense of the State of Israel.”
Her tribute paid homage to the analysts and field watchers whose often-invisible labor enables Israel’s precision operations. According to INN, this includes the operatives who helped break into Hezbollah’s pager communication networks, a feat that provided Israel with a significant strategic advantage by exposing plans, personnel movements, and supply chains inside the terrorist group’s Lebanese strongholds.
While the Independence Day torch-lighting is traditionally held on Mount Herzl and broadcast live to the nation, this year’s ceremony was abruptly altered due to fast-moving wildfires in the Jerusalem region. As INN reported, the emergency forced the cancellation of the live event, and a prerecorded version of the Mossad agents’ segment—filmed during a final rehearsal—was aired instead.
The fact that the agents’ identities were concealed even from fellow honorees, with full-face masks worn at every interaction, is emblematic of the extraordinary secrecy that defines Mossad operations. Their masked appearances, captured on film and broadcast nationally, became a powerful symbol of the silent and unseen war waged every day to protect Israeli lives.
As the Israel National News report emphasized, the decision to honor Mossad agents involved in the Hezbollah pager operation is more than ceremonial. It is an unprecedented acknowledgment of the critical role played by Israel’s intelligence community, not only in counterterrorism and national defense, but in shaping the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East.
Though their names and faces remain unknown, the legacy of their work—and the impact of the operations they lead—was brought into the national consciousness during this Independence Day. Their voices, recorded in anonymity, serve as a reminder that freedom and security are upheld not only by soldiers in uniform, but also by those who operate in the shadows.
For Israel, where existential threats remain a constant, the torch-lighting of these three Mossad agents—reported in detail by Israel National News—was not just a tribute. It was a signal to the world: the protectors of the Jewish state are vigilant, courageous, and tireless, both in the light and in the dark.