Netanyahu admits he ‘okayed’ Lebanon pager blasts; talked to US President-elect Trump thrice on Iran threat

Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has accepted that he had "okayed" the recent pager attacks in Lebanon, which reportedly killed around 40 and injured 3,000 Hezbollah members in September.

"Netanyahu confirmed Sunday that he greenlighted the pager operation in Lebanon," spokesperson Omer Dostri told AFP.

The attacks happened on September 17, involving pager explosions in Hezbollah-controlled areas for two consecutive days. Iran and Hezbollah have accused Israel of orchestrating the blasts, setting off explosions in pagers that Hezbollah members used as a discreet communication method to avoid Israeli surveillance.

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The strikes were conducted shortly after Israel declared its intent to expand its military efforts against Hezbollah along the Lebanon border.

Lebanon has lodged a formal complaint with the United Nations Labour Agency, condemning the incident as an “egregious war against humanity.”

Netanyahu says has spoken with Trump thrice in past  few days, discussed Iran threat

In a separate development, Netanyahu mentioned on Sunday that he has had three recent conversations with US President-elect Donald Trump. These talks, according to Netanyahu, aim to reinforce US-Israel relations.

"These were very good and important conversations. We see eye to eye on the Iranian threat in all its components, and the danger it poses. We also see the great opportunities that Israel faces, in the field of peace and its expansion, and in other areas," Netanyahu stated.

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Following Trump’s election, Netanyahu is believed to be the foreign leader with whom Trump has spoken most frequently, possibly engaging in multiple calls since the election results.

Meanwhile, Israeli President Isaac Herzog is scheduled to meet with US President Joe Biden at the White House on Tuesday. According to US and Israeli officials, the discussions will focus on the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, with Biden aiming to use his remaining time in office to work for a ceasefire in Lebanon and negotiate a hostage release agreement in Gaza.

(With inputs from agencies)