Israeli PM claims responsibility for deadly pager attack on Hezbollah

JERUSALEM - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday officially took responsibility for a deadly attack targeting Hezbollah in September, in which thousands of handheld pagers exploded across Lebanon and Syria.

"I wanted to launch the pager operation," Netanyahu said at a weekly cabinet meeting. "They told me in the cabinet, 'Don't do it; the United States will oppose it.' I didn't listen to them."

It marks the first time an Israeli official has publicly acknowledged Israel's role in the attack, which sharply escalated cross-border hostilities between Israel and Lebanon that have persisted since October 2023.

The operation, conducted in two waves on September 17 and 18, involved the detonation of thousands of explosive-laden pagers and hundreds of walkie-talkies across Lebanon and Syria, aiming at Hezbollah members. At least 42 people were killed and more than 3,400 injured during the attack, according to Lebanese reports.

During Sunday's cabinet meeting, Netanyahu also noted that he had spoken with US President-elect Donald Trump three times in recent days.

"These were very good and important talks, aimed at further strengthening the solid alliance between Israel and the United States," Netanyahu said, adding that they "see eye to eye on the Iranian threat in all its aspects and the danger it poses."