Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly confirmed for the first time that Israel was behind an operation in September that caused the simultaneous explosion of hundreds of pagers across Lebanon used primarily by the militant group Hezbollah. According to local Israeli media, Netanyahu told his cabinet that the “pager operation and the attempt to eliminate [Hezbollah leader Hassan] Nasrallah were initiated despite opposition from senior security officials and relevant political circles.” This suggests internal conflicts and disagreements within the government at the time of the operation.
In an interview with CNN, an Israeli official mentioned that this is the first time Israel has acknowledged its role in the pager explosions. CNN analyzed that Netanyahu’s briefing to the media and his acknowledgment of Israel’s involvement likely stem from political calculations amid ongoing political turmoil and conspiracy within Israel. The government is facing several criminal investigations, including allegations of leaking forged intelligence reports to international media, which the Prime Minister’s office denies.
Israeli media interpreted Netanyahu’s comments as a criticism of Israel’s military leadership, intelligence agencies, and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, whom Netanyahu recently dismissed. Gallant, a former Southern Commander of the Israeli military, had clashed with Netanyahu multiple times over prioritizing hostage lives and opposing military presence in the “Philadelphi Corridor” buffer zone along the Egypt-Gaza border during the Gaza war, which he led for 13 months from October 7 last year following Hamas’s surprise attack on Israel.
On the day after the pager explosions, Gallant appeared to acknowledge Israel’s role when he visited the Ramat David Airbase in northern Israel. He remarked, “The Israel Defense Forces (IDF), with the collaboration of Shin Bet and Mossad, achieved very impressive results with all the frameworks and institutions involved.”
Additionally, Netanyahu admitted to having three phone conversations with then-President-elect Donald Trump ahead of a cabinet meeting acknowledging the pager attack. He described the discussions as “very excellent and very important conversations” aimed at strengthening the steadfast alliance between Israel and the United States. He emphasized shared views on the Iranian threat, noting that it poses a joint danger to both Israel and the U.S. Furthermore, Netanyahu expressed the desire to enhance relations with the U.S., noting opportunities for peace, expansion, and other fields ahead for Israel.
Netanyahu also mentioned the recent attack on Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam by saying, “We will never tolerate the repetition of horrific events in history,” and “We will never succumb to anti-Semitism and terrorism.” Following the Amsterdam incident, Israel advised its citizens not to attend sports and cultural events involving Israelis abroad.