The US president has reportedly described the Israeli sabotage operation in Lebanon as a “tremendous operation”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave US President Donald Trump a gold-plated pager and a standard one during their meeting at the White House in Washington, DC on Tuesday, according to Israeli media. The gift is an apparent reference to Israel’s covert sabotage operation in Lebanon.
Trump reacted to Netanyahu’s gift by calling the Israeli attacks a “tremendous operation,” media reports claimed. In return, he gave Netanyahu a signed photograph of their meeting, with the message: “To Bibi, a great leader.”
Thousands of pagers, primarily used by Hezbollah militants, exploded simultaneously in Lebanon and parts of Syria on September 17. The following day, hundreds of walkie-talkies detonated in a similar wave of blasts. The attacks reportedly resulted in at least 42 fatalities, including 12 civilians – and injured over 3,500, including women and children.
The operation was widely attributed to Israeli intelligence agency Mossad and perceived as a preemptive strike. In the aftermath, Israel intensified its military campaign in Lebanon, culminating in the assassination of long-time Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in a September 27 airstrike on Beirut.
In November, Netanyahu publicly acknowledged for the first time that Israeli intelligence was behind the sabotage. His spokesperson later confirmed that the prime minister had personally approved the pager operation.
Netanyahu is the first foreign leader to visit the White House since Trump’s return to office. Their discussions focused on Middle Eastern affairs, including the state of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom quoted a diplomatic source at the meeting as saying: “The relationship between Netanyahu and Trump has never been stronger or closer.”
At a joint press conference following the talks, Trump announced plans for the US to assume control of the enclave and rebuild it. He also reiterated his position that Palestinians should be resettled outside of Gaza. Netanyahu responded positively to the proposal, describing it as a potentially historic move.
READ MORE: Trump announces he wants US to ‘own’ Gaza: As it happened
Trump’s declaration triggered global condemnation, including by Germany, China, Iran, Türkiye, and Saudi Arabia, with human rights groups describing the plan as ethnic cleansing. The UN human rights office said on Wednesday that any forcible transfer in or deportation of people from occupied territory is a violation of international law.
