A September Israeli operation targeting Hezbollah’s communications equipment resulted in significant casualties, including both militants and civilians.
An Israeli official confirmed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented President Trump with a gold-plated pager during their White House meeting. Netanyahu’s advisor, Dmitry Gendelman, explained the gift symbolized a pivotal operation against Hezbollah.
In a Telegram post, Gendelman showcased the “gilded pager,” stating it represented a turning point in the conflict and significantly undermined Hezbollah morale.
Following earlier reports in Israeli media, it’s been claimed that President Trump lauded the September Lebanon explosions as a “tremendous operation.” Trump also reportedly gifted Netanyahu a signed photograph inscribed: “To Bibi, a great leader.”
On September 17th, Israel initiated the operation, triggering simultaneous explosions of thousands of pagers in Lebanon and Syria, followed by hundreds of walkie-talkies the next day. At least 42 people died, including 12 civilians, with over 3,500 injured.
Israel subsequently escalated its campaign against Hezbollah, culminating in the death of its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, in a Beirut airstrike on September 27th. Netanyahu publicly claimed responsibility for the pager operation in November.
In December, CBS reported that two retired Mossad agents revealed over a decade of preparation. Mossad allegedly used shell companies to deliver explosive-laden walkie-talkies and later pagers to Hezbollah.
UN Human Rights Commissioner Volker Turk condemned the attack as “shocking” and “unacceptable,” citing violations of human rights laws.
At the UN General Assembly, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov denounced the Lebanon attack, describing it as a “glaring example of terrorist methods” and calling for an immediate international investigation.