Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged Israel orchestrated the attack, saying it was carried out despite political 'opposition.'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved pager attacks that dealt a deadly blow to the Iran-backed Lebanese armed group Hezbollah in September, Omer Dostri, spokesperson for his office, said on Monday.

A spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed for the first time that the Israeli leader gave the sign off after he claimed responsibility for the Sept. 17

PM quoted telling cabinet operation took place despite 'opposition' from senior defense officials, in dig at recently sacked defense minister Gallant The post In first, Netanyahu said to acknowledge Israel carried out pager attacks on Hezbollah appeared first on The Times of Israel.

Thousands of pagers containing explosives exploded on their Hezbollah owners across Lebanon and parts of Syria on 16 September

Israel has for the first time confirmed that it was behind the operation in September to detonate hundreds of pagers used by Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The admission comes as Israeli foreign minister Gideon Saar said there has been some progress in Lebanon ceasefire talks.

During the unprecedented pager explosions, around 40 people were killed after the hand-held devices used by Hezbollah operatives detonated two days in a row across Lebanon in September.

The attacks, carried out on September 17 and 18, targeted thousands of handheld pagers and hundreds of walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah members across Lebanon and Syria.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the first time admitted that Israel was behind the pager and walkie-talkie attacks on Hezbollah in September that left at least 39 people dead and more than 3,000 injured,