Netanyahu discusses recent calls with Trump, admits greenlighting Lebanon pager attack

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Sunday he had spoken three times with US president-elect Donald Trump over the past few days about the "Iranian threat" to Israeli security.

"In the last few days, I have spoken three times with President-elect Donald Trump... Talks designed to further tighten the strong alliance between Israel and the US," Netanyahu said, quoted in a statement issued by his office.

"We see eye to eye on the Iranian threat in every aspect," he added during a weekly cabinet meeting, according to the statement.

Netanyahu also said he had talked to Trump about "great opportunities before Israel in the field of peace and its expansion".

The United States is Israel's top ally and military backer, and the election came at a critical time for the Middle East amid wars in Gaza and Lebanon.

Analysts believe Netanyahu had hoped for a Trump return to the White House, given the longstanding personal friendship between the two as well as the former president's hawkishness on Israel's arch-foe Iran.

During his first term, Trump moved the US embassy to Jerusalem, recognised Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights and helped normalise ties between Israel and several Arab states under the so-called Abraham Accords.

Netanyahu also admitted for the first time responsibility for the pager attacks in Lebanon, saying that the operation and the assassination of Hezbollah secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah were carried out despite the opposition of senior security officials.

"Before the pager operation, they told me that the United States would oppose it, but I didn't listen," Netanyahu was quoted as saying by the state broadcaster.

According to Yedioth Ahronoth, Netanyahu meant that he was told this by dismissed Defense Minister Yoav Galant. This is the first time a senior Israeli official has publicly acknowledged the bombing of communications equipment in Lebanon.