Netanyahu gifts golden pager to Trump in celebration of Lebanon attacks

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gifted a golden pager to US President Donald Trump, in celebration of the September 2024 attacks on Lebanon, which resulted in dozens of deaths and thousands of injuries, including both civilians and Hezbollah members.

In a statement issued Thursday, Netanyahu’s office described the attack as a "strategic operation" that demonstrated Israel's strength, technological superiority, and ingenuity against its adversaries.

"That was a great operation," Trump reportedly said to Netanyahu after receiving the morbid gift.

Netanyahu's visit to the White House this week marked his first as a state guest following Trump’s return to power. During their meeting, the two leaders discussed Middle Eastern affairs and the aftermath of the ceasefire in Gaza.

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The leaders also expressed support for relocating Palestinians out of Gaza to facilitate the reconstruction of the enclave, a proposal that was widely condemned internationally.

At least 40 people, including children, were killed, and over 3,000 wounded after a series of simultaneous explosions involving handheld pagers used by Hezbollah members occurred across Lebanon on September 17.

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Security sources in Lebanon reported that the explosions occurred in various locations, severely injuring hundreds of Hezbollah members.

Hezbollah claimed the explosions were the result of an Israeli cyber-attack aimed at disabling their communication systems, marking one of the most significant security breaches the group has faced in its protracted conflict with Israel.

On Spetember 18, walkie talkies exploded in Hezbollah's Beirut stronghold. Hezbollah blamed Israel for what it described as a "criminal aggression" targeting civilians.