Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu disclosed for the first time that he authorized an operation targeting Iran-supported Hezbollah fighters in September, which resulted in thousands of pagers and walkie-talkies exploding in Lebanon and parts of Syria, leading to numerous fatalities.

During a cabinet meeting on Sunday, Netanyahu noted that the operations, along with Israel’s assassination of Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah in an airstrike in Beirut that same month, proceeded despite some Israeli officials’ objections, according to remarks leaked to the Times of Israel.

Netanyahu’s remarks followed his dismissal of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Tuesday, which reflected ongoing disagreements regarding military strategies in Gaza and Lebanon. Netanyahu mentioned that a “crisis of trust” had arisen between them. He appointed Foreign Minister Israel Katz as Gallant’s replacement.

Gallant maintained a close relationship with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, often communicating with him. His ousting, coinciding with the day of the U.S. elections, was interpreted by some observers as Netanyahu’s attempt to eliminate dissent within his administration. One U.S. official expressed concerns over this development.

The pager attacks marked an escalation in Israel’s offensive against Hezbollah. Shortly after, Israeli airstrikes intensified, targeting Lebanese areas predominantly in southern Lebanon and the outskirts of Beirut. Israeli forces also conducted ground operations in Lebanon for the first time since 2006.

Recent Israeli strikes on Lebanon led to 53 deaths on Saturday, increasing the total death toll to 3,186, as reported by local officials.

Hezbollah has maintained almost daily rocket attacks on northern Israel for over a year, following the October 7, 2023, surprise assault by its ally Hamas, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 Israelis and left more than 200 people captured. In retaliation, Israel initiated a prolonged blockade of Gaza, causing at least 43,000 Palestinian deaths, according to figures from the Hamas-controlled health ministry, leading to a worsening humanitarian emergency in the area.

Both Hezbollah and Hamas are part of a network of Iran-supported militias identified as the “axis of resistance.”