Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday he had spoken with US President-elect Donald Trump three times in the past few days with the aim of strengthening the "strong alliance between Israel and the United States."

"These were very good and important talks," Netanyahu said in a statement. "We agree on the Iranian threat in all its components and the danger it poses. We also see the great opportunities for Israel in the area of peace and its expansion and in other areas."

Netanyahu admitted, for the first time, responsibility for the bombing of the pagers in Lebanon. He said that this operation and the assassination of Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah were launched despite the opposition of senior officials in the security establishment.

"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.