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.

Israeli strikes killed dozens of people including children on Sunday in Lebanon and isolated northern Gaza, as the world watched for signs of how the U.S. election might affect the wars between Israel and Iranian-backed militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah.

"Netanyahu confirmed Sunday that he greenlighted the pager operation in Lebanon," spokesperson Omer Dostri told AFP.

Benjamin Netanyahu says he and Donald Trump "see eye to eye" on Iran. Israel's prime minister said he has spoken to the US president-elect three times since the election with the aim of tightening the alliance between their nations.