Israeli ministers have escalated rhetoric against Lebanon, calling for bombing Beirut, detaining Lebanese women and occupying territory in retaliation for Hezbollah drone strikes, Anadolu Agency reports.
“We must think outside the box regarding Hezbollah, and we should also consider occupying territory and killing many terrorists,” National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said during a meeting of Israel’s Security Cabinet on Monday evening, as cited by Maariv newspaper.
Ben-Gvir also called for “arresting their women and children,” saying, “This is what hurts them most.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar accused Hezbollah of seeking to drag Israel into “a war of attrition.”
The Israeli army has mounted deadly airstrikes on Lebanon since a Hezbollah cross-border attack on March 2, killing more than 3,600 people, injuring over 11,100 and displacing more than 1 million people.
The ongoing Israeli attacks on Lebanon triggered a day of tit-for-tat strikes between Iran and Israel on Monday.
While Tehran vowed a “crushing” response if Israeli attacks on Lebanon continued, Tel Aviv said it would continue its offensive in the Arab country.
“Israel needs a lot of weapons,” Yitzhak Wasserlauf, Minister for the Development of the Periphery, the Negev, and the Galilee from the far-right Otzma Yehudit, told the meeting.
Settlement Affairs Minister Orit Strock called for occupying territory in Lebanon.
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Bombing Beirut
Israeli Minister of Culture and Sports Miki Zohar called for escalating airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburb.
“I believe the Iranians understand that entering a direct confrontation with Israel is not wise,” Zohar told Israel’s local 103 FM radio.
“The next time Hezbollah fires at Israeli towns, we will immediately attack the Dahiyeh, and the Iranians will try again, so let them try,” Zohar said.
“(Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu made clear that if Iran tries to harm us, we will destroy it completely,” he added.
“We continue to shape the Middle East as it should be,” Zohar said.
During the Cabinet meeting, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said “the fate of the Dahiyeh in Beirut is the fate of the towns of the north.”
“We categorically reject the Iranian threats, and any Iranian attempt to link Lebanon to Iran or attack Israel will be met with great force, as happened yesterday,” Katz said.
Israel occupies areas in southern Lebanon, some for decades and others seized during the previous war between 2023 and 2024. During its current offensive, Israeli forces advanced more than 10 kilometers, or about 6 miles, in their deepest incursion since Israel withdrew from southern Lebanon in 2000.
READ: Lebanon says Israel committed 3,491 ceasefire violations since 17th April
