Israeli official calls for escalation, says ‘all of Lebanon must burn’ amid intensifying conflict
Israel’s far-right ministers have called for an aggressive military response against Lebanon after four Israeli soldiers were killed in an overnight incident amid intensifying conflict between Israel and Lebanon.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir sparked controversy by stating that “all of Lebanon must burn,” saying that for each Israeli mother who mourns, “a thousand Lebanese mothers must weep.”
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich echoed the sentiment, urging Israel to “open the gates of hell” and intensify military action.
The harsh remarks follow increasing tensions despite an interim US-Iran agreement aimed at minimizing regional issues.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that Hezbollah would pay a “very heavy price” for the attacks and confirmed that Israeli forces would remain in southern Lebanon.
He stated the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) struck over 80 Hezbollah targets overnight, claiming lives of dozens of militants and targeting Hezbollah headquarters in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley.
Lebanese officials reported nearly 18 deaths from the strikes. Hezbollah claimed responsibility for forcing Israeli troops near the Ali al-Taher hill and said it destroyed three Israeli Merkava tanks while attacking soldiers with missiles, rockets, and artillery.
The violence has severely impacted US-Israel relations.The US President Donald Trump recently urged Netanyahu to be “more responsible” in Lebanon, issuing warning against severe military actions that harm civilians.
Several analysts warned that continued escalation may endanger diplomatic efforts to revolutionise the temporary US-Iran agreement into a lasting regional peace deal.
