Israel far-right minister calls for return to ‘intensive’ combat in Lebanon

TEL AVIV: Israel’s far-right national security minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, called Monday for a return to “intensive” fighting in Lebanon, despite a ceasefire aimed at halting hostilities between Israeli forces and Hizbollah.

“It is time for the prime minister to take a firm stand with Donald Trump and tell him that Israel is returning to war in Lebanon,” Ben Gvir said on X.

“Electricity to Lebanon must be cut off, the Zahrani must be seized, and intensive warfare resumed,” he said, referring to a river in southern Lebanon which runs further north than current Israeli ground operations.

The latest escalation between Israel and Hizbollah followed the Lebanese group’s entry into the broader regional conflict on March 2, when it launched rockets into Israel after the killing of Iran’s supreme leader in joint US-Israeli strikes.

Israel responded with retaliatory attacks before launching a ground invasion into southern Lebanon.

Israeli forces are currently operating inside an Israeli-announced “yellow line” running around 10 kilometres (six miles) deep along Lebanon’s southern border.

Israel’s military has also been conducting heavy strikes well beyond that area despite a ceasefire supposed to be in force since April 17.

Lebanon and Israel began landmark US-brokered talks last month and are preparing for a fourth round in early June.

But Hizbollah chief Naim Qassem has opposed the talks and also refused to disarm his group, as it keeps up attacks on Israeli targets in southern Lebanon and across the border.

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المصدر: New Straits Times