Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir issued a fiery statement on Friday declaring that “all of Lebanon must burn” after the military announced that four Israeli soldiers were killed in ongoing clashes.
Dismissing international pressure, Ben Gvir insisted that the security of Israeli citizens and the blood of its soldiers are not up for bargaining, explicitly noting that this holds true despite any pressure from the United States.
This sharp escalation heavily threatens a comprehensive peace agreement recently signed by the United States and Iran, which was intended to end the Middle East war on all fronts, including Lebanon.
Despite the truce, the Israeli military confirmed it launched fresh overnight strikes against Hezbollah targets and infrastructure in southern Lebanon, justifying the assault as a direct response to repeated ceasefire violations by the group.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah claimed significant battlefield successes near the strategic town of Nabatieh, stating its fighters used guided missiles to destroy three Israeli Merkava tanks.
The Iran-backed group added that heavy clashes were still ongoing after an Israeli armored and infantry platoon attempted to advance toward the northern side of the Ali Al-Taher hills. This latest round of fighting follows a devastating Thursday, where Lebanese state media reported that Israeli strikes in the south had already killed 16 people.
