BEIRUT: Two far-right Israeli ministers on Monday called for a major escalation of military operations in Lebanon, including strikes on Beirut, in remarks that underscored growing pressure within Israel’s government to intensify a war that has already taken a heavy toll on Lebanon.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to align with US President Donald Trump and expand the offensive.

“It is time for the Prime Minister to bang on President Donald Trump’s desk and tell him that we are returning to war in Lebanon,” Ben Gvir wrote on X.

He also called for sweeping punitive measures against Lebanon, saying: “Ele­ctricity to Lebanon must be cut off, the Zahrani must be seized, and intensive warfare resumed,” referring to a river in southern Lebanon that extends beyond the current Israeli ground operations.

Ben Gvir urges return to full-scale war, calls for cuts to Lebanon’s electricity; Smotrich proposes strikes on Beirut

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich echoed the calls for escalation, advocating direct strikes on the Lebanese capital in response to Hezbollah’s ‘defensive’ drone operations.

“There is an urgent need to put an end to the threat posed by Hezbollah’s explosive drones,” Smotrich said on Telegram. “For every explosive drone, 10 buildings must fall in Beirut.”

Smotrich added that he had approved a special budget of about 2 billion Israeli shekels ($692 million) to support the development of countermeasures against drones.

The statements came as Israel’s military reported the death of another soldier in southern Lebanon.

In contrast, Lebanon has borne the brunt of the violence. The Lebanese Health Ministry says at least 3,123 people have been killed since March 2, reflecting the far greater human cost inside Lebanon as Israeli airstrikes and ground operations continue.

The latest escalation began after Hezbollah entered the broader regional conflict on March 2, launching rockets into Israel following the killing of Iran’s supreme leader in joint US-Israeli strikes. Israel responded with extensive bombardment and later launched a ground invasion into southern Lebanon.

Israeli troops are now operating within a self-declared “yellow line” extending about 10 kilometres into Lebanese territory, while air strikes have reached far beyond that line despite a ceasefire that has ostensibly been in place since April 17.

Israel’s disregard for the ceasefire has fueled further instability. Israel’s opposition leader, Yair Lapid, described the truce as a “farce”.

As political pressure for a broader offensive mounted, the Israeli military signalled imminent action on the ground. On Monday, it warned residents of ten villages in southern Lebanon to evacuate their homes in anticipation of strikes.

Published in Dawn, May 26th, 2026