Security
05:54 PM | 25 May 2026
“To bring down 10 buildings for every drone.” Smotrich calls for an attack on Beirut
Fady Mahouly
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resume the bombing of Beirut in response to the increase in explosive drone attacks launched by Hezbollah on Israeli forces and towns in northern Israel.
Smotrich's statements came after an Israeli soldier was killed in a Hezbollah drone attack yesterday, Sunday.
Israeli media reported that Smotrich made similar statements during a meeting of the mini-security cabinet yesterday, Sunday.
Smotrich said in a statement: “The explosive drones that harm our fighters are not an inevitable fate... For every explosive drone, 10 buildings must fall in Beirut.”
Israeli media reported that Netanyahu rejected Smotrich's demands and preferred to take defensive measures, according to what Reuters reported.
On the other hand, another extremist nationalist minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, said that Israel should not accept the reality of using explosive drones.
He added: "It is time for the Prime Minister to inform President Donald Trump that we will return to war in Lebanon."