"All of Lebanon should burn," says Israeli minister

Israel's Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, from the ultra-right, stated that "all of Lebanon should burn" after a Hezbollah explosive device killed four Israeli soldiers in Lebanese territory in the early hours of this Friday (19).

"For every tear shed by an Israeli mother, a thousand Lebanese mothers should cry," said Ben Gvir on the social network X. "The whole of Lebanon should burn."

Ben Gvir has repeatedly pushed for more intense Israeli strikes in Lebanon, including against the capital, Beirut, even as US President Donald Trump has forced Israel to scale back attacks.

"With all due respect to the Americans, Israel needs to make it clear to the entire world that the blood of our children and the security of our citizens are not at stake," declared the minister.

Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who said it was a "difficult morning", also called for punitive strikes in Lebanon. "It's time to talk to fire", he wrote on the social network X. "To open the gates of hell."

Israeli forces occupy a vast swath of territory in southern Lebanon. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made clear he has no intention of withdrawing.

Iranian demand
Iran has requested assurances that hostilities in Lebanon will cease before resuming talks with the United States in Switzerland, a diplomat with knowledge of the matter told CNN.

"The Iranians have requested assurances that hostilities in Lebanon will cease as stipulated in the signed agreement," the source said, adding that "mediators are working to resolve the issue."

The diplomat described the planned talks as "temporarily suspended as a result of Israeli attacks in Lebanon", without specifying when the mediators expect to resume them.

Tensions between the US and Israel
On Thursday (18), the Vice President of the United States, JD Vance, harshly criticized Israelis who oppose the agreement with Iran, stating that American President Donald Trump is Israel's only ally, in a strong rebuke regarding the billions in military aid that the country receives from the US.

Vance defended this week's deal to end the war with Iran, criticized in the US and Israel for failing to contain Iran's missile program and offering a clear path to dismantling its nuclear facilities, while constraining Israel in its war against Hezbollah militants in Lebanon.

Trump has repeatedly criticized Israel, his longtime ally, bringing more tension to the picture nearly four months after the two countries joined together to attack Iran.

When asked at a White House press conference about a report that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was furious about the deal, Vance said he had not heard such comments from the prime minister, but criticized members of the Israeli cabinet, who, he said, criticized the deal and attacked Trump personally.

"My message to them would be twofold. First: Donald J. Trump is the only head of state in the entire world who is showing sympathy for the nation of Israel right now," the vice president told White House reporters.

"If I were in the Israeli government's cabinet, I might not have attacked the only powerful ally I have left in the entire world."

He said he would also remind these cabinet members that two-thirds of the defensive weapons that protected Israel "were manufactured by American hands and paid for with American taxpayer money."

The United States provides Israel with about $4 billion in military assistance per year. The two countries are negotiating a new aid agreement.

"The problem for Israel is not Donald J. Trump, and anyone in Israel who thinks their biggest problem is the president of the United States needs to wake up and see the reality of the situation the country finds itself in," said Vance.

Netanyahu's office and the Israeli Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Israel opposes the deal
Senior Israeli officials said anonymously that the terms of the deal were ruins for Israel because they did not address concerns about Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs, a view they said was shared by the entire Israeli leadership.

Trump tried to minimize Israel's concerns during his closing remarks on Wednesday (17), at the G7 summit in France. Netanyahu could take a "softer approach" to fighting Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, Trump said.

In his first comments since the deal, Netanyahu said at a public event that Israel values its relationship with the US but will continue to occupy southern Lebanon to ensure the safety of citizens living near Israel's northern border.

"This requires maintaining the security strip in southern Lebanon; demands that we not leave there as long as Israel's security needs require it", said Netanyahu.

Israel published on Thursday (18) a map showing an expanded military control zone in the south of Lebanese territory and stated that it would not rule out the possibility of attacks beyond it, defying the terms of the pact between the US and Iran.

New map released by Israel shows occupied Lebanon; understand | CNN PRIME TIME

Source: CNN