Israel's security cabinet descended into infighting over how to respond to Hezbollah as the group's increasingly sophisticated drones continue to inflict losses on Israeli forces occupying parts of southern Lebanon .
A five-hour cabinet meeting saw a heated exchange between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich , according to Ynet .
Smotrich, who also holds a post in the defence ministry, reportedly demanded massive retaliation against Lebanese civilian areas, saying: "We need to bring down 10 buildings in Dahiyeh (southern Beirut) in response to every drone."
Netanyahu reportedly pushed back on the comments, questioning whether Israel should destroy buildings every time a drone attack occurs.
Israeli army chief Eyal Zamir was also reported to have advocated widening attacks to include Beirut and the southern Lebanese city of Tyre under the banner of "deterrence".
Israel's military campaign in Lebanon has caused widespread devastation across the country, particularly in Beirut's southern suburbs and southern Lebanon, where entire neighbourhoods and villages have been heavily bombed or destroyed.
Israel continues to occupy parts of southern Lebanon despite repeated Lebanese calls for withdrawal and ongoing accusations of ceasefire violations.
The cabinet dispute followed the death of another Israeli soldier after a Hezbollah drone struck an armoured personnel carrier in southern Lebanon. Another soldier was seriously wounded, according to Israeli media.
Hezbollah has killed 23 Israeli soldiers since the war erupted on 2 March, including 10 since the ceasefire began in April amid near-daily Israeli attacks and violations in Lebanon.
The Israeli military says more than 1,000 soldiers have been wounded since the start of the regional war involving Iran and Hezbollah.
Israel's occupation of parts of southern Lebanon along the so-called "yellow line" has displaced residents from numerous border villages, with Israeli forces demolishing homes and civilian infrastructure in several occupied areas.
Despite Israel’s intensive bombardment campaign, Hezbollah drones have continued penetrating Israeli air defences and reaching targets both inside occupied Lebanese territory and northern Israel.
The group’s fibre-optic guided drones have proven difficult for Israel to intercept because they are not dependent on radio signals vulnerable to electronic jamming. Hezbollah's Naim Qassem threatens Lebanese government over Israel talks Amid the ongoing conflict, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem rejected calls for the group to disarm during a speech on Sunday, warning that doing so would strip Lebanon of its ability to defend itself against Israeli attacks.
Qassem also criticised the Lebanese government's direct negotiations with Israel, describing them as politically beneficial to Israel while the war and occupation continue.
"The people have the right to take to the streets and bring down the government, in confronting the American-Israeli project," he threatened.
Meanwhile, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun renewed calls on Monday for Israel to fully withdraw from Lebanese territory during remarks marking Resistance and Liberation Day.
According to Lebanon's National News Agency, Aoun defended negotiations aimed at securing Israeli withdrawal, describing them as "a reaffirmation of Lebanon's exclusive right to protect its land, sovereignty, and authority".
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam also called for an end to the occupation, writing on X that "the holiday will only be restored on the day of Israel's complete withdrawal from our land and the return of our people to it in safety and dignity".