India, April 10 -- Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has triggered a diplomatic storm after calling Israel a "curse for humanity" over its ongoing military operations in Lebanon, drawing sharp condemnation from Israeli leaders.

In a strongly worded post on X, Asif alleged that while "peace talks are underway in Islamabad, genocide is being committed in Lebanon." He accused Israel of continuing "bloodletting unabated," adding: "Innocent citizens are being killed by Israel-first Gaza, then Iran, and now Lebanon."

In a controversial remark, he further described Israel as a "cancerous state" and expressed hope that those who created it "burn in hell," escalating tensions significantly.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu respo...