Jerusalem, May 25 -- Israel's controversial far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir demanded on Monday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu abandon restraint in Lebanon and "return to an intense war", amid its mounting tensions with Hezbollah despite ongoing diplomatic efforts tied to a possible US-Iran agreement.
Ben-Gvir, whose party remains crucial to Netanyahu's coalition survival, has repeatedly used its political leverage to push Jerusalem to adopt a more hardline stance against both Iran and Hezbollah, warning against any arrangement that could bring a lasting end to the fighting.
"It is forbidden to normalize the reality of explosive drones," Ben-Gvir said. "It is time for the prime minister to bang on Trump's table...