Ben-Gvir's Lebanon threat.
Ben-Gvir calls for Lebanon to 'burn' after four Israeli soldiers killed, sparking criticism.
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Key Points
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Ben-Gvir’s messaging included not just “all of Lebanon must burn,” but also a harsher comparison on X: “For every tear of an Israeli mother, a thousand Lebanese mothers must weep,” adding that Israel’s stance was that “the blood of our sons and the security of our citizens are not forfeit,” which amplified backlash at home.
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The IDF said the tank-hit incident killed four soldiers total, specifying that Lt. Col. Dor Gedalia Ben Simhon (commander of the 52nd Battalion of the 401st Brigade) was killed in the fighting, while “three more soldiers were killed in the same incident” but their names “have not yet been cleared for publication.”
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Hours before the fatalities were announced, Israel reported carrying out strikes across southern Lebanon against Hezbollah targets, citing “repeated violations of the ceasefire” by the Iran-backed group—according to reporting that tied the timing of the strikes to the subsequent combat losses.
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Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA) put Friday’s strike toll at 24 killed, reporting Israeli airstrikes and artillery in the Nabatieh district including the city of Nabatieh and surrounding towns, and said post-midnight strikes hit residential areas in Al-Sharqiyah, Harouf and Kfar Sir—leaving “several people missing beneath” rubble.
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called for total destruction of Lebanon on June 19 after four Israeli soldiers were killed in southern Lebanon. "All of Lebanon must burn," he posted on X, adding: "For every tear of an Israeli mother, a thousand Lebanese mothers must weep." The soldiers died when a tank was struck near Kfar Tebnit — just hours after a landmark U.S.-Iran agreement was signed to halt military activity in the region, according to Times of Israel.
The IDF named Lt. Col. Dor Gedalia Ben Simhon, commander of the 52nd Battalion of the 401st Brigade, as one of the four killed. Three other soldiers' names remain under a gag order pending family notification. Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported 24 people killed in Friday's Israeli strikes, with residential areas in Al-Sharqiyah, Harouf, and Kfar Sir hit overnight, according to Yahoo News.
Tank Strike Near Kfar Tebnit Kills Four Soldiers
An anti-tank missile struck a tank belonging to the 401st Brigade near Kfar Tebnit at around 10:15 a.m. on June 19. The IDF confirmed all four soldiers inside were killed. Lt. Col. Ben Simhon, the battalion commander, was the only one publicly named. The Kfar Tebnit area sits between the Litani River and the Israeli border — a zone of heavy Hezbollah activity, according to The Frontier Post.
Hours before the tank strike, Israel launched what it called "preventative strikes" across the Nabatieh district, citing "repeated violations of the ceasefire" by Hezbollah. Lebanon's NNA said airstrikes and artillery hit residential areas across four towns. It reported several people were still missing under rubble. The 24 deaths recorded on Friday mark one of the deadliest single days in the region in recent weeks, according to Yahoo News.
Ben-Gvir's "Burn Lebanon" Remarks Ignite Backlash at Home
Ben-Gvir's posts went further than his earlier hawkish statements. He wrote that "the blood of our sons and the security of our citizens are not forfeit" and called Lebanon's destruction a non-negotiable response. His office issued a matching written statement. Opposition leaders called the posts "pyromania." Analysts suggested the remarks were a calculated appeal to his base amid falling poll numbers, according to Times of Israel.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu distanced himself from Ben-Gvir's rhetoric. Netanyahu said Ben-Gvir's recent conduct — including his treatment of Lebanese detainees captured in a separate incident — was "not in line with Israeli values" and could "harm the international legitimacy" of Israel's defense operations. The rebuke highlights a growing rift inside the governing coalition, according to Daily Beirut.
U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Deal Under Strain Within Hours of Signing
The Kfar Tebnit strike happened just hours after the U.S. and Iran signed an agreement meant to freeze military activity in Lebanon. Both sides and their allies were expected to stand down. Instead, Israeli forces continued strikes and suffered four combat deaths before the day was out. The agreement, meant to be a turning point for regional stability, was already showing cracks, according to The Frontier Post.
France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said Israel "must respect the cessation-of-hostilities protocol" in the new deal. He urged the United States to "apply all necessary pressure" to keep it intact. The French Foreign Ministry issued the warning as an emergency communique, just hours after Lebanon's NNA reported post-midnight strikes hitting residential zones. The EU views Ben-Gvir's remarks as a direct threat to European diplomatic efforts, according to Daily Beirut.
What Comes Next for Israel's Fractured Coalition
Ben-Gvir leads the far-right Otzma Yehudit party and has long pushed a "Total Victory" policy that rejects any ceasefire leaving Hezbollah intact. His allies, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, backed his call to "open the gates of hell" in southern Lebanon. If Netanyahu continues to sideline him from security decisions, Ben-Gvir may threaten to pull support and trigger snap elections, according to Daily Beirut.
International legal observers are already flagging Ben-Gvir's "thousand Lebanese mothers" comment as potential evidence of intent regarding civilian casualties. Meanwhile, the humanitarian toll in Nabatieh is rising fast — 24 dead in a single day, with entire neighborhoods under rubble. The U.S. now faces pressure from both France and Lebanon to act before the ceasefire deal collapses entirely, according to Yahoo News.
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