Israel's finance minister demands annexing southern Lebanon after deadly strikes, escalating conflict with Hezbollah.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has called for annexing southern Lebanon up to the Litani River, advocating for a permanent border shift during an intensified military campaign against Hezbollah. The offensive, launched after Hezbollah's March 2 missile attacks, has prompted mass evacuations, destroyed infrastructure, and displaced over a million people, with Lebanese officials reporting more than 1,000 deaths. Smotrich’s remarks represent the clearest public endorsement by a senior Israeli official of territorial expansion, though Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office has not commented. Israel has conducted widespread airstrikes and ground operations, while Lebanon seeks international pressure to halt the violence. The UN and human rights groups have criticized Israel’s targeting of civilian infrastructure and evacuation orders.