Finance Minister and Minister in the Defense Ministry Bezalel Smotrich said in an interview with Arutz Sheva-Israel National News that Israel’s military campaign in southern Lebanon is aimed at deepening achievements against Hezbollah and ensuring long-term security for northern communities.
“We are cleansing a security zone in Lebanon. There will be no infiltration threat, no anti-tank missile threat. We will continue striking Hezbollah and restore security to the residents of the north," Smotrich said, adding that the campaign is part of what he described as dismantling “the Iranian axis of evil over the past two and a half years."
Smotrich pointed to continued rocket fire from southern Lebanon, including incidents reported in the morning, as evidence of the need to sustain military pressure on Hezbollah. He also referenced indirect diplomatic contacts with Lebanon, saying they reinforce his long-held political outlook.
“Even the indirect negotiations that began yesterday with the Lebanese government prove that the right-wing approach over the years was correct. Peace can be achieved through strength, power and victory," he said. “Those who think peace comes through withdrawals and the defeatism of Oslo do not understand the neighborhood they live in."
Turning to Iran, Smotrich said the country had “suffered a very heavy blow," while expressing support for continued pressure.
“We hope more is still ahead. Will it surrender under economic pressure, or will we need to force it again with full strength? Time will tell," he said. He added that Israel is working to remove what he described as an existential threat from nuclear development and ballistic missiles, while dismantling regional proxy networks.
According to Smotrich, Israel’s growing military and diplomatic alignment with the US is shifting regional dynamics. “The power Israel is demonstrating, together with the US, positions us as a regional and global power. This is leading more and more countries in the region to want to get closer to us," he said, predicting future military, economic, and political alliances.
He stressed that the key issue in talks between Iran and the US is ensuring Iran does not obtain nuclear weapons. “Zero enrichment in Iran, removal of all enriched material, restrictions on missile production, and stopping funding for proxy forces," he said, adding that former U.S. President Donald Trump is committed to this position.
Smotrich also claimed that military operations against Iran had exceeded expectations.
“There was a military effort with extraordinary success, far beyond what was planned or assessed," he said. “No one thought the regime would fall during the war. The regime has taken very heavy blows across its military, internal enforcement systems, conventional and non-conventional industries, its economy and infrastructure."
He suggested further escalation remains possible: “There is still a package of severe blows we are holding back that could bring them to the ground. If negotiations do not deliver the results we want, we will have to act. All options are on the table."
Addressing a recent High Court discussion regarding National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, Smotrich said Israel is already in what he called a “deep constitutional crisis."
“The way to prevent it is not to obey a delusional, unlawful ruling with no basis," he argued. “In a democracy, the public elects a Knesset, which forms a government, and there is no grounds for intervention without a conviction."
He declared that Ben Gvir would remain in his post and warned against cooperation with any other official in the ministry. “If anyone wants funding for the police, prisons or fire services, the person I will work with is Minister Itamar Ben Gvir. No one else will get my cooperation," he said.