UK criticizes Israeli minister for inflammatory comments on Lebanon

British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has criticized comments made by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir on social media platform X. The remarks were posted after four Israeli soldiers were killed in a Hezbollah attack.

Ben-Gvir stated that “all of Lebanon must burn” and expressed support for the idea that Israel should not withdraw from any territory captured during conflicts. He also rejected the peace agreement between the US and Iran, stating that Israel is not subordinate to the United States. Additionally, he called for Lebanon to be “obliterated”.

In response, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described Ben-Gvir’s comments as a public statement by the Israeli National Security Minister. Araghchi also stated that the Israeli regime poses a threat to all of humanity due to its alleged interest in permanent war.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has confirmed that forcibly displaced residents of southern Lebanon will not be allowed to return home. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has made similar comments, calling for “opening the gates of hell” in Lebanon. The situation in Lebanon has been marked by ongoing displacement and violence since Israel’s offensive against Hezbollah began on March 2, 2026.

Source: Al Jazeera