Israeli National Security Minister Calls for Elimination of Beirut's Southern Suburb

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has declared that the southern suburb of Beirut—commonly known as the Dahieh—must be eliminated.

The statement represents a significant hardening of rhetoric from Israel's security establishment toward the Lebanese capital's Shiite-dominated neighborhood, which has long been a stronghold of Hezbollah and serves as a center for the organization's social and political infrastructure.

Ben Gvir's remarks underscore ongoing tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, which has maintained a significant military and civilian presence in the southern suburbs for decades. The neighborhood, home to hundreds of thousands of residents, has been a focal point of Israeli security concerns and has experienced military operations in previous conflicts between the two sides.