Bezalel Smotrich Promises His Son More Destruction In Lebanon, Threatens Beirut’s Southern Suburbs

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said he promised his son there would be “more destruction” in Lebanon as Israel continued bombarding the south, according to Al Jazeera.

“Toggle Play Smotrich says he promised his son ‘more destruction’ in Lebanon Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said he promised his son there would be ‘more destruction’ in Lebanon, as Israel continues bombarding the south”

Al Jazeera

In a separate report, RFI described Smotrich threatening Beirut’s southern suburbs with “the same devastation as Gaza,” quoting him saying that “the southern suburb of Beirut will soon resemble Khan Younis.”

Al Jazeera

RFI linked the threat to an Israeli army evacuation order issued Thursday afternoon for residents of Beirut’s southern suburb, home to more than 700,000 people.

RFI also reported that the evacuation order triggered a “panicked exodus” from the Hezbollah stronghold.

The same RFI account said the southern suburb spans 20 square kilometers, larger than the capital whose area is 14 square kilometers, and that 750,000 people live there.

RFI further stated that the area is “overwhelmingly Shia Muslims,” while also including Sunnis, Palestinians, and a small Christian minority mainly on its outskirts.

In parallel, the West Asian report from عين ليبيا said Smotrich posted a photo of himself with his son, who was injured in clashes on the border with Lebanon and whose condition was described as stable.

RFI reported that Israeli strikes have already killed 102 and wounded 638 in Lebanon since Monday, citing the Lebanese Health Ministry.

It described “Monster traffic jams” forming on the highway east toward the Beqaa Valley and on the northbound one toward Mount Lebanon, with secondary arteries toward central Beirut also congested and traffic moving “at a snail's pace.”

Al-Jazeera Net

RFI said tens of thousands of families were trying to flee the region threatened by the Israelis in a chaotic scramble, with people fleeing by car, packed into vans, or on foot.

The same RFI account said the Israeli warning was unprecedented, because “never before has an entire city received such an evacuation order.”

RFI described the Israeli warning as applying to the entire southern suburb of Beirut, and said the southern suburb is one of the pro-Iranian Hezbollah strongholds where hundreds of thousands live.

The Le Club de Mediapart article added a different scale of displacement, saying that “Au Liban, il est estimé que plus de 20% de la population libanaise a aujourd’hui fui son lieu de résidence ordinaire.”

It also stated that the conflict has caused “des mort·es dans tous les pays du Proche-Orient,” and claimed that Israel and the United States’ main targets, Iran and Lebanon, have “respectivement, plus de 2000 morts” and “autour de 1500 de l’autre.”

RFI reported that Lebanese President Joseph Aoun asked French President Emmanuel Macron to intervene with Israel to prevent the bombardment of Beirut’s southern suburb after the evacuation order.

“## Market Snapshot The market for “Israel x Iran permanent peace deal by June 30, 2026” is currently priced at ## Key Takeaways – Smotrich’s remarks about increased destruction in Lebanon appear to decrease the likelihood of a permanent peace deal between Israel and Iran”

Crypto Briefing

RFI said Aoun made the request in a phone call, asking Macron “to intervene with Israel to prevent the southern suburb of Beirut from being targeted” and to provide help “to achieve a ceasefire as soon as possible,” according to a statement from the Lebanese presidency.

RFI also quoted Macron, writing on X that “everything must be done to prevent” Lebanon being “drawn back into the war,” and calling on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to “extend the war to Lebanon.”

In the same RFI account, it said Macron wanted to “draw up a plan” to “bring an end to the military operations” of Hezbollah and Israel.

RFI described Aoun’s request to Iranian officials not to “further involve Lebanon in a war that isn't theirs,” and said he called Hezbollah to “renounce its weapons” and “show that it is not a militia under foreign orders.”

The عين ليبيا report, meanwhile, described a separate escalation narrative involving Iran, stating that Iran’s IRGC intelligence agency announced an operation described as 'successful' inside Israeli territory.

It also said the IRGC confirmed the start of “a round of rapid, high-impact strikes,” targeting sites in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Beit Shemesh, as well as American bases in the region.

RFI reported that the Israeli army has carried out strikes across Lebanon, describing that “Since Thursday dawn, fighter-bombers and drones have carried out dozens of strikes on South Lebanon, Beirut's southern suburb, and the north of the Beqaa Valley.”

It said that “On the night of March 4–5, Israeli aircraft targeted an apartment in the Beddaoui Palestinian camp in the far north of Lebanon,” killing “a senior Hamas official and his wife.”

Le Club de Mediapart

RFI stated that “In mid-morning, a drone attacked a car near the town of Zahlé in the Beqaa, killing a gendarme and his nephew,” and that “A few hours earlier, another car on the road to Beirut's international airport was destroyed by a strike.”

The report also said the Israeli army on March 5 called for “immediate evacuation” of the entire southern suburb of Beirut, and described it as a Hezbollah stronghold where hundreds of thousands live.

RFI further reported that “Israeli artillery has also pounded about fifteen villages in the south,” and that the artillery fire was part of the ground operations announced.

The عين ليبيا report added a parallel border and escalation account, saying Smotrich’s son was injured “during military operations on the border with Lebanon,” and that the northern border was witnessing “ongoing military escalation between the Israeli army and Hezbollah.”

It said Channel 12 cited medical sources that his injuries are minor, that his health is good and poses no danger.

The sources present competing emphases on what is driving the escalation and how it should be understood.

RFI frames the moment around an Israeli evacuation order and Smotrich’s threat that Dahiyeh will “resemble Khan Younis,” while also reporting Lebanese and French diplomatic efforts to prevent Beirut’s southern suburb from being targeted.

Lebanon Debate

In contrast, عين ليبيا links the border clashes and Smotrich’s son’s injury to a broader regional escalation, describing IRGC actions and “a round of rapid, high-impact strikes” targeting Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Beit Shemesh, and American bases in the region.

That same report says the IRGC strike response was “in response to the killing of Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council,” and it lists missiles “Khorramshahr-4” and “Qadr” and “Emad” and “Khaybar Shekan” striking “more than 100 military and security targets.”

The Le Club de Mediapart article, written in French, argues that after “quarante jours de conflit,” Iran, the United States and Israel would have agreed on a regional ceasefire, but says “Enfin, pas au Liban selon Israël tandis que le Hezbollah dit vouloir respecter le cessez-le-feu.”

It adds that “il est bien difficile d’appréhender les tenants et les aboutissements” and claims that “l’objet de ce billet” is to look at critiques of Iran and possible applications to the United States and Israel.

Meanwhile, the Crypto Briefing source asserts that Smotrich’s remarks about “more destruction” in Lebanon “appear to decrease the likelihood of a permanent peace deal between Israel and Iran.”