Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu Mulls Firing Defense Minister Yoav Gallant

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly contemplating the dismissal of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, a move that could help stabilize his fragmented coalition but might spark uncertainty within Israel's defense ranks as tensions with Hezbollah escalate.

According to Israeli media reports, Netanyahu is weighing replacing Gallant with Gideon Saar, the leader of the right-wing New Hope party. An anonymous source within Netanyahu's coalition has confirmed to the New York Times that discussions about the potential change are ongoing.

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The prospect of replacing the country’s top defense official comes at a particularly sensitive time. With rising fears of a broader conflict involving Hezbollah, the Lebanese armed group has been actively firing missiles and drones into Israel in support of Hamas. This has led to retaliatory Israeli strikes into Lebanon, heightening concerns of an expanded conflict following months of violence in Gaza.

In a recent meeting held in a secure part of Israel’s military headquarters in Tel Aviv, the Israeli cabinet approved a new official war objective: to facilitate the return of tens of thousands of Israelis displaced by Hezbollah's rocket attacks. Achieving this goal would involve reducing the threat of cross-border assaults. Just hours before this decision, Gallant had told Amos Hochstein, a U.S. official mediating between Israel and Hezbollah, that "the only way left" to reach this objective was "military action."

Gallant, a 65-year-old hawkish former general and member of Netanyahu's Likud party, has had a strained relationship with the Prime Minister. Last year, Netanyahu attempted to dismiss Gallant after the defense minister publicly criticized Netanyahu's plan to overhaul Israel's judiciary, which sparked widespread protests and a general strike.

As Israel navigates these tumultuous waters, the potential shake-up at the top of the defense establishment adds another layer of uncertainty to an already volatile situation.