Netanyahu criticizes US administration: Israeli Defense Minister in Washington amid Hezbollah tensions

Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

As Israelis focus on Washington, where Defense Minister Yoav Gallant is expected to make progress in negotiations with the United States regarding arms shipments, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu renewed his criticism of the US administration, accusing it of not responding to Israel's repeated requests for weapons.

In his weekly cabinet meeting, Netanyahu reiterated the points Washington aims to discuss with Gallant about ending the war in Gaza. He pre-empted the meetings by affirming his unwavering stance on achieving victory.

Gallant, who left Israel amidst sirens in the north and Hezbollah's release of a new map outlining its targets across northern Israel, announced that his meetings in Washington would be crucial for the war in the north front. He asserted that the army was fully prepared and that Israel was ready for any military operation in Lebanon.

Before his departure, Gallant emphasized that besides arms shipments, the most critical topic in his discussions would be the third phase of combat after Rafah.

On the ground, security tensions continue on the northern front with Hezbollah, which launched rockets and drones towards several areas, including Karmiel and Haifa. The army admitted to a Hezbollah drone strike on the Sahl Battalion headquarters in Beit Hillel in the Galilee, with Israeli authorities keeping the damage under wraps.

Additionally, the army acknowledged detecting a drone targeting the Rafael weapons manufacturing plant and another heading toward Krayot in the Haifa area.

Meanwhile, internal government disputes are escalating. Verbal clashes occurred between Netanyahu and Negev and Galilee Minister Yitzhak Wasserlauf after Netanyahu canceled the appointment of Avi Cohen as a project manager in the Northern Command, replacing him with former Air Force Commander, Reserve General Eliezer Marom. 

Wasserlauf considered the appointment a political and personal move. Voices were heard outside the meeting room, with reports of Netanyahu losing his temper and rejecting any minister's decision imposed on the prime minister, threatening Wasserlauf.

Simultaneously, Netanyahu refused to set a date to discuss the Northern Command's plans for operations inside Lebanon and postponed the southern and Gaza appointments until after Rafah, pending the outcomes of Gallant's meetings with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and other American officials.