Israeli finance minister warns Egypt over Sinai in case of attack

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Monday that "there will be no Sinai if Egypt attacks Israel," during a video interview from his home ahead of Israel's upcoming parliamentary elections, referencing the ongoing regional conflicts.

Smotrich stated that what prevents Egypt from attacking Israel is its awareness that, in the event of an attack, "there will be no Sinai, at least," dismissing the likelihood of such a scenario repeating itself.

The Israeli minister added that Hamas and Lebanon's Hezbollah are "weaker than ever before," stressing that such conditions are unprecedented. Speaking about Gaza, he said: "Eighty-two percent of homes there are destroyed, and we control between 60 and 70 percent of the territory, which has become rubble," arguing that this encourages migration from Gaza.

Nevertheless, Smotrich noted the possibility of a "terrorist organization" remaining in Gaza, given that 1.8 million people have lived for years with aspirations to destroy Israel and the right of return.

Regarding Lebanon, the Israeli minister said that "the comprehensive cleansing operation above and below ground in southern Lebanon, to a very great depth, is unparalleled and will affect the security of northern residents for decades," adding that residents of southern Lebanon "have nowhere to return to," and that "the world is not stopping us."