JERUSALEM

Israel's Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich threatened on Thursday to intensify bombardment of Beirut’s southern suburbs until they resemble the city of Khan Younis in southern Gaza.

The far-right minister made the threat during a field tour along Israel’s border with Lebanon, including the towns of Ma’alot, Shlomi, and Zar’it, according to the Israeli news portal Walla.

Khan Younis was almost completely destroyed during Israel’s two-year war that has killed more than 72,000 Palestinians, injured over 172,000 others and caused massive damage to 90% of civilian infrastructure, with reconstruction costs estimated by the UN at around $70 billion.

Smotrich said the Lebanese group Hezbollah "made a mistake and will pay a heavy price,” referring to the group’s attacks in retaliation for Israel’s expanded shelling of southern Lebanon in recent days.

At least 102 people were killed and nearly 650 injured in Israeli attacks across Lebanon, including southern Beirut, since Monday, following Hezbollah rocket fire, according to Lebanese heatlh authorities.

The escalation came amid an ongoing US-Israeli attacks on Iran, Hezbollah’s ally, killing at least 926 people since Saturday, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and top military officials.

*Writing by Serdar Dincel