Smotrich calls for war in West Bank, mirroring Gaza campaign

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, in a statement ahead of forming a new government with PM Netanyahu, explicitly called for military action in the West Bank ('Judea and Samaria') on the scale of the Gaza operation. This marks a significant escalation in rhetoric, signaling a potential shift in Israeli policy toward the West Bank. The statement is unconfirmed as official policy but reflects the hardline stance of a key coalition partner.