Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid has criticized far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir for an 'unforgivable tweet' that has been interpreted as ridiculing the attack on Iran. Ben Gvir published a one-word post on X, consisting only of a slang word meaning 'lame' or 'weak,' just hours after explosions were heard in Iran on Friday.
Israel had carried out a military strike on Iran, a US official told source. Israel has not commented and Iran has not identified the source of the attack. Neither politician explicitly said that their comments referred to the attack on Iran.
Ben Gvir had previously said Israel should 'go crazy' in its response to last weekend’s Iranian drone and missile attack on Israel. Former prime minister Lapid said that Ben Gvir had 'managed to mock and shame Israel from Tehran to Washington.' 'Never before has a minister in the security cabinet done such heavy damage to the country's security, its image and its international status,' he added.
Ben Gvir's fellow hardline right-wing minister Bezalel Smotrich on Wednesday had said that Israel's response to Iran's attack should inflict a 'disproportionate toll' and 'rock Tehran' to deter Iran from future strikes. The finance minister said Israel 'should rock Tehran, so everyone there will realize they shouldn't mess with us.' 'This is the language spoken in the Middle East,' he added.
