Smotrich reportedly proposes attacking 20-30 buildings in Dahiyeh for every Iranian missile

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has reportedly proposed a retaliatory strategy to the Security Cabinet: for every Iranian missile launched at Israel, Israel should strike 20 to 30 buildings in Dahiyeh, a suburb south of Beirut with a strong Hezbollah presence. This proposal emerged following Iran's missile launches towards Israel on Sunday evening, which were reportedly triggered by an IDF strike in Dahiyeh the previous day.

The underlying logic of Smotrich's plan is to affect Iran's strategic calculations concerning its ties with Lebanon. By inflicting significant damage, such as destroying 1,000 to 2,000 buildings in Dahiyeh, Israel could establish a strong deterrent for years to come within Lebanon. Smotrich believes this approach would be a more efficient use of resources compared to a direct, long-range exchange of fire with Iran.

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An exchange of fire between Iran and Israel is a more challenging response that requires a 3-4 hour flight, which is a waste of capacity on a relatively 'small' event.

Smotrich argued that a direct response to Iran involves a lengthy flight time, consuming capacity on what he termed a relatively "small" event. He suggested that targeting Hezbollah in Beirut offers a more immediate and "creative response" within a five-minute timeframe. This proposal highlights a strategic debate within Israel on how best to respond to Iranian aggression, balancing direct confrontation with more localized, impactful strikes against Iranian proxies.

The IDF did strike Dahiyeh on Sunday, an action that Iran apparently used as a justification to commence its missile launches. The suburb is known for its significant Hezbollah presence, making it a strategic target in the ongoing regional tensions.

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Instead, you have five minutes to respond against Hezbollah targets in Beirut in what would be a 'creative response.'