Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel (Yoel) Smotrich has called for expanding the borders of the Jewish state to include Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria.

"There will be a political leg in Gaza that will expand our [i.e. Israel’s] borders, there will be a conclusive political leg in Lebanon that will expand our borders to the Litani [River] on defensible borders, and there will be a conclusive political leg in Syria with the Hermon Crown and the buffer zone at least," Smotrich said, Ynet reports.

The same day, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the Israeli government to begin direct talks with Lebanon. They could begin as early as next week, according to Axios. The main goals of this dialogue are the disarmament of the Lebanese Hezbollah group and the establishment of peace between the two countries.