JERUSALEM 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is planning to dismiss Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and replace him with Gideon Sa'ar, leader of the National Right Party, according to Israeli media on Monday.

Disagreements between Netanyahu and Gallant have surfaced over the government's approach to the growing border escalation with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon as Gallant advocates exhausting diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions, while Netanyahu is pushing for a large-scale military campaign.

“Negotiations between Netanyahu's team and Sa'ar are ongoing to replace Gallant,” the Israeli public broadcaster KAN said.

Sources in Netanyahu’s Likud Party, however, denied that any formal agreement has been reached.

Netanyahu's office issued a statement denying media reports about negotiations with Sa’ar to replace Gallant as defense minister.

Israeli Channel 12, citing unnamed sources close to Sa’ar, said, “There was nothing new in the matter."

Sa'ar, a former Likud member, founded his own party after splitting from Netanyahu in 2020 and has reemerged as a key figure in Israeli politics.

Gallant has been under fire from Netanyahu’s right-wing allies, including far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

“For many months, I have been calling on Prime Minister Netanyahu to fire Gallant, and the time has come to do so immediately. A decision must be made in the north and Gallant is not the right man to lead it,” Ben-Gvir posted on X.

The extremist minister argued that Gallant was not the right leader for military operations in Lebanon.

Sa'ar's potential entry into the Israeli government could signal new strategic approaches to both the Lebanon and Gaza conflicts.

Tensions have spiked along Lebanon's border with Israel amid cross-border attacks between Hezbollah and Israeli forces as Tel Aviv pressed ahead with an offensive against Gaza, which has killed over 41,200 people since last October following a Hamas attack.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio in Istanbul