Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has publicly broken with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the government’s latest war plan, saying he has “lost faith” in the premier’s ability or willingness to lead the Israel Defense Forces to a decisive victory in Gaza. Speaking after the security cabinet endorsed Netanyahu’s proposal for a phased military occupation of Gaza City, Smotrich told fellow ministers his conscience would not allow him to support an operation he regards as insufficient, accusing the prime minister of seeking only limited pressure on Hamas rather than its outright defeat. Smotrich, a key figure in the ruling right-wing coalition, demanded a wider campaign that would include the annexation of large parts of the Gaza Strip and the destruction of Hamas’s military and political infrastructure. He warned that unless Netanyahu convenes a new cabinet session to adopt a more comprehensive offensive, he is prepared to help bring down the government and force new elections. The dispute exposes deepening fissures within the coalition just weeks after it backed Netanyahu’s plan, which was opposed by Israel’s chief of staff and has drawn criticism from former national-security officials and several media outlets.