Israeli education minister calls for 'massive war' against Lebanon as northern schools remain shut

Israeli Education Minister Yoav Kisch told the heads of local authorities that students from northern kibbutzim will not be able to return to their schools in September and will remain in schools in other areas of Israel.

This is due to "security complexities" as Israel's clashes with Lebanon's Hezbollah are still ongoing.

Kisch said the decision to keep northern schools shut was "regrettable" and called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to "act now and strongly against the state of Lebanon".

"There is no escaping the decision to wage a massive war against Lebanon in order to restore peace and stability to the residents of the north and for the future of the State of Israel," he said.