Israel prepares for possible ‘mass burials’ in case of war with Lebanon: Minister

Israel is preparing for possible "mass burials" in case of a large-scale war with Lebanon, the country's religious affairs minister said.

"Not everything can be said in the studios, but we are holding meetings in the office to prepare for bigger things in the north," Michael Malchieli told Israeli Channel 14 late Wednesday.

When asked about the possibility of carrying out mass burials in case of a military conflict with Lebanon, he said "yes" without elaborating.

The Israeli army said Tuesday that it approved operational plans for an offensive in Lebanon amid rising border tensions with the Lebanese group Hezbollah.

Israel has evacuated more than 120,000 Israelis from areas near the border with Lebanon and the Gaza Strip since last October.

Tensions have soared along Lebanon's border with Israel amid cross-border attacks between Hezbollah and Israeli forces as Tel Aviv pressed ahead with its deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip, which has killed nearly 37,400 people since last Oct. 7 following an attack by the Palestinian group Hamas.