Public spat highlights cracks in Netanyahu’s coalition as Israel braces for feared Iran attack

JERUSALEM (AP) — Cracks are widening in a public tiff between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his defense minister. The latest spat shows growing discontent with Netanyahu’s handling of the war at a sensitive time. Israel is bracing for Iranian retaliation after a blast in Tehran killed Hamas’ leader. Iran blames that attack on Israel. And a new round of cease-fire negotiations between Israel and Hamas is set to begin later this week. Israeli media reported Monday that Defense Minister Yoav Gallant condemned Netanyahu’s “nonsense about ‘total victory.’” That’s a phrase the prime minister has repeated during the 10-month-old war in Gaza. The comments were apparently made during a closed-door parliamentary hearing.