Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday fired Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, citing what the prime minister said was a “crisis of trust” between the two men.

Foreign Minister Israel Katz will take over as Israel’s defense chief, according to a report by the Times of Israel newspaper.

Mr. Gallant was considered a political rival to Mr. Netanyahu within the Likud Party before he was picked to join the Cabinet in 2022. The firing comes as Israeli forces are engaged in shooting wars with Palestinian Hamas fighters in Gaza and Hezbollah forces in southern Lebanon, in addition to soaring tensions with regional rival Iran.

“Although in the first months of the war there was trust and there was very fruitful work, during the last months this trust cracked between me and the defense minister,” Mr. Netanyahu said in a video statement.

He accused Mr. Gallant of making statements and taking actions as defense minister that contradicted decisions made by the cabinet.

“The security of the State of Israel was and will always remain the mission of my life,” Mr. Gallant said on X after the firing was announced.