Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem issued a stern warning to Israel yesterday, promising to “confront” the latter’s occupation of southern Lebanon. During an appearance at a TV station late last night, Qassem reaffirmed the steadfastness of the resistance movement in countering Israel, in the face of a fragile ceasefire which went into effect late last November.
“We adhered to the (ceasefire) agreement while the enemy violated it… and attacked people far from the border in their civilian cars and in their homes,” Qassem said, accusing Israel of repeated breaches of the truce. He reiterated that if Israel’s occupation persists, it must be met with resistance from “the army, the people, and the resistance,” while criticizing those who advocate for liberation through diplomatic means alone.
Tensions flare in the area on the Lebanese-Israeli borders, where sporadic clashes continue despite a ceasefire introduced by an agreement last November. It was through this truce that the months of border fighting turned into a total war, especially after provocations and retaliatory strikes from both sides last September 2024. Lebanese authorities have documented nearly 1,100 Israeli violations of the ceasefire, including airstrikes and ground incursions, resulting in the deaths of at least 85 people and injuries to over 280 others.
The Hezbollah leader vowed that the resistance would not abandon its capabilities or relent in the face of what he described as ongoing Israeli aggression. Qassem himself announced the end of the resistance, pointing out that the group was strong in its resolve to stand up and defend the Lebanese territory. What he said was driven by the belief that Hezbollah as a whole is of the opinion that diplomatic talks is not the only way to safeguard the sovereignty of Lebanon considering the current Israeli military’s presence in the disputed land on the border.
Qassem also addressed internal challenges facing Hezbollah following the assassinations of two of its top leaders earlier this year. Former Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah and senior commander Hashem Safieddine were killed in separate Israeli airstrikes in Beirut’s southern suburbs on September 27 and October 3, respectively. These targeted assassinations dealt a major strike to the organization which generated worries about more destabilization inside its structures.
Qassem stated that Hezbollah dealt with a security breach after which an investigative process took place to learn from mistakes and punish responsible parties. The internal probe generated a set of findings which received no detailed description from Qassem although he indicated that Hezbollah implemented new security measures while rebuilding its leadership teams following these major losses.
The political landscape of Lebanon continues to suffer from the assassination shadows which makes divisions worse and prompts worries about upcoming violence. The citizens of Lebanon are now deeply worried about possible new conflicts because the traumatic events of the 2006 war with Israel against Hezbollah still haunt their memories. The fighting resulted in heavy death tolls and displaced populations which destroyed numerous towns in southern Lebanon so the tragedy demonstrates societal losses in conflicts like these.
Regional experts predict the present ceasefire could survive only when both parties maintain their self-control against their aggressive positions. The current situation between Israel and Hezbollah shows no prospects for withdrawal from occupied land while Hezbollah adopts an uncompromising position of resistance which threatens to trigger dangerous incidents.
The residents of Lebanon currently face a dangerous situation where a potential new conflict stands in front of their fragile dreams for peace. Qassem’s words travel throughout the nation to spur some while causing fear in others about the delicate situation in this Middle Eastern conflict zone.
