Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem on Friday claimed “victory” over Israel in the recent conflict.
Speaking in a televised address and quoted by Ynet, Qassem, who replaced Hassan Nasrallah after the latter was eliminated by Israel during Operation Northern Arrows, claimed that Hezbollah’s "divine victory" over Israel had surpassed the victory the group claimed after the 2006 Second Lebanon War.
In the remarks, Qassem reaffirmed Hezbollah’s position that it is committed to the “Palestinian cause” and said, “We repeated that we do not want war, but we are ready for one if Israel forces it upon us.”
“We are on the verge of a divine victory, greater than the victory of 2006,” he claimed, adding, “The war began with the goal of destroying Hezbollah, returning civilians to the north, and building a new Middle East. Israel expected to achieve its objectives quickly after striking our leadership and capabilities. Hezbollah managed to stand firm on the frontlines and began hitting Israel’s internal front.”
“The resistance has proven through this war that it is prepared, and Nasrallah’s plans were effective and accounted for all developments. Israel gambled on internal conflicts, but that gamble failed due to cooperation (in Lebanon, Hezbollah). The resilience of the resistance shocked the world, frightened the Israeli army, and brought despair to the enemy,” stated Qassem, according to Ynet.
Commenting on the ceasefire which went into effect on Wednesday, Qassem declared, “The agreement is under Lebanese sovereignty, and the resistance is present on the ground. We hold our heads high because we have the right to defend ourselves. One of the signs of the enemy’s defeat is that our people are returning, while settlers are not returning on the other side.”
(Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)