Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem delivered a speech on Tuesday evening from the bunker where he is hiding, issuing a direct threat to Israel and vowing that the group will not disarm.
“Israeli strikes cannot continue indefinitely-everything has its limits. We will not give up our weapons,” Qassem declared.
The remarks were made during Hezbollah’s annual Martyrs’ Day commemorations. Qassem reaffirmed the terror group’s rejection of disarmament, despite growing pressure from the United States and Israel on the Lebanese government.
“We will not relinquish our weapons, nor will we entrust the future of our generations to arrogant powers,” he said. “It is our right to do whatever is necessary to defend our existence, our land, and our people.”
Qassem added that the ceasefire agreement between Hezbollah and Israel, signed a year ago, is limited to the area south of the Litani River.
He further claimed that the Lebanese government must act to ensure Israel’s withdrawal from five outposts in southern Lebanon “by all legitimate and available means.”
“There will be no substitute for the ceasefire agreement between Hezbollah and Israel,” Qassem warned, “as that would amount to pardoning Israeli violations.”
Lebanon’s cabinet recently tasked the army with formulating a plan for disarming Hezbollah by the end of 2025.
Qassem condemned the Lebanese government's plan to disarm the terror organization. He has repeatedly vowed that Hezbollah would keep its arms.