The Hezbollah terrorist organization on Saturday called on Pope Leo XIV to reject what it termed Israeli "injustice and aggression" against Lebanon, issuing a message to the pontiff ahead of his arrival in Beirut this weekend, AFP reported.
In its message to the pope, Hezbollah wrote, “We in Hezbollah take advantage of the occasion of your auspicious visit to our country Lebanon to reaffirm from our side our commitment to coexistence.”
The group also declared its commitment to “standing with our army and our people to face any aggression and occupation of our land and our country,” adding that Israel’s actions amount to “unacceptable ongoing aggression.”
The statement continued, “We rely on your holiness’s stance in rejecting the injustice and aggression our nation of Lebanon is subjected to at the hands of the Zionist invaders and their supporters.”
Tensions remain high a year into a US- and French-backed ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. Israel accuses Beirut of failing to uphold its obligation to disarm Hezbollah, which is designated a terrorist organization by the US.
Israel has struck Hezbollah targets in Lebanon as the terrorist organization continues to rebuild its military infrastructure and maintain an armed presence near Israel’s northern border.
Most recently, Israel eliminated Hezbollah’s Chief of Staff, Haytham Ali Tabtabai, in a strike in Beirut.
Responding to the elimination, Hezbollah’s leader Naim Qassem declared on Friday that the terror group has the right to respond.
In a televised speech, Qassem called the killing “a blatant aggression and a heinous crime,” stressing, “We have the right to respond, and we will determine the timing for that.”
Qassem also welcomed the pope’s visit in the speech, saying he had tasked members of the group with delivering a letter to the pontiff that would also be published in the media. Qassem insisted Hezbollah has respected the ceasefire and demanded an end to Israeli strikes.
Asked about the risk of renewed war, Qassem said: “Do you expect there to be a war later? It’s possible at some point, yes, that possibility exists.”
Pope Leo is scheduled to arrive in Lebanon on Sunday after visiting Turkey, for a three-day trip that includes an open-air mass at Beirut’s waterfront expected to draw 120,000 people.