Hezbollah’s leader Naim Qassem said Sunday that attempts to disarm the terror group in Lebanon amount to an “Israeli-American plan,” accusing Israel of violating last year’s ceasefire agreement, AFP reported.
A US-backed ceasefire, reached in November 2024, ended more than a year of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah. Under the terms, the Iran-backed organization was required to disarm, beginning in areas south of the river that border Israel.
Lebanese authorities, led by Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, charged the Lebanese Armed Forces - with US support - on August 5 to devise a plan ensuring a state monopoly on arms by year’s end.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam claimed several days ago that Lebanon is close to completing the disarmament of Hezbollah south of the Litani River.
“Disarmament is an Israeli-American plan,” Qassem said on Sunday, adding, “To demand exclusive arms control while Israel is committing aggression and America is imposing its will on Lebanon, stripping it of its power, means that you are not working in Lebanon’s interest, but rather in the interest of what Israel wants.”
Qassem has condemned the Lebanese government's plan to disarm the terror organization and has repeatedly vowed that Hezbollah would keep its arms.
He said on Sunday that “the deployment of the Lebanese army south of the Litani River was required only if Israel had adhered to its commitments... to halting the aggression, withdrawing, releasing prisoners, and having reconstruction commence.”
He added, “With the Israeli enemy not implementing any of the steps of the agreement... Lebanon is no longer required to take any action on any level before the Israelis commit to what they are obligated to do.”
Since the ceasefire took effect, Hezbollah has violated it more than 1,900 times, including 350 violations that went unanswered by both the IDF and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF).
Israel has struck Hezbollah targets in Lebanon even after the ceasefire went into effect, due to the fact that the terrorist organization continues to rebuild its military infrastructure and maintain an armed presence near Israel’s northern border. On Wednesday, the IDF struck several Hezbollah launch sites in southern Lebanon, dismantling military structures and terrorist infrastructure.