Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem claimed in a speech on Friday that Lebanon is engaged in what he called a “legitimate defensive battle against Israeli and American aggression" as he tried to justify his terrorist organization’s decision to join the fray following joint US-Israeli strikes in Iran.
Qassem emphasized that the rocket barrages on Israel were part of exposing Israel’s supposed plan, stressing that the debate should not focus on who initiated the conflict.
“We consider ourselves in a position of legitimate defense," he said, as quoted by the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International (LBCI).
Qassem further stated that Hezbollah is preparing for a prolonged confrontation. “They will be surprised on the battlefield, and the enemy’s threats do not frighten us," he declared.
Qassem claimed diplomatic solutions had failed to stop Israeli attacks, and he argued that resistance is the only viable option. “Otherwise Lebanon would head toward disappearance," he warned.
Addressing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Qassem dismissed his threats as “worthless," adding that Netanyahu should be concerned for himself, having led his people “to a very bad place."
Hezbollah’s leader also denied responsibility for the escalation, attributing the conflict to what he described as Israeli-American aggression. He framed Hezbollah’s actions as a response and vowed that the group would remain steadfast on the battlefield, regardless of the sacrifices, describing the confrontation as an “existential battle."
Hezbollah was to have laid down its arms as part of the US-brokered ceasefire with Israel in November of 2024.
However, the terrorist group has condemned the Lebanese government's plan to disarm it and has repeatedly vowed to keep its arms.
A Hezbollah official said in late February that the terrorist organization will not intervene if the United States carries out "limited" strikes on Iran but warned that any attack on Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei would be a "red line." Khamenei was eliminated in the first wave of US-Israeli strikes in Iran.
(Arutz Sheva-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.)