Hezbollah chief vows to ‘confront’ Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon

By Naim Burjawi and Ahmed Asmar

BEIRUT (AA) - Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem vowed to “confront” Israel if its occupation of southern Lebanon continues.

"We adhered to the (ceasefire) agreement while the enemy violated it… and attacked people far from the border in their civilian cars and in their homes," Qassem told Al-Manar TV on Sunday evening.

"If the Israeli occupation persists, it must be confronted by the army, the people, and the resistance, while some want liberation through diplomacy," he said.

“The resistance will not stop and will not abandon its capabilities in the face of Israeli aggression and occupation," the Hezbollah leader said.

Qassem said “many details changed” following the assassination of former Hezbollah chiefs Hassan Nasrallah and Hashem Safieddine.

“We were facing a security exposure that was addressed, and an investigation was conducted to learn lessons and hold those who were negligent accountable," he added.

Nasrallah was assassinated by Israel on Sept. 27, 2024, in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut’s southern suburbs. Safieddine was also killed on Oct. 3.

A fragile ceasefire has been in place in Lebanon since Nov. 27, ending months of cross-border warfare between Israel and Hezbollah that escalated into a full-scale conflict last September.

Lebanese authorities have reported nearly 1,100 Israeli violations of the ceasefire, including the deaths of at least 85 people and injuries to more than 280 others.

Under the ceasefire deal, Israel was supposed to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon by Jan. 26, but the deadline was extended to Feb. 18 after Israel refused to comply. It still maintains a military presence at five border outposts.