Hezbollah chief: Lebanon faces ‘dangerous, expansionist’ Israeli aggression

Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem has stressed that Lebanon is facing a “dangerous, expansionist Israeli aggression” that should be confronted “by all means.”

The Hezbollah chief made the remarks in a televised speech during a ceremony paying tribute to martyred scholars on Friday.

Qassem stressed that Israel’s actions are “expansionist”, noting that the occupying regime didn’t abide by the ceasefire agreement reached last year, although Lebanon and its resistance movements did.

The aggression doesn’t aim to disarm the resistance but to occupy Lebanon and start implementing the so-called “Greater Israel” vision, he noted. 

The so-called “Greater Israel” vision, which includes the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories as well as parts of Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon, was described by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in August as “a historical and spiritual mission.” He told Israeli media that he feels a deep connection to "this vision."

Noting that the Beirut government opted to pursue a diplomatic solution to end the Israeli aggression, Qassem stated that Hezbollah has supported efforts made by the Lebanese authorities in this regard.

However, he stressed that the US and Israel should not interfere in the country’s internal affairs, or its defense strategy.

The Hezbollah chief stated that the weapons of resistance and the country’s defensive capability to confront any aggression are a non-negotiable issue.

“We will defend ourselves, our people, and our country and are ready to sacrifice to the maximum and will not surrender,” he said.

Qassem emphasized that the resistance disarmament and any concessions made by the Lebanese government won’t satisfy Israel’s expansionist ambitions, adding that Israel must abide by the terms of the ceasefire agreement.

His remarks came as Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam in August tasked the country’s army to develop a plan to restrict weapons to the state by the end of the year, a decision that aims at disarming the Hezbollah resistance movement that has for decades defended the country from external aggression, especially from the Israeli enemy.

The Lebanese government officials also further discussed a US proposal aimed at disarming Hezbollah and endorsed its “objectives”.

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"They want to disarm [the resistance], dry up financial resources, prevent services, close schools and hospitals, prevent the reconstruction, stop donations, and demolish homes; in other words, they want to abolish our existence," Qassem said, pointing to the importance of unity among the Lebanese people to thwart the enemy’s plots.

He noted that Israel’s withdrawal from Beirut took place thanks to blows dealt to the occupying regime by the resistance.  

The Hezbollah leader urged the Lebanese government to fulfill its responsibilities, particularly in protecting the country’s sovereignty, building the country and strengthening its economy, adding that arrogant countries seek to eliminate Hezbollah because of its national project, which calls for liberation, independence, and dignity.

Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire that took effect on November 27, 2024. Under the deal, Tel Aviv was required to withdraw fully from Lebanese territory—but has kept forces stationed at five sites, in clear violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and the terms of the November 2024 agreement.

Since the implementation of the ceasefire, Israel has violated the agreement thousands of times through repeated assaults on Lebanese territory. Lebanese authorities have warned that the regime’s violations of the ceasefire threaten national stability.

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