In a televised address on Tuesday, Hezbollah’s deputy chief, Sheikh Naim Qassem, warned that a ceasefire is the only solution to the ongoing conflict with Israel, while vowing that the Iran-backed group would not be defeated.
Qassem declared that Hezbollah reserves the right to strike any location in Israel in retaliation for the Israeli military’s attacks on Lebanon, stating, “Since the Israeli enemy targeted all of Lebanon, we have the right from a defensive position to target any place, whether the center, the north, or the south.”
Addressing Israelis directly, Qassem emphasized that halting the war is in their best interest. “The solution is a ceasefire,” he said, adding, “Hezbollah will not be defeated because this is its land.” He warned that if the Israeli military continues its offensive, Hezbollah’s strikes will expand to target more areas across Israel, placing over two million people at risk.
In his third public appearance since Hezbollah’s leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on September 27, Qassem spoke defiantly, pledging to “hurt the enemy” and noted Hezbollah’s recent attacks on Haifa and its plans to strike beyond, including Tel Aviv. He linked the conflict in Lebanon to the broader Palestinian struggle and the ongoing war in Gaza.
While Israeli officials have stated that their military operations are intended to neutralize Hezbollah and restore security for displaced Israelis, Qassem portrayed the war as part of Israel’s broader ambitions to reshape the Middle East in alignment with American and Israeli interests. He called on Hezbollah supporters to remain resilient, promising that the group would “drive the enemies out of our lands.”
Qassem reiterated that Hezbollah’s push for a ceasefire should not be interpreted as a sign of weakness but rather a strategic necessity to protect Lebanon and its people from further devastation.
