In a defiant speech Sunday evening, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem said the group will not tolerate Israeli military presence or freedom of action in Lebanon, declared the 'project to eliminate Hezbollah' has failed, and vowed to begin a 'project to eliminate Israel.' He also claimed Iran has proven its control over the Middle East and closed the Strait of Hormuz for its allies. The remarks, reported by a single source, extend the bellicose rhetoric Qassem has delivered throughout the day.
In a speech reported at 20:34 Jerusalem time Sunday, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem escalated the group's rhetoric beyond the earlier line he had set, vowing to launch a 'project to eliminate Israel' and claiming that Iran had closed the Strait of Hormuz to show who controls the Middle East. The address, the fourth reported from Qassem within approximately 90 minutes, marks a sharp step up from his previous demand that Israel have no freedom of action in Lebanon — now explicitly calling for a campaign against Israel's existence.
The thread of Qassem's statements this evening began at 19:01 Jerusalem, when he first said Israel would not be allowed to retain any Lebanese territory and that any violation would be met with fire. At 19:01, a second item reported that he rejected any ceasefire granting Israel freedom of action, calling such an arrangement a 'continuation of aggression.' By 20:04, The Zioneer reported that he urged Lebanon to leverage Iran's Hormuz closure as a diplomatic tool and claimed Netanyahu would obey Trump. The new 20:34 speech widens those themes: he now adds three specific demands (no Israeli presence or freedom of action in Lebanon, and that the Lebanese delegation in Washington not act as a 'servant of Israel and America'), dismisses Syria's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa as a 'terrorist,' and claims the U.S. position in the region is finished. All reports in this thread originate from a single source; the speech has not been confirmed by additional channels.
As The Zioneer reported on June 17, Qassem had previously said Iran would reshape the regional order and that Hezbollah foiled the 'Greater Israel' project. On June 15, Hezbollah officially endorsed the reported US-Iran agreement. The background context shows the group has consistently framed the diplomatic framework as ensuring Lebanon's rights, while Tehran-linked media have warned that continued Israeli presence in Lebanon would 'kill' any understanding — as Tasnim reported June 19.
The speech remains unverified by independent sources, and it is unclear whether Qassem's reference to a 'project to eliminate Israel' signals any operational shift or is purely rhetorical. No confirmation has been received from Hezbollah's official channels beyond a desk-reviewed report.
4 developments
- DevelopingHezbollah chief Qassem accuses Israel of existential threat to Lebanon, rejects 'safe zones'
- StrongHezbollah chief Qassem: Iran ’s power will reshape regional order, Israel seeks to 'disable' Lebanon
- DevelopingQassem: Disarming Hezbollah will destroy Lebanon
- StrongHezbollah chief Qassem vows resistance until 'last Israeli leaves Lebanon'
Source and signal
- Internal intake