Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem declared Friday that the group will not disarm, claiming it 'broke the Israeli-American project' and that Israel must withdraw unconditionally from every inch of Lebanese land. Separately, a Lebanese MP claimed President Trump is prepared to talk directly to Hezbollah, an unverified report.
In new remarks circulating Friday afternoon, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem declared the group 'broke the Israeli-American project' and vowed it will not disarm, demanding an unconditional Israeli withdrawal from every inch of Lebanese soil. The statement, issued via his official channel at 11:10 Jerusalem, amplifies his earlier parallel demand Friday morning for full Israeli withdrawal by land, sea, and air — marking the second time today Qassem has publicly laid down maximalist conditions. The new vow to retain the arsenal comes amid a week-long escalation in defiant rhetoric the desk has tracked since Sunday: on Sunday evening he spoke of a 'project to eliminate Israel'; on Wednesday he rejected Israeli 'test zones'; and on Tuesday he dismissed the November 2024 ceasefire framework as collapsed. The November 2024 ceasefire agreement, which required Hezbollah to withdraw north of the Litani River and disarm, remains unimplemented in key areas as Israel continues ground operations in southern Lebanon — including advances from Haddatha toward Haris, as The Zioneer reported separately. Separately, a claim by Lebanese MP Hadi Abu Hassan that President Trump is prepared to talk directly to Hezbollah has not been independently verified and originates from a single political source. What remains unclear is whether Qassem's hardening position reflects internal consolidation ahead of any diplomatic push, or signals a deliberate rejection of the emerging U.S.-mediated framework entirely — with the regime's capacity to enforce its November 2024 commitments still untested on the ground.
3 developments
- DevelopingHezbollah chief Qassem vows to launch 'project to eliminate Israel', rejects Israeli presence in Lebanon
- StrongHezbollah chief Qassem vows resistance until 'last Israeli leaves Lebanon'
- StrongHezbollah chief Qassem reaffirms armed resistance as only path, demands full Israeli withdrawal
- DevelopingQassem: Disarming Hezbollah will destroy Lebanon
Source and signal
- Internal intake