Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem stated Friday evening that Israel's effort to eliminate Hezbollah has failed and that Israel will be forced to withdraw from every inch of Lebanese territory. The remarks, reported by Hezbollah's official channels, echo Qassem's recent series of defiant addresses rejecting ceasefire proposals and the disarmament of the group.
Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem said Friday evening that the Israeli campaign to eliminate the organization has failed and that Israel will retreat from every inch of Lebanese territory. The statement, published by Hezbollah's official media, continues a long-running rhetorical offensive by Qassem in recent weeks.
Qassem's assertion comes amid Israel's ongoing ground and air operations in southern Lebanon targeting Hezbollah positions. As The Zioneer reported on June 4, Qassem had previously rejected a ceasefire agreement with Israel, describing it as "futile, humiliating, and rejected by the Lebanese people." He has also declared any proposal to disarm Hezbollah would "destroy Lebanon" and accused Israel of an existential threat to the country.
The latest remarks come one day after an analyst Hananel Aviv warned in The Zioneer that Israel's limited-response deterrence equation against Hezbollah is failing. Unconfirmed reports from June 14 claiming Qassem had been killed — never corroborated — have now clearly been contradicted by the secretary-general's ongoing public appearances.
No additional details were provided in the single-source statement. The Security Cabinet in Israel has not responded.
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