Shafaq News- Beirut

Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem on Saturday warned that the group will respond to any Israeli violations despite the recent ceasefire, crediting Iran’s backing and pressure as a factor in forcing the truce.

In a message, he stressed that fighters remain deployed and ready, with “their hands on the trigger,” adding that “there is no ceasefire from the resistance side alone,” as he described the truce as contingent on a full and mutual halt to hostilities.

The warning follows a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel that took effect on April 16 after calls by US President Donald Trump with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The arrangement, according to the US State Department, allows Israel to act against perceived threats, while requiring Lebanon to prevent attacks by Hezbollah and non-state armed groups.

Despite the truce, Lebanese media reported continued Israeli attacks, while the Lebanese army indicated no violations by Hezbollah since the ceasefire began. Lebanese health authorities have recorded more than 2,000 deaths and 7,000 injuries from Israeli strikes since early March, including women and children.

Qassem described the ceasefire as a result of battlefield dynamics, arguing that resistance operations forced Israel to halt its offensive, as Israeli forces, in his words, failed to reach the Litani River and advance along the border despite deploying up to 100,000 troops.

He also framed Iran’s role as central to the outcome, linking the ceasefire to what he called a pressure track that included Iran’s move to close the Strait of Hormuz in response to a US breach, a step he said led to US submission and compelled Israel to halt hostilities, after which the strait was reopened. He also acknowledged Pakistan’s role in facilitating the ceasefire framework and supporting efforts to stop the fighting.

Criticism extended to a US statement issued after the ceasefire took effect, which he described as “an imposed text” and “an insult” to Lebanon’s sovereignty. He warned against a “degrading path” of direct engagement with Israel under US sponsorship, denouncing negotiations conducted under external dictates.

The leader also rejected a return to prolonged restraint while waiting for diplomacy, stating that such an approach had “achieved nothing,” referring to the period following the November 27, 2024 ceasefire, during which the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) recorded more than 10,000 Israeli violations, including near-daily strikes that killed and wounded hundreds of civilians, among them women and children.

Outlining terms for a lasting settlement, he called for a permanent halt to Israeli attacks across Lebanon by land, air, and sea; full withdrawal from occupied territories; the release of detainees; the return of displaced residents to their towns and villages; and reconstruction backed by Arab and international support under national responsibility.