Shafaq News/ On Wednesday, Hezbollah’s Secretary-General, Naim Qassem, affirmed his commitment to the approach of his predecessor, Hassan Nasrallah, pledging to continue implementing the war plan against Israel.
This statement marks Qassem's first public address since he assumed the position of Secretary-General of the party, succeeding Nasrallah, who was assassinated by Israel in an airstrike on the southern suburbs of Beirut on September 27.
"The Resistance Axis faces many sacrifices," Qassem stated, expressing confidence that “victory will be Hezbollah's ally.”
Qassem further expressed gratitude to the leadership of Hezbollah’s Shura Council for entrusting him with this “heavy burden,” affirming that his practical program is a continuation of Nasrallah’s approach. “We will remain committed to the path of war within the outlined developments.”
Regarding the fundamental reason for Hezbollah's presence, Qassem confirmed that "our resistance exists to liberate the land and confront the occupation [Israel] and its expansionist intentions," noting that Israel has been violating Lebanese airspace daily since 2006. "It was the resistance that expelled Israel from Lebanon before, not international resolutions, because Israel has not complied with Resolution 1701.”
“We have recorded 39,000 air and maritime violations of the resolution," he explained.
Concerning the negotiations to halt the war, Hezbollah's Secretary-General emphasized that the cornerstone of any negotiations is a ceasefire. “As of now, there are no serious negotiations that everyone agrees on,” he noted.
In this context, he confirmed the current war on Lebanon is an Israeli, American, European, and global war, aimed at eliminating the resistance in the region. However, "the legendary steadfastness of the resistance in Gaza and Lebanon,” he said, “will shape the future of our generations.”
Qassem reiterated Hezbollah's stance over the past 11 months, stating, “We do not want war, but we are ready for victory if it is imposed upon us."
Since the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza in October 2023, the Israeli-Lebanese border has seen near-daily exchanges of fire, as Hezbollah opened a “support front” for the Gaza Strip. Since September 23, Israel has significantly ramped up its operations, conducting lots of airstrikes daily on different areas across Lebanon, claiming to target “Hezbollah strongholds.”
The ongoing bombardment has killed over 2,792 people, including women and children, and injured 12,772 others, the Lebanese Health Ministry revealed.
In response, Hezbollah responds to Israeli attacks with rockets and drones, primarily targeting military installations, inflicting material and human losses.