2025-05-25T21:14:51+00:00

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Shafaq News/ On Sunday, Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh
Naim Qassem reaffirmed that armed resistance remains Lebanon’s only viable
response to Israeli aggression.

Speaking on the occasion of Resistance and Liberation Day,
Qassem said Hezbollah emerged in direct response to Israel’s occupation of
Palestine and repeated assaults on Lebanon and the region. He emphasized that
the movement was born out of necessity, especially as the Lebanese army lacked
the capability to counter Israeli aggression amid international backing for
Israel.

“Even after Israel withdrew from most Lebanese territory in
1985, it retained until the year 2000 a 1,100-square-kilometer strip in the
south—amounting to 55% of southern Lebanon and 11% of the country’s total area,”
Qassem pointed out.

Regarding the ceasefire agreement, Hezbollah’s SG noted that
the group has abided by the indirect ceasefire agreement with Israel, even as
Israeli forces committed over 3,300 violations, urging the Lebanese government
to adopt stronger diplomatic stances at both domestic and international levels.

“Failure to confront the aggression could push Hezbollah to
consider alternative courses of action. We give the state time to act, but we
are prepared for all scenarios,” Qassem affirmed.

He accused the US of “interfering in Lebanese sovereignty
and pressuring national leaders to accept Israeli conditions,” placing full
responsibility for the ongoing violence on Washington for enabling Israeli
attacks in Lebanon, Gaza, and beyond.

He asserted that Lebanon faces a binary choice: “victory or
martyrdom,” and rejected any form of submission or threat.

In a pointed message to US President Donald Trump, Qassem
urged him to “seize the opportunity of a lifetime” to break free from Israeli
influence, warning that continued American backing for Israel undermines
regional stability.

“Either Lebanon as a whole enjoys stability, or none of it
does,” Hezbollah’s leader added, emphasizing the need for unified national
action.

Qassem concluded by calling on the Lebanese government to
accelerate post-war reconstruction efforts. He advocated for launching a
national reconstruction fund, highlighting expressions of support from
countries such as Iraq and Iran, which he said are ready to assist once Lebanon
takes the initiative.