Why it matters:
The statements highlight escalating tensions that could complicate ceasefire efforts and regional diplomacy.
The big picture:
Qassem’s remarks reflect Hezbollah’s narrative that Lebanon is under dual pressure: Israeli military actions and U.S. economic influence. By framing these as existential threats, Hezbollah seeks to rally domestic support and resist illegal demands for disarmament or political concessions.
What he's saying:
Sheikh Naim Qassem: “We do not accept that a single inch of Lebanon be taken away. Lebanon must remain free, dignified, and independent.”
He described current events as “blatant and preemptive aggression aimed at controlling Lebanon and stripping it of all its sources of power—military, economic, and political.”
Qassem condemned Israeli attacks on UNIFIL peacekeepers, the Lebanese army, and civilians, saying they prove Lebanon faces “an aggression that must be confronted and stopped.”
He rejected proposals such as exclusive disarmament, deployment south of the Litani River, or acceptance of negotiation frameworks, calling them “concessions.”
Hezbollah leader blamed U.S. policies for Lebanon’s financial collapse, stating, “If you want to know the source of Lebanon’s calamities, look for America.”
He warned that “American tutelage over Lebanon is a very serious danger” that does not serve the country’s stability.
Sheikh Naim Qassem urged the Lebanese government, the central bank governor, and political actors to stop measures that “pressure not only Hezbollah and its supporters, but all Lebanese people,” and called for an end to parliamentary obstruction.
Go deeper:
Israeli Strikes Escalate in Southern Lebanon, Fueling Fires and Tensions
Hossein Amiri - seyed mohammad kazemi
