Hezbollah's Naim Qassem Issues Warning to Israel Over Ceasefire Agreement

Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem has sent a message to Israel regarding the 60-day ceasefire deal with Lebanon, warning that "our patience may run out before the end." He also declared that Hezbollah's "resistance" is not just a military strategy but a comprehensive cultural, religious, political, and jihadi choice. He reaffirmed that "choosing resistance" is integral to liberating the land, supporting Palestine, and confronting what he called Israel's "expansionist occupation."

Qassem made it clear that Hezbollah's leadership holds full control over when, how, and with what means they "resist Israeli actions." He stressed that there is no fixed timetable for "resistance" and the 60-day period in the ceasefire agreement is merely an opportunity for Israel to avoid violating the terms. However, he warned that Hezbollah will not hesitate to act if the agreement is violated or if Israel's provocations continue.

"The leadership of the resistance are the ones who decide when to resist, how to resist, the method of resistance, and the weapons they use," Qassem declared.

In this context, it is important to clarify that the IDF estimates it has captured or destroyed over 80% of the weapons arsenal Hezbollah held prior to the start of this war.

Nevertheless, Qassem went on to make a reference to the 1982 Lebanon War, during which Israeli forces reached Beirut within days. He compared that to Israel's more recent military operations, claiming that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) were unable to penetrate Lebanese territory as deeply as in the past, even with the use of five divisions and 72,000 soldiers.

Once again, it is important to clarify that Israeli officials said since the beginning of the IDF's ground incursion into Lebanon that there was no intention of advancing north of the Litani River.

Nevertheless, Qassem celebrated what he characterized as Hezbollah's "resilience," asserting that the group’s "strong resistance capabilities" have disrupted Israel's objectives and broken the "backbone" of its military efforts. He acknowledged the heavy military toll Hezbollah has sustained but asserted that these sacrifices have been necessary to maintain honor and "prevent Israeli occupation."

Qassem even went so far as to declare that the group’s military capabilities remain significant and that it was actually Israel which was forced to agree to a ceasefire because Hezbollah had been so effective at pushing back against the IDF's incursion into southern Lebanon.

"The resistance will continue," Qassem affirmed, signaling that Hezbollah will not back down from its ideological and military goals.

In related news, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which has for years ignored Hezbollah's construction of military infrastructure within meters of UNIFIL bases and observation posts in recent years, issued a statement this week condemning the IDF for knocking over a blue barrel placed by the UN to mark the border between Israel and Lebanon. The UNIFIL report also accused the IDF of damaging an observation tower belonging to the Lebanese Armed Forces.

The UNIFIL statement condemned the IDF and characterized these incidents as a "flagrant violation" of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 and international law.