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Beirut (AP), the leader of the Hezbollah group in Lebanon, warned that the group would eventually resort to other alternatives if Israeli attacks on Lebanon continue and Lebanon states did not take action to stop them.
Naim Kassem’s comments came the day after the first Israeli attack on the Lebanese capital, ending November’s latest Israeli-Hertzbola war since the ceasefire. Beirut’s strike came hours after two rockets fired from Lebanon to Israel, and Hezbollah denied the sacking.
Israeli officials did not respond immediately.
Kasem was supposed to give a speech on Friday, with Mark Jerusalem Day, usually on the last Friday of the Muslim Holy Month of Ramadan. However, it was postponed as Israel is in different parts of Lebanon, including the outskirts of the capital. Jerusalem Day is the annual international day held in 1979 by Iran’s first supreme leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, where the Iranians and many of their allies expressed support for the Palestinians.
Under a ceasefire of US agents ending the 14-month Israeli-Herra War, Israeli forces were supposed to withdraw from all Lebanon by late January, and Hezbollah must end armed forces south of the Litani River on the border with Israel.
The deadline has been extended to February 18, but Israel remains at five border locations, while dozens of strikes were launched on Hezbollah targets in southern and eastern Lebanon. Last week, Israeli air strikes at several sites in Lebanon killed six people, while an air strike in a southern village on Friday killed three people, mostly women and children.
“We comply with each other, we have no presence in southern Litani, but Israel does not comply. Israel is invading every day,” Kasem said in a televised speech on Saturday night.
“These (Israel strikes) are not illegal. It is aggressiveness that transcends all restrictions,” Kassem added. He said Israel appears to be putting pressure on Lebanon to normalize its relations with it and Hezbollah rejects it altogether.
“Israel will not get a goal that cannot be achieved in peacetime wars,” he said. “Let everyone know that this resistance (Hezbollah) is ready and is also committed to the agreement.”
But Kasem warned that if Israel does not comply with the deal and the Lebanese state cannot impose the deal through political means, then we will have to resort to other alternatives. “Obviously, Hezbollah may resort to weapons to fight Israeli forces within Lebanon.
“We will not allow anyone to deprive us of our strength and ability to face this enemy,” Kasem said, adding that Hezbollah “is not weak in facing the United States and Israel.”
“So far, our patience is designed to provide opportunities for solutions that may mitigate pain and casualties,” Kasem said.
Hezbollah began launching rockets, drones and missiles on October 7, 2023 on the second day of the attack on Israel by Hamas allies who attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, which inspired the war in Gaza. Palestinian militants killed about 1,200 people and kidnapped 251 in Israel in the 2023 attacks.
Last September, Israel’s conflict explosion struck a full-scale war, when Israel carried out air strikes and killed senior leaders of most militant groups. The battle killed more than 4,000 people in Lebanon and displaced about 60,000 Israelis.
Bassem Mroue, Associated Press
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