Hezbollah’s Deputy Secretary-General Naim Qassem on Tuesday reiterated the organization’s unwavering support for Hamas, inching perilously close to declaring full-scale war against Israel.
Qassem, in his third public address since the elimination of Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah, staunchly rejected calls to separate a ceasefire in Lebanon from the situation in Gaza. This marks a significant shift from his previous stance, which had been interpreted as a softening of Hezbollah’s position.
“We insisted on the demand for a ceasefire in Gaza—and we did not agree to their request to separate Lebanon from Gaza,” Qassem declared, dismissing international pressure to de-escalate the conflict along the Israel-Lebanon border.
He went on to state that, “The longer the war continues, the more displacement there will be from Israeli settlements,” adding that Hezbollah has “restored our capabilities on the ground” despite suffering heavy losses.
In a move that could further inflame regional tensions, Qassem praised Iran’s support for the Palestinian cause, framing it as a source of pride for the Islamic Republic. He accused Israel of targeting civilians while claiming Hezbollah’s attacks were focused solely on military targets.
The Lebanese terrorist organization’s statement, which opened with a verse from the Koran sanctioning armed struggle, has been interpreted by some observers, including reporters from Qatar’s Al Jazeera, as potentially amounting to a formal declaration of war against Israel.
