Hezbollah’s Qassem Threatens Israel: “We Will Not Give Up Our Weapons”

Speaking defiantly from an underground bunker, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem on Tuesday night issued a sharp warning to Israel, asserting that his group will never lay down its arms despite mounting global pressure. “Israeli strikes cannot continue indefinitely—everything has its limits. We will not give up our weapons,” Qassem said.

His fiery address was delivered as part of Hezbollah’s annual Martyrs’ Day observance, a day the organization uses to honor its fallen fighters and rally support for its ongoing struggle against Israel. In his remarks, Qassem made clear that Hezbollah would resist all international efforts to disarm. “We will not relinquish our weapons, nor will we entrust the future of our generations to arrogant powers,” he declared. “It is our right to do whatever is necessary to defend our existence, our land, and our people.”

Qassem insisted that the existing ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel, signed a year ago, applies solely to the region south of the Litani River. He accused Israel of breaching the spirit of that agreement and demanded that the Lebanese government take immediate action to address Israeli positions along the border. The government, he said, must push for Israel’s withdrawal from five outposts in southern Lebanon “by all legitimate and available means.”

He also cautioned against any attempt to modify the current ceasefire deal, claiming such efforts would only serve to legitimize Israeli aggression. “There will be no substitute for the ceasefire agreement between Hezbollah and Israel,” Qassem warned, “as that would amount to pardoning Israeli violations.”

His remarks come amid growing pressure within Lebanon to curb Hezbollah’s military power. The Lebanese cabinet recently directed the national army to draft a plan to disarm the group by the end of 2025—a move that has drawn criticism from Hezbollah leadership. Qassem made clear in his speech that such efforts would fail, denouncing the initiative and reiterating his long-standing position that the organization will never abandon its weapons under any circumstances.

{Matzav.com}