Hezbollah’s Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem has dismissed an upcoming cabinet debate on the issue of illegal weapons, calling the timing “inappropriate” given the current state of conflict with Israel.
Speaking Saturday on the third day of Ashura commemorations, Qassem pushed back against growing calls for Hezbollah to disarm, questioning the logic behind such demands while Israeli attacks continue.
“Who in their right mind believes now is the time to hand over weapons while we are still in the midst of battle, and the Israeli enemy has yet to respect the ceasefire agreement?” he asked.
Qassem stressed that it is the responsibility of the Lebanese state to respond to what he described as ongoing Israeli violations targeting civilians. “This is the moment for the state to fulfill its duties. Do you think we will remain silent indefinitely? We are followers of Imam Hussein, and our motto will always be that of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah: ‘Never to humiliation.’”
Hezbollah’s chief criticized those warning against giving Israel a pretext for further aggression, arguing that Israel doesn’t need justification for its actions. “What it is doing in Palestine and Syria is proof of that. Any sign of weakness will only encourage further Israeli expansion, but not at our expense.”
The Hezbollah official reiterated the group’s readiness to return to armed confrontation if necessary, saying they’re “not weak” and “won’t be fooled by an agreement that remains unfulfilled”.
“Yes, we are capable of facing the Israeli enemy should confrontation become inevitable. We will prevail, because we are fulfilling our duty and placing our trust in God. We always emerge victorious, through triumph or martyrdom. We are the disciples of Imam Hussein, of the master of martyrs Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, and we abide by the principle: between humiliation and dignity, we choose dignity.”
Qassem also questioned the motives of those distancing themselves from Hezbollah’s stance.
“Why do some say this doesn’t concern them? Is it because they’re not being targeted, or because they’re coordinating with the enemy? Why refuse to acknowledge the deterrent role the resistance has played for years against Israel?”
According to Qassem, Israel has been planning a war on Lebanon since long before the current escalation, aiming for a large-scale offensive in September 2024.
“Their goal is to decapitate Hezbollah’s leadership through targeted assassinations and to cripple our military capabilities by striking command-and-control systems and eliminating thousands of fighters,” he claimed.
“This is their strategy to destroy Hezbollah entirely.”
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