Hezbollah’s deputy leader, Naim Qassem, issued a stark warning to Israel on Tuesday, threatening missile attacks if Israel restarts a broad military conflict against Lebanon. Speaking in a televised address, Qassem declared that Hezbollah, alongside Lebanon’s army and people, would fiercely defend the country against any “large-scale aggression.”
“This defence will lead to missiles falling inside the Israeli entity, and all the security they have built over eight months will collapse within an hour,” Qassem said, marking the group’s first direct threat to Israel in months.
The comments coincide with a high-stakes meeting of Lebanon’s cabinet, convened to discuss the future of Hezbollah’s vast arsenal. The session comes amid mounting US pressure on Beirut to commit publicly to disarming the Iran-backed militia, seen as a prerequisite for halting Israeli strikes and advancing peace talks.
War Toll and Hezbollah’s Readiness
Qassem revealed the first official figures on casualties suffered by Hezbollah during last year’s conflict with Israel, stating that 5,000 fighters were killed and 13,000 wounded. The November ceasefire, brokered by the United States, ended months of intense fighting that decimated much of Hezbollah’s leadership and weaponry.
Despite these losses, Qassem asserted that Hezbollah remains battle-ready and united, with fighters prepared to make “the harshest sacrifices” if conflict resumes.
Minutes after Qassem’s speech, dozens of men on motorcycles bearing Hezbollah’s yellow flags were seen rallying in the group’s strongholds in Beirut’s southern suburbs for the second consecutive day, signaling ongoing mobilization.
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Pushback Against US Demands
Since June, Washington and Beirut have negotiated a roadmap requiring Hezbollah’s full disarmament in exchange for halting Israeli military strikes, the withdrawal of Israeli troops occupying parts of southern Lebanon, and financial aid to rebuild war-torn areas.
However, Hezbollah and its supporters’ resistance has caused progress to stop. US officials have grown increasingly frustrated, urging Lebanese ministers to make a firm public commitment to disarmament as a condition for continued dialogue.
These demands were rejected by Qassem, who insisted that before talks about Hezbollah’s weapons could begin, Israel must completely execute the ceasefire by stopping all military operations.
“Solve the problem of the (Israeli) aggression, and then we will discuss the issue of the weapons,” he said.
Additionally, he warned Lebanese authorities not to give in to outside pressure, saying, “I hope you don’t waste time on storms that are triggered by outside forces.”
The standoff highlights the fragile balance in Lebanon and the broader Middle East, where Hezbollah’s armed presence remains a critical point of tension. The road forward is unclear as the US seeks stability through disarmament and Israel fears a resumption of warfare.
