Lebanon’s Hezbollah Chief Naim Qassem gives a televised speech from an unknown location in this screen grab from video.
Israeli troops “remaining on Lebanese land is impossible. There are no security zones for Israel... we have a national army which deploys, and it is responsible for preserving sovereignty, and it is who we cooperate with,” Qassem said in a televised address.
“Israel is an aggressor and must leave. America bears full responsibility,” he said, adding that “Israel will not remain in Lebanon, even if it increases its crimes, and we will defend ourselves.”
Qassem said Israeli forces continue to operate inside a so-called “security zone” around a dozen kilometres deep in southern Lebanon, where troops who invaded after war erupted on March 2 remain deployed.
Netanyahu said on Sunday that “we will remain in the security zone in southern Lebanon for as long as necessary to protect the cherished residents of the north and all the citizens of Israel... Nothing will alter that commitment.” Israel’s defence minister said separately that forces had standing orders to act against any threat encountered inside Lebanon.
The exchange came as Washington and Tehran held talks in Switzerland after signing a preliminary agreement this week aimed at ending the broader Middle East war, including a halt to Israel’s war on Lebanon.
Qassem said ongoing Israeli strikes risked derailing the deal. At least 30 people were killed on Saturday in eastern and southern Lebanon in Israeli strikes, despite a ceasefire that took effect the same day.
In response to Israel’s violations, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it was closing the Strait of Hormuz, citing Israeli “crimes” in Lebanon and reiterating that ending hostilities across all fronts is central to the agreement with Washington.
Tehran maintains that the ceasefire in Israel’s war on Lebanon must be upheld in line with the memorandum of understanding signed with Washington this week, while Israel has refused to comply.
Qassem urged Lebanese authorities to “take advantage of the path of the memorandum of understanding.”
He added: “Any ceasefire under the banner of a comprehensive cessation of hostilities -- we have already committed to this if it happens, but we will not accept any violation. We will confront any violation... we will deal with it as we see fit.”
Addressing the Lebanese government, he said: “Go and sort out your situation with Iran. America is sorting out its situation with Iran, all the Arab states are sorting out their situation with Iran.... why are you still standing still?”
“Look at the great Iran, closing the Strait of Hormuz for the sake of Lebanon. This is a weapon in your hands,” he said, urging Lebanese officials to “take up this weapon and use it.”
Under US pressure, Lebanon in April began direct talks with Israel in Washington aimed at ending the war and Israel’s occupation in southern Lebanon, and separating the conflict from the wider US-Israel war on Iran. Hezbollah has rejected the talks, a fifth round of which is due to begin next week.
*This story was edited by Ahram Online.
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