Hezbollah Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem called on Lebanon’s political authority to halt “gratuitous concessions,” urging dialogue with the resistance, national unity, and a commitment to national sovereignty until the Israeli enemy withdraws from occupied Lebanese territories.
Speaking during the Arbaeen commemoration of Imam Hussein (AS) in Baalbek, Qassem criticized the approach of direct talks with the Israeli enemy amid ongoing occupation and attacks in southern Lebanon.
“Direct negotiations have yielded nothing but shame, humiliation, and repeated disappointment for Lebanon, marked by a series of successive concessions.”
He questioned whether the destruction in southern Lebanon was not enough to prompt a firmer stance against Israeli actions.
“Shouldn’t the systematic destruction of villages and towns in the south, most recently the use of this 700-ton bomb, be enough to make the political establishment say: We do not want dialogue with the Israeli entity?” his eminence said, referring to an unprecedented Israeli demolition operation that employed 700 tons of explosives in the southern Lebanese area of Shaqeef last week.
Israeli forces carried out unprecedented bombardment in southern Lebanon, triggering a series of powerful explosions that residents said were unlike anything heard in recent years.
— Al-Manar English (@manarenglish) July 31, 2026
Israeli PM Netanyahu and DM Katz said 700 tons of explosives were used in the bombardment. pic.twitter.com/dNEYYw1DLR
“The political authority in Lebanon must place national sovereignty at the forefront by strengthening the army, ensuring enemy withdrawal, advancing reconstruction, uncovering truth behind Beirut Port explosion, and restoring depositors’ funds.”
Sheikh Qassem argued that Lebanon’s sovereignty requires confronting Israeli aggression and US involvement, saying that “the Americans are complicit” and calling on the political authority to rejects external pressure.
Resistance with Karbala Spirit
The Hezbollah S.G. said the path of the memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States was what would secure a ceasefire, crediting the Lebanese resistance’s battlefield steadfastness and its supporters for preventing the Israeli enemy from achieving its objectives.
“Had it not been for the steadfastness of the resistance on the ground and the people rallying around it, nothing would have been achieved, the enemy’s momentum would not have been broken, and there would be no hope of achieving withdrawal in the near future,” he said.
He stressed that “the enemy’s only option is complete withdrawal,” adding that Hezbollah supports the deployment of the Lebanese Army south of the Litani River and would assist in that process.
“Israeli enemy’s only option is withdrawal and it will ultimately withdraw, we support Lebanese Army deployment south of Litani River.”
“The resistance will continue as long as the occupation exists. We will defend our land, our rights, and our homeland with the spirit of Karbala,” Sheikh Qassem said.
Iran-US MoU Led to Lebanon Ceasefire
Addressing developments in Iran, Sheikh Qassem said the Islamic Republic had emerged victorious after confronting US-Israeli efforts to undermine it.
He said Iran’s institutions, people, and leadership stood firm and that the country had demonstrated its regional and international influence despite predictions of its collapse.
Sheikh Qassem praised Iran’s support for regional allies and said Hezbollah was “proud to stand with Iran in confronting enemies of humanity.”
He stressed that “what brought the aggression against Lebanon to a halt was the US-Iran MoU, which made the Israeli withdrawal a prerequisite paving the way for the ceasefire in Lebanon”
Lebanon Internal Politics
The Lebanese resistance leader emphasized the importance of internal Lebanese unity, highlighting Hezbollah’s alliance with the Amal Movement as a key pillar of national cohesion.
“We are together not only as two parties, but as a people, a resistance, a future, and a life,” he said, adding that broader political and sectarian cooperation represented a national shield.
Sheikh Qassem said the majority of Lebanese people supported “resistance, liberation, national sovereignty, and the army,” reiterating the formula of “the army, the people, and the resistance.”
Addressing residents of southern Lebanon, the Bekaa Valley, and Beirut’s southern suburbs (Dahiyeh), Sheikh Qassem praised their sacrifices and acknowledged the hardship caused by displacement and destruction.
“We understand that what has befallen our people is painful and heartbreaking,” he said, pledging that Hezbollah would work to provide shelter, restoration, and reconstruction while calling on the Lebanese state to assume its responsibilities.
Regional Issues
On Syria, Qassem called for a “fraternal, positive, and cooperative” relationship between Beirut and Damascus, expressing hope that Syria would achieve stability and recover its occupied territories.
“There is no objection to a public meeting between Hezbollah and the Syrian leadership at a time appropriate for both sides,” he said.
Concluding his remarks, Qassem reaffirmed support for Gaza and Palestine, calling for opposition to brutal aggression against the besieged enclave, while thanking Iraq and Yemen for their backing of the Palestinian and Lebanese causes.
“We won’t forget Gaza and we firmly stand against the brutal aggression targeting Gaza.”
Talki about the occasion, Sheikh Qassem stressed that Ashura is based on two fundamental pillars: “Defending what is right and fulfilling the religious duty even if it leads to martyrdom and great sacrifices.”
His eminence saluted pilgrims taking part in million-man marches in the holy city of Karbala to express loyalty to Imam Hussein (AS).
“Special greeting to our people in the Bekaa and Baalbek-Hermel for these pioneering and massive marches.”
Source: Al-Manar English Website