Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem warned on Sunday that his movement would respond to any Israeli violation of the recently concluded ceasefire in Lebanon. In a public statement, he also asserted that Israel could not maintain a permanent presence on Lebanese territory.
These remarks come amid heightened tensions despite the ceasefire that came into effect on Friday. While the fighting has officially stopped, both sides continue to exchange warnings and accuse each other of threatening the stability of the agreement.
Naim Qassem stated that Israel "will not remain in Lebanon" and asserted that Hezbollah would react to any action it deemed a violation of the ceasefire. He did not, however, specify what measures the movement might take in the event of an incident.
On the Israeli side, several officials have recently stated that their forces retain full freedom of action to neutralize what they consider threats to their security. These statements have raised concerns about the strength of the truce reached after several months of military escalation.
The ceasefire is considered an important step in trying to reduce tensions in the region. However, statements from leaders of both sides show that mistrust remains deep and the situation remains particularly fragile.
Hezbollah, backed by Iran, remains one of the main military and political actors in Lebanon. Israel, for its part, considers the movement a major threat to its security and has conducted numerous operations against its infrastructure and fighters.
As diplomatic efforts continue to solidify the truce, observers fear that an incident or a divergent interpretation of the ceasefire terms could trigger a new escalation. Naim Qassem's statements illustrate the persistent tension surrounding the implementation of the agreement reached this week.
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