Hezbollah's Qassem Marks 40 Days Since Nasrallah's Death, Vows War Only Ends on Battlefield

Nov 6, 2024, 01:21 PM

Naim Qassem, the newly appointed Secretary General of Hezbollah, delivered his second speech since taking over the role following the assassination of former leader Hassan Nasrallah. Speaking on Wednesday, which marked 40 days since Nasrallah's death—a significant period in Islamic tradition—Qassem emphasized that the ongoing war with Israel can only be ended through battlefield action. He stated, 'Only one thing will end this war, which is the battlefield,' and added, 'We are in a defensive state.' Qassem declared that Hezbollah has 'tens of thousands of trained fighters capable of confronting the enemy' and warned that 'there is no place in Israel that is off-limits to planes and missiles.' He dismissed the possibility of resolving the conflict through political means, asserting, 'We are not expecting the end of the war through any political action.' He accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of 'pursuing a project that goes beyond the borders' and emphasized that any negotiations must protect Lebanese sovereignty completely. Qassem assured supporters of Hezbollah's capabilities, expressed confidence that the group will force Israel to seek a ceasefire, and stated, 'We expected war to happen, so we prepared for it.'