Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem declared on Tuesday that the group would “never surrender” and called on Lebanon to halt direct negotiations with Israel, accusing Jerusalem and Washington of seeking to impose new regional realities through pressure and war.
In a written message to Hezbollah operatives, Qassem insisted the group would remain “on the battlefield” and warned that Lebanon would not return to conditions that existed before March 2.
He further claimed that ongoing direct talks following the April 16 ceasefire “only benefit Israel” and urged Beirut to pursue indirect negotiations instead.
Qassem also thanked Iran for its support, describing the US-Iran understanding that helped secure the Lebanon ceasefire as one of Hezbollah’s strongest strategic assets in confronting Israeli military operations.