Hezbollah leader says Israel failed to change conditions in Lebanon

Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem said Israel has failed to achieve its objectives through its attacks on Lebanon and has been unable to alter the situation on the ground. Speaking on the situation in southern Lebanon, he noted that thousands of airstrikes had been carried out under an operation he identified as “Afsun al-Makul,” and that the resistance remains standing. Qassem said Iran has emerged stronger despite heavy costs and has not compromised on its positions, adding that what he described as the project to eliminate Iran, Hezbollah and the resistance in the region has collapsed. He described the current period as the stage at which the “U.S.-Israel project” is being broken. He rejected the idea of a ceasefire that preserves Israeli freedom of movement, saying a true ceasefire means stopping air, land and sea attacks, preventing destruction and ending Israel’s presence in occupied areas. He also praised Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, government and people for their support of Lebanon, and said the closure of the Strait of Hormuz was also a form of backing for Lebanon. Qassem added that Israel’s continued presence on Lebanese territory is not possible, and said the Lebanese army bears the responsibility of deploying across the country to safeguard its sovereignty.