Hezbollah’s Naim Kassem promises ongoing resistance to Israel following Hassan Nasrallah’s death as the group braces for a prolonged conflict.
In a defiant speech, Hezbollah’s deputy leader Naim Kassem declared the group’s readiness to continue fighting Israel, even after losing key leaders and commanders.
This was Kassem’s first public statement since Hassan Nasrallah’s death, and he emphasized Hezbollah’s preparedness to defend Lebanon against any Israeli attacks.
As the interim leader, Kassem faced the harsh reality of losing Nasrallah and six other commanders due to Israeli attacks over the past ten days, which have killed over 1,000 people, including many women and children, and displaced a million.
Hezbollah has increased its rocket attacks, now hitting Israel hundreds of times a day, but has not reported any fatalities.
Kassem assured that Hezbollah is adapting to the new leadership and that Israel’s efforts to weaken them have failed.
However, the recent attack on Palestinian militants in Beirut, which Israel has not admitted to, signals that Hezbollah may be careful in its actions to avoid further escalation, especially with the threat of an Israeli invasion.
The attack, which targeted a smaller Palestinian group, comes as Israel has been bombing Hezbollah-controlled areas in Beirut, but has avoided the city’s center, possibly to avoid provoking Hezbollah into a larger conflict.
Since Hamas attacked Gaza on October 7, Hezbollah has joined in by launching rockets and missiles into northern Israel, showing support for Hamas and Iran.
They aim to keep attacking until Gaza stops fighting.
Sheikh Qassem: "He was loved by the people"
— dana (@dana916) September 30, 2024
Hezbollah deputy chief Sheikh Naim Qassem offers condolences to Ayatollah Khamenei over the martyrdom of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, also mentioning the characteristics of the martyred Hezbollah leader.
Hezbollah continues with its… pic.twitter.com/etkLeiQJUA
This has led to a back-and-forth, with Israel attacking Lebanon in response to Hezbollah’s attacks.
The conflict has caused people to leave their homes on both sides of the border, with Israel determined to continue until the attacks stop and people can return safely.
There have been calls for a stop to the fighting from the U.S. and its allies to avoid more violence that could involve Iran and start a bigger conflict.
However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not shown a willingness to stop military operations, even though he has celebrated victories over Hezbollah.
In Israel, there have been celebrations after Hezbollah leader Nasrallah’s death, with some people singing mocking songs about him.
A news anchor on a pro-Netanyahu station even celebrated the death, showing strong support for Netanyahu.
Hezbollah, known for its strong military and long-range missiles, has been a major cause of tension in the region, especially with Israel.
They faced a tough battle in 2006 but are now dealing with a new challenge after Israeli attacks have damaged their communication and leadership.
U.S. national security spokesman John Kirby is worried about Hezbollah’s ability to rebuild after these attacks and said they will be watching how they handle this leadership issue.
