Hezbollah leader declares support for Iran, vows to act ‘appropriately’ against Israeli assault

ISTANBUL

Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem said Thursday that the Lebanese-based group "is not neutral and stands alongside Iran.”

"Hezbollah and the Islamic Resistance are not neutral between Iran’s legitimate rights and independence, and the falsehood of America, its aggression, along with the cancerous tumor Israel and the arrogant powers,” Qassem said in a statement on Telegram.

"We stand with Iran in facing this global injustice because we stand for our independence, the liberation of our land, and the freedom of our decisions and choices,” he added.

Hezbollah chief added that the group is “not neutral, and therefore we express our position alongside Iran, its leadership, and its people, and we will act as we see appropriate in confronting this brutal Israeli-American aggression."

Hostilities began Friday when Israel launched airstrikes on several sites across Iran, including military and nuclear facilities, prompting Tehran to launch retaliatory strikes.

Israeli authorities said at least 25 people have been killed and hundreds injured since then in Iranian missile attacks.​​​​​​​

Meanwhile, in Iran, 639 people have been killed and more than 1,300 wounded in the Israeli assault, according to Iranian media reports.