Hezbollah's Qassem warns Israel against ‘testing patience’ over ceasefire violations

BEIRUT

Hezbollah's secretary-general warned Israel on Saturday against “testing the group’s patience” regarding ceasefire violations urging the Lebanese state to take decisive action.

Speaking during the 13th “Gaza: Symbol of Resistance" conference in Tehran, Naim Qassem stressed that "the Palestinian resistance and people thwarted Israel’s dangerous plan, and (the Lebanese group) Hezbollah’s confrontation in Lebanon supported Gaza’s victory."

He declared that Hezbollah had disrupted Israel's aim to eliminate resistance in Lebanon, asserting: "The resistance in Lebanon remains strong, ready, and committed.”

Regarding Israeli violations in Lebanon, Qassem said: "We exercised patience over these breaches to allow the Lebanese state and international mediators to act.”

“However, I urge you not to test our patience further,” he added, calling on “the Lebanese state to act firmly against these violations which now exceed hundreds.”

Since Nov. 27, 2024, a fragile ceasefire has been in place ending a period of mutual shelling between Israel and Hezbollah that began on Oct. 8, 2023, and escalated into full-scale conflict on Sept. 23, 2024.

According to Lebanese official data compiled by Anadolu, Israel has carried out 564 violations as of Friday, killing 37 people and injuring 45 more.

In response, Hezbollah launched a retaliatory rocket attack on Dec. 2, 2024, targeting Ruwaisat Al-Alam in the occupied Kfar Shuba hills.

Qassem also dismissed any attempts to exclude Hezbollah from the Lebanese political scene.

"We are an essential component of Lebanon’s structure and progress,” he said.

On Jan. 9, the Lebanese parliament elected Joseph Aoun as president, ending more than two years of presidential vacancy caused by political deadlock.

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi.