Hezbollah leader rejects disarmament, demands Israel comply with ceasefire first
Israel signalled it would scale back military presence in southern Lebanon if the Lebanese army took action to disarm the Iran-backed group
Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said on Monday that the Lebanese government must first ensure Israel complies with a November 27 ceasefire agreement before talks on a national defence strategy can take place, reaffirming the Iran-backed group’s refusal to disarm.
“Israel may occupy but we will confront it to prevent it from settling and achieving its goals, and this confrontation will continue,” Qassem said.
“If this government continues in its current form, it cannot be trusted to safeguard Lebanon’s safety.”
Israel on Monday signalled it would scale back its military presence in southern Lebanon if the Lebanese armed forces took action to disarm the Shiite militant group.