Arabic version: زعيم حزب الله يدعو إلى الوحدة مع تصعيد إسرائيل للهجمات

Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem has called for national unity as Israel continues its military assault on Lebanon, vowing to continue fighting “without limits” as Israeli aerial and ground attacks have killed more than 1,072 people across the country.

In a statement on Wednesday, Qassem emphasized that Lebanon faces a critical choice: either surrender or engage in inevitable confrontation with Israel.

According to Al Jazeera, Qassem rejected the idea of negotiations with Israel during its ongoing attacks. He stated that negotiating under such conditions equates to surrendering and undermining Lebanon’s capabilities.

Qassem called for a unified front against what he termed the “Israeli-American enemy,” focusing on stopping the aggression to liberate Lebanon. He asserted that discussions on other matters could take place later.

The conflict escalated in early March, following Hezbollah’s rocket fire into Israeli territory, coinciding with the start of the US and Israel’s military actions against Iran. The Israeli military has expanded its ground invasion while continuing air strikes, contributing to significant civilian casualties and displacements.

Lebanon’s government has prohibited Hezbollah’s military activities and expressed a desire for direct negotiations with Israel. However, the Israeli government remains firm on its military strategy, with Defence Minister Israel Katz indicating that displaced residents will not return until northern Israel is secure.