Hezbollah leader Sheikh Naim Qassem declared Israel must leave Lebanon, calling recent regional developments a major turning point

Beirut

Hezbollah Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem has demanded the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from all Lebanese territory, saying Israel has “no option” but to leave. Speaking at the Central Ashura Council in Beirut, Qassem claimed the regional conflict had entered a new phase after what he described as the defeat of the “Israeli-American project.”

Qassem said attempts by Israel and the United States to weaken Hezbollah had failed. He claimed the resistance had emerged stronger despite years of conflict and hardship. He urged Israel to immediately stop all land, sea and air attacks on Lebanon and end violations of Lebanese sovereignty.

Qassem said Israel had attempted to occupy Lebanon as part of its “Greater Israel” project, but Hezbollah had successfully resisted those efforts. He credited Iran’s continued support for helping build a strong deterrent that prevented further Israeli advances. He said Hezbollah’s strength had grown over the years despite military pressure and repeated attacks.

The Hezbollah chief also described the recent memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran as a major political shift, he called the agreement an “official declaration of defeat” for Washington and Tel Aviv. Qassem praised Iran’s leadership, saying the country had remained firm against pressure and had become an important force shaping the future of the Middle East.

Meanwhile, the IDF said it killed six Hezbollah militants in southern Lebanon after identifying them as threats. At the same time, Lebanese and Israeli officials are holding talks in Washington on phased Israeli withdrawal and Lebanese army deployment along the border.