Hezbollah to help build Lebanon’s army defence capacity

Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem on Friday vowed to cooperate with the Lebanese army and help build the country's defense capabilities amid efforts to enforce the terms of a ceasefire with Israel.

Qassim was speaking for the first time since the ceasefire began on Wednesday, which envisages both Hezbollah and Israeli forces withdrawing from south Lebanon and Lebanese forces deploying there alongside UN peacekeepers.

“We will work to strengthen Lebanon's defensive capabilities,” said Qassem, who succeeded former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah after he was killed in a massive Israeli airstrike in south Beirut in September 2024.

“The resistance, along with our allies, will be ready to prevent the enemy from taking advantage of Lebanon's weakness… first and foremost the military,” he said in a televised speech.

Qassim added, “Coordination between the resistance and the Lebanese army will be at a high level to implement the commitments of the agreement.” He added, “Nobody is betting on problems or disagreements with the military.”

Qassem also announced that his group had achieved a “great victory” against Israel that “exceeds July 2006”, referring to the last time Hezbollah went to war with Israel.

“We won because we prevented the enemy from destroying Hezbollah… (and) from eliminating or weakening the resistance,” Qassim said. He vowed that “our support for Palestine will not stop and will continue through various means.”

– 'Threat Failed' –

The ceasefire ended the conflict that began on October 7, 2023, the day after Hamas's unprecedented attack on Israel, when Hezbollah began low-intensity cross-border shelling in solidarity with its Palestinian allies.

In late September, Israel intensified its campaign against Hezbollah, launching fierce airstrikes and later sending in ground troops.

Lebanon's health ministry said at least 3,961 people had died in the country since October 2023 as a result of the conflict, most of them in recent weeks, while 16,520 were injured.

On the Israeli side, at least 82 soldiers and 47 civilians were killed in hostilities with Hezbollah, officials there said.

Earlier on Friday, the Israeli military said it struck a Hezbollah rocket launcher in southern Lebanon after detecting terrorist activity in the area.

“Shortly ago, terrorist activity and the movement of Hezbollah portable rocket launchers were identified in southern Lebanon,” the army said.

“The threat was neutralized by (the Israeli Air Force's) strike,” it said in a statement, which showed video of the airstrike on a slowly moving truck.

Israel has vowed to continue taking action against any threats even after the ceasefire.

The army also announced a nightly curfew in south Lebanon for the third consecutive day, warning residents that they should avoid “moving or traveling south of the Litani River” between 5 pm (1500 GMT) and 7 am (0500 GMT) on Friday. It is strictly prohibited”. ) the next day.

AFP