BEIRUT (Dispatches) — The secretary general of Lebanon’s Hezbollah on Thursday dismissed the disarmament of the resistance movement, stressing that its weapons are necessary for defending the Arab country’s national sovereignty.
Sheikh Naim Qassem said Hezbollah will never accept handing over its weapons to Israel.
In a televised speech broadcast from the Lebanese capital, the Hezbollah chief emphasized that the munitions are necessary in order to preserve Lebanon’s national sovereignty in the face of the Tel Aviv regime’s aggression.
Sheikh Qassem said those who are calling for Hezbollah’s disarmament are serving the Israeli interests, and are aligning themselves with the Zionist enemy.
He condemned efforts to disarm the resistance front as surrendering to Israel, stressing the need for national unity, defense, and reconstruction.
“Every call to disarm U.S. means weakening Lebanon’s strength. Disarming Hezbollah will let Israel expand its occupation and assert control over the Lebanese soil,” Sheikh Qassem said. 
The Hezbollah chief warned that Lebanon faces mounting challenges from both regional powers and internal turmoil, saying Lebanon faces an existential threat — not only from Israel, but also from the United States and the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group, under the guise of the “New Middle East.”
Sheikh Qassem stated that the U.S. is emboldening the Israeli regime to continue its violations of the ceasefire agreement, and is stirring sedition among Lebanese parties.
“They (enemies) thought Hezbollah had become weak. They were, however, surprised by the strong political and popular presence of the party during the funerals of Seyed Hassan Nasrallah and Seyed Hashem Safieddine, as well as in the municipal elections,” Sheikh Qassem said.
Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire that took effect on November 27, 2024. Under the deal, Tel Aviv was required to withdraw fully from Lebanese territory—but has kept forces stationed at five sites, in clear violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and the terms of last November’s agreement.
Since the implementation of the ceasefire, Israel has reportedly violated the agreement more than 3,700 times through repeated assaults on Lebanese territory. Lebanese authorities have warned that the regime’s violations of the ceasefire threaten national stability.
Pointing to the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Sheikh Qassem described the unfolding atrocities there as organized, brutal and unparalleled criminality, which is being carried out just before the eyes of the international community.
“The Zionist enemy is starving children, bombing tent encampments for displaced Palestinians, and blocking deliveries of formula urgently needed for infants — all with U.S. support — as part of attempts to force Palestinians into submission,” he stated.
“Where are Arab states and countries claiming to advocate for human rights? Why don’t we see any concrete measures against Israel?” the Hezbollah chief questioned.
The ongoing Israeli aggression on Gaza since October 2023 has so far resulted in at least 60,239 documented Palestinian fatalities, with over 146,894 others injured.
Thousands of victims are feared trapped under rubble, inaccessible to emergency and civil defense teams due to Israeli attacks.
Israel’s genocidal attacks continue unabated despite calls from the UN Security Council for an immediate ceasefire and directives from the International Court of Justice urging measures to prevent genocide and alleviate the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.