Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem says Lebanon faces existential aggression and stresses national unity in confronting Israeli escalation.
Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem said on Tuesday that Lebanon is facing an “existential aggression,” stressing that the current phase is one of defending the country’s land, sovereignty, and very existence amid continued Israeli threats and escalation.
Speaking on the occasion of Imam Mahdi’s birth anniversary, Qassem said, “We are in a phase of defending our land and our existence, and we are confronting an existential aggression,” adding that Hezbollah remains prepared to discuss practical mechanisms to repel Israeli attacks.
He emphasized that defending Lebanese sovereignty is not the responsibility of a single party, but a “comprehensive national duty” that requires coordination among political forces, resistance movements, and state institutions.
Defense, Not Escalation
Qassem framed Hezbollah’s current posture as defensive rather than offensive, saying the movement is responding to an imposed reality created by Israeli military pressure and repeated violations of Lebanese territory.
“We are ready to discuss how to confront Israeli aggression,” he said, underscoring that resistance efforts are aimed at protecting Lebanon rather than dragging the country into internal conflict.
He added that Israel’s actions constitute a direct threat to Lebanon’s stability and warned that continued aggression would be met with resistance, stating: “Just as the enemy causes us pain, we are capable of causing it pain. Everything has its time.”
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National Unity
Qassem highlighted what he described as Hezbollah’s role, alongside the Amal Movement and other national forces, in preserving Lebanon’s fragile political order during a period of acute economic and security pressure.
He said Hezbollah and Amal voted in favor of the state budget to safeguard institutional continuity, describing Lebanon’s current political framework as “fragile” but necessary to protect the country from deeper instability.
Qassem also addressed the issue of governance, saying Hezbollah’s ministers are working “for all of Lebanon,” while accusing some political actors within the government of pushing the country toward internal discord.
Elections and the Presidency
On domestic political processes, Qassem reaffirmed Hezbollah’s support for holding elections in accordance with existing law, noting that the movement backed the election of the current president through what he described as a sovereign national decision.
“We elected the president by our own will,” he said, presenting the move as part of a broader effort to maintain political order while Lebanon faces external threats.
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Resistance, Army, and the State
Qassem emphasized the importance of coordination between resistance forces, political movements, and the Lebanese army, calling their coexistence a “national asset” capable of defending the country and achieving liberation.
He said the diversity of forces involved in defending Lebanon—from resistance factions to the national army—represents strength rather than division, provided they are aligned around the goal of protecting sovereignty.
The Hezbollah leader was addressing a ceremony held on the 33rd annual celebration of the Islamic Association for Education and Teaching – Al-Mahdi Schools, which coincides with the birth anniversary of Imam Mahdi.
(The Palestine Chronicle, Al-Mayadeen)
Wasrael 2026!
Lebanon must become independent and is entitled to an Airforce and an aerial defence system. If a country actively prevents these basic features of a sovereign nation to be acquired or installed, the international community must help so that Lebanon is no longer vulnerable to periodic aerial strikes by belligerent aggressors in the region. Fundamental national rights must be ensured if international justice is to prevail.