Hezbollah’s deputy leader, Naim Qassem, stated in his first public address since the assassination of the group’s chief Hassan Nasrallah that the movement is fully prepared to confront any potential Israeli ground invasion of Lebanon. He emphasized that Israel will not succeed in its objectives.
Qassem asserted, “We will face any possibility and we are ready if the Israelis decide to enter by land; the resistance forces are ready for ground engagement.”
In the context of Israel’s ongoing military operations, which have targeted Hezbollah in a two-week campaign resulting in the deaths of several commanders, concerns are mounting about a potential ground troop deployment.
Additionally, the Palestinian militant group Hamas reported that an Israeli airstrike in Tyre killed its leader, Fateh Sherif Abu el-Amin, along with his family members.
Another group, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), also reported the deaths of three leaders in a strike in Beirut, marking the first such attack in the capital.
These recent developments highlight Israel’s continued offensive against militant targets in Lebanon, which includes not only Hezbollah but also Hamas and other Palestinian groups.
The situation remains tense, with fears of a broader regional conflict involving Iran and the U.S. amid escalating hostilities.
According to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, over 1,000 Lebanese have been killed and 6,000 wounded in the past two weeks, with one million people displaced from their homes. The rising violence has heightened fears in Beirut of an expanding military campaign by Israel.
“There is nothing else to say or add, except God save Lebanon,” Beirut resident Nawel said. “What will happen to me is the same as what can happen to anyone.”
