Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem on Sunday rejected any ceasefire that grants Israel a “free rein” to carry out attacks in Lebanon, Anadolu reports.
“They said a ceasefire means that Hezbollah will not fire, while Israel will remain free to act, to kill wherever it wants, and to advance wherever it wants. This is called a continuation of the aggression, and we will not accept it,” Qassem said in a televised speech.
“There is no such thing as a ceasefire with freedom of movement for Israel,” he stressed.
The Hezbollah chief said a ceasefire means “a complete cessation of aggression by air, land, and sea, and a halt to destruction.”
“The continued presence of the Israeli army on Lebanese soil is impossible. There are no safe zones. We have a national army, and it is the one that is deployed, the one responsible for preserving sovereignty, and the one with whom we cooperate.”
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that his army will not withdraw from occupied territory in southern Lebanon, despite the US-Iran understanding calling for Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
His comments came after a major Israeli escalation in Lebanon on Friday and Saturday, during which the Israeli military launched more than 200 strikes across southern and eastern parts of the country, claiming to target Hezbollah sites. Anadolu correspondents reported that many of the attacks hit homes and civilian infrastructure.
According to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, the strikes killed 105 people and injured over 150 others on Friday and Saturday.
Israeli attacks in Lebanon have killed more than 4,100, and injured over 12,000 others since March 2, according to official Lebanese figures.
Israel continues to occupy areas in southern Lebanon, some held for decades and others seized during the 2023–2024 war.
READ: Israeli army won’t withdraw from occupied territory in southern Lebanon, defense minister says
