Hezbollah’s deputy leader, Naim Qassem, has stated that the group is ready to confront Israeli forces if they attempt a ground invasion of Lebanon.
This declaration comes after weeks of intensified Israeli airstrikes, which have reportedly killed over 1,000 people in Lebanon. The statement marked Qassem’s first public address following the death of Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, in an Israeli airstrike last Friday.
In his address on Monday, Qassem affirmed, “We are ready if the Israelis decide to enter by land, and the resistance forces are prepared for ground engagement.” His remarks come as Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant expressed that Israeli forces stationed near the northern border are prepared to strike Hezbollah with force.
Israel has hinted at a possible ground incursion, with senior military officials suggesting that recent airstrikes are setting the stage for such an operation. According to reports, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) are planning a “very limited” ground campaign into southern Lebanon, aimed at dismantling Hezbollah’s infrastructure.
On Monday, Israeli airstrikes also hit central Beirut, marking the first such attack on the Lebanese capital since the 2006 war, and reportedly killing three leaders of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).
