The leader of “Hezbollah“ Naim Qassem accused the Lebanese government of “conceding“ to Israel by seeking to disarm his movement, and warned of the danger of “civil war“. This was reported by Agence France-Presse, noting that the statement was made after a meeting with an Iranian representative, BTA reports.
“Hezbollah“ has been significantly weakened after the war with Israel in 2024, which destroyed part of its arsenal and eliminated much of the leadership. The powerful Shiite militia, founded and financed by Iran, has dominated Lebanese politics for years.
The Lebanese government announced on August 5 that it would confiscate Hezbollah's weapons. Under pressure from the United States and amid fears of increased Israeli attacks, the government has ordered the army to draw up a plan to disarm the group by the end of the year.
"This government is carrying out the US-Israeli order to end the resistance, even if it leads to civil war and internal conflicts," Qassem said in a speech broadcast on Hezbollah television. “Al Manar“.
His remarks came after a meeting with the chairman of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani, who arrived in Beirut on Wednesday.
“The resistance will not lay down its arms as long as the Israeli aggression and occupation continue. We will fight if necessary to oppose this Israeli-American project, regardless of the cost. We are convinced that we will win the fight,“ Qassem added.