Hezbollah Leader Criticizes U.S.-Backed Agreement
Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem strongly rejected a security agreement between Lebanon and Israel that was signed recently, calling it a submission to Israel. His criticism comes on the heels of ongoing tensions, as Israel conducted a drone strike in southern Lebanon shortly after the agreement was finalized.
The conflict has displaced over a million Lebanese people and continues to unfold alongside the broader tensions involving Iran. Hezbollah and Iran have claimed that the U.S. promised to cease hostilities in Lebanon through a memorandum signed two weeks ago to bring a halt to the wider conflict.
The agreement made on Friday outlines a plan for Israel to gradually withdraw from certain areas in southern Lebanon while allowing for the deployment of the Lebanese army. However, Israeli forces are allowed to maintain a presence in an expanded security zone for the time being.
In his response, Qassem dismissed the agreement as “null and void,” accusing the Lebanese government of making one-sided concessions that compromise the country’s sovereignty. He criticized clauses in the agreement that link Israel’s withdrawal to Hezbollah’s disarmament, claiming these provisions would effectively endorse Israel’s military presence in Lebanon and violate significant boundaries.
“We did not abandon the battlefield during tough times, and we will continue to resist,” he stated.
Following the agreement, an Israeli drone strike hit the area of Nabatieh al-Fawqa in southern Lebanon, outside the designated security zone. The Israeli military confirmed the strike to media, stating they targeted a person deemed a threat, although they did not provide specific details or evidence.
Qassem emphasized that the Iran-U.S. memorandum of understanding from earlier this month, which guarantees Lebanon’s territorial integrity, should be the foundation for resolving the ongoing conflict instead of the recent U.S.-backed agreement.
