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Reuters
05-08-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Hezbollah chief says missiles will fall on Israel if it resumes war on Lebanon
BEIRUT, Aug 5 (Reuters) - Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem threatened Israel directly for the first time in months in a televised speech on Tuesday, saying missiles would fall on it if it resumed a broad war on Lebanon. His comments came as Lebanon's cabinet met to discuss the fate of Hezbollah's arsenal, after Washington pressured Lebanese officials to commit to disarming the Iran-backed group and amid fears that Israel could intensify strikes if they fail to do so. Qassem said that, should Israel engage in a "large-scale aggression" against Lebanon, Hezbollah, Lebanon's army and Lebanon's people would defend themselves. "This defence will lead to missiles falling inside the Israeli entity, and all the security they have built over eight months will collapse within an hour," he said. A U.S.-brokered ceasefire in November brought an end to months of fighting between Hezbollah and Israel. The war killed much of Hezbollah's leadership - including Qassem's predecessor Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah - and destroyed much of its arsenal. Qassem said the war had killed 5,000 Hezbollah fighters and wounded 13,000, the first official toll the group has given. But he said the organisation remained in good order, with fighters ready to make "the harshest sacrifices" if needed. Minutes after he spoke, dozens of men on motorcycles carrying Hezbollah's yellow flags emerged from its strongholds in Beirut's southern suburbs for the second day in a row. Washington and Beirut have been in talks since June on a U.S. roadmap to fully disarm Hezbollah in exchange for a halt to Israeli strikes, the withdrawal of Israeli troops still occupying five points in south Lebanon and funds to rebuild areas destroyed by Israeli bombardment during the war. But with little progress on disarmament, Washington's patience began wearing thin and it pressured Lebanon's ministers to swiftly make a public pledge so that talks could continue. Qassem pushed back against the conditions, saying Israel must implement the ceasefire in full by halting its military activities in Lebanon before any other discussion. "Solve the problem of the (Israeli) aggression, and then we will discuss the issue of the weapons," he said. Addressing Lebanese officials, he said: "I hope you don't waste time on the storms stirred up by external dictates."
Yahoo
02-08-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lebanese president steps up calls for Hezbollah to disarm
By Laila Bassam BEIRUT (Reuters) -Lebanese President Joseph Aoun stepped up his calls for Hezbollah to disarm on Thursday, suggesting failure to do so would give Israel an excuse to continue attacks and saying the issue would be on the agenda of a cabinet meeting next week. The comments reflect mounting pressure over the issue of Hezbollah's arms, which has loomed over Lebanon since the Iran-aligned group was pummeled in a war with Israel last year. Washington wants Hezbollah disarmed - a demand echoed by the Beirut government as it aims to establish a monopoly on weapons. Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said in a televised speech on Wednesday that calls for its disarmament served only Israel. The Israeli military said in a statement it had on Thursday struck infrastructure used to produce and store weapons in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley, as well as in the south of the country, including an explosives manufacturing site it said was used to develop Hezbollah weaponry. Israel killed many Hezbollah commanders and thousands of its fighters last year, while also destroying much of its arsenal. In a speech to army officers, Aoun said the government would next week discuss Lebanon's amendments to a U.S. roadmap to disarm Hezbollah, deemed a terrorist group by Washington. Lebanon's counter proposal demands an immediate halt to Israel's attacks, its withdrawal from positions held in the south, the establishment of state control over all Lebanon and the disarmament of armed groups including Hezbollah, he said. Aoun urged all parties "to seize this historic opportunity ... and push for the exclusivity of weapons in the hands of the army and security forces". He said the government would set a timeframe to implement the steps. Shi'ite Muslim Hezbollah, backed by Tehran, was the only Lebanese group allowed to keep its weapons at the end of the 1975-90 civil war on the grounds it needed them to fight Israeli troops who occupied the south but withdrew in 2000. Hezbollah's arsenal has long divided Lebanese, with critics saying it has undermined the state and dragged Lebanon into conflicts. Washington has been pushing Lebanon to commit to disarming Hezbollah before talks can resume on halting Israeli military operations, Reuters reported earlier this week. Hezbollah has so far refused, though the group has been considering scaling back its arsenal. 'PRETEXTS FOR AGGRESSION' Addressing Hezbollah and its followers but without naming them, Aoun called on those who "have faced the aggression" to "rely solely on the Lebanese state". "You are too honorable to risk the state-building project, and too noble to provide pretexts for an aggression that wants to continue the war against us," he said. The U.S. proposal delivered in June would require Hezbollah to disarm within four months in exchange for the withdrawal of Israeli troops occupying several posts in south Lebanon, and a halt to Israeli air strikes. Hezbollah had already relinquished a number of weapons depots in southern Lebanon to the Lebanese army in line with a U.S.-brokered truce designed to end last year's war. Aoun said the proposals to be discussed next week include seeking $1 billion annually for 10 years to support the army and the security forces and plans for an international conference to later in the year to support reconstruction efforts. Solve the daily Crossword
Asharq Al-Awsat
01-08-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Lebanese President Steps up Calls for Hezbollah to Disarm
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun stepped up his calls for Hezbollah to disarm on Thursday, suggesting failure to do so would give Israel an excuse to continue attacks and saying the issue would be on the agenda of a cabinet meeting next week. The comments reflect mounting pressure over the issue of Hezbollah's arms, which has loomed over Lebanon since the Iran-aligned group was pummeled in a war with Israel last year. Washington wants Hezbollah disarmed - a demand echoed by the Beirut government as it aims to establish a monopoly on weapons. Hezbollah leader Sheikh Naim Qassem said in a televised speech on Wednesday that calls for its disarmament served only Israel. The Israeli military said in a statement it had on Thursday struck infrastructure used to produce and store weapons in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley, as well as in the south of the country, including an explosives manufacturing site it said was used to develop Hezbollah weaponry. Israel killed many Hezbollah commanders and thousands of its fighters last year, while also destroying much of its arsenal. In a speech to army officers, Aoun said the government would next week discuss Lebanon's amendments to a US roadmap to disarm Hezbollah, deemed a terrorist group by Washington. Lebanon's counter proposal demands an immediate halt to Israel's attacks, its withdrawal from positions held in the south, the establishment of state control over all Lebanon and the disarmament of armed groups including Hezbollah, he said. Aoun urged all parties "to seize this historic opportunity ... and push for the exclusivity of weapons in the hands of the army and security forces". He said the government would set a timeframe to implement the steps. Hezbollah, backed by Tehran, was the only Lebanese group allowed to keep its weapons at the end of the 1975-90 civil war on the grounds it needed them to fight Israeli troops who occupied the South but withdrew in 2000. Hezbollah's arsenal has long divided Lebanese, with critics saying it has undermined the state and dragged Lebanon into conflicts. Washington has been pushing Lebanon to commit to disarming Hezbollah before talks can resume on halting Israeli military operations, Reuters reported earlier this week. Hezbollah has so far refused, though the group has been considering scaling back its arsenal. 'PRETEXTS FOR AGGRESSION' Addressing Hezbollah and its followers but without naming them, Aoun called on those who "have faced the aggression" to "rely solely on the Lebanese state". "You are too honorable to risk the state-building project, and too noble to provide pretexts for an aggression that wants to continue the war against us," he said. The US proposal delivered in June would require Hezbollah to disarm within four months in exchange for the withdrawal of Israeli troops occupying several posts in south Lebanon, and a halt to Israeli air strikes. Hezbollah had already relinquished a number of weapons depots in southern Lebanon to the Lebanese army in line with a US-brokered truce designed to end last year's war. Aoun said the proposals to be discussed next week include seeking $1 billion annually for 10 years to support the army and the security forces and plans for an international conference to later in the year to support reconstruction efforts.
