Hezbollah chief attempts to justify rocket attacks on Israel while defending Iran-backed aggression across Middle East.
Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem delivered a speech on Friday attempting to justify his terrorist organization’s decision to escalate attacks against Israel following the joint US-Israeli military campaign targeting Iran’s leadership and military infrastructure. Qassem claimed Lebanon was engaged in what he described as a “legitimate defensive battle” against Israel and the United States, framing Hezbollah’s rocket barrages as part of resistance rather than aggression.
Speaking in remarks reported by Lebanese media, Qassem argued that Hezbollah’s attacks were intended to expose what he alleged was Israel’s broader strategic plan. He insisted that the focus should not be on who initiated the conflict but rather on what he called the need to confront Israeli actions. According to Qassem, Hezbollah views its military operations as defensive measures carried out in response to what he described as Israeli-American aggression.
The Hezbollah leader also warned that the organization is preparing for a prolonged confrontation with Israel. He claimed Hezbollah fighters are ready for sustained conflict and suggested that Israeli forces would face unexpected challenges on the battlefield. Dismissing Israeli deterrence efforts, Qassem stated that threats from Israel do not intimidate the group.
Qassem further argued that diplomatic efforts had failed to stop Israeli military operations, claiming that armed resistance remained the only option available. He warned that without continued resistance, Lebanon itself could face severe consequences, portraying the confrontation as an existential struggle.
During his speech, Qassem also addressed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directly, dismissing his warnings as meaningless and claiming that Israel’s leadership had placed its own population in danger. He attempted to shift blame for the escalating conflict onto Israel and the United States while presenting Hezbollah’s actions as reactive rather than deliberate aggression.
Despite Hezbollah’s claims of defensive motives, the organization had previously agreed to disarm under the terms of a US-brokered ceasefire reached with Israel in November 2024. However, the group has repeatedly rejected efforts by the Lebanese government to enforce disarmament and has insisted it will retain its weapons.
Earlier this year, a Hezbollah official stated that the organization would not intervene if the United States carried out limited strikes against Iran. However, the same official warned that any attack on Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei would represent a red line. Khamenei was later eliminated during the first wave of coordinated US-Israeli strikes targeting Iran’s leadership.
