Hezbollah says govt 'handing' Lebanon to Israel with disarmament bid
AFP August 15, 2025 05:22 PM
Synopsis

Hezbollah's chief, Naim Qassem, accused the Lebanese government of succumbing to Israeli and American demands by seeking the group's disarmament. Qassem warned that Hezbollah would resist any attempts to disarm them, even if it meant resorting to fighting. He asserted that the group would not surrender its weapons while facing continued aggression and occupation.

Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem on Friday accused Lebanon's government of "handing" the country to Israel by pushing for the group's disarmament, warning it would fight to keep its weapons.

Independence Day 2025

Op Sindoor to water cutoff: PM Modi slams Pak in I-Day speech

GST reforms by Diwali to cut daily-use taxes: PM Modi

Terrorism, tech, more: PM's I-Day speech highlights

Qassem spoke in a televised address after meeting Iran's top security chief Ali Larijani, whose country has long backed the Lebanese militant group.

Hezbollah emerged badly weakened from last year's war with Israel, and under US pressure the Lebanese government has ordered the army to devise a plan to disarm the group by the end of the year.

Iran, whose so-called "axis of resistance" includes Hezbollah, has also suffered a series of setbacks, most recently in the war with Israel that saw the United States strike its nuclear sites.

"The government is implementing an American-Israeli order to end the resistance, even if it leads to civil war and internal strife," Qassem said.

"The resistance will not surrender its weapons while aggression continues, occupation persists, and we will fight it... if necessary to confront this American-Israeli project no matter the cost," he said.

Qassem urged the government "not to hand over the country to an insatiable Israeli aggressor or an American tyrant with limitless greed".

© Copyright @2025 LIDEA. All Rights Reserved.