Hezbollah’s Sheikh Qassem Says Israel Must Fully Withdraw Defeated and Humiliated

Hezbollah Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem affirmed on Friday that the Israeli enemy has to fully withdraw from every inch of Lebanon, “defeated and humiliated.”

Addressing mass Ashura rally in Beirut’s southern suburb (Dahiyeh), Sheikh Qassem stressed there will be no normalization or concessions to the Zionist entity.

No party has the right to the right to sign or accept any arrangement that falls short of Lebanon’s full sovereignty and independence, the Hezbollah leader emphasized, referring to direct talks between the ruling political authority in Lebanon and the Israeli enemy.

In this context, Sheikh Qassem said the political authority in Lebanon must reconsider its course in two directions: “Unifying its stance against the Israeli aggression, and ceasing to implement the enemy’s dictates.”

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His eminence underlined importance of leveraging Iran-US MoU as a key support for Lebanese sovereignty, hailing the Islamic Republic as saying it “shapes the future for itself and the region.”

Ashura Icon of Sacrifice

Drawing lessons from Imam Hussein’s (a.s.) school, Sheikh Qassem stressed that “Ashura stands as the ultimate revolutionary mobilization, reshaping the equation and toppling tyranny at its core.”

He reiterated allegiance to the third Shia Imam as saying: “We tell Imam Hussein (a.s.) that we shall never forsake him.”

In this context, he praised people of resistance over mass participation in the Ashura rallies, especially in Dahiyeh: “Despite displacement, suffering, loss, and hardship, our people still mark Ashura commemorations this year.”

“Our dignified people learned from Imam Hussein’s (a.s.) school and stood firm against Israeli aggression,” his eminence said in remarks carried by Al-Manar.

“We have moved from ‘If only we had been with you’ to ‘We are with you and you are with us.’ We are no longer facing a historical Karbala, but a present one that links history to today, to the future, and to Imam Mahdi (may God hasten his reappearance). This reflects the spread of light and the approach of liberation.”

“We’ve Broken US-Israeli Project”

Shifting towards the political developments, Sheikh Qassem said: “We faced a war to eliminate Hezbollah, its environment, its people, and the citizens associated with it in Lebanon.”

The Hezbollah leader hit back at remarks by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio who claimed that the Israeli presence in Lebanon because of Hezbollah missile attacks. He stressed that the Israeli presence in Lebanon is part of an expansionist project toward ‘Greater Israel,’ while the resistance is a response to occupation and aggression, not the other way around.

“This Israeli-American aggression by land, sea, and air targets civilians, land, and infrastructure using all forms of weaponry, with support from allies and proxies. It is accompanied by schemes of internal division, political pressure, and financial blockade, as well as attempts to undermine educational, social, and cultural institutions. It constitutes a major war and a grave threat aimed at erasing our existence,” Sheikh Qassem warned.

“However, thanks be to God, through Karbala-inspired steadfastness of our noble people, we were able to halt this aggression which threatens our existence.”

He affirmed in this context: “We declare it loud and clear: We have broken the Israeli-American project and entered a new phase. Any action moving forward must be based on the realities of this new phase.”

“We Thank Iran”

The aggression on Lebanon coincided with the aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran, Sheikh Qassem stated, noting that the US and ‘Israel’ wanted to eliminate Iran by changing its regime and taking control of the country, and they believed they could do so.

“Iran stood firm, presenting Imam Khamenei as a symbol, banner, and light of the revolution, amid immense human sacrifice and losses across leaders, civilians, and society.”

The US-Iran MoU is a formal declaration of defeat for the US and ‘Israel’, the Hezbollah leader stressed, hailing the Islamic Republic as saying: “Iran shapes the future for itself and the region.”

On joint efforts between the resistance in Lebanon and Iran, Sheikh Qassem said: “We’ve cooperated with Iran during the period of aggression and together we broke the project. Enemies sought to divide and isolate us, but we stood as a unified axis.”

In a clear response to those who criticized Hezbollah for thanking Iran over support in face of Israeli aggression, the Hezbollah S.G. said: “We thank Iran so that gratitude may pierce diseased hearts and overwhelm them with regret, we will remain by the Islamic Republic’s side.”

“No Party Has Right to Offer Concessions”

Sheikh Qassem, meanwhile, said it firmly that the Israeli enemy “has no option but to fully withdraw from every inch of Lebanese territory and cease its aggression by land, sea, and air.”

He noted, in this context, that “sovereignty can be consolidated by strictly implementing the November 2024 agreement, confined exclusively to south of the Litani River.”

Slamming the political authority in Lebanon over adopting a course of direct negotiation with the Israeli enemy, Sheikh Qassem affirmed that “no party has the right to sign or accept any arrangement that falls short of Lebanon’s full sovereignty and independence.”

He emphasized that the government in Lebanon “cannot afford to antagonize more than half of the Lebanese people.”

“There will be no normalization or concessions to ‘Israel,’ which must withdraw defeated and humiliated.”

His eminence said the resistance “remains present, active and capable, forming a cornerstone of Lebanon’s independence and liberation.”

“It will remain so, for it is this people, this land, this history, and this future.”

Sheikh Qassem called on the political authority in Lebanon to reconsider its course in two directions: “unifying its stance against the Israeli aggression, and ceasing to implement the enemy’s dictates.”

“United Efforts Under Banner of Preserving Sovereignty”

His eminence, however, voiced Hezbollah’s full readiness to extend hand to address national issues under the banner of preserving  sovereignty.

“We extend our hand; the resistance remains strong, and we stand with you if you proceed on the path of Lebanese sovereignty.”

In this context, Sheikh Qassem urged united efforts to bridge social gaps and advance reconstruction.

He underlined importance of leveraging Iran-US MoU as a key support for Lebanese sovereignty, calling on the political authority in Lebanon “to reject external Arab and foreign pressure that fuels division and serves Israeli interests, while to engage in full cooperation with Arab and international partners that support Lebanon.”

The Hezbollah S.G., meanwhile, didn’t forget to pay tribute to the people of Gaza and Palestine.

“We salute the honorable and self-sacrificing people of Gaza, we stand with them against injustice and the liberation of Palestine remains our compass.”

Sheikh Qassem also hailed the people of Yemen and Iraq for their support to Lebanon and Palestine.

“We salute Yemeni people and their esteemed leadership, who stood firm when the world turned its back on Palestine and Lebanon, as we hail people of Iraq, its leadership and government.”

He concluded his speech by affirming that “truth will prevail,” vowing to remain loyal to the motto “Humiliation… Never.”