Hezbollah chief urges unity, no talks with Israel amid Lebanon attacks

Naim Qassem says negotiating with Israel ‘under fire amounts to imposing surrender’ on Lebanon.

Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem has called for national unity as Israel continues its military assault on Lebanon, vowing to continue fighting “without limits” as Israeli aerial and ground attacks have killed more than 1,000 people across the country.

In a statement on Wednesday, Qassem said the country faced two choices: “either surrender and give up our land … or inevitable confrontation and resistance” against Israel.

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Qassem also said Lebanon should not agree to negotiations with the Israeli government amid Israel’s continued bombardment of its northern neighbour.

“Negotiating with the Israeli enemy under fire amounts to imposing surrender and stripping Lebanon of its capabilities, especially since negotiations are fundamentally rejected with an enemy that occupies land and continues daily aggression,” he said.

“We call for national unity against the Israeli-American enemy under one title at this stage: stopping the aggression to liberate the land and the people. All other issues can be discussed afterward.”

Intensified Israeli attacks on Lebanon began in early March after Hezbollah launched rockets towards Israeli territory following the start of the US and Israel’s war on Iran on February 28.

In addition to air strikes, the Israeli military has pushed deeper into Lebanese territory as part of a ground invasion that Israel says aims to root out Hezbollah fighters.

The Lebanese armed group has continued to fire into northern Israel while clashing with Israeli troops on the ground in Lebanon.

The escalating conflict, which has killed at least 1,072 people across Lebanon and displaced more than 1.2 million others, has drawn global condemnation and growing calls for de-escalation.

Far-right Israeli lawmakers, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, have called for the annexation of southern Lebanon amid intensified military operations in the area.

The annexation push has drawn condemnation from foreign leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, who has been calling for negotiations to try to end the deadly violence.

Meanwhile, the Lebanese government has outlawed Hezbollah military activity and said it wanted to engage in direct talks with Israel.

The Israeli government has shown no sign of tempering its military offensive, with Defence Minister Israel Katz saying last week that displaced residents of southern Lebanon will not be able to return to their homes until northern Israel is safe.