by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief
(Worthy News) – Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem on Thursday rejected a U.S.-brokered ceasefire framework between Israel and Lebanon, warning that the Iran-backed terrorist group would continue attacks as long as Israeli military operations continue in Lebanon.
Qassem’s remarks, carried by Hezbollah-affiliated Al Manar, came after Israeli and Lebanese officials reportedly agreed in Washington to a ceasefire plan that would require Hezbollah to halt its attacks and allow the Lebanese army to deploy in designated “pilot” security zones in southern Lebanon.
“We have not given anyone a commitment not to resist aggression and respond to it,” Qassem said, adding that “as long as the aggression continues, we will confront it with all the strength we possess.”
The Hezbollah leader said any ceasefire must include a complete halt to Israeli military activity by air, land, and sea, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon, the return of displaced civilians, and reconstruction efforts. He described Lebanese sovereignty as the central objective and called for the Lebanese army to deploy south of the Litani River.
Qassem also denounced U.S.-led diplomacy and rejected any effort to disarm Hezbollah, calling direct negotiations with Israel a “farce.” He described the Washington framework as a “roadmap for the extermination of a segment of the Lebanese people,” and said Hezbollah would not accept terms requiring its fighters to withdraw while Israeli strikes continue.
The rejection immediately cast doubt on the viability of the U.S.-mediated agreement, which had been welcomed by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun as a possible “last chance” to reach a comprehensive truce. Aoun said Lebanon would respond after consulting internal parties, particularly Hezbollah, and indicated that President Donald Trump would serve as a guarantor of implementation.
Fighting continued Thursday despite the diplomatic push. Hezbollah launched rockets toward Israeli troops in Lebanon, while sirens sounded across northern Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was visiting the northern town of Shlomi shortly before drone warning sirens were activated in the area, though he was unharmed and later left the region.
Netanyahu told northern leaders that Israel remained committed to restoring security for communities along the border.
“We will continue to act decisively against all threats,” Netanyahu said, according to Israeli media.
Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel would continue ground and fire operations “for the time being,” while Lebanese state media reported more than a dozen Israeli strikes and said five people were killed. The Israel Defense Forces said operations in southern Lebanon were ongoing and warned residents not to travel south of the Zahrani River until further notice.
The ceasefire proposal reportedly calls for Lebanese army control over areas cleared of both Hezbollah operatives and Israeli troops. The plan is aimed at creating a phased security arrangement in southern Lebanon, but Hezbollah’s refusal to comply leaves the Lebanese government facing the familiar challenge of negotiating while an armed Iranian proxy maintains its own military agenda.
Iran has also signaled that Hezbollah’s baseline demand is for Israel to withdraw to positions held before the recent escalation, further tying the Lebanon front to broader regional tensions involving Tehran, Washington, and Jerusalem.
The European Union, meanwhile, approved a new €100 million support package for the Lebanese army, saying the latest ceasefire effort offers a chance to prevent a return to full-scale war.
For Israel, however, the central issue remains whether Hezbollah can be pushed back from the border and prevented from using southern Lebanon as a launchpad for rocket and drone attacks. For Lebanon, the crisis again raises the question of whether the state can exercise true sovereignty while Hezbollah continues to operate as an armed power within its borders.
As Qassem declared, “as long as the occupation exists, the resistance will continue” — a statement that signals the ceasefire may already be unraveling before it begins.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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