Speaking at the inauguration of the Lebanon Medical Center in Al-Hadat on Monday, Sheikh Qassem said the current phase will define Lebanon’s future through national unity. He emphasized that cooperation among the state, the army, the government, the people, and the resistance is the path to safeguarding Lebanon’s future, warning that retreat, defeat, or surrender would erase Lebanon from the map of independent states.
His Eminence stressed that aggression cannot be stopped by rhetoric or reliance on the United States, but through strength, solidarity, and unity. “The Israeli enemy was driven out of Lebanon through steadfastness and major sacrifices that protected the country for 42 years. It failed to establish stability between 1982 and 2000 and withdrew in defeat; from 2000 to 2023, it remained deterred”.
Sheikh Qassem added that the Israeli project has never ceased, but neither has the Lebanese people’s faith in sovereignty and independence. He noted that the Mighty Warriors Battle halted the enemy’s momentum, preventing it from achieving its goal of dismantling Hezbollah as a prelude to undermining Lebanon itself. He reaffirmed that confronting Israeli aggression must remain Lebanon’s top priority, with strength, resistance, and unity as the essential solution.
Sheikh Qassem said the United States has spent the past year and three months employing various methods to weaken Lebanon—chiefly through calls to disarm and strip the country of its defensive capabilities—measures that would effectively paralyze Lebanon’s power.
“These pressures have failed because they lack legitimacy and violate the constitutional right to self-defense. There are those who firmly reject these pressures and the US-Israeli project”.
Sheikh Qassem said early attempts were made to incite discord between the army, the people, and the resistance, but awareness on all sides thwarted the effort. His Eminence clearly said that external actors were blocking reconstruction under the pretext of “weapons exclusivity”, arguing the real aim was to create a rift between the resistance and its people—an attempt that failed because the resistance and its people are one.
“The people are the resistance, and the resistance is the people; the South is Lebanon, and Lebanon is the South”.
His Eminence also pointed to an economic and financial siege, including restrictions on donations, aimed at preventing services to citizens and portraying Hezbollah as the source of crises while weakening the state.
Sheikh Qassem said efforts to sow division between Hezbollah and the Amal Movement have also failed. He described the alliance as deeply rooted, noting that a recent leadership meeting addressed elections, cooperation, accelerating reconstruction, and confronting aggression.
Hezbollah’s Sheikh Qassem also asserted that the Israeli occupation is deliberately targeting civilians to create fractures, spraying toxic chemicals on farmland to destroy life, and razing frontline villages to isolate the area. His Eminence cited an incident in which Israeli occupation forces entered the town of Al-Habbariyeh, abducted the Islamic Group’s official for Hasbaya and Marjayoun from his home, assaulted his wife, and vandalized the property in full view of residents.
Sheikh Qassem said such actions aim to apply maximum pressure and eliminate any presence or force that says “no” to Israel or supports Lebanon’s revival. Addressing claims that politics alone can restrain the Israeli enemy, he asked what would happen if Lebanon were stripped of its strength, noting that incursions and abductions would become routine.
“Yes, we can confront the Israeli enemy. We must remain steadfast, resistant, and capable. With steadfastness there is no defeat, and with readiness to defend, ‘Israel’ cannot achieve its objectives”.
Sheikh Qassem addressed Lebanon’s political dynamics, saying pressure on the President of the Republic has been constant, coming from major powers and Arab states seeking to create a rift between the presidency and Hezbollah, that is, between the state’s leadership and the resistance along with its supporters.
His Eminence stressed, however, that “no one can interfere between us and the President”. Sheikh Qassem welcomed the visit of the head of the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc to the president, describing it as a constructive step for follow-up, coordination, managing disagreements, and confronting national challenges.
Acknowledging differences in approach on certain issues, Sheikh Qassem said, “From a national standpoint, we are united: both of us prioritize halting aggression, seek Lebanon’s liberation, reject sedition, and share the commitment to Lebanon’s reconstruction and development”.
Hezbollah’s Sheikh Qassem praised the recent visit of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam to southern Lebanon, calling it a positive and significant step toward rebuilding the country. His Eminence highlighted the prime minister’s declaration that reconstruction will proceed regardless of ongoing aggression—a position Hezbollah has long advocated.
“Every step we take to rebuild, repair, and move forward obstructs the schemes of our adversaries”.
His Eminence also urged the Lebanese government to address the situation in Tripoli, describing the city as a historic Lebanese center that should not face building collapses without decisive action. His Eminence called for urgent and bold measures to evacuate unsafe buildings, provide alternative housing, and ensure residents live with dignity while permanent solutions are implemented. He emphasized that supporting the people of Tripoli, including neighborhoods like Tabaneh and Qobbeh, is a national responsibility.
