Hezbollah’s deputy leader, Naim Qassem, declared on Sunday that the group will not surrender or disarm, despite growing pressure from both local and international actors, Rks News reports.
“This threat will not make us accept surrender,” said Qassem during a televised speech to thousands of supporters in southern Beirut, a known Hezbollah stronghold.
He emphasized that Hezbollah fighters will not abandon their weapons, insisting that Israeli aggression must stop first before any discussions on disarmament can take place.
This statement comes ahead of a visit by U.S. envoy Tom Barrack to Beirut, where he is expected to press for Hezbollah’s disarmament—a goal Washington wants achieved by the end of the year.
Meanwhile, Lebanese authorities have reportedly begun dismantling parts of Hezbollah’s military infrastructure in southern Lebanon, near the Israeli border.
