Hezbollah chief Qassem says Israel unable to 'break' group on Nasrallah anniversary

Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem told supporters gathered in Lebanon on Sunday to mark two years since the killing of longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah that Israel had been unable to break his Iran-backed group. The fighters were weakened after all-out war with Israel in 2024, but regrouped and drew Lebanon into the Middle East conflict in March this year by attacking Israel. Israel responded with massive airstrikes and a ground invasion that Lebanon says have killed more than 4,300 people.

What did Hezbollah's Qassem say about Israel?

Qassem said Hezbollah had shown that Israel and its soldiers were unable to break the resistance, end its existence, consolidate the occupation or establish settlements in Lebanon. He made the remarks in a televised speech broadcast at the gathering. AFP correspondents saw tens of thousands of people, some carrying Hezbollah, Lebanese and Iranian flags or pictures of Nasrallah, rallying near the slain leader's tomb in Beirut's southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold Israel bombed during conflicts this year and in 2024.

How was Hassan Nasrallah killed?

Nasrallah, a charismatic leader revered by his supporters, was killed in a massive Israeli airstrike on Beirut's southern suburbs on September 27, 2024. The assassination came during more than two months of all-out war that pummeled Hezbollah and decimated its top leadership. His chosen successor, Hashem Safieddine, who was also commemorated on Sunday, was killed in another strike days after Nasrallah's death, and the latest hostilities have further weakened the group.

What is the status of the Lebanon-Israel ceasefire?

After a November 2024 ceasefire, Lebanese authorities committed to disarming Hezbollah and banned the group's military activities following this year's war. Violence in Lebanon has decreased since a fragile ceasefire announced in June after the signing of a US-Iran understanding. Lebanon and Israel reached a framework agreement that month under which Hezbollah is supposed to disarm and the Lebanese military deploy in pilot zones in south Lebanon as Israel withdraws, but progress has largely stalled.

What did Qassem say about south Lebanon?

Qassem said Hezbollah is ready for dialogue but demanded that Israel first liberate the south and let displaced people return. He said the framework agreement meant Lebanese authorities were helping the Israeli-US project instead of confronting it, and that the Lebanese army should not be used as a tool against Hezbollah. Israel has kept up its attacks and maintains troops in a self-declared security zone about 10 kilometers inside south Lebanon, while finance minister Bezalel Smotrich called Sunday for annexing areas up to the Litani River.

Is Hezbollah still holding its positions in the south?

Qassem said holding onto positions is not the group's main objective, after Israel carried out massive detonations this month to destroy Hezbollah infrastructure on the Ali al-Taher ridge. He said the sacrifices made so far meant the group could only keep going and could not be defeated. Attendees at the commemoration, including residents of border towns under Israeli occupation, described the anniversary as a sacred occasion and vowed to continue the group's path.