Hezbollah’s deputy chief, Naim Qassem, has vowed to inflict “pain” on Israel in response to its recent military operations in Lebanon, which have led to the deaths of key Hezbollah officers. Despite the threat of retaliation, Qassem also offered an option for a ceasefire, which would allow Israeli settlers to return to their homes in northern Israel.
In a recorded speech, Qassem stated, “The solution is a ceasefire. We are not speaking from a position of weakness; if the Israelis do not want that, we will continue.” He added that under the ceasefire, an indirect agreement would be made to facilitate the return of settlers to the north, with further steps outlined.
Hezbollah’s Proposal and Israeli Aims
Qassem’s ceasefire proposal aligns with Israel’s stated objective in Lebanon: securing the return of tens of thousands of Israeli residents forced to flee northern Israel due to Hezbollah attacks. However, Israel has not officially responded to Hezbollah’s offer of a ceasefire.
Threat of Continued Attacks
Qassem warned that if Israel rejects the ceasefire, Hezbollah reserves the right to strike anywhere within Israel. He cautioned that such attacks would result in the displacement of “hundreds of thousands, even more than two million” Israelis, putting them at risk “at any time, at any hour, on any day.”
He emphasized Hezbollah’s focus on targeting the Israeli military and its infrastructure, stating, “We will focus on targeting the Israeli military and its centers and barracks.”
Israel’s Response and Escalation
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue striking Hezbollah “without mercy, everywhere in Lebanon – including Beirut.” Israel has intensified its military operations in southern Lebanon, issuing evacuation orders that have affected more than a quarter of the country, according to the U.N. refugee agency. These actions come two weeks after Israel began incursions into Lebanon aimed at combating Hezbollah forces.
