“Israel has no choice but to fully withdraw from all Lebanese territory, without retaining an inch," Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem said on Tuesday, in his second speech delivered in recent days.
“We will cooperate with the Lebanese Army to the utmost extent, just as we cooperated previously, and Israel has no right to interfere in Lebanon's internal affairs,” the terror chief said, seemingly ignoring recent accusations from more than 400 Lebanese officials in recent days insisting that Iran cease its interference. “The political authority in Lebanon has a mere guarantee named the Resistance.”
"We exercised patience for 15 months; this patience was part of our strategy. Don't mistake it for retreat. When we saw that the opportune moment arrived on March 2nd, we seized this opportunity and fought this battle," he said, referencing the day Hezbollah dragged Lebanon into a renewed conflict with Israel in response to the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Ceasefire in Lebanon is a key condition in the Memorandum of Understanding
While Beirut discussed a ceasefire and security measures in a Washington-brokered agreement, Iran has pursued a ceasefire in Lebanon as a key condition in its Memorandum of Understanding with the United States. "A Call to Save Lebanon," endorsed by political and religious leaders in Lebanon, has asserted that such an agreement must be pursued by the legitimate state, not Iran.
The renewed conflict left 20% of Lebanon’s population displaced, and researchers have assessed, based on the growing attempts to establish political Shi’ite alternatives to Hezbollah, its dwindling numbers at rallies and public opinions expressed in Lebanese media that the war has severely damaged support for the group.
Qassem’s statement came as Israel and Lebanon shared another round of talks on a potential pilot solution, according to international reports.
While the Hezbollah official insisted that Israel would withdraw from the country according to an established “timeline,” Israeli officials have demanded the continued presence of a buffer zone along the border and the training and vetting of Lebanese troops to monitor Hezbollah's adherence to a ceasefire agreement.
Hezbollah has frequently decried the diplomatic talks with Israel, even seemingly threatening to return the country to a state of civil war in May.
A senior Lebanese security official told Reuters that Wednesday’s discussions would focus on specific military-to-military issues, including on the pilot zones. He affirmed that a timeline for Israel’s withdrawal would be decided, but added that it would only emerge after the talks conclude on Thursday.