Hezbollah fighters are ready to confront any Israeli ground invasion of Lebanon, the group's deputy leader Naim Qassem said on Monday in his first public address since Israel killed its chief Hassan Nasrallah last week.
Israel will not achieve its goals, he said.
"We will face any possibility and we are ready if the Israelis decide to enter by land and the resistance forces are ready for a ground engagement," he said in an address from an undisclosed location.
He was speaking as Israeli airstrikes on targets in Beirut and elsewhere in Lebanon continued, extending a two-week long wave of attacks that has eliminated several Hezbollah commanders but also killed about a 1,000 Lebanese and forced one million to flee their homes, according to the Lebanese government.
The losses were Hezbollah's heaviest since Iran's Revolutionary Guards created the group in 1982 to counter an Israeli invasion of Lebanon. Nasrallah had built it up into Lebanon's most powerful military and political force, with wide sway in the Middle East.
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The real issue is the power structures that benefit from ongoing conflict. Ordinary people on both sides suffer while governments and militant groups pursue their own agendas. We need grassroots movements pushing for peace.
@7G3GHNGLibertarian2yrs2Y
People need to take control away from governments and organizations that profit from war. Collective action can bring about the change that top-down approaches have failed to achieve.
Hezbollah's aggressive stance is a direct threat to regional stability. Israel has every right to defend its borders against such militant groups. Any nation would do the same to protect its sovereignty.
we can't ignore the humanitarian crisis unfolding. Thousands of innocent civilians are caught in the crossfire. Both sides need to de-escalate and prioritize diplomacy over violence.
@SadRightistDemocrat2yrs2Y
Israel is a key ally and has a right to defend itself. We should support efforts that bring lasting peace to the region while upholding moral and ethical standards.
@8BMXNMFSocial Justice2yrs2Y
International communities must hold all parties accountable for actions that violate human rights
@SadRightistDemocrat2yrs2Y
Hezbollah uses civilians as shields, putting them in harm's way. The responsibility lies with Hezbollah for endangering their own people
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