BEIRUT, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Naim Qassem, secretary-general of Hezbollah, said on Wednesday that the group will continue what he described as a "defensive battle" against Israel, urging national unity and rejecting calls to disarm amid ongoing hostilities.
"We are in a defensive battle for Lebanon and its citizens, and the responsibility of confronting the aggression is a national responsibility for everyone -- the government, the army, the people, and all political forces," Qassem said, according to al-Manar news website.
In a statement, Qassem warned of what he called a "dangerous American-Israeli project" targeting Lebanon and the region, adding that Israeli attacks had continued for more than a year despite a ceasefire agreement reached on Nov. 27, 2024.
He said Hezbollah faced a choice between "surrender and giving up land, dignity and sovereignty" or "inevitable confrontation and resistance," stressing that the group was prepared and would continue fighting.
He also rejected negotiations with Israel amid the ongoing attacks and criticized calls for exclusive state control over weapons, saying such measures would weaken Lebanon and serve Israel's interests.
Meanwhile, the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health said in its daily report that the total death toll from Israeli attacks on Lebanon since March 2 has risen to 1,094, with 3,119 people wounded.
Hezbollah entered the confrontation on March 2 by launching rockets from southern Lebanon toward Israel for the first time since a ceasefire on Nov. 27, 2024, prompting Israel to carry out an intensified military campaign targeting multiple areas across the country. ■
