BEIRUT/JERUSALEM, May 27 (Xinhua) -- A senior Hezbollah official said Wednesday that "nobody should dream" of disarming the group, following deadly Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon Tuesday night.
Speaking at a memorial in Beirut's southern suburbs, Mahmoud Qomati, a member of the political council of Hezbollah, said the group will "never" hand over its weapons, according to Lebanon's National News Agency.
Hezbollah will not commit to any ceasefire "if the occupation is entrenched in the south," Qomati said.
Qomati also accused some Lebanese officials of seeking to target the group, saying Hezbollah is deeply rooted in Lebanon and will continue its "duty of resistance."
According to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health, the Tuesday night airstrikes killed at least 34 people, including children, and wounded dozens more.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military said Wednesday it struck more than 150 sites in Lebanon over the past day, as the army ramped up its military operations in the country.
Separately, the Israeli army on Wednesday afternoon issued an evacuation warning to residents of Lebanon's Tyre area ahead of a new wave of strikes.
A ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon took effect in April. Despite the truce, Israel has continued to carry out near-daily strikes in Lebanon, while Hezbollah has launched attacks on Israeli military positions. ■
