Hezbollah promises resistance and claims attacks on Israel

Beirut (ANTARA) - Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem said on Wednesday (4 March) that the group would continue its resistance against Israel, describing the confrontation as an ‘existential defence’. In a televised address, Qassem stated that Hezbollah had complied with the ceasefire agreement between the group and Israel, while Israel had failed to fulfil any of the provisions of the agreement.

“More than 10,000 violations” have been recorded by the United Nations (UN) and the Lebanese army since the ceasefire took effect, with around 500 people killed in the same period, Qassem said. He said Hezbollah had decided not to respond to repeated Israeli attacks during that period in order not to be accused of obstructing diplomatic efforts, while adding that the latest rocket barrages launched by the group were a response to ‘aggression’ by Israel and the United States, as well as months of violations by Israel.

Separately, Hezbollah, in a statement, said it fired a number of rockets on Tuesday (3 March) night local time towards the Tel Hashomer base, described as Israel’s military command centre southeast of Tel Aviv, as well as a military target to the south of the city of Haifa. On Monday (2 March) Hezbollah also fired missiles into Israeli territory, referring to the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei by Israel and the US, and repeated Israeli attacks.

Israel subsequently launched a large-scale assault on the group and sent ground troops into southern Lebanon.