Hezbollah vows retaliation over Israel’s killing of top commander

Ceasefire with Israel remains fragile as Hezbollah maintains readiness for possible military action.

Hezbollah’s Secretary-General Naim Qassem on Friday condemned Israel’s killing of top commander Haitham Ali al Tabtabai, calling it a “deliberate crime” and stressing that the group reserves the right to retaliate at a time of its choosing.

The comments marked Qassem’s first public reaction since Israel announced on Sunday that it had killed Tabtabai, Hezbollah’s chief of staff, in an air strike targeting Beirut’s southern suburb.

The attack left five people dead and 25 wounded. Hezbollah confirmed Tabtabai’s death in the attack.

Speaking at a memorial event for the slain commander, Qassem described the strike as a “blatant attack” and insisted the group would determine the timing of any response independently.

Qassem also addressed Lebanon’s internal situation, accusing a small group of acting as “servants of Israel” who destabilise the country by following American orders.

We won’t obey Israel

Naim Qassem stressed that Hezbollah is prepared to discuss defensive strategy but “not under pressure, not in pursuit of a new agreement, and not at the expense of our strength.”

He warned Israel against dictating Lebanese policy, saying: “We will not accept that the enemy decides how we live. We, our people, our allies, and our army will not accept being subservient to Israel.”

Commenting on Israel’s recent attack in Syria’s Beit Jinn region, Qassem said it demonstrated that “the Syrian people will not accept surrendering to Israel.”

Hezbollah’s statements come after a ceasefire was reached between Tel Aviv and Beirut on November 27, 2024, following more than a year of cross-border attacks during the genocidal war in Gaza, which left over 4,000 people dead and 17,000 injured.

Despite the ceasefire, Israel has only partially withdrawn from southern Lebanon and continues to maintain a military presence at five border outposts.

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Source: TRT