Hezbollah Deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem has declared that the Lebanese people will continue to protect their national sovereignty, framing ongoing Israeli military actions as a comprehensive "aggression" aimed at weakening Lebanon and imposing new conditions.

In a speech delivered at a memorial event, Qassem also launched a sharp critique of the United States, accusing it of sponsoring Israeli attacks and deliberately destabilizing Lebanon's economy.

Speaking at the first anniversary commemoration of Mohammad Afif, a former head of Hezbollah’s media relations unit whom he praised as a prominent and strategic media figure, Qassem reflected on Lebanon’s history. He asserted that the nation's independence, declared on November 22, 1943, was achieved only through "struggle, demands, firm positions, and imprisonment."

He emphasized that since the liberation of southern Lebanon in 2000, a national consensus has existed that "the Israeli occupation is the enemy" and that any collaboration with it is rejected.

Addressing the current cross-border conflict, Qassem forcefully rejected the characterization of the escalation as merely a violation of a ceasefire. Instead, he labeled it a "notorious aggression that aims to control Lebanon and strip it of all forms of strength."

He pointed to a recent incident where Israeli forces fired on UNIFIL personnel as evidence that "everyone is now facing this aggression that does not spare anyone." He called on the Lebanese government to confront this offensive through all available diplomatic and political means, stating, "The aggression is the problem, not the resistance."

Qassem reserved his strongest warnings for the United States, which he accused of being a direct sponsor of aggression rather than a neutral mediator.

"The American guardianship over Lebanon is a very great danger, and it does not work for Lebanon's stability," he said. "America is not a mediator but a sponsor of aggression."

He directly linked Washington to Lebanon's profound economic crisis, alleging, "The currency collapsed because of America, the banks went bankrupt because of it, the economy was damaged, and oil production was disrupted." He cited the recent visit of a U.S. Treasury delegation as an effort to intensify financial pressure on both Hezbollah and the general Lebanese public.

Positioning Hezbollah as a core partner within the Lebanese government, Qassem urged authorities to reject any proposals that would diminish the country's rights, including suggestions for redeployment south of the Litani River or other negotiated concessions.

"We are part of the government, and the state must not allow any tampering with Lebanon," he stated, directly addressing the government. "I advise you to try saying no on the basis of Lebanon’s rights, and we will be together."

He also warned against internal sectarian incitement and criticized the political paralysis that has left Lebanon without a fully functioning government, calling attacks on Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri "sinful."

Despite mounting pressures, Qassem vowed that the resistance and the Lebanese people would remain steadfast. "The level of strength of our people and our society is unprecedented," he concluded, "and this strength cannot be defeated." (ILKHA)