Hezbollah Leader Rejects Disarmament, Demands Israel Honor Ceasefire

Beirut, August 25, 2025 – Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem has firmly rejected calls to disarm the group, insisting that Israel must first comply with a November 2024 ceasefire agreement before any discussions on integrating Hezbollah’s weapons into a national defense strategy can proceed. In a televised address from Beirut on Monday, Qassem emphasized that Hezbollah’s arsenal is essential for protecting Lebanon from Israeli “aggression” and safeguarding the country’s sovereignty.

“The resistance will remain a strong barrier preventing Israel from achieving its goals,” Qassem said, dismissing proposals from the Lebanese government and foreign entities to disarm the group. “If you truly want sovereignty, then stop the aggression. We will not abandon the weapons that honor us, nor the weapons that protect us from our enemy.” Qassem’s remarks come amid heightened tensions following the Lebanese Council of Ministers’ approval last month of a resolution tasking the army with developing a plan to disarm Hezbollah by the end of 2025. The decision aligns with a U.S.-backed initiative that vaguely promises Israel’s withdrawal from occupied parts of southern Lebanon and an end to its daily attacks if Hezbollah disarms. Hezbollah, however, has declared it will ignore the resolution. On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced that Israel would consider reducing its military presence in southern Lebanon if the Lebanese Armed Forces take steps to disarm Hezbollah. “If the Lebanese Armed Forces implement the disarmament of Hezbollah, Israel will engage in reciprocal measures, including a phased reduction” of its military presence, the statement said. The Israeli announcement followed a meeting between Netanyahu and U.S. envoy Tom Barrack, who has been pushing for a plan to disarm Hezbollah and secure Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon. Barrack, speaking in Beirut last week, urged Israel to honor its ceasefire commitments, stating, “The Lebanese government has done their part. Now we need Israel to comply.” Despite the November 2024 U.S.-brokered ceasefire, which required Israel to withdraw from southern Lebanon within two months, Israeli forces continue to occupy five positions in the region and conduct near-daily air attacks, violating the truce. On Monday, Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health reported that an Israeli drone strike on a pick-up truck in the Bint Jbeil district killed one person. The Israeli military later claimed it had targeted a Hezbollah member to “remove threats” to its citizens. Hezbollah, the only faction to retain its weapons after Lebanon’s 1975-1990 civil war, has been significantly weakened by last year’s conflict with Israel, which saw the assassination of senior leaders, including former chief Hassan Nasrallah, and the deaths of thousands of fighters and civilians. Tens of thousands, primarily from Shia and other communities, remain displaced due to widespread destruction. Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that U.S. deputy envoy Morgan Ortagus arrived in Beirut on Monday for meetings with Lebanese officials, as diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis continue.